Audiobook
It was 1 am on June 1st when I finally pressed ‘submit’ on the ACX page, the audiobook version of Grit & Grace completely narrated and edited. Whew!
I’d started the project in January after taking Derek Doepker’s Audiobooks Made Easy online course. Two bouts of colds with laryngitis delayed the recording by several months; you need a voice to narrate a story!
And it was a learning curve with Audible and the whole editing process; like learning photoshop, except with audio files. A whole new world, and one that I enjoyed. There is something very therapeutic about repetitious projects where you are immersed in a ‘zone’ for hours on end.
The downstairs bedroom was converted into a studio with moving blankets, a standing desk, professional microphone, and a big monitor. A beach towel over the surface of the desk and clothes pins to clip the blankets closed, effectively insulating the space from background noise contamination.
The cat loved it! He would inevitably come into the space while I was recording and jump up on the high desk and check out all the wires, lights, mikes and computers, excited to have a new cat playground. I learned to close the bedroom door while narrating to prevent meowing interruptions. But that didn’t stop him from leaving me presents (in the form of dead bunnies and squirrels) under the desk from time to time.
I enjoy reading aloud and my read and critique group has always told me to do my own audio recording someday. Thank you, ladies, I did it! So many new things to learn on this writing journey, and being a sound engineer was one I hadn’t thought of.
That early morning on June 1st was exciting as I compiled the files, labelled them correctly, and recorded the foreword and postscript pieces. Drinking hot tea to get the tired hoarseness from my voice, I recorded the title five times before I was satisfied.
It was easy to upload the files. ACX links the book’s table of contents so its already compiled for the author to add the audio files. They also check each file before actually uploading it to ensure the sound levels are all within their parameters. I did have one chapter out of 36 that didn’t pass and it took me an hour to adjust the sound controls until it was accepted.
Going through the story again, out loud, and then listening multiple times, did put me through some emotional times, again! Writing it, revising it, proofreading it multiple times, and now the audio version. There are parts of the story that are sensitive for me, painful places. So if you think, yay, I got my book written and you are through the emotional upheaval, well, it wasn’t true for me. It's kind of like a gift that keeps on giving, more layers of insight and healing continue to reveal themselves.
On June 16th I got the congratulations email from ACX that the audiobook was available for purchase and would be live on Audible, iTunes, and Amazon in a few days. Today, June 18th, it is indeed live. WhooHoo!!!
