What if your thoughts were taken literally.

A story that I am very proud of and is a bit of a departure for me is The Exoterrestrials. This is my third story converted to audiobook. It is funny...leading into this, I have heard my share of horror stories. However, I have had nothing but excellent luck with the people who have brought my stories to the audio format. Johnnie Hayes is the voice you will hear on The Exoterrestrials. I cannot get the image of a radio version of The Twilight Zone out of my head when I listen.

(For those of you who have asked...yes, Zomblog is in production as we speak by an amazing team in Las Angeles who are really set on making that story come to life. Stay tuned for more details.)

So, spend a moment with Johnnie C. Hayes and then check out the new audiobook!

The indie community (writing, music, acting) can be its own worst enemy at times. What are some of the issues you see cropping up? Solutions?

The idea that filthy language is a part of “real life” and therefore must be liberally inserted throughout a story in order to make the story “real” is false and disgusting. I have encountered very few people who actually taint their language to that extent. Dean Koontz is proof that a good writer doesn’t have to rely on filth to sell his work. His books are clean, and more than 450 million copies have been sold already.

The social media is…

Texting, specifically, is further dumbing down a generation that already can’t spell.

Share some information about your work with us: (feel free to be as in depth as you like)

I always worry that I haven’t done the very best job possible, and that those who hired me may wish they’d gotten someone else. I would hate to know that was the case, after someone placed their trust in me. Your encouraging words do a lot for me.

What is one question you are sick of being asked—not in interviews, but by individuals who know you write?

First, not a lot of people know that I write. If they find out and have any questions, I don’t mind; I appreciate their interest.

So, let’s talk a little about The Exoterrestrials. I was particularly impressed with how you captured a sound that reminded me of the tone you get from an episode of The Twilight Zone. What can you share about your process?

I pretended I was doing an episode of The Twilight Zone.

What led you to audio book narration?

I always loved reading and admire a capable author. Good stories will suck you in as though you are in their world, and it’s fun to help make it all “come alive” through narration. Many people have told me that I have a storyteller style, so audiobooks give me a chance to use that.

(You can skip this question if you like) How would you describe That Ghoul Ava to friends?

What other projects are you currently working on?

Two more audiobooks, one about dinosaurs and one a collection of ghost stories; also; I am writing a non-fiction book of my own.

What is one thing about you that would surprise individuals who do not know you personally?

I’m really not as ugly as I look.

What do you look for when choosing to narrate an audio book? Or are they simply acting jobs that you simply take as they come along?

I want to do clean books, without a lot of profanity or foul language. I got trapped not long ago by accepting a narration that I didn’t know was so full of that until it was too late to back out, so I’m more careful now. I like to do Christian-themed books, fiction and non-fiction; and I enjoy the fun stuff like ghost stories, dinosaurs, science fiction and comedy.

As an added note, I turn down some books because they are so poor grammatically. We should learn to use our own language properly, especially if we’re going to insert ourselves into professional occupations such as writing.

Do you have anything in your “to be read” pile right now?

Tons. When I was a child, anytime I had fifty cents, I would go buy a book. As I grew older, I got busy with everything else and kind of got away from reading. It feels good now to have re-discovered it.