The Voices In My Head
I've been hearing voices this week. It's nothing new. They started again in October after a short break from hearing them off and on through most of last year. They're all a little different. Some are nervous and polite. Some are aggressive and mean. Some are bold and masculine. Some are chipper and feminine. One voice in particular stands out and does most of the talking. It's a lovely smooth baritone voice with a delightful British accent. His name is Jack. He's my narrator.
To clarify, Jack Voraces finished up the recording and editing for the "Wolfkin: A Fairy's Tail" audiobook! I spent most of this week reviewing his audio tracks and making sure everything was ready for the ACX.com technical review. I just got done approving the last track, and I sent off the official request that will put the project through to the final phases before release. Jack and I are both pretty excited. If all goes, well it should be available for purchase right around the second week of December. (Plan your Wish Lists accordingly!!!) Jack is a fantastic voiceover performer and narrator. He has an amazing talent for creating a distinct and recognizable voice for every character in the book. If you haven't read my books (what are you waiting for?!?), there are A LOT OF CHARACTERS to voice! Jack also takes direction incredibly well and he's a joy to work with. We've become good friends over the course of two books, and I count myself incredibly lucky that he took a chance on doing "Ash to Ashes" as his first project. He has since then added two more books to his production roster before starting "Wolfkin" and done voiceover work as a dragon in an independent video game! All of this follows the completion of his doctoral program and becoming a first time father. The guy's kind of all around incredible, I won't downplay it.
It's a fascinating experience hearing somebody else read and interpret your work. There are occasionally times that I hear a line delivered differently than I had imagined it. There are times that a line hits home even funnier than I had planned. Especially working with a producer from the U.K., there are times that I would hear a word pronounced and I'd have to stop and think, "Wait, have I been saying this wrong all along or is he just being British?" Certain characters ended up sounding incredibly different than I anticipated while others ended up being the epitome of what I always heard in my own head. (A note to authors, don't try to force a producer to do a voice or accent beyond their capabilities. Neither one of you will be happy with the results. Jack was upfront with me about his inability to do a flat Midwestern accent, which altered my plans for "Ash to Ashes" significantly.)
I'll admit, for as often as I had people ask about audiobooks, the sales haven't been great compared to the paperback edition. Individually, audiobooks are pricey, and the market for them is pretty niche. ACX doesn't offer physical CDs so it makes it hard to market them outside of Audible, iTunes, or Amazon (i.e. I don't have the option to sell them at conventions or other venues). It's kind of a judgement call in whether or not to pursue the option, especially early in the game. If you do, you risk not getting your money back from the production costs. If you don't, you miss out on having your book available for somebody to find in a format that they prefer over print.
Long story short (TOO LATE!), keep your eyes peeled and your ears open for updates on the official release of "Wolfkin: A Fairy's Tail" COMING SOON to Audible, iTunes, and Amazon in audiobook format!
You can find "Ash to Ashes" NOW in audiobook format at Audible, iTunes, and Amazon. "Ash to Ashes," "Wolfkin: A Fairy's Tail," and "The Nine Lives of Benjamin Finch" are available in paperback and e-book through Amazon and Kindle, or wherever your favorite books are sold.
