About the Summit
June 23-28, 2025
What is the Narrator Summit?
Audiobook Empire's Narrator Summit is a virtual conference taking place in late June each year. Started in 2023 (as the Workshop Rewind) and re-branded in 2024, the Summit is an annual "meeting of the minds", bringing together narrators, authors, producers, publishers, coaches, and specialty experts from all over the audio industry to share, learn, encourage, uplift, and celebrate.
The guests for each Summit are handpicked by Jess, not only for their knowledge and expertise, but also for their "vibe". No Negative Nellies or Chicken Littles allowed. The tone of each Summit should be one of shared optimism and growth. Each year, we raise the bar. Onwards and upwards!
Who can attend?
The 2024 Summit is specifically crafted for an audience of narrators, but we aren't ruling out an Author Summit in the future. Let us know if you'd be interested in attending!
Does it matter how many books I have?
Yes and no. Any and all narrators can attend this year's Summit, but certain sessions may be more or less relevant to where you are in your career.
We're using the following labeling system, where necessary, to indicate which sessions are appropriate for which audiences:
Squires: 1-29 books
Knights: 30-70 books
Landed Gentry: 71-100 books
Nobles: 100+ books
What if I can't attend live?
The Summit will be most beneficial to those who are able to attend live, but we realize that's not realistic for everyone, so certain sessions will be available for purchase from the Imperial Marketplace after the Summit has concluded.
The recorded sessions from the 2024 Summit are:
Intro to the Empire with Jess Herring
Cold Calling with Jess Herring
'Hitting 100' Roundtable with Ana Clements
Royalty Sharing with Jess Herring
What's the State of the Empire address?
The State of the Empire address is an annual presentation occurring each June that details the Empire's accomplishments over the past 12 months and gives a sneak peek into what we have in store for the future. It's also a celebration of the audiobook industry, the Empire's place in it, and the people that have helped us along the way.
The Imperial Address usually runs about 20 minutes and precedes a special guest presentation or event.
Why can't I attend the Saturday events?
Saturday's events are reserved for members of our Talent Legion (roster) and those who have purchased full access for the week ($99).
Access to these events is not included with the purchase of individual sessions. If you would like to upgrade to full access, please contact our treasury department.
Can I sponsor an event?
Absolutely! Sponsorship opportunities for individual sessions or for the entire Summit are available upon request. Please email our treasury department for more details.
 I signed up! What now?
Awesome! You'll be sent information and your ticket/access pass for the Summit in just a few weeks. Don't forget to mark your calendar!
Not Yet Final
★ June 23rd: Day 1
Intro to the Empire with Jess Herring (1pm ET)
This session will take the form of an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Jess, the Empire's founder. It will also serve as the official Summit welcome!
Auditioning Techniques with Tanya Eby (4pm ET)
★ June 24th: Day 2
Canva 101 with Emma Faye (1pm ET)
TBD (4pm ET)
★ June 25th: Day 3
Cold Calling with Jess Herring (1pm ET)
The Empire's most popular workshop!
An actionable workshop focusing on project selection and author outreach. Spreadsheet & email template included.
Publishers’ Panel with Jesse Bickford (4pm ET)
★ June 26th: Day 4
Non-Fiction Techniques with Sean Pratt (1pm ET)
Directors’ Dais with Amy McFadden, Anne Flosnik & Tanya Eby (4pm ET)
Interactive Panel
Select narrators read prepared pieces in front of the coaches and directors on our Imperial Dais and receive feedback on their performances.
★ June 27th: Day 5
Narrator Rates/Increasing Your Worth with Jess Herring (1pm ET)
Prep Techniques with Finlay Stevenson (4pm ET)
★ June 28th: Special Events
State of the Empire with Jess Herring (5pm ET)
The 2025 Summit concludes with the annual State of the Empire address in which Jess details what the Empire has been up to over the last 12 months and where it's headed in the next year.
Guest Speaker: TBD (6pm ET)
Imperial Gathering & Celebration (8pm ET)
A social event to reflect on Summit sessions, ask any final questions, and chat with other attendees.

Jess Herring
Jess Herring is the founder and CEO of Audiobook Empire, a full-service production house catering to independent authors and producing in four languages. The Empire has since grown to includeCats MeowProductions and Lunar Audiobooks.
Audiobook Empire is the culmination of her years of experience within the audio industry. Its primary goal is to help indie authors navigate the production process with ease, from start to finish. As the Empress herself says, "We're not just a production house, but a powerhouse!".

Tanya Eby
Tanya Eby is an award winning narrator of over 1200 titles, a sometimes casting director, and a USA Today Bestselling writer. When not narrating or writing, she forages for mushrooms, bakes and cooks, and watches murder shows.

Sean Pratt
Sean Pratt has been a working professional actor in theatre, film, TV and voice-overs for over 30 years. He holds a BFA in Acting from Santa Fe University, NM. He has narrated over 1,000+ audiobooks….and counting! Want to learn more about Sean, keep scrolling.
He has been an audiobook narrator for 22 years (aka – Lloyd James), recording over 1000+ Audio Books in almost every genre. He narrates for such companies as Blackstone Audiobooks, Tantor Media, Gildan Audio, Harper Collins, Penguin Random House, and Christian Audio.

Jesse Bickford
Jesse Bickford is the senior audio producer for Blackstone Publishing, and has been with the company since 2008. A life-long lover of storytelling, with a background in stage management and literary theory, the world of audiobooks and the community that surrounds it is the perfect home for this self-proclaimed "book dragon." Finding just the right voice for a book or short story is the type of magic she loves to dip her toes into, and delights in connecting an author's words with a narrator's voice. Jesse also moonlights as a narration coach under her company, Book Dragon Coaching, and enjoys working with narrators of all skill levels. When not audiobooking, Jesse can be found playing with her two delightful-yet-unmannerly dogs, exploring the offerings of southern Oregon with her family, or just cozied up on the couch with a book in one hand, and a glass of something delicious in the other.

Amy McFadden

Finlay Stevenson
Finlay Stevenson is an Audie-nominated, Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator and director. She has narrated and directed titles for Penguin Random House, Hachette, and other independent publishers. She is also an audiobook prepper/researcher who has provided production assistance for over 150 titles for Big Five publishers and individual narrators. A classically trained actor and singer, she grew up in Texas and currently lives in Los Angeles, where she co-produces and stars in the critically acclaimed sci-fi/comedy serial audio drama, Midnight Burger.

Emma Faye
Emma Faye is an award-winning audiobook narrator and digital marketing coach. Known as The Clean Reads Queen, she has narrated over 100 titles and loves to help other narrators grow their online presence. She also runs Cats Meow Productions, a production company focusing on clean reads. When she’s not working, she’s a proud cat mom, theatre nerd, and cookie dough connoisseur.
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