159 - How Tanya Eby Built a Career Narrating 1,400+ Audiobooks
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
Release Date: 08/03/2026
159 - How Tanya Eby Built a Career Narrating 1,400+ Audiobooks
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
What does it take to narrate more than 1,400 audiobooks and build one of the most respected careers in the industry? In this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I sit down with award-winning audiobook narrator, author, and casting director to explore her remarkable journey from recording commercials and teaching college writing to becoming one of the most prolific voices in audiobooks. Tanya shares how she got her start with Brilliance Audio, why she embraced ACX early, and how relationships, persistence, and continual learning helped her build a career spanning more than 1,400 audiobook...
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158 - Donna Frank on The Howard Stern Show, Audiobooks, and Following Your Instincts
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
What does it take to build a lasting career in voice over? In this episode, Mike sits down with accomplished voice actor, audiobook narrator, and longtime radio imaging talent . Best known to many listeners as the imaging voice behind , Donna shares the story of how she built a career spanning radio, commercial voice over, and audiobook narration by following her instincts, working relentlessly, and staying true to herself. Together, Mike and Donna discuss the realities of today’s voice over industry, from developing authentic client relationships and finding your niche to the...
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157 - The Courage to Begin: Katie Keary on Breaking Into Audiobook Narration
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
Breaking into audiobook narration can feel overwhelming—especially when you're starting from scratch. In this episode, I sit down with audiobook narrator Katie Keary, who recently booked her very first audiobook after years of considering a career in voiceover and narration. Katie shares her journey from working in education and nonprofit leadership to building a home studio, overcoming self-doubt, learning the technical side of narration, and finally landing her first audiobook project. We talk about the importance of mentorship, finding community, developing resilience, and why taking the...
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156 - Why Authenticity Wins: Sonya Wills on Social Media, Voiceover & Starting Over
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
What if everything about your creative career could change in less than a year? In this episode, I sit down with , a former commercial actor who stepped away from the industry to focus on family, only to find her way back through an unexpected path: social media. From having no online presence to building a thriving platform in just months, Sonya shares how experimenting with content, embracing authenticity, and leaning into her real-life experience helped her discover a powerful new direction—teaching creators how to show up confidently on camera. We dive into: Why social media is no longer...
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155 - Emma Faye: Building a Full-Time Audiobook Career as the Clean Reads Queen
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
In this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I’m joined by audiobook narrator —a 2026 Audie finalist, 2024 SOVAS nominee, and the narrator many in the industry know as the Clean Reads Queen. Emma has built a thriving audiobook career by staying true to her values and creating a highly intentional brand around clean, wholesome storytelling. She has narrated more than 170 clean-read titles across genres including closed-door romance, YA fantasy, middle grade, nonfiction, and Christian books. She’s also the founder of , a boutique audiobook production company focused on bringing more...
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154 -Mike Previti: From Musician to Full-Time Voice Actor - Building a VO Career with Patience and Purpose
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
In this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I sit down with voice actor to talk about building a sustainable voiceover career later in life—and what it really takes to make the leap from “safe” to creative fulfillment. Mike’s journey began with childhood acting gigs in the Boston area, shifted into years as a touring musician and singer-songwriter, and eventually led him back to the microphone—this time as a full-time professional voice actor. We talk candidly about leaving a high-stress corporate job, betting on yourself, and doing the slow, steady work required to grow a VO...
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153 - Scam-Baiting to Private Investigations: Rosie Okumura’s Wild VO Pivot
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
returns to the Mike Lenz VO Podcast with one of the most unusual (and inspiring) career paths in voiceover: she turned a deeply personal moment—when her mom was scammed—into a viral YouTube crusade that now reaches millions. In this episode, Rosie breaks down how she built her VO career in Los Angeles, how her “smart assistant” and voice-matching skills became a niche advantage, and how her live scam-baiting streams evolved into a powerful platform for educating viewers while exposing scammers through comedy and improvisation. You’ll also hear the behind-the-scenes reality of...
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152 - Tawny Platis Interview - From Child Actor to 1.8M Followers: Tawny Platis on Consistency, Creativity, and Career Growth
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
Voice actor and content creator returns to The Mike Lenz VO Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about building a sustainable creative career—without waiting around for permission. Tawny shares how she landed her first voiceover job at just six years old, why she stepped away from entertainment to build a “safe” business (spoiler: it wasn’t safe at all), and how that business experience became the secret weapon that helped her thrive once she went full-time in voice acting. We also dig into the real role social media plays in today’s VO landscape—how Tawny approaches content as...
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151 - Mike Lenz Update
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
On this episode, Mike gives an update on his career including: The powerful advice he received after he moved into voiceover, audiobook narration and podcast producing full time almost eight years ago. How networking and attending conferences propeled his audiobook narrration career forward and how he booked his first Union audiobook title. The importance of health and well being to maximizing your vocal performaqnce in the booth. His Audiobook Narrator Workouts that Mike launched recently and how they help narrators work on their craft in a small and safe environment. ...
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150 - Sanya Simmons Interview - From Classical Flutist to SAG-AFTRA Audiobook Narrator
Mike Lenz Voice - A Journey Into Voice Acting
IIn this episode, Mike sits down with audiobook narrator and author to talk about her path from classical musician to becoming a voice actor and audiobook narrator. What We Cover: Building an Audiobook Career: Moving from ACX royalty-share projects to working directly with publishers The real time investment: why 5-10 hours of finished audio takes 30-40+ hours total Prep strategies for fiction vs. nonfiction projects Getting family help with research to save time Using Your Musical Background: How Sanya's flute and vocal training helps her narration Treating your voice like an instrument...
info_outlineWhat does it take to narrate more than 1,400 audiobooks and build one of the most respected careers in the industry?
In this episode of The Mike Lenz VO Podcast, I sit down with award-winning audiobook narrator, author, and casting director Tanya Eby to explore her remarkable journey from recording commercials and teaching college writing to becoming one of the most prolific voices in audiobooks.
Tanya shares how she got her start with Brilliance Audio, why she embraced ACX early, and how relationships, persistence, and continual learning helped her build a career spanning more than 1,400 audiobook titles. We also dive into the realities of working as a full-time narrator, the importance of conferences and networking, the casting process from the other side of the table, and why even experienced narrators should never stop honing their craft.
Whether you're just getting started in voice acting or already working professionally, this conversation is packed with practical advice, industry insights, and encouragement for anyone pursuing a career behind the microphone.