You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things.” –Nate Berkus
Have you ever wanted to try something new? Even if you weren’t really sure you could do whatever it was? I suppose we’ve all met challenges like that. Perhaps when we first sat behind a wheel of a car to learn to drive. Perhaps when we took a new baby home to care for and love. Maybe going back a little younger, when we learned to balance a bike and ride down the road all alone without training wheels.
While I can’t remember back when I rolled the first piece of paper into my typewriter (it was a long time before computers) and typed “Chapter 1” for the first time, I’m sure that took a bit of daring if not exactly courage. Of course, when I set out to write that very first mystery when I was ten or eleven, I was having too much fun to consider writing a book from the first word to the last might take courage. Since then I’ve typed those daring words of “Chapter 1” many times. I just did the same this week for a new book. A new story road is beckoning.
But sometime last year I decided to try something new. Something I wasn’t sure I could do. I wanted to see if I could narrate one of my own books. Most of my books are already audio books, narrated by professional readers, but a few missed out on being turned into audio books. Last year I contracted with someone to read my first Hollyhill book, Scent of Lilacs. She did a fine job, but I wanted to try it on my own. Years ago, I read some of my early books for the state library that had a program of producing audio books for people who had visual difficulties reading. I went to the library, sat in a soundproof booth and read while a library worker monitored my reading and let me know when I read something wrong. I enjoyed that.
So I did know I liked reading aloud. But recording it myself? That was the challenge. Fortunately, how to books are out there. How to videos and articles can be found online. Programs can be downloaded. Microphones can be bought. A recording booth of sorts can be fashioned with blankets hung around you. A person can open a book and read “Chapter 1.” And I did. It was more work than I expected. I wasn’t a perfect reader. The technology was new to me and strained my brain. But I read Orchard of Hope, the second Hollyhill book, and I edited it. With the help of my agency I designed a cover using one of my photographs and got it approved by Audible and up for sale on Amazon. Do you like the cover we came up with?
Now I’m on to the next challenge – getting those who enjoy audio books to listen to the story as read by me. To help get that started, I have a limited number of free downloads of the audio book to give away. I even have some for audio book fans in Britain. If you enjoy audio books or think you might like to give my book a listen even if you haven’t tried audio books before, I’d love to send you one of the free downloads. I sent one to my daughter already and she said it was easy to download. She does listen to audio books all the time. She says I didn’t do too badly but that it took a while to get over the thought of that being her mother reading in her ear instead of some other narrator. I don’t know why. I used to read to her all the time, even if that was some years ago. 🙂
If you are willing to give the book a listen and maybe leave a review, let me know. This summer I finished the narration of the third Hollyhill book, Summer of Joy. It’s not available yet, but I’m hoping it will be in a few weeks or months.
So have you ever challenged yourself to do something new that you weren’t sure you could do? How did you meet the challenge?
“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
Comments 34
I would very much enjoy listening to you narrating your books. I have read all your books and would appreciate being added to your list. Thank you very much.
Author
Great, Kathy. I do have a few more links left. I’ll get one sent to you this weekend. And thanks so much for reading my books.
I’d love to hear you read your own book. Congratulations and well done.
Author
Great, Shelia. I’ll get a link sent to you this weekend. I enjoyed your post about the fried apple pies. Mom, and then me too, used to make them with June apple applesauce which is pretty tart. I like those better than the dried apple ones.
Oh, I would absolutely love to have a link to your audio if at all possible. (Diane, UK)
Author
Wonderful to have someone in United Kingdom so I can use those links. I’m assuming that was the UK meaning. Every time I see UK, I think of University of Kentucky since I live here in Kentucky and cheer on and UK Wildcats. 🙂 I’ll get you the link sent to you this weekend, Diane.
Hi Ann,
I’ve heard your voice in person at several book signings but I’d love to hear you read one of your own books.
If you still have any links available, I would be honored if you would consider sending me one.
Thank you.
Diana T
Author
I do have more. I’ll send it to your e-mail address, Diana. I’m glad you want to give the book a try.
I would love to listen to your audio book! That would be amazing. I have listened to a few audio books during my many travels back and forth from Ky to Pa. It sure makes the time pass quicker. Plus, it’s YOU! 🙂
Author
That’s fun, Debbie. I sent the code for the audio book to your e-mail address. Tarasa said it was a little strange listening to me read the book. She listens to audio books all the time, but had to get used to her mother reading in her ear. 🙂
At least half of the “reading” I do anymore is via audio books … while I’m walking the dog, doing the dishes, vacuuming, etc. It helps make chores go by faster – and easier. I’d be happy to add your book to my “to be listened to” queue, if you still have more to give away.
Author
Audio books are a great way to give you extra reading time when, as you say, you’re doing those necessary chores, Mishael. I’m with you on hearing someone reading a book can make the chores go faster and I love listening to a book whenever I have a long drive. Definitely makes the trip go faster and keeps me from getting sleepy while driving.
I’ll get a link to you via e-mail today. Thanks for being willing to add my book to you reading queue.
Hi Ann!
Sorry I haven’t been in touch for so long. The last five years have been the hardest ever for our family.
Hope you and your family are well and having a good new year.
Glad to hear about your audiobooks.
I haven’t tried them yet but my son Jason and his wife Christy have been listening to books on tape for a few years. They live a good distance from
His work, doctors and most family so it makes their drive more interesting.
I am not up on all the technical in and outs of down loading books but I hope to learn more when my grandkids have time to visit more.
