Andrea’s Discord Announcement (Please be very respectful.): https://discord.com/invite/fhrF6GU
Hello, readers of Innworld, it’s me.
I’m writing you from the quiet of my house while it rains, or prepares to. As Andrea said, any Frost Faeries have left a while ago, and it’s spring.
Time to reflect–and for me, to continue resting on my month-long break. And I suppose, most difficult of all, to say a goodbye, and fond farewell.
Andrea has made an announcement which I will link to as well, but the short of it is that she’s stepping away from the story as the narrator. I’ve known about it for a while; we had a chat where she told me the same thing she laid out for you: there’s only so many voices she has, so much time and energy until she burns out, and I have seen how hard she’s worked on the story.
The fans who listen to her live-streaming The Wandering Inn and who love the audiobooks have always been immensely passionate to me, and there’s a joy to hearing the story brought to life by someone as talented as she is. I’ve listened to the books myself to hear the story from another point of view and I was amazed at how Andrea brought the ending of Volume 6, Hell’s Wardens, to life, and the range of her voices.
However, it is a massive story and her decision makes sense as a fellow artist. It wasn’t easy. I think it was a painful one, and telling the audience is the hardest part; I hope everyone gives her immense support and understanding and follows what she does next.
We’ve prepared for Andrea’s departure with the help of Podium Publishing through a series of auditions to find the best voice to carry on the story. With Andrea’s help, we found an amazing narrator who I think has a voice that can continue bringing The Wandering Inn to life. Setting them up for success is important, and Andrea’s left tons of notes for the task. I hope you give our new narrator the same trust as Andrea and welcome them to the story.
It’s not easy for things to change like this, I know. But the important thing, in messages like this, is to remember that it’s not all sad. Change is terrifyingly scary, but also a chance. A goodbye is tragic; a farewell should be celebratory.
So I want to say that we all got lucky that Andrea was the narrator who took on The Wandering Inn. She put in the effort and had the amazing talent and drive to bring the story to countless readers who would have never found it through the audiobooks, and she has defined what The Wandering Inn is for many people.
I wrote the story, but her voice is the medium through which the audiobooks reach you. It’s a version of The Wandering Inn she helped create, and if you ever loved that, I hope you’ll write a message for her sharing a moment you loved, or wishing her the best.
As Erin Solstice said, once, it’s not just saying farewell to people. Someday, we’ll see them again, and I have faith that Andrea’s path might cross with mine in some new way. Time will tell, but the world is endlessly big, and small enough to meet again and again. So, thank you again, Andrea for all you’ve done over the years!
It’s been an honor working with you.
–pirateaba
