CHUCK: In ending, here’s the inevitable “Any advice to those wanting to pursue a career in voice acting?”

TRISTAN: Give it up. NOT!!! Whatever else you do in life, chase your dreams. Take every opportunity to work your craft; a great option is to volunteer reading aloud to kids at the public library, or a shut-in, or someone who has difficulty reading. If there are classes and workshops in your area which have good reputations, consider taking them. (Beware of fly-by-night places! If you live in a town large enough to have a Screen Actors Guild [SAG] office, you might call there to ask if they know of legitimate workshops.)

There are many roads into voice acting—radio commercials, being a DJ, reading for the blind (a volunteer effort), descriptive captioning (for TV shows, again for the blind), any number of venues. It’s difficult, because the really good voices have captured a big share of the market, and the rest of us are scrambling for the crumbs. But don’t give up. Keep working at it. Check out an audiotape called “CommercialSpeak,” in which top commercial voices give their suggestions and experience. It’s the best $20 you’ll invest in your voice! (You should be able to order it through any bookstore; ask them to look it up for you.) .

CHUCK: I want to thank Mr. MacAvery for his time, and ask where he will be appearing at future conventions.

TRISTAN: Alas, my depleted pocketbook has put the kibosh on several upcoming cons; I’ve had to cancel appearances at OhayoCon and Katsucon both, because it’s too expensive to fly from Washington State all the way across the country. I’ll miss ‘em a lot, let me tell you. However, there are cons in the west that might well be on my plate—such as Fanime—and one wonderful con that I am DEFINTIELY going to return to: Nan Desu Kan in Denver, Colorado. I had a terrific time there this year, and I’ll very definitely be back! Check out my web page, and click on the “chibi-Gendo” to see my con schedule. (Crud; now I have to go update it!!!)

Thanks for inviting me, Chuck, I enjoyed it. And don’t let anyone play The Name Game with you.

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