Big Day

Oh, it is a Big Day today in the Neighborhood.

First, Porcelain Dog came out in audiobook from Audible.com. I joined Audible several months ago when I needed some kind of entertainment to take my mind off the fact I was jogging. I hate jogging, but I love books. So? Audiobooks. Problem solved. If you haven’t tried audiobooks, why not start with mine?

The reader, Philip Battley, does an excellent job. It’s kind of weird hearing someone else read the story I wrote. Brought out strange facets of the prose I hadn’t “heard” when I was writing it. Emphasized other things that I hadn’t thought much of, but which took on new importance in the oral version. It’s a much different experience to listen to a book. And when it’s my book, it’s rather like listening to one’s own voice on tape. It made me giggle and cringe in places.

Anyway, the narrator’s voice is deeper than I’d “heard” Ira’s to be, but it works. Collins, the evil butler, however, is SPOT F***ING ON. There are a lot of nuances of British pronunciation that give the text a different, more complex flavor. Overall, I’m pleased as punch.

Also, after a day’s delay, Elm Books has launched the anthology–eight excellent stories by eight fabulous authors, all exploring a different facet of wintertime mystery. There are giveaways and contests going on as well, so get going!

Am trying to get used to bifocals. Actually trifocals. It’s difficult, and by the end of the day my eyes hurt and I can’t spend the last hour of the day reading in bed. Drat. I would go back to the old single-vision scrip, but my eyes, though not used to the new one, won’t work with the old one anymore. So I’m in this crappy limbo-place. Good thing the frames are so cute.

Turnbull House is writing itself at breakneck speed. I’ll be very sorry to finish it.

And there is also a Passover story in the works. Passover…with vampires.