The Making of an Audiobook

There's a school of thought that says readers want to hear their favorite authors narrating their books. While this may or may not be true for all authors, I figured I'd give it a shot.

Even though I've ventured into podcasting and other audio projects, I was grossly unprepared for the enormity of what I was taking on when I decided to record FAMILY ALCHEMY. I started it some time back, and with the help of my Dear Husband, found some excellent production software and a mic and screen that would filter out the popping noises some letters make. I got through about ten chapters when I started to notice some other annoying "tics." A clucking tongue or a dropped consonant, for example. "Cleaning" the audio became a lesson in the new production software. Fading and muting and normalizing. The difference between wav files and mp3 files.

Despite all the frustration, I am not one to give up. The audiobook production became a challenge. With that being said, I did have to set it aside for a while considering just how frustrating it was becoming. Ever persistent, I went back at it a while later. Decided what I'd done wasn't so bad and pressed onward.

Another obstacle I came across was lack of a professional studio. I'd read how some people record in their closets where clothes mute the background noise. Fortunately for me, I live in a relatively quiet neighborhood. That doesn't help, however, on garbage days. Or on hot days with the air conditioning cycling on regularly. Or a variety of other unexpected noises. The spin cycle on the washing machine. Lawnmowers. Being in the runway pattern for the airport. The wind blowing from the train station. 

I reached a point where I was "in the home stretch." Ten chapters to go. I could do this! As I was listening to one of the last chapters, I heard background noise, despite my best efforts to record around outside noise. In trying to filter the noise out, it became even MORE noticeable, so I had to rerecord parts of that chapter. In between air conditioning cycles. Yes, I know, I could turn the air off while I'm recording, but considering the heat wave we've been experiencing, that wasn't practical (and my husband would have something to say about it). 

My experience with producing audiobooks -- it's a commitment. Much like editing a print book, there is the initial "getting it down" phase, then the reviewing phase, then the final editing phase. When all that is finished, one last listen to make sure each chapter sounds as good as you can make it. The professionals can complete an audiobook in a month. It took me A LOT longer. Maybe now that I know what I'm doing, it would be faster, but I also have other projects on the fire. New books to be written.

So now, several months after I began this experiment, I've completed the audiobook! It will take another week or so before it hits the outlets, but if you want to hear this author reading her book, you will be able to. Considering this is NOT my strong suit, I plan to offer the audiobook at a deep discount. My Author's Direct page usually has the best prices.

I'm hesitant to try another book. It's time-consuming, especially without the proper equipment and with other projects competing for attention. (Did I mention I'm working on my new haunted house series? 😁) But never say never. If you are so inclined to have a listen, I hope you'll let me know how I did. Positive reinforcement might persuade me to venture into the next Hillendale novel (there are five). If my performance detracts from the story, I'd like to know that, too. In a nice way, of course. 

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By now you all know about BEING NEIGHBORLY. Did you get your copy? Can't wait to hear what you think.

The new audiobook is done!

BREAKING THE MOLD was delayed by a month, but it is now complete and heading to the usual channels for distribution! 

Have I mentioned the book is getting five-star reviews? Allow me to brag on it a little - after all, it is one of my babies!

“…Karla Brandenburg’s writing is spot on, and watching the characters deal with their problems while wondering if a romance will help or hinder their lives will keep readers turning pages.” - Leigh Carter

“…Will [Kayleigh] continue to stand up to her Mother and sister and run her own business, a ceramic shop she has dreamed of owning? We know there's going to be a lot of fireworks - good and bad…A wonderful story about learning to trust and grow as an individual. It is possible to start over again.” - BookHound

“…Kayleigh and Rafe’s story kept me turning the pages.” - Muddy Rose Reviews

"I totally enjoyed this, clearly, since I couldn't stop! ... That's what you get for writing such a good book!" - (from my narrator!)  

Have you read it yet? 

The world of audio

 Well, I did it!

LANDSLIDE is officially an audiobook. It is still making its way to all the outlets. Newsletter subscribers can download the e-book free (there are benefits to receiving my newsletter!). 

