Friday, June 9, 2017

The Magic of Voice... by Christine Bush


As time marches on, we see the world of publishing changing over and over again.  I write because I love story.  And I value my readers who love stories too. That hasn't changed.
 

My first books we published only in hardcover. They lasted forever, and even to this day, many are still in libraries across the country.  Next came paperback editions.  This made books more affordable for our readers. 

Next came the ebook revolution.  Our stories were available for all the different ebook readers and downloadable to computers, cell phones, and tablets.  Along with saving trees and shipping costs, this option also made our stories readable for those who need bigger fonts due to eyesight limitations.  While we already had “large print” books, it was difficult to get many books into that format.  The ebook format made reading both more affordable, and more accessible.

But now, here comes the next exciting option.  Audio books! Again, audio formats have been available for quite some time. Many libraries carry great collections of them, though they have been limited to writers who have made the best seller list.   
But today, it is becoming easier to produce any or all of our stories in an audio format.  I am extremely excited about this. 
This addition to publishing can make our stories available to the elderly, and those with visual or reading disorders.  Audio is also a favorite for many commuters and multi taskers.
Our stories can be experienced and enjoyed in all of these formats.  Great for our readers!

 
 
 
My first audio book is in process!  “Meddling Mona” is being recorded as you read this.  It will be followed by many others.

As part of this process, I had the opportunity to hear the audition tapes of potential readers/narrators in order to select the best voice for this story.  It was so much fun!  It is absolutely fascinating how different the nuances in voices can be, and how much personality is demonstrated in our words.  Carefree or serious? Young or old? Male or female? Gentle or aggressive? Cheery or reflective?  Sensuous or playful?

I do love paper books. But I am embracing this addition to the world of publishing with joy, and I am looking forward to hearing the final recording of Meddling Mona!
 
What do you think of audio books?

What kind of voice do you like to listen to?
This process has made me consider my own voice, and what it says about me.  How about you? What does your voice say about you?

 

 
 
 
 
 
Christine's latest book, a romantic suspense titled  “Almost Anonymous” was released in April. Currently in print and ebook... Audio coming soon!

 


 

2 comments:

  1. Christine,
    I love audio books! Not only am I always listening to one, I have worked with wonderful narrators and all of my books are now on audio. So fun! Enjoy the process!

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  2. Christine, I love the audio books as well. When I was commuting to work a few years ago, I'd listen to them and it made the journey fly by. It was easy to get caught up in the story and forget the drive.

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