Kate Hood says doing Maureen McCarthy's QUEEN KAT CARMEL AND ST. JUDE GET A LIFE was a labor of love because it was a particularly Australian story and because "Carmel becomes a singer and discovers her creative side." Kate is also a singer who did quite a bit of musical theater and had her own jazz band. When she was diagnosed with a neurological disease, Kate turned to voiceover work. "I walk with a stick, and stage work is not something I'm really able to do anymore. So, while there's a practical reason for narrating, it's also something that I love." Author Di Morrissey chose Kate to record her novels, including Earphones winner TEARS OF THE MOON. "Morrissey has a wonderful variety of characters, and she really goes into the history of Australia," Kate notes. Kate's nonfiction work includes Sandra Lee's BEYOND BAD and Sue Williams's AND THEN THE DARKNESS, both true-crime books set Down Under. Her next recording project for Bolinda is Susanna De Vries's GREAT PIONEER WOMEN OF THE OUTBACK. These days, in addition to narrating, Kate spends her creative energies writing and directing. She'll be directing a production of "The Merry Widow," which is pre-booked for a national tour of Australia.

Kate Hood