» Brick By Brick Audiobooks releases

SCOTT BRICK PRESENTS: Finally, Stephen R. Donaldson’s THE POWER THAT PRESERVES Is Here, The Final Volume Of THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT, THE UNBELIEVER – Complete And Unabridged – On Audio For The First Time Ever!Or, An Audiobook Narrator Offers His Advice On How Narrators New To The Field Should Tackle The Mountain Of Made-Up Words They’ll Face In Epic Fantasy Series

Scott — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 06:31:29 +0000

Want Scott to narrate this blog to you?

Right-click here to download this Brickcast.

Click here to hear Scott read from THE POWER THAT PRESERVES, then buy POWER or the THOMAS COVENANT, THE UNBELIEVER trilogy on digital download or hard copy (both with bonus features).

If you have purchased LORD FOUL’S BANE and THE ILLEARTH WAR, in the next few days we will email you a coupon code for THE POWER THAT PRESERVES equal to 10% off the entire trilogy price. If you don’t receive the coupon, or need it earlier, please email admin@scottbrickpresents.com with “POWER Coupon” as the subject. Thanks!

Click here to read Scott’s TRILOGY DISCOUNT PLAN.

If you’re a regular reader (or listener) to this column, then you’ve already experienced me waxing poetic about THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT, THE UNBELIEVER numerous times before here and here), so this time I thought I’d branch out slightly, be a bit more all-inclusive with both my subject and my audience. Given that the Covenant saga is so replete with exotic words, made up completely by the mind of Stephen R. Donaldson, I thought I would perhaps give some advice on how to approach a problem that aspiring narrators face when doing a new fantasy series: how to tackle the difficult job of making an audiobook as similar as possible to the author’s intent by using their pronunciations instead of your own. I figured this would also be a cool bit of background, some making-of tidbits for the Covenant fans out there, to see just how all these particular wacky pronunciations were arrived at. (See? Two birds with one stone! Multi-tasking, baby, multi-tasking.)

A peek at the back of the latest Thomas Covenant novel shows that the series’ glossary has grown to 593 words. That’s 593 words that won’t be found in any language on Earth. If it were a standard fiction series, most of those words could be looked up someplace online. Alas, in fantasy novels that’s rarely the case. In such series, the language is usually what the author wants it to be, meaning there’s only one person who speaks it: the author him/herself. This means that you, as the narrator, are faced with only two options: guess how they’re pronounced, or go to the source.

In my case, I’d rather go to the source. Every time.

There was a recording done of DUNE, years ago, by an amazing narrator whose work I love, but unfortunately he didn’t have access to the author or his notes, and as a result, all the words were guessed at, and for me, I found it impossible to listen to. Part of that is my own particular preference as a science fiction/fantasy fan: I’m not interested in how I pronounce these words, or another narrator may pronounce these words, or even how a legion of fans may pronounce them; I only want to know the author’s take on things, that’s all, that’s it. Nothing else will suffice.

If you’re tempted to take your best guess and figure that’ll be good enough, my advice to you is, good enough usually isn’t. You may be a lifelong fan of the project, but that doesn’t mean your ability to guess is better than anyone else’s. If it had been up to me, I would probably have gone with the pronunciations from the David Lynch version of DUNE, but in almost every case those would’ve been wrong. (Crazy when you realize David Lynch hired DUNE author Frank Herbert as a technical adviser on the film and he STILL got them all wrong.) I also would have pronounced Terry Brooks’ mythical realm the wrong way: most people pronounce his seminal title as the Sword of Shuh-NAH-ruh, whereas he’s adamant that it’s SHAN-uh-ruh. And yes, I stumbled almost every time I said it Brooks’ way, but that’s because I’d listened to too many of the fans over the years pronouncing it THEIR way. And unfortunately, that way is just plain wrong. So SHAN-uh-ruh it is. Or, was.

All that said, I knew I had to speak to Stephen R. Donaldson for these Covenant words, and thankfully the publisher put me in touch with him. He was incredibly giving of his time, and we worked our way through each and every word in the glossary, which took over an hour to do. I recorded the conversation as we did so, then took the tape and transcribed it painstakingly into a Word document. (Narrator hint: recording phone conversations is alarmingly easy, and my advice would be to consult your local Radio Shack for the easiest method. Whichever you choose, however, experiment with it first. You don’t want to find out that the little suction cup attachment that’s supposed to work just fine didn’t capture any sound at all, especially if you’ve already had the author phone call and you now have nothing to transcribe, no way to recapture the sound you’ve lost. Trust me, I’ve done this, and you want to avoid it.)

Click here to hear Scott read from THE POWER THAT PRESERVES, then buy POWER or the THOMAS COVENANT, THE UNBELIEVER trilogy on digital download or hard copy (both with bonus features)

Be easy on yourself and arrange your unfolding audio glossary alphabetically. If characters have last names, list them under that, though you might also want to have duplicate entries for their first names if last names aren’t used that often. Cross-referencing things is a huge help. And if it’s a case like the Covenant books, where character names are often linked together with family member’s names, such as Mhoram son of Variol, or Hyrim son of Hoole, you’ll want to make sure and have separate entries for each of those names, parent and child. Sometimes you’ll be talking about Hoole without mentioning Hyrim, but if you don’t remember that he’s Hyrim’s father you won’t know where to find him in the glossary.

Sound confusing? Well, it is, but once you immerse yourself in a series, it gets easier.

My audio glossaries typically have two primary entries, one for the way the word is spelled in the book, and another for phonetic spellings.

lillianrill:   lih-lee-AHN-ril

But sometimes these crazy, made-up words defy translation to the page. Sometimes the individual syllables are so soft or subtle that it’s difficult to tell what’s correct. If the author gives any additional instructions, I always note it on the side.

Bannor:   BAAN-r is preferred, though
          BAAN-oer is fine

Sometimes the details are even more subtle, and require longer explanations:

dharmakshetra:   DAHR-mahk-SHET-ruh; slightly
                 aspirated H after the D,
                 slightly rolled R at the end,
                 consistent with all Waynhim names

And if you really want to be an overachieving nut like I am, you may also create individual sound files for each of these entries. I don’t recommend doing this every time, it requires a ton of work, but when you’re dealing with sequels (and name me a great fantasy novel that HASN’T had a sequel), having an additional first-generation source can be crucial. And this comes in especially handy when you’re dealing with phrases rather than individual words. It’s always handy to be able to hear something rather than reading it.

Kelenbhrabanal marushyn!
Rushyn hynyn kelenkoor rillynarunal!
Ranyhyn Kelenbhrabanal!
(Lithe calling Ranyhyn, THE ILLEARTH WAR, pgs. 371-2)

KEHL-n-BRAH-ben-ahl MAH-roo-shin!
ROO-shin HIN-in KEL-en-koor ri-lee-NAH-roo-nahl!
RAH-nuh-hin KEHL-n-BRAH-ben-ahl!

Once you’ve created your audio glossary, the hard part’s done, and now the fun can begin: you get to actually record the novel! Keep a copy of the glossary on hand, either a hardcopy if you’re working in someone else’s studio, or a digital copy if you’re working in your own. Keep it open and in the background, because you’ll reference it often, and if you’re working with a producer, make sure they have a copy of it, and provide a copy to whomever’s going to be proofing the recording once you’re done, as well. The more eyes you have double-checking that your pronunciations are correct and consistent, the better.

