Welcome to the world of Allan and Helen Krummenacker, authors of the Para-Earth Series. Here you will find information about our books, thoughts on writing, our adventures becoming indie authors, reviews of books we've enjoyed, and much more. So come on in and stay a while, we have much to share and would love to hear from all of you about your reading and writing adventures.
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Starting today it’s Free (Sound) Sample Saturday over on Helen’s Blog “The Forever Detective”. What is Free (sound) Sample Saturday? Simple, it’s where she shares a chapter (or two in this case) from the Audible version of her 1st solo book “Forever’s Too Long”. A mystery involving vampires in the noir setting of 1947 New York City.
And since I’ve been posting for months about doing audiobook recordings, I felt it was only appropriate to share this with you since “Forever’s Too Long” is my first complete voiceover project. That’s right you’ll be hearing me narrating the story, and supplying the voices voices for the entire cast.
Furthermore, next week we will be sharing the 2nd chapter and so on in the following weeks.
Some come and take advantage to check out the Prologue and full 1st Chapter of this 5 star rated series and see what everyone is talking about, by clicking on the link below:
All three books are the entire “Forever Detective Series” to date. Helen has more stories coming and will be releasing a fourth book “Forever Festive” this November. We are hoping to have the audio ready to be released at the same time so people can have that option to stick in someone’s stocking or leave under their tree, (electronically speaking) of course. Remember, you can gift someone an e-book or even an audiobook.
Now this may not seem like such a big deal, but for someone who spent over a year researching how to create audiobooks, as well as getting the proper equipment, and learning how to use it all, this is a huge deal. In fact, I’m kind of hooked on doing audios.
For instance, I’ve already recorded Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”. On that front, I’ve only edited the first two ‘Staves’ (aka chapters). Since that one is destined for YouTube, complete with images, I’ve still got a ways to go (like adding sound effects for certain sections, adding music here and there, and of course shooting actual openings and closings for each chapter since I’ll be releasing them to YouTube one at a time). That last part is the real sticking point for me, since I would like to shoot the openings and closings in front of a more traditional Christmas setting with a tree and fireplace. But, I’m looking into possibilities.
I’m also starting to record some of the Para-Earth series of books, that Helen and wrote together. So there’s quite a bit still coming. But what I want you all to know is once you get one or two under your belt, you’ll find it easier and easier to make audios. You’ll get more familiar with all the elements like room tone, pacing your reading, watching how loud or soft your speaking, how clear you’re enunciating, and the editing tools on the Audacity recording software.
Finally, I will be doing more posts about recording and what to watch out for, as well as what’s happening with future books. Until then, stay safe and keep writing and recording my friends.
Sorry for the long delay in posting here, but as you’re about to find out we’ve been VERY busy.
First off I am proud to announce Helen’s 2nd solo book “Forever Haunted” is now live on audio at both Audible and Amazon for just $17.46 or 1 Audible Credit. Once again I am the voice of her main character Rafael Jones (along with every other character). This is my 2nd full audiobook narration and I’m thrilled to help bring her characters to life once more. And yes I am still “Chief, Cook, and Bottlewasher” for the audio. The recording and editing process took longer than I’d hoped, but I learned some new tricks (through trial and error) that I will be sharing with you all in future posts. I’ve gotten things down to a checklist I keep on hand for myself of how to edit the audios for pacing speed, volume, pauses, etc. which I did not do the first time when I recorded “Forever’s Too Long”. And with the amount of time that passed between that audiobook and this one, I forgot a lot of editing techniques/tricks that I had to relearn and change.
Again, I will be sharing a number of those tips and tricks with you in the very near future. In the meantime here is some more about the new Audiobook:
Bookcover Blurb:Life isn’t easy, but it’s easier than adjusting to being dead. Rafael Jones is still learning about his new diet, powers, and limitations when he’s asked to certify that a house isn’t haunted. But when it turns out to have the ghost of a murdered flapper, his new mission is to locate the missing gangster who killed her, the magic mirror that helped the killer disappear, protect his client, and stop a new string of murders.Magic and mystery collide in the summer of 1947, and our detective is digging up answers to questions going back as far as the end of WWI.
In addition to getting “Forever Haunted” edited and sent to Audible, I have already begun recording her the third book in her ever-growing series, titled “Forever in Deep”
I’m pleased to say I’m already about 1/3rd of the way through with the recordings, and most of it is already edited. Lord, am I so glad I wrote down those editing notes to myself, it goes much quicker now, but that’s something that comes with experience.
I’ve also been busy with getting the 2nd draft of “The Pass” (my collaboration with Rich Caminiti) to the final stages. I have only to insert a few scenes into it, and that will be going out to beta-readers for inspection and comments. Once we’ve heard back from them, we will begin the 3rd and final draft, with hopes for an October release later this year.
“But what about the Para-Earths Series?” I hear some of you ask. Well, work has been continuing on both “The Door” and “The Vampyre Blogs – Family Ties”. Admittedly, the work has been slow on both of them, but they are still happening. I’m also in the process of getting some of the completed novels prepared for audio recording so they can join the ranks of Audible. But of course, everything takes time and there are only so many hours in the day. And of course with m Fibromyalgia, I have only so many “spoons” to work with in a day. So I ask that you all please be patient. I might be recruiting a couple of more voices for the Para-Earth books to make them more of an ensemble cast recording, but we’ll see.
Anyway, that’s why I’ve been so slack on getting new postings up. The narrator work takes a lot of time and energy, but I have already been approached more than once about voiceover work for other people, which would be paying jobs for me. Which would be most welcome. I do hope that my audio narrations will lead to bigger things like some voiceover work for animations, podcasts, or streaming series. One never knows. But time will tell.
And now I must get back to writing and recording. So until next time, which I promise won’t be too long, stay safe and keep recording and writing my friends.
Hey Audiobook/Audible fans, Helen’s first book “Forever’s Too Long” is now on sale for 1/2 price (regular price $14.95 – now only $7.47) over on Amazon.
If you love vampires, noir/mystery detectives set in 1947, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. And a little FYI, I did the narrating and am recording on her 2nd book (coming this December) as we speak.
So come and grab your copy, or gift one to a family member or friend. Just click on the link below to purchase:
Musings Of Two Creative Minds 