Kyla Garcia: Audiobook Narrator
Kyla Garcia: Audiobook Narrator
Audiobook Narrator for The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton
Kyla Garcia (she/her) is an artivist based in LA where she is a proud ensemble member of Native Voices Theatre Company. Favorite storytelling moments include: starring in the World Premiere of Sovereignty at Arena Stage, producing her critically acclaimed solo show The Mermaid Who Learned How to Fly, and voicing the lead character of Lidia Aguilar for five seasons on Netflix's Cable Girls. Kyla has narrated over 210 audiobooks (two-time Audie nominee, multiple Audiofile Earphones Award winner) and is set to star in the title role of the upcoming TV series Blackwater created by Boise Esquerra.
Kyla Garcia: Audiobook Narrator
How did you prepare to narrate The Last Train to Key West?
I unknowingly started preparing for The Last Train to Key West when I co-narrated two other books written by Chanel that explore the lives of the descendants of my character in this one! (Next Year in Havana, When We Left Cuba) Talk about built-in back story! Chanel has created such a fascinating world for the Perez family and it was really exciting to get to learn about Mirta's story through her own eyes. After reflecting on what I learned about the family in the previous stories, I read the newest book in its entirety and studied Mirta's sections closely, as well as the perspectives of Elizabeth and Helen to get a feel for how they perceived her. For multi-narrator books, the other characters' sections are always a treasure trove of clues to help prepare your own chapters and know where you fit into the story as a whole. I loved reading the stories of these three women and seeing how they intersected in such surprising ways.
To get a feel for the world Mirta had left behind, I listened to 1930s Cuban music as well as studied photographs of women during this time. You can imagine so much about the past from looking at an old photo; from the facial expressions to the fashion. And, in all honesty, I am a true nerd....So, while recording I decided to wear a dress and necklace that I felt Mirta would have worn after her family's fall from grace in Cuba. For me, tiny details like that are so fun to explore to find the character's voice. (Fun fact: I once narrated a children's book about the life of Selena and went to the studio looking like I was ready to sing Bidi Bidi Bom Bom)
Kyla Garcia: Audiobook Narrator
Other work by Kyla Garcia:
When I'm not narrating I love:
Acting in front of the camera
Writing (original poetry and some other fun original ideas in the works!)
Volunteering with at a wolves and being an active pack member at Wolf Connection. https://wolfconnection.org
Directing VO projects for Netflix. I love getting to work with fellow artists and bring foreign films/series to life in English.
More books narrated by Kyla Garcia:
Kyla Garcia: Audiobook Narrator
Kyla Garcia: Audiobook Narrator
Kyla Garcia: Audiobook Narrator
Learn more about Karissa here:
@kylark on Instagram
@kylavictoria on Twitter
