Meet the Voice of Me: FR Springer

After a lengthy ironing out of a few wrinkles in the contract details, my publisher and book narrator have reached an agreement on producing the Audible version of my memoir, The Way from Me to Us. Whew!

I’m excited about the project … but even more excited by the choice of narrator. His name is Frederick R. Springer. He goes by “FR.”

I think he’ll make a great me.

I haven’t met FR in person, but we message frequently. I like him. He is a big fan of the book, first of all. He’s also warm and funny. Though he lives in Pasadena, he’s spent time in Atlanta and knows Midtown well, loves its bars and restaurants. Interestingly enough, we share something else in common: We both were born in Buffalo, NY.

He’s also a pro.

FR recorded the audio version of Best-Kept Boy in the World, which, like my book, was published by Riverdale Avenue Books. It’s the story of Denham (Denny) Fouts, pictured below, the legendary, Jacksonville-born “homme fatal” who captivated some of the 20th century’s leading literary celebrities, including Gore Vidal, Christopher Isherwood and Truman Capote.

FR does a terrific job with that book, which describes how a bagboy at a Florida grocery store charmed his way to a glamorous, high-flying but ultimately tragic life in the beau monde.

It’s tough stuff, but FR tells the story with just the right balance of understanding and grief over a life cut too short. Over the loss of a beautiful young man “whose presence always hovered above those who had loved him,” Vanderbilt writes.

Other projects for FR include commercial narration, sports, gameshow announcing and singing. And for his announcing role in Pasadena’s annual New Year’s tradition, he was dubbed “the man with the golden pipes behind the Rose Bowl Parade” in a 2019 city magazine article.

I got to hear FR’s audition recording of a brief excerpt of The Way from Me to Us.

It felt odd at first listening to someone else read my book, a tad disorienting, but then the energy and polish of FR’s voice won me over.

He did a first-rate job capturing the book’s spirit. I marveled at how he conveyed the personalities of the characters in the scene, even through short lines of dialogue. His voice is smooth, light, easy to listen to … perfect for 11 hours of audiobook.

And, God bless him, he makes me sound younger, too.

I’ll be posting updates as things move forward.

But for now, despite a few hiccups, I’m happy to report it’s a done deal.