Click here to hear Scott read from THE POWER THAT PRESERVES, then buy POWER or the THOMAS COVENANT, THE UNBELIEVER trilogy on digital download or hard copy (both with bonus features)

Once the title is finished, and the proofing and editing are complete, it might seem that you’re done with your glossary, but trust me, you’re not. Keep a hardcopy in your files, and a digital copy on your hard drive, and make sure they’re in a logical, easy-to-remember location. The last thing you want is for three years to go by and find yourself the night before you’re set to record the sequel, looking frantically for the damn file. Trust me, I’ve been there too, and it’s a lonely place. If you’ve got a lot of these glossaries piling up, come up with a consistent labeling system so you can find the appropriate one swiftly.

For myself, getting to hear these words from Donaldson’s own mouth was an amazing experience, as I’d literally been wondering for 25 years how some of these things sounded. I also got to hear him clown around a bit, which was really cool, poking fun at his own words and their odd pronunciations. For instance, there’s a group of words mentioned in the series all the time, they’re essentially words of power:

     Melenkurion abatha!  Duroc minas mill khabaal!

In the story, by invoking them, powerful magics are often manifested. Powerful, POWERFUL magics. Well, when I asked him how they’re pronounced, he laughed softly and prefaced their pronunciation by joking, “Watching out for sudden thunder and appearances of mystical events…” It was a subtle thing, but it cracked me up.

He also told me that of all the words he’s ever invented, the one that generates the most debate among his fans is:

Elemesnedene:   EH-leh-MAYN-deen

Huh. Never would’ve gotten that one right. Thank God I called first.

Well, I hope you enjoy THE POWER THAT PRESERVES. It’s been an amazing experience, and I truly appreciate all the support you’ve shown by purchasing each volume of this trilogy. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

And, as always, thanks for listening,

Scott Brick

SCOTT BRICK PRESENTS: IT’S ALIVE! FRANKENSTEIN – THE ORIGINAL 1818 TEXT – IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD OR HARDCOPY SALEOr, An Audiobook Narrator Ponders Recording The Greatest Movie Quotes Of All Time On Audio

Scott — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:55:29 +0000

Want Scott to narrate this blog to you?

Right-click here to download this Brickcast.

Click here to hear Scott read from FRANKENSTEIN and buy the hard copy or digital download (both with bonus features)

First off, for those of you expecting to see DREAMER OF DUNE go on sale today, as previously advertised, we’ve unfortunately run into a few snags on this title. However, rather than take a month off from our promised “New book every month” production schedule, we thought we’d bring you one of the greatest books of all time, and what is considered by many to be not only the first fully-realized gothic horror novel, but one of the earliest examples of science fiction novels as well. FRANKENSTEIN, the original 1818 text by Mary Shelley, was the very first title we had to read in my Science Fiction Literature class at UCLA, and getting to narrate it after all these years was absolutely terrific.

Given that it had been over twenty years since I last read it, however, I found I had forgotten a good deal of the story, or at least its finer points. Like most Americans, my primary memories of FRANKENSTEIN come from James Whale’s classic 1931 film from Universal Studios, starring Boris Karloff. As such, there was a part of me that was greatly anticipating narrating the scene that contained the defining moment of the film for most moviegoers: the moment when Victor Frankenstein’s manic genius bubbles over, when he screams out those immortal words, “It’s alive, it’s ALIVE…!”

It’s funny, but over the years I’ve been given the chance to record quite a few novels that had already or would soon be turned into films. THE FIRM, THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK II, IN COLD BLOOD and THE ROAD TO PERDITION all come to mind. There’ve been venerable science fiction titles like THE TIME MACHINE, THE INVISIBLE MAN, I, ROBOT, FAHRENHEIT 451, BLADE RUNNER, and even DUNE (twice: once for Macmillan Audio and another time for Books On Tape). Sometimes I’ll record books like MYSTIC RIVER and THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON only to see them become films just a few years later. Because of this, there’s never been any temptation to lean towards any particular actor while narrating it, or deliver any particular line any particular way, as there’s nothing recognizable in the text at that point. It’s only when you’re recording a book AFTER you’ve seen the movie that you have to decide: Okay, do I read this line like so-and-so did in the movie, or do I try to make it my own…?

Click here to hear Scott read from FRANKENSTEIN

and buy the hard copy or digital download (both with bonus features)

I think the first time I ever faced this dilemma was when recording HEART OF DARKNESS by Joseph Conrad several years back. Although I’d never read the novel at that point, I was well aware that it served as the inspiration for APOCALYPSE NOW, and lo and behold, a few of the lines appeared in the film exactly as written in the book. So, when the moment came for Brando’s character in the novel to say the line, “The horror, the horror,” well, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it like he did. I’m not a mimic, and unless I was doing the entire book in his voice or mannerisms, I couldn’t get away with doing that one line in that style. So I just got breathy and delivered it as I thought the scene called for, and I’m sure if you’re in the right mood when listening to it you might hear a few echoes of Brando, but it would probably be partly due to expectation on your part rather than my delivery.

Of course, things were a little different when I was asked to narrate SIDEWAYS by Rex Pickett. The movie had already come out, and in this instance, the book was so very similar to what people saw on the screen that I actually employed a mild bit of mimicry while recording it. As I’ve said before, I won’t ever try to do an impression of a specific actor while doing a book, but I will try and keep a particular actor’s voice in my head so I can duplicate their cadence and tempo. In a book like SIDEWAYS, that seemed more than enough. So, when it came time for that one particular scene, I got to do my best Paul Giamatti impression when wailing, “I’m not drinking any freakin’ merlot!” Only, of course, I didn’t say “freakin’,” I said the Queen Mother of all Curse Words. You know the one I’m talking about.

(Funny story, we were working from various early versions of the manuscript and were marrying them together while recording, so we wound up doing that line, and only that line, as a pickup afterward. Which was really funny, considering I drove over to the studio, sat down in the chair, got myself comfortable, waited for the okay from our producer, then yelled “I’m not drinking any freakin’ merlot!” at the top of my lungs, only to then hear, “Okay, I think we got it, that’s a wrap.” Easiest day of work I’ve ever had.)

There have been other times where lines, immediately recognizable to moviegoing audiences, have come across my microphone, and made me wonder, “How the hell…?” Just a few months ago, in fact, I narrated THE GRADUATE by Charles Webb. Yep, you’re already ahead of me, aren’t you? And c’mon, can you actually imagine hearing anyone say “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me,” without thinking of Dustin Hoffman? Or even, “Elaine, Elaine!” Nope, not a chance. I couldn’t help it, I sounded as much like Hoffman as I possibly could. In that circumstance, it would just be wrong NOT to.

So you can imagine, when approaching a book like FRANKENSTEIN, there would be a certain amount of trepidation about encountering “It’s alive, it’s ALIVE…!” After all, the delivery of it by actor Colin Clive isn’t exactly a paragon of realism, y’know?