As I mentioned in my last post, the recording isn't perfect. It was a learning curve, and for a free novella, it's reasonably well done. If you should happen to listen to it, I'd love to know how badly I did (or if I'm my own worst critic). I've learned a lot about normalizing, limiters, peaks and RMS. I've checked the silence gaps. There are still places you might hear me breathe, although I think I got the majority of places where I slur my words or truncate them (dialect patterns). I made a "pick-ups" sheet for myself, a list of things that needed to be fixed/corrected, and while going through it, there was one word I thought I'd slurred through, but when I went looking for it, the pronunciation was correct, so now I'm curious if anyone else hears it the way I did when I marked it for correction.

Now that I know what I'm doing, I'm considering producing one of my full-length novels.

Time to get back to the new book project, which is still giving me fits. I'm sure once I dedicate some time to it, everything will come together, but in addition to the audiobook recording, I've also been working on marketing for BREAKING THE MOLD (the ebook is available for pre-order, the paperback is live! and the audiobook is still in production). Busy woman, over here. 

Coming Soon in Audio!

I'm working toward the finish line with the new book - BREAKING THE MOLD - tediously working to remove unnecessary words and phrases from the manuscript, polishing my writing, checking for those dangling modifiers and passive voice and run-on sentences. (Yes, that's a perfect example of a run-on sentence.)

I'm taking breaks to listen to chapters from the new audiobook! THE MIRROR (Epitaph 3) should be ready by the end of the year (fingers crossed!) and BREAKING THE MOLD (yes, the new book!) should be ready when the book is ready. Both narrated by the talented Vicki Pierce.

 Want a hear a sample?

Karla Brandenburg · MIRROR - RetailAudioSample - A

Audiobook - THE TWINS

Woo-hoo! The new audiobook is available for sale! There's a lot of hurry up and wait involved in the process, but the waiting is finally over. Narrated once again by the talented Jane Oppenheimer, this is the second book in the Epitaph series. In an effort not to spam people, I won't be sending a newsletter until next month, to coincide with the release of the next Hillendale novel, THE HIDDEN GRIMOIRE. So feel free to share this post with everyone you know who likes audiobooks!

"The Twins is just the story for any reader who wants a love story mixed with a little hair-raising suspense.  Jared and Siobhan are two broken people: him physically, her emotionally.  She helps heal his wounds and he helps her to believe, not only in spirits, but in herself. The main characters in this story are lively, complex and very likeable, as are the host of minor characters who carry over from the first book in the series.  Ms. Brandenburg masterfully weaves the paranormal plot elements into the story with subtlety so they feel organic and believable, and the cold icy Illinois winter is the perfect setting for a ghost story."  -- InD'Tale Magazine

Listen now at Audible

Also available at: 24symbols / Anyplay / Apple / Audiobooks.com / AudiobooksNow / AudiobooksNZ / Authors Direct / BajaLibros / Beek / Bokus Play / BookBeat / Bookmate / Chirp / Downpour / eStories / Fuuze / Google Play / hibooks / Hummingbird / Instaread / Kobo, Walmart / Leamos / Libro.FM / Nextory / NOOK Audiobooks / Papaya / Scribd / Storytel / Ubook / 3Leaf Group / Axiell / Baker & Taylor / Bibliotheca / Bidi / EBSCO / Follett / hoopla / MLOL / Odilo / Overdrive / Perma-Bound / Wheelers

Have a cookie...

The last week has been an interesting one. The Big Guy developed an infection and ultimately ended up in the hospital to get antibiotics mainlined. Have a cookie, it'll make everything better.

Needless to say, writing has been difficult. I'm about two thirds through the rewrites on the new book, and in the absence of writing, I've been listening to the audio files for the audio book each morning before I run to the hospital to keep my honey company. Have a cookie, it'll make you feel better.

