Page 42 of Country Winds
Lee settled back in his seat as she set the cup down. “I understand you come from a ranch outside the small town of King Creek, Arizona. How did a country girl end up as the voice of a kickass badass game heroine?”
“I’ve been doing voices since I was a small child.” Ellie brushed her hair away from her cheek. “A couple of years ago, a friend suggested I audition as a voice actor for an animated series she worked on. They were looking for new voices and talent and signed me on.”
He leaned in. “Now, I have to ask, because everyone wants to know—how did you come up with that voice for Nyx? She's tough but vulnerable, kickass but heartbreaking. It's amazing.”
Ellie gave him what she hoped was a sexy look as she shifted her voice to Nyx’s husky, authoritative tone. “Well, Lee, Nyx isn’t just a warrior—she’s a survivor.” Ellie shifted back to her normal voice. “I based her on one of my cousins, who has this natural leadership quality, but also carries around so much heart. Plus, I spent a lot of time playing with different vocal registers until it felt right.”
Lee looked genuinely interested in everything Ellie told him. “That’s beautiful. Family inspiration. Has your cousin played the game?”
Ellie thought about Leeann’s reaction. “She called me sobbing after the scene where Nyx has to choose between saving her brother or the colony. She demanded I tell her which option was the ‘right’ one.”
Lee set down his cup. She wondered if he had something like vodka in it. “And did you tell her?”
“Nope.” Ellie shook her head. “No spoilers, even for family. She threatened to reveal my most embarrassing childhood stories on social media if I didn't tell her.”
Lee raised his brows. “Ooh, speaking of embarrassing stories, care to share one with us?”
Ellie had stories that would mortify her if they got out. “Ah, no. Those stories stay buried unless my cousin follows through on her threats.”
Lee picked up a pen and held it poised over a notecard. “What’s her name and number?”
Ellie laughed. “Uh-uh.”
Lee tapped the pen on the cards. “So, I hear you recorded over 15,000 lines of dialogue for this game. That's insane.”
“It was.” Ellie nodded at the memories. “There were days I literally couldn't speak afterward. I'd just come home and communicate with my cat, Hailee, through elaborate hand gestures. She was not impressed.”
Ellie shifted the attention away from herself for a moment. “I want to shout out to all the talented voice actors in the game. Myth Hunter wouldn’t be what it is now if it weren’t for them.”
He cocked his head. “Isn’t there something like 40,000 lines of dialogue in the game? Seems like a lot.”
Ellie nodded. “There are games with as much as 80,000 lines of dialogue.”
“Backing up—so, you're a cat person.” Lee flashed a grin at the audience. “See, we're learning things, people.”
“Yes.” Ellie crossed her legs at the knees. “Hailee has been my only roommate through this whole journey. She’s completely unimpressed by my newfound fame, but she’s a sweetheart and keeps me company, so I can’t complain.”
The handsome host gave her a flirtatious look. “So, it's just you and Hailee at home? No special someone who's enjoying this ride with you? Or are you accepting applications?”
“Must love cats and be okay with me occasionally speaking in Nyx’s voice during arguments.” Ellie gave a mysterious smile. “In truth, there is a special someone, but that’s all I’m saying.”
“Ah. Maybe we can find your cousin, and she will tell us.” Lee tapped a pen on the desktop. “How are you enjoying your newfound fame?”
Ellie shook her head at the enormity of it all. “I'm still expecting someone to tell me this was all an elaborate prank.”
Lee settled back in his chair. “Well, it's definitely not a prank. We've got a surprise for you. We asked fans to send videos of their reaction to one of Nyx’s biggest moments in the game.” He turned away from her. “Can we roll that?”
A montage played on a monitor, showing gamers experiencing emotional reactions to a powerful scene in the game, with many of them tearing up.
When it was over, Ellie was fighting back tears of her own. “Oh wow. I didn't expect that.”
Lee focused on her. “That's the impact you're having. How does it feel?”
Ellie worked to control her emotions. “Honestly? Terrifying and amazing all at once. When you're in the booth, it's just you and the microphone. You never really think about millions of people connecting with what you're doing.” She smiled. “But it's what every actor dreams of, right? Making people feel something real.”
“Well, you've done that.” Lee leaned in, as if he were discussing a top-secret subject. “Now, I hear a little rumor that there might already be talks about a sequel?”
Ellie playfully acted panicked and put her hands up in a stop motion. “You know I can't comment on that. The game developers have people everywhere.” She lowered her voice dramatically. “They're probably watching right now.”
