Jessica McEvoy AMA

<cmd102> Question from AtLeastImGenreSavvy : favorite monster/mythological creature?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I'm very partial to the squonk. It's an ugly little creature that can dissolve itself in it's own tears. Also, big fan of foxes and fox spirits in mythology.

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : Would you listen to the Backstreet Boys as sung by Scott Stapp?

<JessicaMcEvoy> That would first involve googling Scott Stapp

<kneeod> (guy from the band Creed)

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : What's your feeling on dogs that use toilets?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Sounds good to me as long as they remember to flush.

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : Which fellow NSP narrator do you think you could beat in an arm wrestling competition?

<JessicaMcEvoy> ALL OF THEM

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray :  What story(ies) do you wish you could have narrated for the podcast?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Marcus Damanda and I had a streak going for a while where I had a role in every audio adaptation in the stories he had written. I was a little bummed when that ended, but the other narrators who took over those stories did a great job

<cmd102> Question from OniTan : Jessica, do you ever get recognized in your personal life as the girl from Nosleep?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Hahahahahahahahaha
<JessicaMcEvoy> No

<cmd102> Question from massgrave :  what was your favorite city to perform on the tour?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Chicago sticks out as a great show. I think we really found our groove by that point and the audience was so warm and responsive.

<cmd102> Question from KPants : Your house is on fire. Everything in it will burn to the ground. Your pets and loved ones have already made it out safely. What one thing do you go back in for while there is still time?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Probably my stacks of notebooks and signed novels

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson : What is David Cummings's best feature? (please answer, he has a knife)

<JessicaMcEvoy> His long, deep throat. He is a voice actor afterall.

<cmd102> Question from kneeod :  Favorite kind of cheesecake?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Hazelnut. Slather it in Nutella for good measure. In fact, slather everything in Nutella

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : FMK: The boys of the NSP tour.

<JessicaMcEvoy> By FMK, you surely mean feed, mourn, and knit. I'd feed Brandon Boone because he burns so many calories playing the keyboard - he needs the nutrition, mourn the loss of Peter's sanity, and knit David Ault a cozy "jumper"

<cmd102> Question from MartinTGG : What TV show titles do you like to watch?

<JessicaMcEvoy> It's been a while since I've regularly watched tv, but I've seen all of Game of Thrones and I will most likely be watching all of American Gods

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson : Spamgirl asks "Why are you so beautiful?"

<JessicaMcEvoy> Question for AtticusJackson: Why are you so charming?

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson : Which Disney Princess are you?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Aladdin

<cmd102> Question from iwantabear : If you had a pet troll what would you name it?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Billy

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : Which one of the audio books you've narrated was your favorite and why?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Oooh, tough question. Anything by Marcus Damanda or Unreal City by A.R. Meyering. I love dark fantasy.

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : What's the most challenging aspect of voice acting?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Trying to balance proper volume, emotion, and enunciation while simultaneously not making disgusting mouth noises

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson :  Is there anything you learned from the tour that you've carried over to your voice over work today?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I learned a lot from watching David Ault on stage. When narrating, I tend to stay very much on script, reading the words exactly as the author wrote them. David taught me that I can take those words and make them my own, adding in laughs and sighs and whatever else fits in context

<cmd102> Question from AtLeastImGenreSavvy :  have you ever narrated a story that was so intense you had to "recover" from it?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Borrasca. I could not get that story out of my head for weeks. I didn't even fully read the part when they got in the cave. I just skimmed it and tried not to punch anything.

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : Favorite cocktail?

<JessicaMcEvoy> A Shirley Temple

<cmd102> Question from kneeod :  How many times a day, on average, would Peter stroke his beard and mumble, "Hm.. Yes..." to himself?

<JessicaMcEvoy> At least once before and after every meal

<cmd102> Question from KPants : Where is your favorite place in the world to go that allows you to decompress and relax?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I love going out in the woods - fresh air, the sound of wind moving through the trees, the possibility of maybe stumbling upon a society of elves

<cmd102> Question from KPants : What's the most exciting, adventurous thing you have ever done?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Once, I went on a three and a half week national tour with a group of people I had never met before and performed onstage in front of sold out crowds

<cmd102> Question from MartinTGG : Besides the Bioshock series, what other video games do you particularly like?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I obsessively played through the Left 4 Dead series with my little sister in an attempt to get all the achievements. Same goes for Borderlands. I also really enjoy open world games like Skyrim where you can just go explore caves and fight dragons

<cmd102> Question from massgrave : if a ghost can walk through a wall and door, why don't they fall through floors and stairs..?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Ghost gravity

<cmd102> Question from MikeRowPhone : Favorite time of day to sleep or snack?

