Category: librivox Page 2 of 4

Success!

On Sunday, 25 September, 2011

After more than three years of working on it, I finally finished recording Angelina by Rafael Delgado! Woot! The last few chapters still need to be proof-listened, but I hope to be able to catalog the sucker some time next week. My next Spanish solo (started this morning), is the much shorter La Navidad en las MontaÃ±as (Christmas in the Mountains) by Ignacio Manuel Altamirano (only 11 chapters in this, as opposed to 65 in Angelina).

I found out recently that one of my cousins is having twin girls this October, so I’ve started work on two more pairs of the Hello Kitty pants and two different, as yet un-chosen sweaters.

Project updates

By kruthie73

On Friday, 16 September, 2011

In audiobooks, librivox, public domain

The third Valonia book is finally officially published on Iambik (yay!). No word yet when we’ll get access to the last book in the series.

I was offered another series via ACX called the Summer Chronicles. I finished the first of those, Phantom Universe just last week. It’s currently in post-processing. The second, Forsaken Harbor, is due to be published at the end of this month, so I guess I’ll get to start working on it some time after that.

In the meantime, I’ve got a bit of a break and I’ve been able to concentrate on my poor, neglected LibriVox projects. I’ve finished my SFFAudio challenge book, The Big Time. Just finished cataloging it this morning. My Spanish solo, Angelina is moving along nicely. I hope to finish it before I have to start working on other stuff again (seriously, this poor thing has been going since 2008; it keeps getting pushed aside in favour of other projects). And as I was so close to finishing The Big Time, I decided to start my next English solo. I’m doing the next available Anne book, Anne’s House of Dreams. Next available as opposed to next in the series, because, unfortunately, Anne of Windy Poplars is still in copyright, which is a total bummer, because it’s my favourite. 🙁

I finished my latest project for Ignatius, Poor Banished Children, back in August, but my contact had some vacation time, so I haven’t heard when it’s due to be published. I’ve been offered a novella called Song at the Scaffold to read next. It’s set during the Reign of Terror. Should be interesting.

I’ve lots of knitting updates too, but I’ll keep those for a separate post, or this will be enormous.

I could have danced all night…

By kruthie73

On Monday, 2 May, 2011

In audiobooks, librivox, public domain, theatre

Just two more weeks of rehearsals for My Fair Lady. I’m feeling pretty confident at this point; nowhere near as panicky as in past musicals (so far I’ve only woken up with a start at 4am once). The set is pretty much complete (it helps that it was a nice, simple one); most people are off-book; props are pretty much done; I haven’t been paying much attention to costumes, as I already have mine, but hopefully they’re close to done too.

I’ve recently finished three more audiobooks. I just finished Sense and Sensibility for LibriVox. I finished a critical edition of Mansfield Park for Ignatius about two months ago, but my contact was on maternity leave, so it’s only just been published. I also published the main text of it (with a bit of editing to make sure it conformed to the absolutely-for-sure-public-domain version on gutenberg) on LV. And I’ve just finished the second book in the Chronicles of Valonia series for Iambik. The first two books in the series (The Jewels of Valonia and The Golden Casket and the Spectres of Light) will be released in Iambik’s first SciFi collection. Will post a link once the collection is published.

I’ve started working on Poor Banished Children now; and I’m about a third of the way through my SFFAudio challenge book, The Big Time. I’ve also picked up my poor, neglected Spanish solo, Angelina, again. And now that I’ve started reading it again, I’ve remembered why I lost interest in the first place. Although the story is interesting so far, the author doesn’t seem to have ever heard of the rule in writing, “don’t use a big word when a simple one will do”. His prose is flowery, verbose, long-winded, and simply not meant to be read aloud. He gives me fifty fits every time I sit down to read a chapter. He also spends a lot of time in long descriptions of places and events that have nothing to do with the plot (JRR Tolkien has nothing on this guy).

As I have a few minutes

By kruthie73

On Tuesday, 4 January, 2011

In audiobooks, librivox, movies, theatre

Went to CA for Christmas to see the family. Got to see my sister-in-law and older nephew for the first time in a couple of years. They’ve been at work the last couple of times I’ve been by. I decided to drive, as renting a car for the week ended up being about the same price as a flight, and this way I’d have more independence. The day itself was quite nice, though my brother wasn’t able to join us, as he was called away to work. 🙁 So I drove up to Palmdale to pick up my sister-in-law and my younger nephew (older nephew was going to his girlfriend’s… first time for any sort of major celebration!!), as my sister-in-law doesn’t drive on freeways. We also had my mother’s housemate’s son and his family. He and his wife had their second baby four days earlier, so we weren’t sure if they were all going to get to come.

Got to see Voyage of the Dawn Treader while I was in CA. I was both pleased and disappointed. Most of the elements of the book are included in the film (e.g. all the islands they visit), but they’re out of order. And the whole main plot of the film (green mist, seven swords), is entirely new. I enjoyed the film for its own merits, but it’s not a particularly good adaptation, in my opinion.

Working on a new project for Ignatius Press… a critical edition of Mansfield Park; the full text of MP, some contemporary opinions that Austen herself collected, and various criticisms. For Iambik I’m doing a book called Getting Sassy for their Crime collection. It’s about a woman trying to get the money to keep her mother in a nice assisted living facility who resorts to kidnapping a thoroughbred racehorse’s goat companion (the title character, Sassy). Also still working on Sense and Sensibility for LV, though since both of these projects are due quite soon, it’s not getting as much attention as otherwise.

