CINDY PILLER
PLAYS IMPERFECT PEOPLE IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS
Samples
Penguin Random House producer Nithya Rajendran shares an example of how Cindy Piller’s audition samples helped her cast a recent audiobook. Take less than a minute and check it out.
Joel "Captain Hook" Froomkin
Audiobooks At Sea
Why do 90-plus people sign up for an Audiobooks at Sea 6 day extravaganza? It’s more than the food and the dock-side excursions in Costa Maya, Belize, and Cozumel. It’s a fantastic way to learn more about audiobook narration with phenomenal producers, coaches, directors, and other narrators.
We learned how to:
We also received individual coaching sessions in small groups of 3-4 narrators.
Last year’s inaugural sail was incredible; this year was even better. Thanks to organizers Joel Froomkin and Rich Najuch for putting on such a splendid event! Already looking forward to the next one in April, 2026.
The luxury of sharing tables with different attendees and industry honchos every night provided fabulous networking with a variety of folks, opportunities to ask questions, share experiences, and become really well acquainted.
Four dinner theme nights added fun and conversation. Dressing as our favorite literary characters was a big hit with unbelievably clever costumes and creativity. Joel Froomkin was an amazing Captain Cook. Because mysteries have been a favorite genre for Cindy Piller since childhood, Miss Marple was her choice.
Dialect coaching at Costa Maya? Not really, but it was fun.
Featured Audiobooks
Narrator Cindy Piller is an ideal match for voicing Sherry Pinkwhistle, a Miss Marple-esque amateur sleuth who always solves the case--much to the chagrin of the local sheriff. This cozy mystery has everything listeners expect: a charming small-town setting, a cast of quirky characters, an endearing pet, and, of course, a murder or two . . . or sixteen. About three hours in, however, the story takes an unexpected paranormal twist when Sherry realizes that her town's murder rate is far from normal. At this point, Piller showcases her versatility, bringing demons to life and even giving the cat, Lord Thomas Cromwell, a refined English gentleman's accent. Patient listeners seeking a light yet creepy adventure may find this audiobook to be their cup of chamomile tea.
J.M. Adams “Second Term” is a thriller with a woman in charge of preventing catastrophe. A lame duck president's desperate power grab threatens democracy in the United States— Can former intelligence operative and single mother Cora Walker save the day?
Cora Walker is no ordinary woman. In September 2012, this DIA defense operative learns of a terrorist plot in Benghazi and rushes to a secret installation to stop it. When superiors ignore her warnings, she’s forced to mount an unsanctioned attempt to thwart the attack. Her team barely repels the large force of invaders determined to kill Americans.
Sixteen years after her heroic actions, Cora is press secretary for the Speaker of the House. A single mom, she’s struggling to balance her demanding job and home life. Soon, things get more complicated at work as the lame duck president suspends habeas corpus and begins arresting members of Congress in a desperate attempt to retain power.
Cora springs into action to save the Speaker and prevent catastrophe. She’ll have to work strategically to keep everyone safe—alliances turn sour, and her trust in others begins to falter. It’s an uphill battle for Cora until an explosive finale exposes what can really happen to democracy when political extremism reaches new heights.
Cora swears she is no longer the same person who was a take charge military legend in Bengazi 16 years earlier, but she hasn’t forgotten some of her old tricks. In this sample, she runs rings around two men from the “other side” who think
she’s a pushover.
Another Christian romantic suspense novel from Lynn Shannon’s popular Texas Ranger series, “Ranger Justice”, is available as an audiobook.
Assistant D.A. Hannah Lawson is juggling her demanding job with providing care for her young niece Charlotte while the baby’s parents are on deployment. Hannah is getting death threats related to an upcoming murder trial for a physician accused of killing his pregnant wife.
When Hannah is attacked and almost killed, Texas Ranger Ryker Montgomery, who was lead investigator for the murder, is in charge of protecting both Hannah and baby Charlotte. Ryker puts his life on the line to assure the twosome stays safe.
Lots of twists and turns in this action-packed listen! Check out the book’s beginning in the sample below.
How do you lead an organization stuck between an ending and a new beginning—when the old way of doing things no longer works, but a way forward is unclear? Susan Beaumont calls such in-between times liminal seasons—threshold times when the continuity of tradition disintegrates and uncertainty about the future fuels doubt and chaos. In a liminal season, it simply is not helpful to pretend we understand what needs to happen next. But leaders can still lead.
While “How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going” is a practical book of hope for tired and weary religious leaders who risk defining this era of ministry in terms of failure or loss, it’s also a great resource for people in any leadership role, big or small. It helps leaders stand firm in a disoriented state, learning from their mistakes and leading despite the confusion. Packed with rich stories and real-world examples, Beaumont guides the listener through practices that connect the soul of the leader with the soul of the institution.
Endorsements
Lynn Shannon
Author
“Cindy is always a joy to work with. Her narration brings the characters to life and the completed audiobooks are high quality. She's timely, responsive to feedback, and creative. A true professional. I highly recommend her!”
Monica Leonelle
Author
“Although I knew about writing and Maya Goode knew about producing audio from her podcast, we didn’t know much about audiobooks or the audiobook market. We were looking for someone to partner with who could translate what we thought we had to a good listening experience. Cindy Piller is and has been the perfect partner for us, and we’re really happy we all found each other."
Jonnie Jacobs
Author
"All Cindy’s training and hard work come through in her finished narration. Wish I’d found her sooner.”
Staci Mercado
Author and Educator
“Oh my gosh, I couldn't wait to listen. I have a thousand papers to grade but curiosity got the better of me. I listened to Tino in chapter six. WOW! I love him! You continue to amaze me. THANK YOU FOR BEING AWESOME! I am an enthusiastic and satisfied customer!”
D.L. Young
Author
“Very much enjoying what Cindy Piller brought to the story. Her professionalism and flexibility were great. Really like the pace and rhythm she established. She did remarkably well with some of the more knotty sentences.
Color me impressed!”
Lars Emmerich
Author
“Holy smokes, you've done an amazing job! Fantastic! Thanks so much for your work!”
Jason Mack
Engineer for On the Porch Creative
Proofed the audiobook of Lars Emmerich’s “The Wrong” narrated by the amazing Cindy Piller. It’s a great book and she really pulls you into the story. I found myself totally immersed as I listened to her.”
Gretchen Steen
Author
“The reviewer agreed with me, that you were perfect for the story. I’m very glad I waited for you and was able to correctly ‘finish’ the story. Without your help, it wouldn’t have happened.”
K.B. Jensen
Author
“Thank you for your fantastic work on “Painting with Fire”. I loved how you brought my characters to life off the page and captured the soul of the story.”
Contact Cindy
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