<JessicaMcEvoy> All day, everyday. Two in the afternoon is prime napping time

<cmd102> Question from NicoleH : Serious debate happening currently. What's your stance on peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I'd try it, but probably only like half a sandwich. Then add bacon.

<cmd102> Question from NotNicholeGoodnight : how cool do you think Nichole Goodnight is? 8D

<JessicaMcEvoy> Nichole Goodnight is the coolest. She's so pretty and talented and I'm glad we got to spend so much time in bed together ;)

<cmd102> Question from OniTan : Came here from Facebook. Why your pics so old?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I don't take pictures of myself. It doesn't ever really occur to me to do so. I usually just end up tagged in things

<cmd102> Question from PurpleAquarius :  What is your favorite candy ?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Hmmm, depends on my mood. Could go for a Twix right about now

<cmd102> Question from SiwelP :  If you had to choose, which work of Neil Gaiman is your favorite?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Oh Peter, why must you make me choose? Probably Neverwhere, though American Gods would be a close second. For shorter work, I love the poem, "Instructions"

<cmd102> Question from SiwelP :  Which time period do you feel most drawn to, going purely off of aesthetics?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Feudal Japan. Gorgeous architecture and gardens

<cmd102> Question from TanjaSimone :  If you had to narrate one of the classic literary books, which one would you love to do?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I think I would have a lot of fun with Scout if I got to do To Kill a Mockingbird. Anything by Vonnegut would be a trip

<cmd102> Question from AtLeastImGenreSavvy : What eldritch abomination lives beneath Brandon Boone's swoosh?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Brandon Boone

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson : What microphone do you use? What would you like to use?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I have a Blue Yeti. Started with a Blue Snowball. I honestly don't know enough about mics to choose a new one. My Yeti gets the job done.

<cmd102> Question from Eliehirschum : What would you have done if some nut had jumped up onto the stage during one of the live performances?

<JessicaMcEvoy> When it comes to flight or fight reactions, my tendency is to throw out an elbow and then apologize profusely

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : What song would you like to sing as a duet with Peter Joseph Lewis at karaoke?

<JessicaMcEvoy> "Time to Say Goodbye," but he takes the Sara Brightman parts and I take the Andrea Bocelli parts

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray : What do you think David Cummings biggest weakness is?

<JessicaMcEvoy> His left big toe

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : Would you rather: only be able to say the word "the" once a day, or only be able to say any combination of words in the phrase, "Hello, I like to enjoy the type of people who eat water and drink steak."?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Well, either would really make doing voice work hard. I suppose I can live without "the"

<cmd102> Question from kneeod : You've been given a box and told only to open it if you actually need to, you'll know when. Do you open it immediately anyway and risk whatever consequences may come?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I'd probably put it somewhere safe and then immediately forget about it

<cmd102> Question from KPants : What's your biggest regret? (If you're willing to share)

<JessicaMcEvoy> Not following my dreams sooner. I spent all my time focused on school and getting good grades and looking impressive and never took the time to really ask myself if it's what I wanted.

<cmd102> Question from KPants : Happiest memory?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Honestly, the day at the beach in Alameda that I talked about in my interview is up there. I like being outside in good weather with people I care about and just sit and enjoy their company

<cmd102> Question from MartinTGG :  Whoever got the goat plushy from the tour?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Nichole Goodnight took Speical home, but I believe the plan was to send him back to David Cummings at some point

<cmd102> Question from OniTan :  Have you had a personal creepy experience?

<JessicaMcEvoy> My mom is a huge believer in ghosts. Whenever something weird or unexplained happened, she would quite often attribute it to something paranormal. So, growing up with that, lots of normal things, like pictures falling off the walls or strange noises at night, became inherently creepy

<cmd102> Question from Eliehirschum : What would would be your dream voice role?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I'd really like to have a regular character in a cartoon series. Or play some straight up crazy villain in a videogame

<cmd102> Question from KPants : How many times a year do you go tubing on the salt river?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I've actually never been tubing down the river. It's usually 80% urine.

<cmd102> Question from massgrave : have you ever been/wanted to be an actress, or is voice acting totally where its at for you?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I never really gave serious thought to either until I fell into voice acting. I'm fine with sticking to voice, though being in a hardcore martial arts movie seems like so much fun

<cmd102> Question from SiwelP :  Provided your rap sheet isn't already bleeding onto multiple pages, what is the closest you've ever come to being arrested?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I was in a park at night, hanging out with some friends. We were just sitting on the swing set, talking, when a cop pulls up and storms over to us, asking us why we were trespassing, etc, etc. Once he found out we weren't smoking weed, he eased up a bit, but still threatened to take us in.

