For those of you reading along, Chapter 9 is posted.
Somehow, and I’m a little unclear on how, I managed to get 2000 words written yesterday in addition to spending nine hours in the recording booth. I credit David Klecha, and his tasty homemade pizza combined with a writing date.
Meanwhile, today I felt so battered by this book that I went straight to a local spa and had a massage.
Don’t get me wrong, I love recording audio fiction but this particular book is a bear. I even like the book, so it’s not that. It’s just that the language is so dense that there is almost no white space on the page. There are times when there are no paragraph breaks at all and very, very long chapters. It is an unrelenting pace. It also is chockful of foreign languages. Today I had to pronounce Ukranian, Russian, Polish, French, German, and Italian. I’ve taken German and Italian. Everything else is… challenging. There are times when I look at an unfamiliar word and don’t even know what language to reach for.
On the other hand, I’m better at rolling my Rs now and can say words that have five consonants in a row.
It’s funny because the job just involves sitting in a chair and reading outloud but I have to be word-perfect and very precise in my punctuation. When reading for a live audience if I transpose words, say “warm, tender touch” instead of “tender, warm touch” it’s no big deal. Here? Oh yes. When you throw in foreign languages, it is rare that I can get more than ten lines without coming to a screeching halt. The concentration required is intense.
So sinking into the world of my own fiction is a welcome relief, although I’m aware that the author’s voice is infecting my own to a certain degree. Good thing I like the book.
You are amazing,Mary. Take care of yourself, please. This obviously is a very demanding stint.