AUDIOBOOK: Sunny Days
What: Over the last 4 months, I've been working with a studio in Los Angeles to recreate Sunny Days as a professional-grade audiobook.
Why:
- Blind & Dyslexic Children - Children functioning with blindness, partial blindness or severe dyslexia likely won't be able to have the 'typical' experience with the printed story. So, we wanted to create an symphonic version to offer listeners the fully immersive experience they deserve.
- Audial Learners - Since some of us comprehend better through hearing than reading.
- People on the Go - Getting ready in the morning. During your commute. While eating an afternoon snack. Bath time. Winding down for sleep. The audiobook provides another way to engage the senses while giving listeners the chance to imagine their own visuals to go with the music, sounds and voices.
As proud as Anastasiia and I are of the text and illustrations, we knew not everyone would be able to experience the printed children's book to the same degree.
How:
Via some digging, I discovered a platform called ACX. This service allows you to:
A) Easily upload your book's manuscript
B) Allow professional production companies & voice actors submit auditions for how they would transform your text into an audial experience
C) Immediately make your audiobook available on Audible, iBooks, a nd other platforms, with no extra effort
Who:
Listening to scores of auditions from stunningly-gifted vocal artists, Connie Marie Flores's interpretation of our lead character & script arrested me.
Connie's embodiment of Martine & her community simply bursted with light, laughter and depth.
In addition, Connie's amazing vocal range was able to convey key shifts in emotion as they occurred in the story.
Ramon, the studio producer, handled Sound FX, structure, formatting and timelines masterfully.
Working with the crew at OVM studio - as artists, professionals and people - was a treat.