A new opportunity has opened up for me – it’s proving an interesting month!

When I started work with Librivox all those years ago, my ulterior motive was ultimately finding paid voice work. It’s something I haven’t tried terribly hard at, to be honest, but every now and again I pop back to LV and tape another chapter. I certainly never managed to find the enthusiasm to rack up the hours and hours of service that some people have managed over there.

But still I keep getting weird and flatting plaudits for my voice and the work I have done. I still get one or two emails a month out of the blue thanking me for the few things I have made available.

And then another interesting project began last year. Out of the cream of Librivox arose Iambik Audiobooks – with many of the same people and processes of Librivox, but with contemporary texts, a more professional approach, a higher quality of recording… and… actual money! With time on my hands, I signed up this summer, and submitted an audition for an interesting text.

I heard back last week that I was successful in that audition, with an incredibly flattering quote from the book’s publisher: “His voice is like butter! so perfect!”

And whilst googling, I found the book’s author has a very engaging Livejournal page and talked about the project publicly. So. I thought. If he can, I can!

So, I am currently making an audiobook of Nicholas Kaufmann’s Chasing the Dragon. It’s a fantastic book, and when I got the proof copy to prepare for recording it, I motored through it in just an afternoon. The lead character is engaging, with a couple of interesting twists that really get you on her side. By the middle of the third chapter, it’s completely unputdownable, you really have a drive to get on and find out who wins. With this kinda novel, you have more than a sneaking suspicion you can guess who’s going to win, but the plot keeps you right to the wire, and you definitely find yourself unable to guess how the “right” outcome could possibly result from where you get to.

What with everything else that’s going on, I really have to get on with making this recording before the rest of life intervenes, so hopefully it will be out soon!