Book Talk discussion

That I would listen too.
But, overall, I've been unimpressed by audiobooks.

I can read all by myself.

I had a job doing grounds keeping, and I LOVED audiobooks then. Mostly I listened to authors podcasting their own books, and found them way more listenable than a voice actor's interpretation.

Having said that, a friend of mine who is a voice actor recorded a version of my novella. I enjoyed his take, but deep down I wound up kind of wishing I'd done it myself. His performance was better, but my reading would've been more "true."

I've never listened to an audio book. I do listen though to some of the broadcasts on Psuedopod.

The only two audiobooks I have listened to were Angels and Demons, which sucked, and Prey, which was ok. Not my thing.

You absolutely should. If it's a narrator, I prefer a totally straight read, but I think the author can act a little without hamming it up.

Some of the best I've heard have been King reading BAG OF BONES and Ron Perlman reading Guillermo del Toro's THE STRAIN. Scott Sigler and Mike Bennett are probably the best podcast authors to check out, too.

One person I would have really liked to hear narrate an audiobook was Paul Winfield.
He narrated a True Crime show called CITY CONFIDENTIAL, and I used to put it on just to listen.

YEAH!

I've listened to quite a few. I live far away from where I grew up. When I visit, It's a 6 day drive, 10 hours a day. It can get very boring. I've found that audio books can help the time go by much faster. I wanted to reread the Dark Tower series before starting book 5. I listened to the first 4. I can't remember who read those, but he was really good. Others I really enjoyed were Ray Bradbury's THE ILLUSTRATED MAN and Jeffrey Deaver's NOCTURNE.

Kealan - I suggest you do the audio books because it will gather you readership and it will turn new people onto your work and help expand your readership base. Audio books are used for business man who travel, the blind, elderly homes, etc. It has been proven that authors who have audio books have expanded their fanbases to around 38% percent. It also gives you a marketable commodity in another media avenue.

If you feel uncomfortable with reading it yourself, the company could look at Nolan North, Kevin Conroy, Patrick Stewart, etc who have all made a name for themselves in Audiobooks.

This will also lead to them being turned to radio plays which is starting to make a comeback as well which adds to your fanbase.

Food for thought.

One more thought.

You should have your agent contact Jeremy Howe, Commissioning Editor for Drama at the BBC. He commissions radio plays for Radio 4. Your Timmy Quinn story would fit the time slot quite well and fit the format very well.

As for the BBC, can you write a Radio play?

I personally can't, I have written several successful scripts for television and film but I have difficulty with plays and radio plays.

Alternatively, if you can not write radio plays, you could write a brief summary (page and a half) and send it to the commissioning editor. I could also give you some other contacts for the BBC if you are interested. Radio plays are still big business and they are always looking for more and requesting more here.

My business partner deals with that side of things and if you are interested, I could give you more information.

How much cooler could it be than Kevin Conroy, aka Batman, narrating your book?

He is not that expensive either. Food for thought as he normally works at scale.

If you are interested in a radio scriptwriter, I have one that you can discuss things over. I think is a very good viable option for you as ghost stories translate very well. BBC did the The Haunting of Hill House and The Lottery extremely well. Their version of 'The Lady in White' and 'The Woman In Black' have won numerous awards as well.

I truly believe your Timmy Quinn series will lend itself and if it is popular, you also have the other adaptions that could take place. You may even look at possible film or television adaptions that could lend itself to a visual radio script and the books for its basis. Wouldn't be a huge jump.

As you are your own agent and doing this on your own and if you would like an adaption for a radio play, I would suggest that you discuss terms to the effect that you get a percentage of the sale of the product and of media sales from audio transference such as CD, download format. You would also get repeat fees as well.

If you negotiate the contract properly, you and the scriptwriter would be able to build a reputation in this field and would also align yourself with the prestige of BBC. If it did prove popular, it would stand to reason that the next two volumes could easily be filmed for television.

I think it would also be important to note that radio plays gathers very accomplish actors such as Russel Tovey (History Boys, Being Human (English)), Ian MacKellan, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg, Sean Bean, to name a few. They work at rate for the BBC which the producers would worry about but it does notch your play up a notch and helps with recognition.

If you would like to talk to an adaptor for a radio play scriptwriter, let me know and I will pass you details of one who is very talented who would work on the project. He wouldn't get paid unless it gets sold. If interested, let me know and I will pass your details to him and his to you.

