Is This What It Feels Like to Be Madonna? Fergie? Avril?

I feel like a star. Today a nice sized box arrived from Brilliance with my copies of the audio edition of Death Was the Other Woman.

Is this how The Killers feel? Is this what it feels like to be Good Charlotte? OK: maybe not The Killers or Good Charlotte, but you know what I mean. I felt like a rock star. Hey! My own CD!

So it was nice to see the package, and I was glad about the timing. I had hoped they’d get here before Christmas, because a couple of people close to me will think it’s fun to get a copy under their tree. But when David popped one into the nearest CD player, my reaction surprised me. (Though he assures me, it did not surprise him.) When I heard the well-modulated sound of veteran audio actor Joyce Bean flowing through our stereo speakers and into the room, I burst into tears. And not wimpy little sniffles, either. I’m talking for real crying, the kind that makes your face turn red and that causes actual moisture to splash saltily on your face. It was unexpected. (Again, for me that is. Not for David. We’ve been together a long time and he knows me pretty well.)

Even though there have been so many processes between creation and publication; even though this is my fourth novel and not my first, these words strung together in just this way all started out in my head. And though I know -- intellectually -- there are all these people involved in bringing my book to market, those words? They’re mine. You can know they exist in the world and that people are reading them, but even so, you don’t really know it, not in any way that matters in the real world. You don’t necessarily believe in it, it’s not quite real.

And then you get this package. And it’s beautiful. It looks just like your book, only super shiny. And you pop the CD in and the words flood out. And they’re your words -- of course they are -- but being read in a way you never imagined them, by a voice you’ve never heard. And somehow -- I think this must be it -- somehow that shiny package, that reading, that voice, somehow it all makes the whole thing more real. And that’s when you burst into tears. At least, you do if you’re me.

Now, clearly, this is my first audio book, so I’m hoping this is an experience I’ll get used to, but for now it’s super fun. The audio book is an actual production -- with a producer -- and there’s even a bit of acting from Bean. And there’s a spot of music, which surprised me.

Brilliance has really done it up: their production is unabridged, and it’s available on CD, audio tape, MP3 (I guess so you can stick it on you iPod and listen while you jog). And I’m delighted, too, because Brilliance Audio is a first class outfit and narrator Bean is a bit of a star in the audio book world and has read novels of a lot of the heavyweights: Tami Hoag, Jennifer Crusie, John Saul, Marcia Muller, Nevada Barr, so many others. What amazing company to be in.

So, OK: I guess I should stop now. I pretty much have my sniffles under control. Maybe I’ll go back and listen to a tiny bit more. I mean, I know how it turns out and everything. But sometimes it’s about the journey. I feel like riding along a little bit more today.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Linda,
Wow, I am so happy for you. This is so exciting and well-deserved. Of course I can't wait to read the book itself but golly now I just might have to pick up the audio version as well. Congratulations!!!
Mary-Frances
Thanks, Mary-Frances! And thanks, as always, for stopping by.

Popular Posts