I have started reading the Hidden Springs Mysteries one more time. I am beginning to feel like the town feels like home. It is so much like my home town has been in the past.
I know you must have grown up in a town like Hidden Springs too. A big city girl would have a difficult time expressing the feel of a small country
town the way you can.
Thank you for sharing your gifted talents with us Ann.
Gail
Author
I’m so sorry you and your family have had a difficult time in the last few years. I do hope that the year to come is better for all of you.
It’s fun to read that you are going to visit Hidden Springs again. I’m definitely a small town girl and don’t know much about big city living. Most all my books are set in rural type towns. Even the Shaker books are sort of small town atmosphere stories since the Shaker villages could have that small town feel. My Hollyhill books and the Hidden Springs books have settings modeled after the small town near where I grew up out on the farm.
If you’d like one of the downloads, I’d be glad to send you one. So far no one has seemed to have trouble downloading the links. Let me know if you want to give it a try. You could always save it until those grandkids visit if you have trouble figuring it out, but I don’t think you would. Your son and daughter-in-law have figured out how to make a long commute more interesting, for sure.
Hello Ann! I am so proud of you for doing something that seems so daunting! That is a goal of mine starting this year – to be more of a go-getter. There are so many things I would love to do, but I am so unsure about actually doing them, that I can’t even bring myself to write them down on paper as a “bucket list.” I decided that 2021 is the year to change that for life, the her to gain more confidence, and the year to say, “You know? If I get rejected then so what?! I just need to make improvements and try again!”
Anyway, all that to say, high-five on narrating one of your books and getting it up for sale!!! This I just the inspiration I need! Also, if you still have any audiobooks available, I would love to receive one! If not, I totally understand and will be asking my library to purchase a copy for our OverDrive system. 😉
Keep chasing those dreams!! 💜
Author
I hope you have a great year of doing some of those things that seem like such a challenge, Jennifer. But sometimes once you commit to giving something a try, then you find the courage to do whatever as you realize that no matter the outcome as in potential rejections or disappointments, you still will have done what you wanted and given your dreams a starting point. Rejections are never fun, but they are rarely fatal unless you let them be. Most everyone who has succeeded has plenty of times they didn’t hit the mark before the time they did. So stay inspired and work on that “bucket list” as you keep chasing your dreams.
I’ll get a link out to you for the copy of my audio book. But I would still appreciate you asking your library to consider purchasing both the audio versions of Scent of Lilacs and Orchard of Hope. That would be wonderful.
I would like to listen to the audio and leave a review!
Author
Great, Joan. I’ll send you a link. I always appreciate reviews, and hope you’ll be kind since this is my first attempt at narrating. I think I did better on the next book to come out soon, I hope.
I always wondered why authors didn’t read the books they wrote. I thought they would be the ones to do a perfect job since they were the closest to their work. 😊 I suppose everything I’ve ever done there had to be a first time. But nothing special comes to mind except making the decision to have children. That’s pretty special! ❣️
Author
For one thing, Karen, it takes a good chunk of time. For another, many authors would rather leave the reading to those more professionally polished. I have listened to books narrated by the author. One was a Fannie Flagg book and although I enjoyed it, I think a professional narrator would have done a better reading. No doubt a professional would have done a better reading of mine too, but Orchard of Hope wasn’t picked up for an audio contract so that’s why I decided to give it a try. I’ve listened to a few of the audio productions of my other books. Angel Sister, These Healing Hills and River to Redemption all had exceptional readers. I’ve been told Small Town Girl was done even better than Angel Sister, but I haven’t given it a listen as yet. And Love Comes Home didn’t get a professional audio contract. It is the story I hope to narrate next. Maybe next summer.
Were you interested in having one of the free downloads for Orchard of Hope?
I’d like to listen to you read this book.
Author
I’ll send you the download link, Ola, to see if you want to try the audio book.
Yes! Would love to listen to one of the audible books you’ve narrated please!
Author
Great, Dana. I’ll send the info to your e-mail address. Thanks, and I hope you’ll like the story and the reading. 🙂
Would very much enjoy a download of your book Orchard of Hope.
Author
I sent a free code your way, Janice. Hope you enjoy listening to me read my story to you.
Ann, I would like one if you still have more! It would be appreciated very much!
Author
I’m happy to send you a free download code, Laura. I sent it a few minutes ago, so check your e-mail. I hope you don’t have problems downloading it and that you will like hearing me read my story to you.
I would love to be able to listen to this.I remember you telling my husband and me that you were attempting this!!! I am trying to walk a lot and since I can’t read and walk at the same time( I might walk into a ditch,lol) it would be great to have this book to listen to!
Author
Sure, Lisa. I’ll send you a link. You may have to download Audible in order to listen. I’m not sure about that. My daughter isn’t an Audible member, I don’t think. She usually gets the audio books she listens to from the library on Libby or Overdrive. I’ll ask her what program she’s using to listen to my book.
Ok! Thank you so much!
I would LOVE to be a recipient of one of your audio books! I’ve never tried them before, but actually planned to go to the library to check one out. I’m an avid book reader and crocheter, but can’t do both at the same time. Voila! Audio books! Please consider me! Thank you, Ann.
Author
You got it, Judi, but I have more. So I’m anxious to give them all away if I can. I’m not a crocheter, but I do enjoy listening to audio books when I’m doing various chores. Last summer I listened while I was picking beans in the garden and then canning them. I could listen while I cleaned house. Maybe that would make be more diligent about cleaning house. LOL Some people listen while they walk, but I don’t like to do that. I like hearing what’s going on around me while I’m walking.
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to listen!