Adele Park didn’t have a plan for when she grew up, but she knew early on that whatever career she chose would meet a simple criterion: it had to be fun and it had to be interesting.
“Those were big goals for me back then,” said Park. “Mesa prepared me for my career in that it literally put me in the field I wanted to work in.”
With a bachelor’s in humanities and fine arts, Park spent 20 years as a reporter and radio personality in Grand Junction and Utah before forming Straight to Audio Productions in 2008. This walk-in closet turned home studio is where she produced her first audiobook Jitters: A Quirky Little Audiobook in 2009.
Then she realized that she didn’t care about having her stories turned into books, so she bypassed the publishing industry all together. Park produced three more audiobooks: Yikes! Another Quirky Audiobook, Gadzooks! A Comically Quirky Audiobook and Splat! A Quirky Cat Audiobook.
“My stuff isn’t available in print form at all,” she said.
Three of her audiobooks have been finalists for the Audio Publishers Association’s Audie Awards (the Oscars of audiobooks). Jitters won in 2011 for multi-voiced performance. It was also featured on Jimmy Fallon’s “Do Not Read List.”
“I nominated my own project for his list,” said Park. “I wanted to be part of the joke.”
Twice a month, Park produces a podcast called “Quirky Cat Nips,” filled with cat commentary and tips on how to live a better life with your cat. She’s also working with a consultant to see about turning some of her scripts into screenplays.
“My career in broadcasting wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for my experience at Mesa College,” said Park. “By setting up an internship, I was able to get a job and go to work the day after I finished my college credits.”