It all began with my publisher, Autumn House Press.

They applied for and received an equal opportunity grant to turn ALL of their published books into audio format. The grant gives people who are blind, dyslexic, and unable to read books the opportunity to read wider. To hear books from small presses not just mega-ones.

Autumn House contacted me with one question. Did I want to read the book myself?

Or should they hire a voice actor to read it. If I wanted to read it, I’d need to find a local studio since the press is located in the Pittsburgh area.

I told them I’d love to read it and the search for a studio began. I reached out to the head of Prairie Public Radio. (He’d interviewed me for One Book, One North Dakota earlier this year) He suggested Absolute Studios in Fargo. I contacted them and they sounded positive.

Over the course of the next weeks, Absolute Studios and Autumn House Press signed a contract and it was all set! I was astonished at the estimated cost. Around $4,000 all told. Wow. Thank goodness for a grant!

I asked around the writing community for tips on making audiobooks and made a list of things to bring with me. Lip balm, water, hot tea with lemon, cough drops. I was also told to practice, practice. Get my voice used to reading.

It was a very strange experience! The book was published eight years ago and I hadn’t thought about Zambia in so long! I came across Lozi words I didn’t remember how to pronounce. Mulaulil. Kalilozi. Mulumileni sha. Then found a Lozi Dictionary online with pronunciation! I also needed to look up some medical words for correct pronunciation. Onchocerciasis. Bacille Calmette-Guérin.

I read one, then two hours a day in preparation and on April 17th went to Absolute Studios for the first recording. I was assigned to work with a man named Marty. He’d been at the studio for much of his career and made me feel right at home. He toured me around the building. Then we went back to the recording studio.

He got me set up on the other side of the glass in a small enclosed soundproof room. I sat on a tall stool with a microphone and round pop filter in front of me. I had a music stand to place my computer on and I was eye level with Marty on the other side.

I read a bit; he listened and adjusted knobs.

I read some more. He made more adjustments and let me listen to what I sounded like.

When I coughed, or stumbled over a word, we’d stop. Marty would back up to the previous sentence and I’d begin again. He edited as we went, reading along. If I read a word wrong and noticed it, I’d stop. If I read it wrong and didn’t notice, he’d stop me. We’d go back a sentence and I’d reread it.

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Over the course of the next few months, in-between my vacations and studio vacations and just life, I went back to Absolute Studios five times, reading 175 pages. 62,000 words.

Marty sent me the audio files after he sweetened them and I listened to the entire book while reading along. I made notes of wrong words, pauses that seemed extended, places where I didn’t like the sound of my voice. I printed out a list of about 50 places that needed edits and we worked through them one by one. Marty was a genius at edits and did a great job. My audio book was done!

It was such a fun experience.

After I left, Marty did his magic, followed all the formatting rules, and then sent the files to Autumn House Press. The Press was happy with the finished product and did the behind the scenes work to make the audio book a reality.

Autumn House Press Nonfiction Prize and the Sarton Women’s Literary Award. I really love the new cover!

After that, they sent the audio files to Audible, Libro, OverDrive, and Findaway.

So Many Africas audio sample is live. And the entire audio book is now available!

I’m really proud of the audio sample that Marty and I put together. It’s about five minutes long and is a good introduction to the book.

Have a listen if you’d like!

All in all, the audio book project was a great experience and a lot of fun. And if you ever need an audio studio, Absolute Studios is a gem of a place!

This whole journey has been a privelege and a joy.

If you’re curious, give a listen to the free sample audio. Just click the link “Audible Sample” under the book.

If you buy the audio, I wish you many hours of good listening!

Love always,

Jill