Since a very early age I have loved: books and poetry; reading aloud (as my poor long-suffering family can testify); and some, less flattering observers might say, ‘the sound of my own voice’!  My subsequent acting and singing training have proven only to reinforce this desire.

While storytelling I thoroughly enjoy both the challenge of drawing the listeners’ imagination into the atmosphere and drama of the narrative, as well as the thrill of using my vocal skills to ‘inhabit’ the characters that live there, interpreting their personalities and passions as the story unfolds.  I have experience across the range of genres that vocal work has to offer and have been involved as ‘the voice’ of a variety of projects ranging from: radios appeals for charities; TV adverts; on-line e-learning courses; narration for electronic publications of corporate and professional work; to promoting a school Marching Band contest.

I am registered on ACX.com which is a website where Audible Book artists and authors can find each other for projects and I recently narrated an epic fantasy novel.  Please see below for full details of the novel and a selection of clips illustrating my vocal variety….

The Song of the Sirin

The Song of the Sirin is Book 1 in the Raven Son series of fantasy novels

Written by:  Nicholas Kotar

Narrated by: John Paton

“An evil omen clouds the sky.  A song of lore returns.  Can one man’s quest save the world?” This retelling of the Russian fairy tale ‘Prince Ivan and the Grey Wolf’ was originally published in paperback by Waystone Press. If you like a hero’s journey, creative twists on mythology and classic fantasy then you’ll love this sweeping tale.

To obtain your copy of this unabridged Audiobook version of the novel, length 13 hours and 33 minutes, in English and released on 19 September 2018  from Audible.com please click here

Reviewers have written:

“Loved it!”

Great book! I couldn’t stop listening to it. I had high expectations due to a friends review; the book exceeded these expectations.  Moses Locke April 2019

“Loved the book, love the audio version even more

Kotar takes stories from Russian folk tales and the cosmology of eastern Christianity and uses them as a backdrop for an epic tale of a civilization’s fall and the efforts of a few heroes to bring it back. I loved the kindle/print versions of this book (I’ve read them several times), but the audio version is even better. This is a story that is meant to be heard and the narrator does a great job bringing it to life. Well done, Nicholas Kotar and John Paton – you leave me wanting more!  Amazon audible listener November 2018

General UK & RP

I have my own home studio and can record with a regionally neutral UK accent or if needed a Heightened RP.

Regional and Foreign Accents

I am a native of Bristol in the South West UK and have Scottish and Cornish ancestors.  My acting training also means I have a good ear for accents both from across the UK and overseas.

Testimonial

"John Paton created and recorded a number of voices for me as part of a multi-media poetry show. He was quick, responsive and very professional, while being open to feedback and suggestions. The voices John created for this project were wonderful. They were all from the early twentieth century in the West Country, ranging from a country solicitor to manual workers and farm hands. He researched the accents and, critically important for the project, did not overdo them; the voices were credible and varied. When the show was launched, a couple of people in the audience told me they were astonished that all the voices were the same person. Also, because they sounded so authentic, one person asked how they had been recorded and preserved from so long ago."

Angela France, Author & Poet, Nine Arches Press