The ACX Experience – From Printed Page to Audio Book

Recently I embarked on a new challenge, converting one of my books into an audio book. ACX is an Amazon company much like CreateSpace in that it provides an easy, affordable way to produce books, in this case audio books rather than physical books. ACX acts rather like a passive agent, creating a neutral middle ground where authors and producers can meet and explore working together. It’s a fairly simple and straightforward process.

voice over spikesI registered information about my book Marcia Gates: Angel of Bataan back in March of last year. I uploaded the first chapter, the blurb, the cover image, my desire for a female voice and my choice for a payment arrangement. There are two ways to pay for a book producer/narrator: one is to pay them up front for their time, estimated to be roughly between $100-200 an hour; the second way is to pay no up-front fees and split the royalties with them 50/50. I chose the latter for several reasons. First, I was not comfortable parting with a large up-front outlay when I was trialing this whole idea for the first time, and it made sense to me that if the producer were to be heavily invested in the success of the book (i.e. royalties), s/he would do his/her utmost to promote it just as I would. Continue reading “The ACX Experience – From Printed Page to Audio Book”

Featured Book: Shattered

Shattered (Donna Harp Series)Shattered by Karl Jones Book genre – drama/mystery/thriller. Available from Amazon A sleepy English village is woken to the horrors of the modern world when a serial killer begins stalking its daughters. The inexperienced police must work fast to find him before he takes another victim, and before the villagers seek their own justice.

Excerpt:

 “Get out,” he ordered as he climbed from the vehicle and made his way round to the rear. Instead of doing as she was told, Melanie slapped her hand down on the lock next to her. With that done she scrambled across the gearstick to yank the driver’s door closed, locking it the moment it slammed shut. With the car secured, she settled behind the wheel, her hand groping for the keys so she could start the engine and make her escape. A tapping on the window made her look round. She found him waving the keys and smiling in a way that made her tremble with fear. She sat there, frozen as he unlocked the door and pulled it open. “That wasn’t very sensible,” he told her, his voice menacing. “I told you to get out; now do as I told you.” “No, please! Please just take me home.”

What others are saying:

“Fast-paced and action packed with well-developed and engaging characters, it is a highly enjoyable page-turner.” — R Lee Holtz

Put Your Best Foot Forward on Facebook

National Grammar DayI promised the folks who run National Grammar Day (it was Tuesday, for those of you who are keeping track) that I would write a post for IU about grammar this week. And ever since then, I’ve been trying to figure out what to write about.

I mean, Cathy Speight does a great job with her grammar-related posts. She explains the rules better than I ever could. So what’s left?

I thought and thought. Nothing came to mind. I gave up and went to Facebook to kill some time – and as I cruised the various writers’ groups that I’m a member of, it hit me: I could write about grammar on Facebook!

All right, I hear you guys muttering. And don’t think I don’t see you guys way in the back who are flexing your brass knuckles and checking the edges on your knives. Just hear me out, and if you think I don’t have a point, I promise to slink away quietly and we can all pretend this never happened. Continue reading “Put Your Best Foot Forward on Facebook”