Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Edgerly.
Hi Chris, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started telling stories to my brothers as a kid and performing for friends and family and classmates as I got older. Eventually, I tried acting and stand-up in college, and after being graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism, I toured as a professional comedian for ten years, then segued into voice acting for the last twenty years. Along the way, I met my wife, brought two beautiful children into the world with her and moved to a quiet suburb of Westlake Village, and have been living the domestic dream – we even got a Goldendoodle puppy to complete the picture.
I decided to write my first book just this past year after finding I just couldn’t get the idea out of my head. So, the first in a planned series of ten novels was born!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Writing my first book has been a mostly smooth experience since I didn’t give myself too hard and fast of a deadline. The challenge was in finding a publisher. I didn’t want to self-publish as it was a lot of work and didn’t want to go through the usual process of a traditional publisher as I know from personal experience how long that road can be; my brother and my wife and I have had a coloring book published, “Celebrating Day of the Dead”. Luckily, a friend and colleague, Anjali Bhimani, has her own independent publishing company, Road to Ithaka. Once I hired her crew to get to work on the project, it’s been a much easier road!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve been a professional voice actor since the mid-nineties, and that, combined with the years I spent onstage as a comedian, have been the pillars of my performing career. But for the past twenty years, I’ve focused almost entirely on voice acting, where my greatest strength is my range. I’m a natural mimic, and I’ve done dozens of voice-matching jobs where I’m required to sound like someone else for either a film, TV show or video game. That, and my ability to adopt different accents and character voices, has kept me very busy.
I’m most proud of simply being able to work consistently for these past twenty years and to be able to slip into a role with very little notice or preparation. I think the years of live stand-comedy, where thinking on one’s feet are a pre-requisite, were instrumental in that. And I think that’s also become part of what I’m known for as well – plug me in anywhere and I’ll get the job done, and quickly!
What makes you happy?
So many things make me happy in life, from the little things like hearing music I love to a great meal to being entertained by great storytelling, you name it. But the two most important things in my life are my family and my creative expression. If I can be with the ones I care about most – my wife and children and my friends and colleagues – and practice some form of self-expression, whether it’s the written word or streaming on Twitch to my wonderful community or doing a voice acting job, then I’m happy and fulfilled. And fulfillment, to me, is even more important than happiness. It may sound like splitting hairs, but to use the tools nature gave us – our bodies and our minds – constructively, I think the most important thing we can do with our lives and it makes me feel something deeper than happiness. It’s all about making a connection to whatever it is that made us and put us here.
Pricing:
- The ebook for Soldier of Ages:Tettenhall is currently 99 cents
Contact Info:
- Website: chrisedgerly.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.edgerly
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisEdgerlyakaTheEdgevoice
- Other: https://discord.gg/VtjaUuhA
Image Credits
Doing a panel at SacAnime with my VO colleagues Johnny Young, Shantel Van Santen, Erica Luttrell, Mela Lee, and Gabe Kunda! Just finished a voice acting session in my home booth. Outside my home booth. Walking the picket line for my union along with my wife and kids!
