By Shelly Frome
Reviews of Twilight of the Drifter, my Southern
crime-and-blues novel, plus response to my narration of the first chapter on
Take Five led me to believe a recorded version just might be doable. Especially since
many readers told me they could picture my colorful characters in their mind’s
eye and imagine listening to the tale while on a long drive, or relaxing at
home with a nice cup of tea while it was raining or snowing outside.
At the same time, I realized
there was no way I could come up with a professional sounding product, let
alone sustain a whole narration. And so I registered for ACX (Amazon’s audio
program) and hoped for the best.
And this is where it gets
tricky. Like the proverbial shot in the dark, though you play it safe and opt
for a royalty share and indicate the type of voice and presentation you’re
hoping for, you have no idea what kind of response you’re going to get. You
also don’t really know who you’re dealing with despite the fact they’ve posted
a photo and a bio. In short, based on firsthand experience, this is what you
may be in for.
One “producer” who sends
in an audition of a sample chapter is obviously working from a marvelous sound
studio. Unfortunately, this reader is simply in love with his or her own voice,
affects one tone or accent all the way through, and has no idea how to keep
listeners engaged.
A second producer is all
fired up over the project, you agree on a contract and date for completion and
then nothing happens. Two or three weeks go by till you’re informed that due to
pressing personal matters, they’ll have to bow out.
Starting all over,
finally hitting on a match, everything seems to be going smoothly. This narrator
turns out to have actually been an actor, musician and singer from Nashville, loves
your work, lends it marvelous dynamics, is open to constructive criticism and
direction in response to every set of chapters submitted. Then, alas, this perfect
partner comes down with an illness, won’t be available for three months or
longer and you’re back to the drawing board.
Perhaps the most
interesting example involves foray number five. Not only did the producer have
all the tools, he was a professional storyteller from the nearby Smoky
Mountains. A trial rendition of the first chapter was offered requiring very
few suggestions on my part. Then another and another. One day, he decided to
finally read the entire manuscript I’d sent weeks before. And here is the
upshot. He simply couldn’t go on unless some epiphany took place at the
conclusion in keeping with his own religious convictions—a quest I simply
couldn’t fathom after all the forces I’d set in motion inevitably played
themselves out with no thought of living up to another person’s expectations.
Of course, I’d been told
long ago that one of the strongest urges humans possess is the need to rewrite
someone else’s story.
But not to worry. There is
still the law of averages. Besides, you may find someone out there in the blue who
will answer the call at the first go-round and all will be well from start to
finish.
Shelly Frome is a member of Mystery Writers of America, a
professor of dramatic arts emeritus at the University
of Connecticut ,
a former professional actor, a writer of mysteries, books on theater and film,
and articles on the performing arts appearing in a number of periodicals in the U.S. and
the U.K. .
His fiction includes Tinseltown
Riff, Lilac
Moon, Sun
Dance for Andy Horn and the trans-Atlantic cozy The
Twinning Murders. Among his works of non-fiction are the
acclaimed TheActors
Studio and texts on the art and craft of screenwriting and writing
for the stage. His latest novel is Twilight
of the Drifter. He lives in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
His works can be found on Amazon, through his publishers or via
independent bookstores. He can be found at www.shellyfrome.com and has
a profile on Facebook where he can be reached or on twitter @shellyFrome.
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