We celebrate Stefan Rudnicki for his audiobook narrations, but his impressive career in audiobooks includes multiple roles and a massive scope of work. From his first association with audiobooks, when he helped a friend abridge a book in 1994, he has been involved in more than a thousand audiobooks as narrator, writer, producer, or director. Born in Poland, Stefan later lived in Stockholm, Canada, and New York City, where he worked in theater, in film, and in academia. Now he concentrates his talents on audiobooks or audiobook-related work through his Skyboat Road Company in Los Angeles. When we spoke to Stefan, he was about to begin work on his latest endeavor, “The Delivery,” a film homage to audiobooks that promotes reading and literacy and stars audiobook narrators and authors such as Scott Brick, Michael York, and Orson Scott Card.

From the beginning, Stefan found the multitasking role he could play in audiobooks a satisfying fit. “Audiobooks combined all the things I enjoyed doing in my life,” he says. Stefan’s productions with Dove Audio in the 1990s earned two Grammy Awards and a raft of Audies for titles featuring Hollywood luminaries. Later, as he took on more narrating, his narrations began to pick up Audies and Earphones Awards as well. His performance of HUBRIS by Michael Isikoff and David Corn garnered both awards this year. Stefan’s long-time association with science fiction author Orson Scott Card led to the hugely successful multi-reader productions of ENDER’S GAME, SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD, and CRYSTAL CITY and Stefan’s recent single-voice performance of SONGMASTER. Working for Blackstone Audio and Audible.com, Stefan has made a specialty of producing and narrating in multiple-reader productions, including science fiction titles, Harlequin romances, and Susie Bright’s erotica serials.

Stefan recognizes that actors new to audio may be challenged to find ways to develop their skills. “Short stories are a great training ground,” he says. Stefan is working with the Audio Publishers Association for the APAC Narrators Track in May 2008.

Stefan’s gravelly voice is distinctive, yet he’s able to deliver a surprising variety and range. He talks about using a “concave performance” in audiobooks. “You have to draw people in, to bring listeners to you and allow an intimacy to develop.” Producer and collaborator Yuri Rasovsky notes, “There’s a lot to like about Stefan--his fine vocal instrument, his technique, his professionalism. But what I admire most about him, both as a producer and narrator, is his impeccable taste.” Yuri adds that since “his ancestry is Polish, my nickname for him is Fred. I regard him as the Frédéric Chopin of audiobooks.”
-- 2007 Narrator Yearbook

Sci-fi fans should know the work of Stefan Rudnicki, multi-talented director, producer, writer, and narrator. Born in Poland, Stefan moved to Canada as a young boy, and his fascination with science fiction began when he was seven years old. His close relationships with leading sci-fi authors Ben Bova, Ursula LeGuin, Harlan Ellison, Robert Silverberg, and Orson Scott Card have given him a unique chance to produce a compendium of contemporary sci-fi audiobooks. Card’s THE CRYSTAL CITY, a multi-cast recording, is celebrated in this issue, and ENDER'S GAME and SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD were also Earphones Award winners. LOST BOYS, also by Card, is a 2005 Audie Award Finalist, and it’s the first time Stefan has been nominated for a single voice recording. His Audie track record is impressive though—11 of his productions are Audie winners. Stefan worked on the audio productions of hundreds of audiobooks in his various roles for Dove Audio, Audio Literature, Audio Renaissance, Blackstone Audiobooks, and others. His rich baritone is among the most recognizable voices in audio today. Upcoming for Stefan, a military science fiction series, the Prince McClintock books by John Ringo and David Webber.

Stefan Rudnicki