This week I received word that Brilliance Audio will be producing audiobook editions of the first two Roland March novels. That means you'll be able to listen to Back on Murder and Pattern of Wounds. The ink is still wet on the contract, meaning I have no idea when they'll release, but I'm pretty excited.
And scared to death. Since the stories are told in first person with Roland March narrating, whoever reads these books becomes the voice of March.
When I read from the books myself, alone or in public, there's always a nagging reservation. My voice isn't March's, not at all, and I have no gift for pretending otherwise. I like the way I read, but nobody's going to mistake me for a hardboiled Houston cop. I'm just an author reading a story. I don't become the character.
A good narrator really bonds with the character. Whenever I think of James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux, it's Will Patton's voice I hear in my head. Robert Hardy's narration on Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin books made them a pleasure to experience (not to mention rendering the ones Hardy didn't narrate impossible to love).
So I'm waiting with bated breath and fingers crossed to see how the March novels turn out. I know one thing: it's going to be crazy listening to them for the first time.
We're listening to Swan Peak right now, and Patton is the narrator. He's always good.Keep us posted. Bruce would love to listen to your books.
Posted by: Suzan | October 28, 2011 at 08:07 AM
This is so cool. Wondering who they'll pick . . .
Posted by: Nicole | December 30, 2011 at 10:14 AM