So I forgot to mention last month that the audio version of my book So Yesterday has been released.
The guy who reads it, whose name is also Scott, has won all sorts of awards, including one for reading science fiction. (Man, they have awards for everything these days.) He’s been named a “Golden Voice” by Audiofile magazine, which is like being a Grandmaster at chess or something. He does about 50 titles a year, which sounds like an insane schedule. (Us Scotts are a driven people.)
Here’s a profile of Scott. And here’s what he looks like:
I haven’t bagged a copy yet, although I will when we get to New York. But I did hear a snippet at the iTunes Store. It’s very weird to hear someone else read my work aloud. Justine and I read to each other while we’re working on novels, and I’ve developed a definite style of delivery. So my first reaction was, “That’s not how I’d do it.”
That’s silly, of course. My guess is that over the long run (it’s six and a half hours!) my deadpan style would be deadly dull. He’s the award-winning pro, after all. There’s a good reason why authors mostly don’t do their own audiobooks, just like we don’t paint our own covers.
To hear it yourself, go to Audiobooks and search on “Westerfeld”.
You can buy it on iTunes, or here on Amazon.
And this is interesting. You can download an “MP3-like” version for only US $9.99!
Cool, man. Scott Brick is a pretty solid narrator. Not who I would have chosen for this particular audiobook–I don’t think his voice or style is right for So, Yesterday–but you could have done much, much worse. That said, I haven’t heard the adaptation yet–I’m basing those comments on my previous experience with Scott’s work and on the snippet I listened to on iTunes.
See, to me, a book like So, Yesterday should have a very teen sounding narrator who can not just sound young, but actually talk like a teen. For instance, Nick Sagan’s book Edenborn has a variety of first person narrators, and one of them is a teenage girl. The narrator they chose for her role was so perfect–it was really the highlight of the production.
Someone should really put me in charge of selecting narrators.
wow you sound like you know what you are talking about! but i cant get ahold of any of your audio books, i cant find them in the library or barnes and noble. and that sucks, because i could find them in arizona to listen to on car trips, now i have to listen to music (which gets boring). so any idea where i can find some?
Well, like I said, iTunes and Audible have electronic versions, and Amazon will ship you the CDs. I’m sure B&N would order them for you.
Right now, So Yesterday is the only one available in an audio format.
ohhh thats why i couldnt find peeps any where. yeah i just listened to the clip, i would’ve liked a teenager type person to have read it also. but he did good too.
That’s weird. Awards for guys who read books aloud? What’s next? Awards for the people in the restaurants who say “Jill, your order’s ready. Jill.” Actually, that would be kinda cool.
You know that dude who reads the Harry Potter books? His voice is cool. I go to sleep to his voice every night. Wait….that’s not what I meant. I just meant he is very soothing. So if you’re looking for a British guy to read your books, I’d choose him.
Unless you want your listeners to stay awake. Then I’d choose someone else. Because if someone were to drive a car while listening to this guy, it might get kind of ugly.
Way to mess with my head; I looked at the images on your post before the words (half-blind nowadays, reading is a chore). And I kept seeing “this is a picture of Scott” and a picture that…wasn’t…you.
Right after I read “The guy who reads it, whose name is also Scott, has won all sorts of awards, including one for reading science fiction.” I automatically thought “They have awards for that?”
Haha. Then I saw “(Man, they have awards for everything these days.)”
Personally, I don’t like listening to audio books. Unless, I was going on a road trip, but it’s not like I even have my temps yet… Only two more weeks!
hahahahahahaha (I just read Nalo’s post)
yes reading is very canfusing. like when you see somthin that really istn somthing…..ya know??? well if you dont here is an example….
http://www.killsometime.com/pictures/picture.asp?ID=60
yeah this is wierd, my brain is wierd….
I don’t think that it’s so wierd that they have an award for reading books aloud… what I think is wierd is that the award is specifically for Sci-fi. Are there really so many people in desperate need for awards that they need to sub-catagorize??
Sci-fi is the future man! Literally, since sci-fi is mostly about the future. Still think it’s weird that they have an award for that, though.
I’m not a fan of talking books… I don’t have the attention span. I’ll buy a talking book when it responds to me saying “what? what was that? who’s that character? can you flip back and remind me who got murdered?”
having said that, your work would read well, i’d think…
(i’m sure you appreciate my opinion on an area i have no experience or interest in. It’s all part of the service:))
Wow…I just listened to the preview on iTunes, and it sounds…wrong, somehow. It clashes with how the words sound in my head. He sounds too thoughtful. Hunter is funny, not so…dry. I love this book too much to change how it sounds in my head. Oh well. I’m sure there are way worse readers. Hope I see more of your audiobooks on iTunes soon!