>Using the Audiobook to edit Series

>new InsightBookReader('audiopreview', '9780739380208', 'The Hunchback Assignments', 'Arthur Slade', '0', '', 'http://www.randomhouse.com/cgi-bin/buy_landing.php?isbn=9780739380208');

I'm thoroughly enjoying the audiobook of The Hunchback Assignments (downloaded it off iTunes! Geek heaven). Jayne Entwistle does a lovely job of narrating the story. But as I listen again to the novel, I'm also madly at work on the second book in the series, The Dark Deeps. I am finding that the audio book is reminding me of little quirks I'd forgotten about my characters and is helping me to recapture the "style" I used in the first book. I never really dreamed that an audiobook would be an editing tool, but it has become quite helpful. In fact, I think I might listen to is some more right now!

Art

>Launch Addendum

>Forgot to mention that 15 minutes before showtime I realized I'd left my reader's copy of my book at home. It has all my edits and notes! Ooops. Quick trip there and back, nearly had an accident, but made it.

Oooh and also had a twitter book birthday party on Tuesday! Which was sooo much virtual fun. Join here to find out about book releases and bookbday parties...

Web: http://twitterbookparties.com
Twitter: twitter.com/bookbday

>Launch of The Hunchback Assignments

>It's officially launched! The book is on it's way to the moon. Or maybe to Mars. It all happened on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd, 2009 at Mcnally Robinson Booksellers in Saskatoon, SK, Canada. One hundred and ten or so people showed up. And not all of them were my relatives!
?I'm doing my fancy Keynote presentation, complete with sfx. And no glitches!
?I'm standing there with my "what should I say next?" look.

You can watch a short video about it:
[blip.tv http://blip.tv/play/AYGitAIA]
The voices that I used on the Keynote presentation were from the radio plays on the Hunchback website.
?Signing books!
?A pile of my books for sale.
?Smiling away as I try to remember people's names.
?
On The bestseller list already!

All in all it was a great night. And there were free cookies, too.

Art

>Odd Victorian Factoid #27: Queen Victoria's Burial

>Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria died on the 22nd of January, 1901, at the age of 81. She was buried in a white dress (she had worn black since the death of her husband 40 years earlier) and her wedding veil. She also had rings, bracelets, her husband's dressing gown, a photo of her servant John Brown (who predeceased her), a lock of John Brown's hair, shawls, handkerchiefs, and plaster casts of the hands of some of her favourite people stuffed into the coffin with her. She loved clutter!

>A Whole Box of American Version Hunchback Assignments...

>?

This is what authors find exciting. A whole box of books arriving! At my door. I have all my author's copies now. And only a week and a day until the book is released in the U.S.

? They popped out o' there like a spring heeled Jack! Err, several Spring Heeled Jacks, that is.

? And now the traditional authorial pose with the books....

Gosh, life is grand...

Art