But imagine my surprise… that line ain’t in the book.

Click here to hear Scott read from FRANKENSTEIN

and buy the hard copy or digital download (both with bonus features)

And I have to say, despite a perverse desire to actually say that line, I loved the way the scene played out – there’s an absolutely perfect reason why it’s not there. This book is absolutely amazing, and trust me, if you’ve never read it, you’ll realize firsthand how good science fiction is supposed to be done. I’m also happy to say that this recording of FRANKENSTEIN is the first of what I hope will be a long line of Brick By Brick books called FIRST EDITIONS. In it, I’ll endeavor to bring to you classics that have stood the test of time, and in such a way that recreates as closely as possible the way they were originally presented. That means there will be no modern translations, no revised texts, no edits whatsoever. What you’ll get will be the author’s original words in their original form.

In the case of FRANKENSTEIN, Mary Shelley’s 1818 text was quite different from the subsequent 1831 edition that ultimately became the standard in print editions today. In the updated version, Victor’s true love Elizabeth became an adopted cousin rather than a distant cousin, so as to avoid any hint of incest. Also, the character of Victor Frankenstein himself was redrawn to be more sleek, more heroic, and less the tragic, deluded man fans of the book first saw upon its debut thirteen years previously. So I’m proud to say this book represents the vision of the author as it originally stood. I hope you enjoy it. And as always, I hope you’ll let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

In the meantime, it’s back to the studio I go, another book calls, and I must answer. And no, one of my favorite movie lines of all time isn’t in this one, but then again, “Bartender, Jobu needs a refill…!” didn’t really spring from a book, y’know?

Thanks for listening,

Scott Brick

WONDERCON UPDATE: BOOTH IS NOW #1221!

Mr. Admin — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:36:50 +0000

Click here for the full previous post about WonderCon and FIRST EDITION: FRANKENSTEIN

Sorry, last-minute change by the convention and I’m 100 miles from my computer, so no access to the mailing list.

Also, I’m 1/3 of the way thru listening to FRANKENSTEIN — wow. And wait till you see the creepy cover art that Dastardly Dean McCreary has done for us. I dare you to try to sleep with that frightening yet mournful face staring up at you.

That is all. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Den

WONDERCON: SEE SCOTT IN BOOTH #1221! SAY HELLO, BUY AN AUDIOBOOK, GET AN AUTOGRAPH, OR ASK HIM TO DO HIS THREE-MINUTE DUNE! ALL BRICK BY BRICK AUDIOBOOKS WILL BE AVAILABLE AS HARDCOPIESAlso, news on FIRST EDITION: FRANKENSTEIN and another Brick interview

Mr. Admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:21:40 +0000

(Actually, that’s the three-minute Hamlet. Sorry, but since Scott so rarely performs it in public we’d almost forgotten which story it was. Which is a great reason to ask him to do it there at the booth, yes? Peer pressure can be a dangerous thing….)

Hey everyone, Scott is slammed with prepping for the northern geek migration known as WonderCon, where he will be selling hardcopy editions of every title Brick By Brick Audiobooks has thus far published – THE PHOENIX LEGACY trilogy, three Thomas Covenant books (LORD FOUL’S BANE, THE ILLEARTH WAR, FATAL REVENANT), and A CHRISTMAS CAROL – as well as our latest arrival: Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN! (And yes, FRANKENSTEIN will be up on the site for your downloading and hardcopy-ordering pleasure early next week.)

Click here to listen to samples from these great books!

(FRANKENSTEIN is coming soon)

FRANKENSTEIN is the first book in BBB’s new FIRST EDITION line, which will focus on those classic pieces of literature that have endured the test of time, and which Scott will narrate using the text of the title’s first edition. “The form in which the author originally intended the story be told,” said Mr. Brick, “is the perfect way to experience it in their original form.” More on that, and the Frank Herbert bio DREAMER OF DUNE (which is still in the works but a bit delayed) to come. Of course, just like all Brick By Brick Audiobooks titles, FIRST EDITION titles will always be unabridged.

And yes, each title put out by Brick By Brick Audiobooks will be available in hardcopy form, in either CD or MP3 CD editions. And whereas it’ll be a little while before we can get them all set up for purchase here on the website, they will all be available at Scott’s booth this weekend at the convention, so stop by and get the very first editions anywhere!

So swing by booth #1221. He’s looking forward to seeing each and every one of you. I’m not just saying that because he’s paying me – I’m saying it because it’s true. Go stop by and you’ll see for yourself.

In other news, we also just added another interview to the Press page: eMusic’s interview with Scott where he talks about how training in theater prepares you for audiobooks, the ins and outs of accents and/or lip balm, and, of course, old-time radio.

That’s about it for now. Keep an eye out for FRANKENSTEIN next week, and thanks for listening!

Den Shewman

SCOTT BRICK PRESENTS: HOUSE OF THE WOLF, VOLUME THREE OF THE PHOENIX LEGACY BY M.K. WREN, ON SALE NOWOr, An Audiobook Narrator Examines His Emotions In The Booth, And Calls Himself A Crybaby In The Process

Scott — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:42:23 +0000

Want Scott to narrate this blog to you?

Right-click here to download this Brickcast.

If you have purchased the first two PHOENIX LEGACY books and have not yet received your coupon code for HOUSE OF THE WOLF, please email den@scottbrickpresents.com. Thanks!

Ah, February. Valentine’s Day is near. And guys…? Do you have wives or girlfriends who maybe don’t listen to audiobooks, but you’d like to get them to? Or are you by any chance science fiction fans, but your significant other doesn’t seem to enjoy the genre as much as you do? Then have I got a gift idea for you: this here trilogy, The Legacy of the Phoenix. If there was ever a series well suited to bring new fans into the fold, this is it. And it gets better: it’s 10% off the purchase price if you purchase the entire thing (or if you’ve already purchased the first two volumes and want to finish it off, you’ll get the discount as well; details elsewhere in this blog).

Click here to hear Scott read from HOUSE OF THE WOLF
and buy the digital download

Now, I’m not just being mercenary here, I swear. I say this not just to sell books, but as an utter truth. No lie: I have given this series to at least half a dozen women over the years — girlfriends, girl friends, and even my mother — and they have all, every single one of them, loved it. Know why? Cuz it’s got a really terrific romance at its heart, one that appeals to women of all ages, and if you’re anything like me, it’ll appeal to you as well.

This series grabbed me on an emotional level in a way no other ever has before. A short while back, Election Day in fact, I was standing in line for ninety minutes at my polling place, and figured I’d finish off reading the series to prepare myself to narrate it. I brought Volume Three with me, this month’s selection, HOUSE OF THE WOLF. I was about fifty or so pages from the end, and didn’t really anticipate I’d get to the conclusion, but lo and behold, the line was over a hundred people long, so before I knew it, I was reading the last chapter, surrounded by dozens of people I’d never met before. Now, I’d read this series at least four times before, just for pleasure, so I was intimately familiar with the events in it, especially the ending. Nevertheless, it was like I’d never encountered it before, and even though it ended exactly the same way it had the FIRST four times I’d read it, there it was, nailing me in the guts again. I literally had to fight not to cry in front of all those people. It was extraordinary, really. Made me wonder what I’d be like when I reached that scene in the booth while narrating it.