As you may know, I'm a cookie-holic, which attribute I gave to the main character in COOKIE THERAPY. When life throws you a curve ball, have a cookie. Fortunately for me, that's the only attribute I share with Elizabeth Lambert in COOKIE THERAPY! (Oh, wait, except for my talent for tripping on air...)

As I've been listening to the audio book files, I've been struck with the familiar, "I wrote that??" feeling. Yes, I know I wrote that, and it's one of my prouder moments. Nope, I don't need a cookie. I AM trying to kick my addiction, after all.

I've listened to the whole audio book now, brilliantly narrated by Vicki Pierce. She has two last, very minor, changes to make and the production process will be complete. I'm pretty excited! A bright spot in a week of crazy, and then I have to try to concentrate enough to create more magic with the new book (and there's a deliberate pun in that line, which you'll understand when you read the new story!).

I think I'll have to have a cookie to celebrate! It might be an addiction, but sometimes we deserve to treat ourselves, after all.

Watch for my newsletter, which will go out as soon as the production process is complete and the audio book is available. If you can't wait for the audiobook, you can always buy the paperback or ebook!

Buy it here!

Listening to books

I have been late getting to the audiobook party, largely because I don't listen to books. I don't have the attention span. Listening often puts me to sleep, especially when trying to listen for extended periods of time.

I've tried listening to audiobooks in the past - books that I loved and have read more than once. I couldn't make it through to the end. In fact, an hour was pushing it. The eyes droop, the brain disengages, and it becomes a voice saying "something, somewhere." Recently, my son recommended a podcast to me. It generally runs 40 minutes or less, and I've made it through those fairly well without falling asleep, but they're also smaller chunks.

With all that being said, many people I've spoken to like audiobooks. They pop them in when they're traveling, or listen while they're doing something else. Multitasking. I've asked the question before - if my readers listen - and have gotten mixed replies. Am I a dinosaur for resisting? For not expanding into a market? For not serving those listener readers?

While I have this "bonus time" at home, I'm considering this option more seriously. My husband thinks I should record them myself, a massive undertaking, but something worth pursuing should I flip that switch to full-time author.

Which of my books do you wish was on audio to listen to?

Audiobooks

Well, I've finished my first draft of "Quiet." And the current decision is that the title will be Mist on the Meadow. What a huge sense of accomplishment, not only to finish the draft, but to finish it in the time frame I'd set and in excess of the minimum word limit I had set for it. Both plusses. So what now? I am continuing to run it through my critique group, whose members are adept at pointing out every time I use the word "that" instead of "who," one of my many stumbling blocks. This also provides me the opportunity to step away from it and let it "set" (like Jell-O). Time away often helps to give a clearer perspective.  These are the times I go to previous works that are sitting on the shelf (Epitaph comes to mind) to determine if they are keepers or crap (pardon my French). It also gives me time to pursue other thoughts and ideas, one of which is audioboooks.

When I took a finished copy of Living Canvas to Amy in Iowa, she mentioned that she often buys audiobooks these days. We had a brief discussion about the different media books in which you can obtain books (she prefers a printed book in her hands to an ebook, fwiw). Interestingly, I read an article the other day that ebooks are now outpacing printed books. I also just bought a book to celebrate "the end" and bought a printed copy. My husband, when it arrived, asked why I hadn't gotten it as an ebook. The answer? It was the same price either way, and it was an easy read (I devoured the thing in a manner of hours - it was Goodnight, Tweetheart, in case you're wondering).  I like the convenience of my e-readers - a stack of stories in the palm of my hand - although I do like still like the feel of holding a printed book in my hand. But I digress. 

My conversation with Amy got me to wondering how many people listen to audiobooks. I mentioned it to my mother, and she said that she enjoys an audiobook from time to time, especially now when it's harder for her to read. And then there are the commuters . . . So I'm thinking about putting together an audio version of Living Canvas during my "recovery period." This is the period of time when I try to reaquaint myself with the industry and all the changes (which are happenening faster these days). New options, new avenues, not to mention new story ideas. What do you think about audiobooks? Thumbs up? Thumbs down?  Meh?