First, the voice is a strange thing. Under normal circumstances, it seems to be a part of the person. Most people don’t even think about it—they take it for granted. But there are times, I’m finding, that the voice (and the other parts that allow it to work effectively like the esophagus and brain) won’t work as efficiently as one might hope. To begin with, early on there was a question I posed to myself: Where the hell did you learn to read out loud? I would stumble over words, skip words, lose my place in a sentence—it was like I’d never read a book in my life! I’d read that you just couldn’t afford to keep starting over when preparing audio because you would never get anything done. So I became really good at editing—hah! A new skill!
Doing audio from a home studio also presented some issues. Look. I love my dogs. And my family.And the friggin’ cuckoo clock. But wow. Really? There’s nothing like being halfway through a chapter and having the clock start clucking—loud. Somehow it doesn’t fit in with the heroine in battle. So there’s backtracking, reversing to the last place there was a voice pause and starting again.
But the very worst and most difficult thing involved when working with audio for me—despite the three glasses of water spiked with lemon before starting and the sips throughout—is coughing or the absolute necessity of clearing the throat. I found that I can only do two chapters at a time, because by the third one, I’m coughing. I’ve tried all the methods I’ve read and been counseled about. The only thing that works is stopping. That does slow down the process!
Still, once it’s recorded, edited (which is deleting out the dogs and clocks and phone and air conditioning, etc.), and mastered (getting the final sound right), when you hear it back, it’s as smooth as glass. A masterpiece (in my ears, anyway!). You fall in love all over again (or in fear in this book!) with the story and the characters…and you don’t want it to end. I just love the process. And true to form, I’m loving working on the audio this time around, too. Creepy for sure! I’ll let you know on my website and around social media when the audio is available!
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/HiMcUPPRyAc
Excerpt - Zombie Love
It was a beautiful morning, just gorgeous. I was sitting back in my no-gravity lounge chair holding a cup of hot coffee and sipping away the sunrise. The temperature was just right and the plants along the front screen of the porch seemed to reach toward the warm glow of the sun. This was a day that made all the other days’ worth dealing with. It whispered relaxation and creativity.
The only thing I couldn’t get my mind around on this glorious day was the zombie that was trying to open the latch on the screen door. I’d been watching it for a good ten minutes or so, just as it was watching me drink my coffee. My question: Where the hell had this thing come from? And why was it ruining my perfectly quiet morning?
This one I was looking at was none too bright. It could easily punch through the screen, but instead, it fiddled with the sliding lock. I’d heard about these things. A bit short on brains. But then again, who knew? Maybe it thought I was stupid for drinking coffee. I’d thought that one or two times myself.
Just then I heard a voice. “Hey man, what’s that you got there trying to get into your house?”
It was my neighbor, Monroe. We were pretty close on most days. “Gots me a zombie, me thinks,” I replied after a nice long coffee swig.
Monroe, standing back from the door but still close enough to talk through the screen continued. “What’s ya gonna do when it figures out the door?” He yawned.
“Hmmm. Good point,” I said with a nod. “Guess I better go get the gun so I can take care of business if I need to.”
Monroe was nodding as well. “Terrible way to spend this beautiful morning, though. Still, zombies are nothin’ to mess with. So I heard.”
“Maybe wait a little while, though,” I said. “It’s too nice out to make things all blood and guts. We got time.”
“I hear ya,” answered Monroe.
Then suddenly, another voice erupted through the morning. “Outta the way, boys!”
At that point a woman and a teenage girl raised rifles and blew holes in the zombie’s head. The thing fell like a rock.
Both Monroe and I jumped back to keep from getting muck on our clothes. I’d had to roll out of my chair, and I spilled my coffee.
“Dam
women!” I yelled out. “Know just how to ruin a morning!”
this sounds very interesting
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