I’ve been asked many times in various interviews, “Has there ever been a book that was so emotional you started crying, so emotional you just couldn’t get it done?” Well, the answer is yes, there have been occasions where I got choked up to the point where I had to take a timeout, had to get myself together before I could proceed. The time I usually point to is the end of REPORT FROM GROUND ZERO, the book I did about 9/11 about six months after the tragedy. Man, that last page just killed me, such a beautifully written passage that I was blubbering no matter how many times I attempted it. And sure, a handful of other times over the years, great authors have written passages that made it nearly impossible to read them cleanly, without breaking.

Or at least, that’s what I usually tell people. But the truth? I’m a crybaby. At least on the titles I’ve been doing here at Brick by Brick Audiobooks.

Seriously, I’m not just poking fun at myself: for all the times it’s happened over the years, it’s happened a great deal more often since I started doing books for myself. Maybe it’s because I’ve been choosing books close to my heart…? In fact, the amount of times I’ve ever broken down in the studio might be evenly split between the books I’ve done for other publishers in ten years, and these titles I’ve done for myself in the last eight months. It’s the kind of thing that I may have never noticed, had I not been doing this series.

Click here to hear Scott read from HOUSE OF THE WOLF and buy the digital download

I think I first noticed this soggy trend when I did my first BBB title, LORD FOUL’S BANE. The sample file I’ve got up here on the site that you can listen to (click here to listen), the brief snippet of the action, is from my favorite scene in that book, and it wiped me out, its beauty was so sublime that it just knocked me over. Then along came the second book in the series, THE ILLEARTH WAR, and when I hit Covenant’s scene with High Lord Elena at Revelwood, I got wiped out again, and that was only the first time in that book, there were at least three or four others.

I didn’t exactly see a pattern, even when I hit A CHRISTMAS CAROL in November, and one line was so difficult that it didn’t matter how many times I took a timeout, I kept screwing it up. The line came in Stave Four, the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come scene, where Bob Cratchit laments the fate of Tiny Tim. The line goes something like this: “‘My little child,’ said Bob. ‘My little, little child.’” The thing that killed me was that little phrase, that “said Bob” that came right in the middle of everything. I was crying from the get-go, and I couldn’t get my voice under control after the first “My little child,” I couldn’t sound normal immediately after on the “said Bob” part, and then be emotional again so quickly thereafter. I kept choking up, I just couldn’t shake the emotion off. I tried it over and over and over, crying each and every time, until I finally gave up and decided to cheat. I read the line of dialogue straight through, “My little child, my little, little child,” as though the “said Bob” weren’t there, then got myself under control and read those two words separately, then finally edited them in between the appropriate phrases in the sentence. I’ve never had to do that before, not once in ten years. It all goes to show: I’m a wuss, a sucker for a sad line.

(Funny story: those “he said/she said” lines, like the one I had to cheat on, those are called attributions, and you hear that phrase a lot in publishing. It’s pretty simple, it’s taken from the root word “attribute,” to attribute the words to the person who said them, right? Only thing is, I couldn’t get the word right, I used to think the root of the word was “assign,” not “attribute,” you know, as in “to assign the words to the person saying them,” right? So I used to call them “assignations.” Which was wrong. And I said it A LOT, to a lot of different people in this industry. And if you haven’t already gotten the joke, an assignation is another word for a sexual liaison, so when I’d say something like, “Yeah, the biggest challenge to me in the book were the assignations,” man, people looked at me funny.)

Well, as I said, the reason this all hit me is cuz I wept like a freakin’ baby doing this here book, HOUSE OF THE WOLF. The real strengths of this series are its relationships, and whereas the bond between Alexand DeKoven Woolf and his brother Rich was the emphasis of the first volume, this final chapter really focuses on Alexand and his star-crossed lover, Adrien Camine Eliseer. Their relationship is amazingly drawn, literally from the moment Adrien walks onscreen. Far from being a simpering heroine or a two-dimensional love interest, Adrien is dynamic, and really drives the action herself. (Are you listening, guys? Seriously, the women in your life will love this series, but trust me, so will you. You may never agree on who gets the remote, but on this at least, there’ll be accord.)

For those of you wondering how I was when I read the finale here in the studio…? C’mon, haven’t I already admitted to being a pushover? I was a wreck. When these emotional timebomb scenes came up, I broke down like it was the first time I’d read them. I’m sorry, to get choked up after the SIXTH time I read something? Well, I’ll be fair to myself here. As much as I may be a pushover, it’s a far better indication of how terrific an author M.K. Wren is than a sign I’m a wuss or something. Or at least I like to tell myself so.

Click here to hear Scott read from HOUSE OF THE WOLF and buy the digital download

I have a feeling, though, that after you’ve listened to these books for yourself, you’ll be in agreement. Trust me, these scenes will grab you and they won’t let go. I hope you enjoy them, and if so, I hope you’ll write me or post a message here on the site to tell me your thoughts. These books mean a great deal to me, and I’d love to see other people enjoy them the way I do.

And guys, remember: great Valentine’s gift. A Valentine’s gift at 10% off the purchase price when you buy the entire trilogy. And remember, too, that if she doesn’t love them, you can exchange them. Check out last month’s blog for the guarantee.

Well, I’m off, back to the studio. My next book awaits. I got my pages, I got my Kleenex, I’m all set to go.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

Thanks for listening,

Scott Brick

SCOTT BRICK PRESENTS: SHADOW OF THE SWAN, VOLUME TWO OF THE PHOENIX LEGACY BY M.K. WREN, ON SALE NOWOr, An Audiobook Narrator Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is By Offering An Iron-Clad Guarantee, Saying, “Don’t Like It? Exchange It!”

Scott — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:35:15 +0000

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Right-click here to download this Brickcast.

First off, a word of apology for getting this second volume of THE PHOENIX LEGACY out more than a week late. Unfortunately, we here at SBP had a pretty trying holiday season; there were three deaths among family, friends, and neighbors. When faced with the decision to either show up for people in need or go into the studio so I could get the books out on time, it turns out there wasn’t much of a decision. Nevertheless, we know there are many of you who’ve been waiting patiently, so we’ve been working hard to get this second volume to you ASAP, and here it is. SHADOW OF THE SWAN, on audiobook. Hope you enjoy it.

Click here to hear Scott read from SHADOW OF THE SWAN
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I’ve been very gratified to see how many of you have responded so favorably to this series, especially when many of you had never heard of it before I announced my publishing schedule a few months ago. Word of mouth is an important thing in our culture, especially among book lovers. Believe me, I understand. But last month’s blog, the ‘This is the best series you’ve never heard of’ entry, seems to have struck a chord with people, and copies have been flying off the shelves. Or rather, MP3s have been flying off the website, or download servers, or what have you.

Still, there were a few people who seemed skeptical, but given their previous support on my THOMAS COVENANT endeavors, I made them all a promise: I told them that if they purchased the first PHOENIX volume and didn’t like it, I’d let them exchange it for another book from my company. I admit, a few people here at SBP looked at me askance when I did this, but I never doubted it was the right thing to do. I mean, people who support this audio line of mine are putting their money where their mouth is, so how could I not do the same?

