18.03.2024
Giving a Voice to the Yarn
Hearing voices in my head is not new, they’ve been there my whole working life.
A year ago—March 2023—it became known throughout the length and breadth of my modest social media pond that my first novel was coming out. I went on to discover a thing or two about how all that goes, which is mostly: don’t be a slacker on research, don’t count yer chickens and if you want something done, do it yourself—with lots of help. That, I did, though I admit I could have, here and there, done a little more research! But despite the usual few glitches, my gratitude for all that assistance continues. I was even convinced at the time that in order to improve the book’s launch event, and chances for ‘discovery’, I should make a reveal video, an ‘unwrapping’, which I did, of my receipt of the pre-production component, the proof print. Indeed, a proof it is, of many ‘things’, wink, wink…
As well, on the cards all the while, but held back until now for logistical reasons, has been my intention to read The Last Promise, for audiobook release. Those who know me took it as a given that I would eventually get to this as I’ve been a professional voiceover for more than forty years. So I’m pleased to announce that production has commenced on The Last Promise audiobook. The date of release is yet to be confirmed so stay tuned.
Not so long ago I was speaking with a reader, once a teacher in English and Australian literature, who’d commented on some details of the story and its style, and I asked about her thoughts on one or another of the characters in it. She remarked that I seemed still very engaged with the characters. I think I said something about ‘having them close to me’, or ‘living with them a rather long time’, which is true, and as a result, the personalities and even the way characters might speak will rattle around one’s head, at front and centre of consciousness, as well as simmering in the background during the writing, especially in early development and when great turns confront them. For a character to truly be, they are required to behave as their own value system demands. It’s as if they seek attention because they demand their refinement. They are after all on a journey to fulfilment.
The precise sound of a character’s voice on a page can only be created in the reader’s mind, with whatever clues the writer has included, but when indications aren’t given, stereotypes take up the job, and if it’s the case the character is ever brought to life by an actor, that may then, and forever after, be that character’s sound. For the record, I won’t be doing impersonations of the characters in my book. What I’m hoping you will hear will be the personality of the characters, their fears, their wants, their dreams. The ‘voice’ of the characters is the voice of the story. They will be who they are. And as some of my readers have said: they seem real.
TA
P.S.
In the meantime, commencing in a couple of weeks, I’ll be posting spoken-word content, material in the main from this page, on my YouTube Channel. Check my FaceBook Author Page for launch info, soon.