“If You Love What You Do, You’ll Never Work a Day in Your Life!”

I am in author’s paradise! I have spent almost a week listening and watching an amazing actor, Stephanie Cozart, perform my book while Bruce Figler from Creative Sound Works engineers and produces the audible version. They have been nice enough to let me assist in the process, providing back stories for characters to help Stephanie distinguish their voices, and pipe up whenever I want a different word emphasized to give the sentence a slightly different meaning. It is exhausting but fun!

Stephanie is the consummate professional actor. She came prepared! She spent hours going over the text, practicing distinct voices for each of the characters –even for minor parts, and delving into the history of the 1850s. I love her Irish brogue, and couldn’t believe her resourcefulness in learning how to pronounce all the German words and phrases in the book. Her enthusiasm is a heady elixir for an author. Her talent and skill run deep; her performances amazing. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found her.

But besides luck, I had a little help. Bruce Figler of Creative Sound Works not only engineers the sound, checks levels, and ensures we are recording, but also casts talent. He arranged a few auditions for me to listen to and we found Stephanie. And did I mention he directs the project? I watched him on the screen, listening for correct word pronunciation and inflections while adjusting sounds and coordinating input, doing whatever it takes to turn out the best finished audible book. A talented actor and narrator himself, Bruce brings the insight gleaned from being the voice in the studio to his expert producing on the other side of the mike.

So I watch and enjoy this symphony of performances while Stephanie acts her heart out and Bruce culls together the finished product.

Ok, – every day of my job isn’t this much fun, I mean after all I spend a lot of time editing, tediously examining every word, only to find the changes not saved correctly. Besides tripping on technical difficulties, rejection from buyers or reviewers can really put a crimp in job satisfaction. Face it, that famous quote can’t be entirely true — I mean, doesn’t any job, no matter how much you love it, include some aspects that are simply not fun? Doesn’t any job include tasks like taking out the garbage? (Granted, that is a lot easier since they invented plastic trash bags. As much as I hate our society’s excessive use of plastic, I am loathe to return to the days when I had to handle and clean stinking, dirty garbage cans…!) But I digress.

I love being an author and an experience like watching the production of the audible book is just icing on the cake. The spectacular production should be available online on Amazon and other online retailers around the end of October.

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