It took a few weeks, but I’ve now heard back from everyone to whom I made that offer, and you know what? Nobody’s taken me up on it. Not a single one.

Here’s the latest email I received about it; it’s from Christian Walters, a very cool guy who came to the site after hearing about THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT finally coming out on audiobook. “Man, you were right about THE PHOENIX LEGACY book,” says Christian. “I’m not quite done, but I still find myself sitting in the car waiting for a good stopping point, which never comes. I see that the next one is imminent, so that’s a relief. Not only are you an excellent reader, but I see you have outstanding taste in books.” Then came a smiley face, as well as a funny signoff: “If you ever decide to start up a side business recording voicemail answering messages in your Thomas Covenant voice, please let me know.” (Hmmm, I’ll have to give that some thought…)

Well, again, I’ve been so gratified by people’s response to THE PHOENIX LEGACY that I’m going to make everyone this same deal: if you purchase it, listen to it and for whatever reason just can’t stand it, you just let me know and I’ll replace it with another book. Email me and I’ll hook you up. Seriously.

Click here to hear Scott read from SHADOW OF THE SWAN and buy the digital download

This series is so damn good, it’s staggering. I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen any print editions of it, but if so you’ll see some nice praise on the covers. The first two editions had this lovely quote from Jean Auel, of CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR fame: “A new classic! Has the sweep and power of Asimov’s FOUNDATION TRILOGY.” [Ed. note: Scott narrated the FOUNDATION TRILOGY for Books on Tape: FOUNDATION, FOUNDATION AND EMPIRE, and THE SECOND FOUNDATION.] The most recent print edition says, “Full and satisfying. The society of the far future is superbly extrapolated, the action well-integrated, the characters interesting and idiosyncratic…” This from ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION. Hmmm, given my love of Asimov’s work, it’s no wonder this series appealed to me.

Still, despite these recommendations, even my girlfriend Wendy was just the slightest bit skeptical herself, but rather than offering her any kind of guarantee, I did something a bit sneakier: I hired her to proof all my audiobooks. (Proofing is when someone listens to the recording while following along with the text, making sure I didn’t make any mistakes, and that the final product is word-perfect.) The result? She was quickly and completely hooked. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t bug me to hurry downstairs into my studio to finish the damn thing so she can find out what happens between Alexand and Adrien.

Click here to hear Scott read from SHADOW OF THE SWAN and buy the digital download

So, there you go. I’ll repeat my offer one last time: Buy THE PHOENIX LEGACY. Don’t like it? I’ll replace it at no cost to you.

And that’s by no means the last incentive I’ll be offering. Volume Three of this series, HOUSE OF THE WOLF, will be arriving in just under a month, and if you’ve purchased the first two volumes of the series and want to finish it off with the third, you’ll be receiving a discount for doing so. A similar incentive will also be in place for the Covenant series. More details to come when the final volumes become available.

Okay, it’s time for me to get back to work, but I want to let everyone know what’s coming in just about a week here on Scott Brick Presents. For months I’ve been promising people I’ll be doing a blog on how to get into this wonderful world of audiobook narration, and at long last, it’s finally on its way. My next entry will be all about how to create an audiobook demo, filled with as much wisdom as I can muster on the subject. Hope it helps. See you back here soon.

Thanks for listening,

Scott Brick

SCOTT BRICK PRESENTS: SWORD OF THE LAMB, VOLUME ONE OF THE PHOENIX LEGACY BY M.K. WREN, ON SALE NOWOr, An Audiobook Narrator Learns You Can Never Judge A Book By Its Cover, But It’s Possible To Judge One By Its Title

Scott — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:57:29 +0000

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Years ago, there was this awesome science fiction bookstore in Santa Monica, A Change of Hobbit. The lady who ran it was pretty surly… she proclaimed herself “The Hobbitch” and it was pretty close to accurate… but man, did she have a jaw-dropping inventory of books. It was always the highlight of my week to head in there and browse. Through her shelves I discovered David Brin, Guy Gavriel Kay and Gene Wolfe, and it was between the stacks in that store that I personally met the man who made me love to read, Roger Zelazny. It was an amazing place, and even now when I drive by their old location, it pains me that they’re not here anymore.

Alas, the day came in the early ’90s when they had to shut their doors. Before I knew it, their amazing selection was rapidly dwindling away to nothing because of an “Everything Must Go” sale. I went in there on one of their last days in business and took a look around. Pretty sparse. There were huge gaps on the shelves, so any hope I’d had of finding titles by my favorite authors pretty much went out the window; it was only the more obscure books that they had at this point, a bunch of stuff by guys I’d never heard of. Yet I told myself this was a good thing: I didn’t want to get into any reading ruts, and the idea of being exposed to new, great authors was exciting.

But how do you know which authors are great when you’ve never heard of any of them…?

Click here to hear Scott read from SWORD OF THE LAMB
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I decided to just play the association game. If a title struck me for whatever obscure reason, I’d give it a try. And that’s actually how I discovered Dave Wolverton for the first time that day: I saw a copy of ON MY WAY TO PARADISE, and it had the most amazing cover quote by an author I’d ever seen, this one by Orson Scott Card, an author I’ve always been passionate about. Card praised Wolverton relentlessly, saying he was an author to be reckoned with, and given what a huge fan I’ve always been of Card’s work, I knew my chances of enjoying an author that HE enjoyed so much was pretty high. The association game was a pretty safe bet in this case, but I wasn’t satisfied to take only one new book home that day; at the very least I needed two. I started casting my eyes around for another one, any one, any title that seemed to speak to me for whatever ephemeral, even ambiguous reason.

And then I saw it: SWORD OF THE LAMB by M.K. Wren.

I came really close to never picking this book up that day. Frankly, the cover was awful, and despite the old cliché, I really WANTED to judge this book by its cover, that’s how bad it was. But the subtitle of the book hit me: Book One of THE PHOENIX LEGACY. See, the X-Men had long been my favorite comic book, and Phoenix was my favorite X-Man. Seeing as how I was playing the association game, well, how could I turn down an association like that?

Click here to hear Scott read from
SWORD OF THE LAMB
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Seriously, that’s the only reason I bought it: cuz it had a similar name to a favorite comic book character of mine. Don’t I sound highbrow?

Thing is, there were two other books right next to it, volumes two and three of this same PHOENIX LEGACY. Shouldn’t I pick up those other ones…? I thought to myself.

Nah. How do I know I’ll even like volume one?

I was an idiot.

How so? Cuz about six months later I finally picked up SWORD OF THE LAMB, and was blown away. I loved it right from the beginning – I loved its format, I loved its pathos, I loved its political intrigue, and more than anything else, I loved its characters. The relationship between the two central characters, Alexand DeKoven Woolf and his brother Richard, is one of the greatest I’ve ever read. It is amazingly well-executed, rich in detail and nuance, and unashamedly sentimental. I fell into this book so quickly, so completely, that I was about ten pages away from the end before I realized what a dilemma I faced.

See, I was dying to start the next part, but I hadn’t bought either of the next two volumes. How was I going to learn what happened next?

