The Voices Behind the “As Sure as the Stars” Audiobook
Summary
In this bonus episode, Tricia Goyer sits down with audiobook narrators Jim Rupert and Mackenzie Koppa, along with the real-life couple behind As Sure as the Stars, Jennie and Bryan. They share what it was like hearing their story brought to life, how the narrators created the characters, and the true events—including a missed phone call in 1989 and 32 years apart—that inspired the book.
Takeaways
- How narrators create believable characters using emotional memory + lived experience
- The real 1989 moment that changed everything: a disconnected phone line and a heartbreaking misunderstanding
- Why the story resonates: love after divorce, courtrooms, healing, and vulnerability
- How “fictionalizing” a true story works—what changed, what stayed, and why
- A reminder that second chances can come even after decades of silence
Chapters
00:02 Introduction
00:43 Jim Rupert Introduction
01:45 Mackenzie Capa Introduction
03:21 Choosing the Audiobook Narrators
04:19 Hearing the Audiobook for the First Time
05:39 Bryan’s First Experience Listening
06:43 Bringing Jake to Life
09:09 Voicing Multiple Characters
11:43 What Parts of the Story Are Real
13:47 Bryan’s Real Story vs. Fiction
17:40 The Moment Feelings Returned
22:01 How Jennie and Bryan First Met
24:18 Letters and Long-Distance Love
25:08 The Missed Phone Call in 1989
27:42 The Misunderstanding
28:06 32 Years Without Contact
30:15 The Unexpected Reconnection
30:45 A Time Warp Moment
32:46 The Story Comes Full Circle
Soundbites
- “I literally got teary-eyed… this is real. This is really happening.”
- “I didn’t actually read the book—I listened to it.”
- “I was trying to be you and feel all those emotions.
- “I lost it in the recording booth… because I’ve been on the other side of that.”
- “Your number’s disconnected due to non-payment… and I thought he’d think I was playing games.”
- “In my mind, he died.”
- “It was like a time warp.”
- “Real life can be even more dramatic than fiction.”
https://www.youtube.com/@2ndchanceonlove
https://secondchanceonlove.com/
https://www.facebook.com/2ndchanceonlove
https://www.instagram.com/2ndchanceonlove/
https://www.pinterest.com/jendoll701/
https://secondmilestudios.com/
https://mackenziekoppa.com/voiceover
Keywords
audiobook behind the scenes, true love story podcast, second chance romance story, romance audiobook, voice acting audiobook, real love story, romance storytelling podcast,
