Starting the audiobook

I've done a bit of voice work over the years -- almost entirely industrial stuff like on-hold prompts, tutorials, narration for business video. I've also recorded poems and stories for friends and family. It's fun. At one time (when I was much younger) I thought I might get into some kind of DJ gig or voice acting (as I have a face made for radio). And I always knew that if there would be an audio version of The Side Ways, I'd record it myself. I've worked with sound software enough to make the recording and editing pretty easy.

I'm not sure how to do podcasting, yet. I don't think it's hard, but it isn't something I feel like I need to figure out today. On the other hand, I was bored and tired of doing absolutely nothing, so I thought I'd mess around and record the first half-hour chunk of what would be the audiobook version of Book 1. So here that is:

The Side Ways, Book 1: Awake. Chapter 01, Part 01 audio

I'm not going for perfect. If I can read for a half hour and make maybe... three or four minor flubs? There we are. I'm sorry, but real life reading is fun to hear and if a couple little hinks are going to ruin it for you... well, it is what it is. I won't put through any major "yikes!" moments or interruptions, but I can't guarantee a retail-level audiobook experience at this point.

I know from my experience doing "real" audio work, that reading books is usually done in a sound booth with a technician as well as the narrator. When a mistake is made, the tech pauses the recording, "rewinds" to just before the issue, tells the narrator where to resume and gives a "3...2...1... and... point" to get them back on track. I did "Recording for the blind" for a couple years back in the early 90's, and the process there was very similar.

It is a pain to have to do all of it yourself. It is difficult to pause and find the mistake, cue up the blank space, and then shift attention from the audio software back to the text you're reading.

It's a learning experience for me -- and fun! -- which is the whole point of this exercise anyway.

I hope you enjoy. Other parts will go up when I have time and inclination and this sore throat I've had for eight months will allow...