Thankfully the Hobbitch told me about another science fiction bookstore in LA that day before she closed, and even though they’d been competitors, she urged all of her clients to patronize this other store because it was an independent and deserved our support. So I ran out to this other dealer, Dangerous Visions in Van Nuys, another amazing store that’s sadly gone now, but thankfully, when I checked their shelves under W for Wren, there they were, parts two and three of the Phoenix Legacy. As I pulled them off the shelves, an impulse told me to grab their copy of volume one, as well, even though I already had it. And so began a tradition with me, one I’ll explain in a little bit.

As you might have guessed, I tore through the next two volumes just as quickly as the first, and found myself profoundly moved. THE PHOENIX LEGACY is a huge, sprawling epic of political intrigue in the 33rd Century, in which mankind has witnessed amazing technological advancements, yet its society has devolved into a new kind of feudalism. It’s a tale of class struggles across solar systems, it’s THE WINDS OF WAR set in outer space, it’s A TALE OF TWO CITIES meets DUNE, it’s… it’s its own unique creation, a gem that most people, even most science fiction fans, don’t know about.

I’ve asked myself why this is, why this gem exists in bookstores everywhere but has largely gone ignored, but it defies explanation. Maybe it’s because of those damn covers; they really were bad. (Come to find out those were re-issue covers: the first ones were even WORSE!) But hey, lots of authors have survived bad covers. Look at Orson Scott Card’s ENDER’S GAME and SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD. Talk about having nothing whatsoever to do with the stories themselves. And that’s not even getting into his earlier books like THE WORTHING CHRONICLE or CAPITOL.

To be honest, in doing some research on M.K. Wren, I may have found the reason some people haven’t heard of her science fiction series: it’s because the majority of the work she’d done previously had been mysteries. Having worked extensively in both bookstores and the publishing industry, I can tell you there’s an inherent distrust of authors who change genres, tons of resistance among fans and publishers alike. Even Stephen King has run into opposition when he wanted to write outside of his own genre. Who knows, maybe people didn’t pay enough attention to THE PHOENIX LEGACY because its author was a transplant to the genre…? It’s just a guess, but it’s as good as any other, I suppose.

Whatever the reason, I can tell you this with absolute conviction: whoever didn’t pay enough attention to this series has suffered for that decision. THE PHOENIX LEGACY is an amazing saga, and people are lessened for not having read it.

Every once in a while, I’ll run across people who’ve not only read it, but their response has been exactly like mine: like me, they’ll pick up stray volumes of the series, any volume they happen across on bookstore shelves, even if they already own a copy. And once they’ve amassed a complete trilogy among these extras, they give them away as gifts. I’ve done that multiple times, and the people I’ve given them to have always loved them. I’ve turned family members onto this series, I’ve turned girlfriends onto it, I once even turned my pastor onto THE PHOENIX LEGACY. Women especially dig it, I think because it’s got a great romance at its heart. Trust me, if you’re looking for good sci-fi, if you’re looking to discover new, great authors, or if you’re looking for a new series, a nice big piece of literature you can really sink your teeth into, then you’ve come to the right place.

Anyway, you’ve heard this often enough from me: I love this book, and I hope you will too! Now it’s time for me to put up or shut up. (Hmmm, a guy who talks for a living, I don’t think shutting up will be much of an option here, so I’ll put up instead.) Here it is, just in time for the holidays. Wanna give that science fiction fan in your life a great new series they’re sure to love? Then start them off with THE PHOENIX LEGACY, available for download right this very minute.

Click here to hear Scott read from SWORD OF THE LAMB
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And for those of you who already love this series, you should be aware of a really cool bonus feature I’m proud to be able to present: an in-depth interview with the author, M.K. Wren, her first in years. The interview is scheduled to take place this coming month, so we’ll have it available as a free download soon thereafter. In it, she’ll talk about this trilogy, her other works, and what might be in store for the future of this series. Talking with her on the phone the other day was a real thrill, and she couldn’t have been lovelier. She’s extremely excited to see this series hit audio, so look forward to a fun and lively conversation.

You know, looking back on that last day at A Change of Hobbit, I walked away with two books, by two authors I’d never heard of before, M.K. Wren and Dave Wolverton, and they both wound up being amazing. Man, I was two for two that day! I should’ve grabbed an armful of titles.

And if you’re wondering about the possibility of seeing Mr. Wolverton’s work available on audio from this here website in the not-too-distant future, all I can say is, keep your eyes on this blog.

Thanks for listening,

Scott Brick

SCOTT BRICK PRESENTS: A CHRISTMAS CAROL By Charles Dickens, On Sale Now!Or, An Audiobook Narrator Says Merry Christmas the Only Way He Knows How, By Running His Mouth, and Sharing His Take on the Greatest Christmas Story Ever Told

Scott — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:05:23 +0000

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SPECIAL NOTICE: For the first time, Brick By Brick Audiobooks offers this recording on CD, as well as MP3 download. Given that A CHRISTMAS CAROL is such a holiday favorite and makes a perfect stocking stuffer, and given that you can’t put a bow on an MP3, we thought we’d package everything up for you in a hardcopy release. Just check out the link below and you can purchase the 5-CD package.

Also, I’m happy to announce that we have a special BONUS FEATURE that accompanies both the digital and CD versions – more on that below.

Click here to hear Scott read from A CHRISTMAS CAROL
and buy the digital download

Click here to hear a sample and buy A CHRISTMAS CAROL on CD

Now, on to our tale…

Well, it’s Christmas again. I realize, of course, that you’ve probably been hearing Christmas music in your local Target since late August, but the traditional start of the holiday season is the moment Santa Claus makes his appearance at the end of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which means that it’s finally official: it’s Christmastime, once again. And I couldn’t be happier.

Each year, as December rolls around, I’m reminded of one of the best periods of my life, when I appeared in a touring production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL with my Shakespearean acting group, Will & Company. Together we would take all of our various classical productions on the road throughout the state of California, and while December would always be a slow month for Shakespeare, it more than made up for this by the rush on Charles Dickens. One year we were booked into more than a hundred performances, just in that brief span. Think about that: 100 performances between December 1st and Christmas, less than twenty days, given that we only performed on school days. We had to form a second company to handle the shows we couldn’t do personally. It was nuts, but we all loved it.

I first played Ebenezer Scrooge when I was in high school, living in Porterville, California, acting with the local children’s theater company. Given that I was the oldest person in the cast, it was fairly logical I’d get tapped to play the squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner, and I had a blast. Great fun, and we performed for over a thousand people one night. (Small towns really turn out to support their own.) Flash-forward to ten years later: after leaving UCLA and hooking up with Will & Company, I got to reconnect with the show in a terrific way: by playing virtually every male part in the story.

Jacob Marley (who was once introduced by our very tired narrator as “Bob Marley,” at which point I entered bobbing to a Rasta beat, much to Scrooge’s chagrin), Bob Cratchit, the gentleman at the top of the show who makes the error in judgment to ask Scrooge for a charitable donation, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet To Come… I even played the narrator, Charles Dickens himself, once, when that actor took sick. That was the day I realized I had performed this play so many times – hundreds, in fact – that I rarely had to look down at the text to narrate the show; I’d virtually memorized the whole thing.

