If you go to NewBayouBooks.com, you will find–right there on the home page–bootleg recordings of the first three “innings” of my latest book. The short, steamy novel is called Baseball on the Bayou: The Colton Lacombe Story. If you’re interested in the New Bayou Books project of sparking a renaissance of South Louisiana literature, I hope you’ll give it a listen.
I learned a couple interesting and as of yet uncharacterised lessons in the process of recording the book. Which I will review now . . .
It’s FUN to read the books! I have always enjoyed reading aloud. Reading your own work, it turns out (at least for me), is even more fun. It only makes sense, when you think about it. You fall in love with your characters in the process of writing them, and so it only makes sense that you, the author, are the most qualified to bring them to life in this way.
But I kinda suck at it. This is the second big take-away. It turns out that, just like sex and guitar, it’s possible to be bad at it while still having a great time in the moment. Obviously, the only thing to do about this is to keep on trucking. I’m old enough to know that there’s only one route to perfecting any skill. Practice makes, if not perfect, than at least better.
DIY recording is technically challenging. I have what I think is probably the easiest do it yourself recording set up. It consists of a Blue Yeti microphone and an Apple computer with GarageBand loaded on it. Even a guy like me can understand it. Still, the final mixing, EQ settings, and splicing in new sections are all technically challenging.
The big one. Above all, the thing I’m noticing is the uncanny way speaking the words exposes the quality of the writing. For the most part, I actually quite like the style and the flow of this latest book. I feel like I got pretty close to what I was going for. And still, there are certain sentences and word-choice that stick out like an unzipped fly to me. Reading aloud remains the great equaliser.
Do me a favour and give it a listen . . . tell me what you think. https://newbayoubooks.com
New Bayou Books 