When it is finished and you need someone to sell it for you, my company can do this. If not, I can give you the contacts so you can approach them yourself.

Let me know your thoughts.

I doubt that.

I wanna hear it in a brogue.....

I live in New York.

I understand gibberish in 167 variations.

Kealan, I used to live in Limerick and used to the Limerick accent. Also very familiar with the Cork accent.

Compared to those, what is your accent like?

Personally, I have a trailer trash upstate ny accent which excuses me alot whilst living in the UK.

My aunt is a Kelly from County Clare.
Is that close?

Your brogue/accent/what have you?

Okay.

Do you all generally say "fook" when you curse?

Gives me the giggles.....

Okay.

Got any questions for me?
I feel bad constantly badgering you..

Do you drop your R when you speak, Jon?
Like Bostonians do? I'm going to pahk the cah.

We don't have that R dropping thing in western MA.

Nope.
I grew up in the Queens section of New York City. We tend to be the most neutrally accented New Yorkers. Although we pronounce New York as "Noo Yawk".
My family is from Brooklyn, which has the heaviest.

Boid = bird
Erl = oil
Oily = early
Terlet = toilet

LOL, Ok. : )

It all depends on which section of the city, and sometimes your ethnic group.
Jewish people from Flushing and Forest Hills sound like that lady from "The Nanny".

Oh man, I loved her in Spinal Tap, but I can't take that voice. I won't even mention her laugh.
*shudder*

Drives bats narking futz....

Dogs too.

True.

I remember when a group of women were protesting a strip club in Forest Hills. You had to mute the news report before your brain started bleeding.....EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I wonder if Fran has ever narrated any books?
Probably not.

That's just sick!

The place I lived in Ireland was just outside Limerick called County Clare, Blackwater. They have a lovely accent though they can not pronounce their Th - it is tree for three, te for the, etc.

I come from upstate NY and have lived in London for 27 years and I still have my accent. Americans very rarely lose their accents for some reason, unless you are Madonna and that was just plain wrong.

She's also well past her optimum sell by date.

Lady GaGa is the current skank du jour.....

I hope I'm in that good of a shape when I get to be her age. I've read that she works out for over 3 hours a day.

You gotta catch 'em to knock their teeth out first....

Workout for 3 hours a day! I am a quality not quantity kinda girl ;)

Give THE WALKING DEAD: RISE OF THE GOVERNOR a listen. The narrator, Fred Berman, knocked it out of the park. The story is good, but the writing is about a 3 star while the narration is easily a 5+.

Can't wait to see it!

I can't wait to see the cover art as well.

I have tried a few audio books, because I drive a lot for work, but they don't do much for me and would much rather read a book.

If you do the voice tracks Kealan, I will give The Turtle Boy a try because that would probably be cool.

I don't really listen to audio books, either.
I prefer the voices in my head. Like Vincent Price. ;)

Although I agree, The Turtle Boy narrated by the author would be sweet!

Oooh, Vincent Price voices my inner monologue too, Jon. It is the best!

As for audio bookes, I love them. I've listened to hundreds and can't see myself getting sick of them any time in the near future. One of my favorites (which you can no longer get on audible.com) is Barbara Rosenblat's reading of WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN by Lionel Shriver. Talk about spot-on narration!

That book was awesome, Kristy!

I just listened to my first audio book ever. The Haunting of Hill House and I enjoyed the hell out of it.
Chilling!

Bummer, Kealan. It would have been interesting to hear your voice.

I tried an audio book several years ago (can't remember which one) but I got distracted everytime I tried to listen to it and ended up just buying the book.

Not a huge fan of audiobooks, but...The KIN audiobook was great! Just listened to it over the past few days. I was not sure I was diggin' Chet at the beginning, but he grew on me and did a fantastic job!

btw, KIN 2!!! KIN 2!!! (sorry, can't help myself)

Kealan wrote: "Do you listen to audiobooks? I've listened to a few in my time, but I can't say it's a regular thing. I do recall being enthralled by James Woods' reading of Peter Straub's MYSTERY though."

I listen constantly and I adore them. I spend an hour a day in the car, and with a family as scattered as mine, 6-hour road trips are common. I usually listen to 30-40 per year.