Colin Cox was our artistic director and he had originally adapted this show himself, using the text Dickens had used on tour, reading the tale to hungry American audiences, an abridgement wholly approved by the author that also made it an ideal length for performing at schools. Well, several years later, I asked Colin if I could make some amendments to the adaptation, and he happily agreed. To do so, I borrowed from some of my favorite productions of the show over the years, adding lovely moments from the radio adaptation performed by Lionel Barrymore and Orson Welles in 1939 – such as the moment Bob Cratchit offers tuppence to the charitable gentleman after Scrooge angrily turns him away – as well as stage adaptations I’d seen, most notably Patrick Stewart’s one-man version. In it, scenes that were alluded to in the text but didn’t actually appear, such as Tiny Tim singing a song at Christmas dinner, or Scrooge attending church services in the final act, were fleshed out so that we actually heard Tiny Tim sing, and saw Scrooge struggling to find the melody in a crowd of worshipers singing a Christmas hymn. They were wonderful moments, and I wanted to experience them myself, so in they went.

Click here to hear Scott read from A CHRISTMAS CAROL
and buy the digital download

Click here to hear a sample and buy A CHRISTMAS CAROL on CD

We had a lovely time that year, my last season with the company, and it was the first time I’d played Scrooge since high school. Wendy Robie, she of TWIN PEAKS fame (Nadine, the eyepatch lady), actually played Dickens for us. We were a company that prided ourselves on being gender- and ethnicity-blind when it came to casting, and given Wendy’s love of the story, it seemed a natural she should play our narrator. She looked fabulous in a Dickensian tuxedo, and performed her part with relish. Wendy told me afterward that it was the greatest time she’d ever had onstage, and I treasure that memory to this day.

An especially nice thing happened that season: having just created its website that year, Will & Company put together a separate webpage devoted to each of its touring productions. Given that I was directing and starring in A CHRISTMAS CAROL that year, I wrote up that particular page. I whipped together a brief description of the story’s creation, peppering it with little known facts and quotations from reviews it received upon its debut, then summed it all up by saying what we hoped to accomplish with our rendition of it. Well, that particular page proved very popular in Google searches, getting thousands of page hits, and I received dozens of emails shortly thereafter, primarily from people who were staging their own version of the CAROL and wanted to know if they could print my essay as the liner notes in their theatrical programs. I was honored, and always said yes. And anyone who read that page when it was up on the website years ago will recognize it when you listen to my recording: I adapted that essay into the introduction for this volume.

So, in a sense, my Will & Company introduction is a BONUS FEATURE on A CHRISTMAS CAROL, but there’s another that I think you’ll really enjoy. Along with your MP3s or CDs you’ll receive a file containing copies of artist John Leech’s eight illustrations that accompanied the original printing of A CHRISTMAS CAROL way back in 1843. Given how much Leech’s work enhanced Dickens’s magnificent story, I thought it was only appropriate to include them here.

Click here to hear Scott read from A CHRISTMAS CAROL
and buy the digital download

Click here to hear a sample and buy A CHRISTMAS CAROL on CD

Getting to record A CHRISTMAS CAROL this year has, in many ways, brought me back to my roots in acting. It’s reminded me of the power of sharing wonderful stories, forcefully imagined and executed, stories that are unashamedly sentimental, and all the more powerful for it. None of us would appreciate this tale were it not so clear-cut in its morality, nor would we see ourselves in Scrooge were he not so much larger than life. And every moment I spent in the studio recording it, every line that came out of my mouth, brought back a wonderful memory from my days on the road, sharing this story with children of all ages. It’s also allowed me the chance to work with one of my oldest friends, John Massey, a buddy from Ocean View High School who created a lovely and haunting soundtrack that I think you’ll really love. In short, recording this book has been a gift I’ll treasure always.

That’s the wonderful thing about gifts, isn’t it? Here I’d intended the story as a gift to people who enjoy my work and wanted something special to listen to this Christmas. Yet it turns out that it’s I who’ve been blessed, getting to relive the memories of so many of the great people and events in my life connected to Charles Dickens’s classic tale.

Whatever your faith, I hope this Christmas season is everything you wish it to be, and that happiness, blessings and prosperity will pour forth abundantly upon your families in the year to come. I hope that this is the year we all discover how to keep Christmas in our hearts, no matter the season. May that be truly said of us, and all of us. Thanks so very much for your support. As always, thanks for listening.

Scott Brick

Finally, Volume Two of Stephen R. Donaldson’s THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER, THE ILLEARTH WAR, Hits Audio!Or, an audiobook narrator shakes his head in wonderment as he witnesses the second installment in his favorite fantasy series become available in audiobook for the first time

Scott — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:26:31 +0000

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–> CLICK HERE TO BUY THE ILLEARTH WAR! <–

I knew this day would come. It’s been circled in red ink on my calendar ever since May 1st, 2008. I’ve looked forward to it with great anticipation at times, and at other times with dread. Those were usually the nights when I fell asleep bemoaning how many titles I’d committed to narrate that month, wondering how many hours of sleep I’d have to jettison from my schedule in order to finish them all – and THE ILLEARTH WAR – on time. (But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, just tired.)

This is the day when part two of Stephen R. Donaldson’s amazing CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER, my favorite fantasy series of all time, becomes available as an audiobook. As anyone who’s read my post of May 1st can attest, this has been a dream come true. I’ve longed to record these books for twenty years, and now, finally, I’ve got my chance.

I’ve read this series a number of times, but it had been at least five or six years since the last time I’d read this particular volume, THE ILLEARTH WAR (click here to listen to a clip). I recalled various things about it in general: in the first volume, Lord Foul warned the Lords of Revelstone that war would come upon them soon, and in THE ILLEARTH WAR, he takes it to them in forceful, provocative, and horrifying ways. I recalled that, as its title implies, the book has a number of battle scenes in it, that the specter of war is pervasive even when nothing’s going on, like Fortinbras in “Hamlet,” looming imminently in the wings.

The thing I had forgotten, however, was how lovely a book this is. It is, perhaps, the most emotionally engaging book in the entire series.

Okay, I’ll admit that when I’m narrating books, there are the occasional moments when I can’t go on, when I get choked up and can’t continue without blubbering. With certain books you expect that: love stories, classics, or nonfiction accounts of tragedies, like REPORT FROM GROUND ZERO, the book I did on 9/11. With those books, tears are part of the bargain, the tax you pay on the trade. They’re understandable, even expected.

But a book with “war” in the title? Who expects tears there?

Be ready for it, this book will nail your hide to the wall. Character arcs that began in volume one begin to progress, until before you know it, you’re a puddle on the wall of your studio and you gotta run out for more Kleenex, only you can’t cuz your girlfriend is upstairs keeping the dogs really quiet since you’re recording and you don’t want to waste the silence…

Uh… I mean, well, maybe that won’t happen to YOU. Maybe that was more, uh, me. Hmmm. Projecting really sucks, doesn’t it?

