You try talking for eight hours

I may not be the voice of my generation, but I am the voice of ME generation. No, I'm not turning into Popeye.  I just completed recording the audiobook for THE ME GENERATION… BY ME (GROWING UP IN THE ‘60s). You can order it here. And also listen to a sample chapter. (It's also available at Amazon and the iTunes store.)

This was a new experience for me – recording eight hours worth of text. But I had it easy compared to my engineer, Don May (pictured below), who had to listen to me record it, then go through and edit out all the bobbles. (Some days I was truly Porky Pig.)

There’s a lot to think about when recording an entire unabridged book. Your pace, your energy. You have to sound consistent throughout. It’s easy at the beginning of a session to be all revved up and two hours later you’re Ben Stein.

Not losing your voice is also preferred.

Pronunciation becomes important (who knew?). Confession: there are a couple of long words in the book that look funny on the page but are a bitch.  I couldn't say Anna Karenina.  I just kept screwing it up.  So I just swapped out War & Peace.  Fuck it.  Of course I couldn’t do that with names. I couldn’t take Satan Xerxes Carnacki LeVey and call him Skippy Smith. I have no idea if I came even close to pronouncing his name correctly.

In preparation I went to Audible.com and sampled some other samples. I was amazed by how many just droned. They were like an Army briefing on how to use an entrenching tool. Other books sounded like they were recorded in the bottom of a trash can. Mostly these were by authors who, like myself, recorded their own books. Especially for a memoir that’s very personal, I believe it’s a big advantage to hear it in the author’s own voice. As long as it’s professionally produced. I swear, some of these guys recorded their books on microphones normally reserved for: “Number twelve, your pizza’s ready!”

And I’m always aware that sometimes it’s better when someone else does your work. Carole King is a great songwriter and God bless her, but her tunes always sound better to me when real singers sing them. I once heard a recording of RHAPSODY IN BLUE with the great George Gershwin playing piano and it sounded rushed. Obviously he played it the way he intended it, and I just imagine if it were today he’d get a network note to slow it down. And if Gilbert Godfried ever writes his autobiography, please let someone else do the narration. Anyone. Even Kathy Griffin.

But I’m proud of my final result. And I think hearing my book in my voice adds a whole new dimension. Plus, you know how some books were just meant to be read at night in front of a roaring fire? Mine was meant to be heard in rush hour traffic.

Again, here's where you go.  Thanks much.

And I'm making final preparations for a book signing in Seattle.  Hope to have it nailed down later today.  So please check back for the announcement.