<cmd102> Question from TanjaSimone :  I have your autograph, how convincing does my forgery of it have to be to fool the world that I'm you/as cool as you? https://usercontent.irccloud-cdn.com/file/ncjCd36s/irccloudcapture1414927451.jpg

<JessicaMcEvoy> Well, since the page refuses to load, I'm going to answer blindly and say, it's perfect. 100% me. In fact, you have free reign to impersonate me at all times

<cmd102> Question from survivalprocedure : Was there ever a character you portrayed that you've felt particularly connected with on an emotional level? If so, what garnered that connection?

<JessicaMcEvoy> In Marcus' series, The Devil in Miss Drake's Class, the protagonist is a young high school school girl named Audrey. That's my little sister's name, so in the books, when she's being bullied, I would feel sad and mad and defensive and downright bloodthirsty at times.

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray :  How long does it take Brandon Boone to perfect the Swoosh every morning?

<JessicaMcEvoy> A better question is, how long does it take the Swoosh to perfect Brandon Boone every morning?

<cmd102> Question from poppymoonray :  What was the worst stop on the tour? Why was it so bad?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I believe we were on the road to Minneapolis. That was our long drive from Texas, stopping over in Illinois for the night. We stopped somewhere in Wisconsin at a gas station for food and I thought, fast food should be fine. That won't upset my stomach at all. It's not like we still have hours of driving left. I was wrong.

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson : Build your perfect burger!

<JessicaMcEvoy> Buttered and toasted buns on the grill, medium rare patty seasoned with roasted garlic, dripping with melted cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, and fried onion strings. Wash it down with a cherry RC.

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson : What does your SO think about your career as a spooky voice person?

<JessicaMcEvoy> He finds it excessively amusing. He drove out to the show in LA and helped with the merch booth actually. That's where he and David Ault fell in love.

<cmd102> Question from blindfate : If Sleazy P from Gwar got into a fight with Ringo Starr and Paul Stanley from KISS, who would be the winner?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Freddy Mercury

<cmd102> Question from blindfate : How many babies could you take in a fight at one time?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Human babies? How well-trained are they? Do they have weapons?

<cmd102> (we'll await blindfate's answer to those questions)
<cmd102> Question from Eliehirschum :  If you were watching the most gory and disgusting horror movie imaginable, what snack would you be eating during it?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Black pudding

<cmd102> Question from Eliehirschum : DId things get steamier between you and David Ault or between you and Nichole Goodnight?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I had to share David's attentions with Brandon and Nichole was busy working so it was very difficult to get steamy with anyone. I did my best.

<cmd102> Question from MartinTGG : Before joining NSP, were you aware of your talent in voice acting or were you surprised yourself?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I didn't know if I had any talent in it. I used to read out loud to my little sister when we were kids, but that was pretty much my only practice in voice work.

<cmd102> Question from massgrave :  while most argue about Kirk or Picard, my circle always argues a more important debate... Elvira or Vampira?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Elvira, purely because she had a cameo in Scooby-Doo

<cmd102> Question from NicoleH :  Do you have a favorite yoga pose?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I have several! Could really use a nice downward dog right about now to pop my back.

<cmd102> Elaboration from blindfate : babies are human. no weapons, they're agile but not trained.

<JessicaMcEvoy> I could probably take down half a baby before I stopped and realized that I was a horrible person.

<cmd102> Question from blindfate : What's a narration that embarrassed you (for any reason)?

<JessicaMcEvoy> I've had to do accents that I wasn't comfortable with in a couple of audiobooks and I feel like they sound completely awful so I hang my head in shame.

<cmd102> Question from AtLeastImGenreSavvy : Do you have a contingency plan for the zombie apocalypse?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Yep! My stepdad is a mechanic and has several big cars, including an old police riot vehicle. I figure we just fix that up and mow 'em down.

<cmd102> Question from Polar_Starburst : Do you do any voice exercises to get more confident about ones voice and improving skill/range/accents/etc?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Mostly, I practice by doing. Doing so many different stories for NoSleep and having to be multiple characters at once for audiobooks helps with that. I just keep talking over and over and over until it sounds right.

<cmd102> Question from AtticusJackson :  Do you have any upcoming projects we should look out for?

<JessicaMcEvoy> Bless you Atticus. I'll be in upcoming episodes of the Byron Chronicles, Creepy Podcast, and the Wicked Library. Also, keep an eye out for the cozy paranormal mystery novel, Donn's Hill by Caryn Larrinaga, that I'm currently recording as an audiobook, coming out late this summer/ early fall.

<cmd102> (Last) Question from kneeod : How often do people ask you, not realizing the spelling of your last name, if you have any relation to James McAvoy?

<JessicaMcEvoy> It has happened a few times and I usually respond with a solid, "Nah."

<cmd102> That's all, folks! Thank you so much, Jessica, for answering all of our questions! And thank you to everyone who asked them! Keep an eye out on r/nosleepinterviews for our next victim, /u/decomprosed!