Hello, Hoopy Froods of the internet! I’m so happy to pretend you’re reading this today.
A couple of weeks ago as I write this (which is about a week before this will post), I had a rare moment of “getting something finished.” I figured out how to get the AI audio files of the Seeing Red audiobook to my phone (via Google Play) and finished listening through the nightmare atrocity. And no, I don’t mean that in the good way.
Last weekend, I sat down to fix the three mispronunciations I remembered, but I could only find two of them. Rather than put myself through listening to the last third of the book again (seriously — it’s bad and you should not buy it), I released it with the third error still there.
I checked today. It has already sold a copy. To the person who bought it, I apologize.
To recap:
*This is an AI-narrated book, which is labeled in the book’s title and description. Google is very good about trying to make sure people understand this. There’s even an AI notice toward the bottom of the listing, just in case you forgot by the time you get there. I was hoping they had (or would themselves add) a graphic reiterating that it is AI-narrated. I cannot stress this enough. Because…
*As an AI-narrated book, it does not feature the nuances or acting ability of a human narrator. AI narration works best for an educational non-fiction book. That is not this Stabby Murder Death tome.
*THIS IS AN AWFUL BOOK. I knew it wasn’t a good book, but apparently I didn’t realize it was actively bad until I listened back to the words for this project. The ending is abrupt and likely unsatisfying for anyone. When I first wrote it, I was iffy on the end at best, but when I was revising, I couldn’t come up with a better ending. This book is so bad, in fact, that the only reason this audiobook even exists at all is that I wanted to test out the AI narration.
*I AM A FRAUD. In case you need a cheap-ish reminder of this, go ahead and buy the audio. This is not the Imposter Syndrome that I’ve talked about before. It’s a simple statement of reality. I know I’m not a good writer, yet I ask people to give me money for my books. And some people do. If I were more ethical than I am, I would take both of my books and all their formats off the market. But I’m a con artist. I’ve told you this before.
That’s been my major adventure of the last couple of weeks. I released an audiobook for a novel that sucks.
And how have you been doing?
WRAPPING UP
Let’s make this a shorter entry this month. I’m not in the mood to make excuses for my lack of writing. We haven’t done anything new in the gaming realm. I don’t have any music to share with you. The truth is, all I’ve really done of any public “interest” is the AI audiobook. And I’m actually eager to see what kind of dent I can make in Axe to Grind. Should I have maybe written that before this? Maybe. But a) there’s no guarantee I’ll actually do more than stare at the blank screen, and b) even if I do write words on it, I may not have had the mental energy to write this later.
You’ll just have to wait until next month to find out if I’ve written in the last week (as this posts — in the next week as I write this).
Shouldn’t be that hard. You don’t exist anyway.
If I’m wrong, I’ll talk to you next month.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Yes. I am aware I did not provide a link to the audiobook. I really don’t want you to buy it and waste your money.