We had the pleasing of engaging in a fascinating Q&A with Jools, a very talented raconteur of tales and host of her storytelling program in the U.K.
Hot Indie News: Jools, please tell us a bit about you. Where are you from, where have you been, and what have you been doing?
Jools: Hi there, my name is Jools. I’m 56 and currently living in South Yorkshire. I am from London originally and have lived in Ireland and Wales. I am a married mother of 2 autistic children. I have worked from age 13 in numerous interesting jobs, Glass washer in my uncles club, Advertising sales for local papers and as a page planner, Palm Court and Restaurant Cashier at the Waldorf Hotel, Bar manager on a Thames disco boat, Go-Kart Supervisor at a Butlins holiday camp, but now have been bedroom bound by Fibromyalgia for the last 11 or so years. When not in crippling pain or asleep I spend my time on YouTube either creating content or watching my many subscriptions; crime channels being my favourite, at the moment.
Hot Indie News: So, you produce a storytelling program in the UK. How did that come about? Did you just wake up one day planning to set up a Youtube channel and read stories?
Jools: A friend mentioned that people were doing make-up tutorials on YouTube so I had to go look as I am a make-up and nail polish junkie. Then I was hooked and subscribed to loads of people and would comment on every video I watched. Then someone asked me to do a video and then I was hooked. I did mainly beauty videos to start then moved on to my Fibromyalgia Friday videos in the hopes I could help others out there. Then I hit a lull where my confidence was shattered and my health had hit rock bottom. I really didn’t want to be seen in videos anymore and thought I had said all there was to say about Fibro. After a break I missed making videos and chatting to people I’d never have the chance to meet in real life. My husband always said I had a lovely voice (he would I thought LOL) then a friend said I should do more videos as she loved my voice so much she would listen to me read the back of a shampoo bottle so I thought maybe I could read stories.
Hot Indie News: How do you go about finding stories to read on your program? Do you find the stories, or do the stories and story writers find you?
Jools: Once I decided I would try to read stories on my channel I set about finding stories to read and came across Reedsy. It is a website for people to post their short stories on, Reedsy sends out a prompt and you upload your story, I even wrote one and posted it on there. Then I asked an author if I could use their story and they kindly agreed. I honestly thought people would say no and was really blown away at their kindness to share their work with me. Then I found Stevie B who also kindly let me use his work and then sent me more. One of the first pieces I did by Stevie B was “Keep Doing You” and then he asked would I do the rest of the story and of course I said yes. He has been so kind and encouraging from the very start. Anyone who knows me knows I have a very low opinion of myself so all these compliments blew me away. Stevie B suggested I sign up to ACX which I really didn’t think I was ready for but decided to sign up and maybe in the future when I had been doing this a bit longer audition for work. Then on 5th Jan I was offered a book to narrate which I accepted, I keep pinching myself as it doesn’t seem real. After pulling my hair out trying to get my audio to pass their requirements then uploading 3 chapters plus extras it turns out it wasn’t true and ACX cancelled the contract!
Hot Indie News: Having personally enjoyed some of the work on your channel I’ve noticed in the details you provide about yourself you also author blogs pertaining to fibromyalgia and beauty products. Please share with our readers some background here.
Jools: Back when I got my first computer and used AOL dial-up to access the internet I used the AOL landing page so to speak. It was great for a newbie and had all my stuff on one page at the start and I knew where everything was. They had a blog thing on there that I used to fill in nightly about my life with an autistic child and how hard navigating the system was. For some reason it got loads of views and I even got contacted by a manager at Dell computers when I was complaining about my new computer malfunctioning and he sent out a repairman the next day! Sadly when I moved to BB I lost the blog and missed it so decided to try others. I did a Fibromyalgia one by adding my YT videos on there and was asked by the Fibro Blogger Directory to join them and spread the word. I should do more on my blogs but these days I just post as the mood takes me as it’s hard to have anything to say when you have been stuck in the same room for over 11 years.
Hot Indie News: We also noticed the Twitter account you’ve listed in the Youtube details section is called BarrysDaughter. Is there any behind the scenes back story there to that name?
Jools: My original YT channel name was BarrysDaughter. Before I had joined while just finding my feet I decided to look and see if my father had any videos on YT (He is a professional Jazz Musician who I have only met twice). there were a few vids that fans or friends had uploaded, and feeling salty, I wanted to put a comment on the video, but didn’t have an account. So I had to join, and so the people would know who I was. BarrysDaughter was born. I then spent years being called Barrys lol. Then I changed my channel name to how I signed my comments xxxJoolsxxx and recently because I don’t want to be thought of as a porn channel and to finally put a stamp on what my channel is I changed it to JoolsVoiceOver.
Hot Indie News: Your Jools Voice Over channel has more than just you reading stories. You also provide fans with music from various recording artists. What’s your connection with this music and the people who make it?
Jools: I practically grew up in an Irish dance hall as my Uncle started out managing, then he took over the lease and turned it into a place for gigs when the Irish dancing scene was dying out. All my (Irish) family played an instrument or sang or both. Joe Whelan (RIP) my other Uncle was a very popular Accordion player on the Irish scene and he made one CD with his friend Liam which I am now sharing. Joe Dolan was a regular to the club and when I was older I would go to see him whenever he played in London and we would all stay back afterwards for a drink and some laughs. DJ Curtin was the front man of a band called the Kerry Blues and then he went with Brendan Boyer and the Big 8 to work and live in Vegas but we knew them personally too. I wanted to share these memories with people as they will fade away and no one will remember but if they can stay on YT they will always be found. Joe Longthorne was another star I was lucky to see live. He was an amazing impersonator and the only man I knew who could sing like a woman. As well as that he was a lovely singer in his own right and I wanted people to see that. There are a lot more bands that played at the club that I intend to share going forward, it brings me back to my youth and I hope others enjoy it too.
Hot Indie News: Content on your channel is also related crime. What is your fascination with unsolved crimes and crime in general? Are you an amateur sleuth by any chance?
Jools: Oh I wish I was an amateur sleuth LOL. I like seeing how people mess up and get themselves caught but mostly I love the unsolved crimes and wondering what really happened. A recent case I read on my channel about the Sodder Children is still playing on my mind as I just can’t fathom what happened to them. Plus, looking back at a criminal’s childhood usually shows why they went the way they did in life. It often makes me wonder if they would still have turned to murder if they had, had a better start in life?
Hot Indie News: If you had the power to change three things in the world, what would those three things be, and why?
Jools: Hunger, Nobody in the world should be hungry. Homelessness, everyone deserves a roof over their head and a little somewhere they can call home. Sickness & Disability, I worked hard from age 13 and had dreams and aspirations until Fibromyalgia arrived. It progressed to the point that I have been stuck in my bedroom for over 11 years and I no longer see a way out of here.
Hot Indie News: Please share with us something about yourself that most of your fans do not know about you and would perhaps surprise them.
Jools: Tom Jones asked me to have a drink of champagne with him and I was in a Shakin Stevens video ;0)
Hot Indie News: What are the best ways people can stay in contact with you and follow your work?
Jools: https://www.youtube.com/c/JoolsVoiceOver/videos
https://twitter.com/JoolsVoiceOver
https://www.instagram.com/jools_voice_over/
Thanks so much this was fun :0) xx
Hot Indie News: The pleasure was ours and thank you!
