One of the problems – or, perhaps, the best things – about Gothic Horror is that it does tend to be sad. Usually, there are at least one or two characters who don’t deserve whatever is happening to them, or who have done something which is being punished in a way which does not in any way fit the crime. M.R. James’s writing is perhaps a constant reiteration of the old proverb, “curiosity killed the cat”, but curiosity in itself isn’t a bad thing; while Jonathan Harker in Bram Stoker’s Dracula finds himself in the initial dangerous situation through no fault of his own. Perhaps the saddest story in this anthology is The Lady Who Dances in the Ashes , which was first published by Sley House in Tales of Sley House 2022 . Here is the story of a man who is facing professional and financial ruin as a result of suggesting that mental health patients can be treated in the community rather than institutionalised. He is one of the most sympathetic narrators you will find in the book, but he bad...
Monday 25th November - Reading Aloud - Audio Books?
Some books are better read aloud. I love reading books which are filled with sumptuous language, so that I can hear the narrator's voice and it just wraps me up in the language. And if you love hearing a book, you'd love talking about it too! And, let's face it, that's what every author dreams of achieving.
Audio books are on the rise. They're a fantastic addition to the an author's CV, but they can also cost an arm and a leg to secure. To a self-published author this expense is almost unobtainable. But here's a few ideas of how to make it happen:
- Make every word count - Your audio book need not feature every word you wrote in your print book. Most companies or individuals charge according to the word count, so make sure each word counts!
- Can you beat the author as the narrator? - Give some consideration to the thought your reader might like to hear your voice reading the book. It may not be the best recording quality, but if you can share your version with your readers via a blog or youtube channel, the voice of your characters is still getting out there.
- Book trailers - This allows your potential readers the opportunity to hear your character's voices. From here they can imagine the sound in the rest of the book. Here's an example!
Crowvus is still developing its projects ready for Audio Book recording. But it's something we feel strongly about. We want our books to be accessible to everyone, as all publishers and authors want. Who knows? Maybe 2020 could be the year we release our first Audio Book.
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