Anyway, I kid about it, but trust me when I say, this book has got some harrowing adventure, and even more harrowing character development. Man, I wish you’d already listened to it so we could discuss it here, I so want to share with you my favorite parts, but I can’t cuz it’ll give stuff away. I envy you, getting to experience all this for the first time.

Well, enough from me, get to reading! Er, listening. You can click here to listen to a clip from THE ILLEARTH WAR, and if you like it you can buy the download. Remember, like all Brick By Brick audiobooks, this is the ONLY place you can get THE ILLEARTH WAR.

I truly appreciate all the help and support you’ve shown by investing your hard-earned dough on volume one in this series, and making the audiobook version of THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT a success. We’re now two-thirds of the way through the First Chronicles, and it only gets better from here. Part Three, THE POWER THAT PRESERVES, comes out April 1st, then after that, it’s on to the Second Chronicles!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to record STAVE TWO: THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS in A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Then it’s off to bed. Before nodding off, I’m sure I’ll glance at the next two dates circled in red on my calendar: Thanksgiving, and December 1st. Two new books in less than two weeks? Ah well. Sleep isn’t mandatory, is it? More just a suggestion…?

Thanks for listening,

Scott Brick

BRICK BY BRICK AUDIOBOOKS IS PROUD TO BRING YOU CHARLES DICKENS’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL, TWO THOMAS COVENANT NOVELS, A UNIQUE ADDITION TO THE DUNE UNIVERSE, AND THE PHOENIX LEGACY TRILOGY BY M.K. WREN Or, Our 2008-2009 release slate is here! Seven books in the next six months! And that’s only the beginning!

Scott — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:10:26 +0000

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Ladies and gentlemen, it is with not a little pride and joy that I bring you news about the next seven titles from my little company, Brick By Brick Audiobooks. We’ll be bringing you seven – count them, seven! – books, one title a month for the next six months, PLUS Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL this holiday season.

I appreciate everyone who helped make our first two titles, LORD FOUL’S BANE and FATAL REVENANT – both from Stephen R. Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant – such a success, and I’m pleased to let you know that in the next six months we will be bringing you Books Two and Three, completing the First Chronicles, an accomplishment I’ve dreamed about for years. In LORD FOUL’S BANE, you saw how Thomas Covenant found himself in The Land, a leper from our world mistaken for the reincarnation of their world’s greatest hero. Now follow him as Lord Foul wages war against the Lords of Revelstone in THE ILLEARTH WAR, then positions all the players for the inevitable cataclysm in THE POWER THAT PRESERVES. If that sounds like a lot of action, it is; these two books will total more than 40 hours of listening.

And right before Thanksgiving, we’ll deliver unto you a little stocking stuffer: the perennial holiday classic A CHRISTMAS CAROL. We’ll even be offering this particular title in hard copies (on CDs, in nifty packaging and everything), since it’s hard to put a bow around an MP3 and slide it under the tree, menorah, or Festivus pole. This will be a return for me to my theater roots: more than a decade ago, I adapted Dickens’ story for the stage and played Scrooge for two seasons; it’s been touring every December since.

If you’ve never read how Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future attempt to redeem the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, you’re in for a treat – it’s one of the greatest, most recognizable stories of all time. This presentation will also feature an amazing musical score, crafted by my great friend and enormously talented musician/composer John Massey (currently touring as Mr. C. in “Happy Days: The Musical”). This score, filled with historically accurate carols, will be a departure for me, as most of the books I narrate are straight reads, without music or sound effects, but this story is so special and dear to my heart that I figured, why not? Consider the musical flourishes a present from me to you.

Next, I’m puffed with pride to announce that Brick By Brick Audiobooks will be bringing you my favorite science fiction series, THE PHOENIX LEGACY by M.K. Wren. This trilogy is set in the 33rd century, where a dazzling empire is poised on the brink of annihilation…

The Lord Alexand DeKoven Woolf is destined by birth to occupy a unique position of power in the Concord of the Loyal Houses, the monolithic (and essentially feudalistic) government that is the matrix for all human civilization. The Concord, despite its outward appearances of stability and prosperity, is suffering severe internal stresses, primarily manifested by chronic uprisings among the Bonds, its serf/slave class. The Concord is, in fact, threatened with the specter of a third dark age. As Firstborn to the House of DeKoven Woolf, Alexand is the indirect heir to the Chairmanship, the grandson of the current monarch. Born to rule, he nonetheless swears to destroy the greatest empire mankind has ever known, all for the greater good of humanity.

And last but by no means least, there is DREAMER OF DUNE: THE BIOGRAPHY OF FRANK HERBERT, written by his son, Brian Herbert. I first encountered Brian about eight years ago when I was preparing to narrate Dune: The Butlerian Jihad, and Brian cracked open his father’s notes to help me with all those crazy pronunciations. Over the years, I’m proud to say we’ve became friends.

I was shocked to discover that this magnificent biography of his father was not yet on audiobook – shocked, and, I have to admit, pleased, because it meant that I would have the opportunity to narrate it myself. Whether you’re a massive Dune-head or only occasionally sip some spiced tea (See what I did with that? Huh, huh? Dune… Spice?), I think you’ll really enjoy this book. It’s a unique insight into the man who created the greatest, most richly-detailed science fiction saga of all time, a wonderful portrait, lovingly rendered. A must for all science fiction fans.

So when is all this happening?

Glad you asked. Here’s the schedule as it stands now:

11/05/08

THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER

BOOK TWO: THE ILLEARTH WAR

By Stephen R. Donaldson

11/27/08 – Happy Thanksgiving!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

By Charles Dickens

12/1/08

SWORD OF THE LAMB

BOOK ONE OF THE PHOENIX LEGACY

By M.K. Wren

1/1/09

SHADOW OF THE SWAN

BOOK TWO OF THE PHOENIX LEGACY

By M.K. Wren

2/1/09

HOUSE OF THE WOLF

BOOK THREE OF THE PHOENIX LEGACY

By M.K. Wren

3/1/09

DREAMER OF DUNE: THE BIOGRAPHY OF FRANK HERBERT

By Brian Herbert

4/1/09

THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER

BOOK THREE: THE POWER THAT PRESERVES

By Stephen R. Donaldson.

It’s humbling to realize by the time the first anniversary of Brick By Brick Audiobooks’ first release rolls around, we will have released nine books in these twelve months. And it’s staggering in terms of sleep deprivation, but 2009 will be the beginning of our book-a-month schedule. That’s right: we’re going monthly, baby! Twelve books in twelve months. And wait ‘til you hear what surprises we have in store for the second half of 2009.

As always, these books will be recorded in glorious 128 kbps sound. And remember, Brick By Brick Audiobook titles are never abridged!

We’ll be talking to you again in a week or so with more information about these titles: pricing, discounts, that kind of thing. ’Til then, take care and don’t eat all the leftover Halloween candy in one sitting, okay?

Oh, sorry, one last nugget of knowledge: at the risk of making this post as long as the manuscript of my first novel, I thought some of you might be interested to know that we’ve been granted permission to release the Covenant novels throughout the world. So for all you folks in the UK who’ve been frustrated by our contractual limitations, those will be a thing of the past in the very near future!

Thanks for listening,

Scott

scott@scottbrickpresents.com