I had been planning on stage managing Barefoot in the Park starting next month at the Civ, but I just heard that the original director has stepped down, and I don’t know if the new guy will want me or if he has someone else in mind. I don’t really mind either way. If I do it, I get a bit of extra cash, if I don’t, and I get a role in My Fair Lady, which comes right after it, I wouldn’t end up doing two shows in a row.

Shower fail

By kruthie73

On Thursday, 27 May, 2010

In audiobooks, friends, knitting, librivox

I do so dislike having to play “takesies backsies” at baby showers, but I just didn’t manage to finish the sweater. I’d be further along if I hadn’t noticed a mistake two nights ago and frogged back to fix it. Still, baby isn’t due till July, so hopefully I’ll have it finished before then. And the shower was a fun way to finish a work day, even if all the men did congregate in one corner as if the rest of us had cooties (you’d think they’d have outgrown that by now!). 🙂

I’ve decided on Sense and Sensibility for my next LibriVox project. I’ll do Anne’s House of Dreams after that. I do wish Anne of Windy Poplars were out of copyright. It’s one of my favourites in the series. Darn you, Lucy Maud Montgomery! You should have written faster!

Back to recording

By kruthie73

On Monday, 24 May, 2010

In audiobooks, librivox

Now that Gypsy is over, I’ve been able to get some serious recording done. Tonight I finished the last two sections of a biography of Padre Pio for Ignatius Press, and the last two chapters of What Katy Did, which I’m doing for LibriVox. Now I have to decide on a new LV project. I’m wavering between Sense and Sensibility and Anne of Green Gables.

Now I’m off to knit. I hope to get the body of the little sweater finished tonight. Then just have to do the sleeves by Thursday!

LibriVox Funddrive Update

By kruthie73

On Tuesday, 9 March, 2010

In audiobooks, librivox

Note from Hugh:
Dear LibriVox supporters, friends, volunteers:

Two weeks ago we sent out a request for donations towards a $20,000 fundraising campaign. We outlined why on this post (with a number of questions answered in the comments thread). You responded with generosity, and we can now close down our campaign.

So:

Thank you!

We got to our target so quickly it warms our hearts. Not only did people donate, but this campaign also allowed many many people to express their appreciation for all the hard and wonderful work done by LibriVox volunteers.

We wonâ€™t have to talk about money again for a few years. Instead, weâ€™ll get back to working hard to fulfill our mission, which is:

To make all books in the public domain available, for free, in audio format on the internet.

So: Thank you again.

For those curious:

Campaign Details:

We raised $23,000 from 433 donors, in 13 days, averaging $1,769 in donations from 33 people every day. We had a couple of big donors, who gave a few thousand dollars each, and many more smaller donations which all add up to: everything we asked for. Thank you again.

LibriVox Details:

This money will help support our efforts, which so far have resulted in the following:
* 3773: Total number of projects
* 3227: Number of completed projects
* 470: Number of completed non-English projects
* 31: Total number of languages
* 28: Number of languages with a completed work
* 1498: Number of completed solo projects
* 3549: Number of readers
* 3347: …who have completed something

Total recorded time: 66472509 seconds, or 2 years, 38 days, 20 hours, 57 minutes, and 37 seconds. Total of 66978 sections.

Have I said thank you? Well: thank you again! Oh, and a very special thank-you to our friends and supporters at the Internet Archive, especially Jacques and Brewster, who managed the donations for us so that we didn’t have to worry about setting up paypal accounts and all the rest.

And now, back to making free, public domain audiobooks.

All the best,

Hugh McGuire.

So thanks so much to everyone who contributed! 🙂

LibriVox needs you!

By kruthie73

On Saturday, 27 February, 2010

In audiobooks, librivox

For the first time in its 4.5 year history, LibriVox is asking its supporters for money.

Chances are, if you’re reading this message on my blog, you’ve heard and possibly enjoyed some of my LibriVox recordings, Pride and Prejudice, or Anne of Green Gables, or perhaps the Scarlet Pimpernel.

I’d ask that you consider supporting LibriVox in this donation drive to allow us readers to continue providing you with audiobooks. Every little bit helps!

Here’s Hugh’s message:

Dearest LibriVox listeners, volunteers, & supporters:

For four-and-a-half years, LibriVox volunteers have been making audiobooks for the world to enjoy, and giving them away for free. We’ve made thousands of free audiobooks that have been downloaded by millions of people; our site gets 400,000 visitors every month. To date, all our costs have been borne by a few individuals, with some generous donations from partners. However, these costs have become too big.

See below to FIND OUT HOW TO DONATE (Or, keep reading!).

LibriVox needs your help.

We’re asking for donations for the following:

to cover hosting costs for our website, including: the site you are reading now; the forum; the wiki; the catalog; but NOT including the audio files which are hosted by Archive.org
to redesign the site and improve its accessibility
to make the LibriVox catalog easier for listeners to use
to make the management software easier for admins to use

Your donation will support the work of our volunteers.

Our fundraising goal is $20,000. After we reach it, we’ll shut down our fundraising campaign. And we hope we can make it another 4.5 years without having to bother you again!

HOW TO DONATE:

Visit the Internet Archive donation page (the Internet Archive, a registered US charity and friend of LibriVox, is managing our fundraising campaign)
Select a donation method (Justgive.org, Paypal, or Check)
Be sure to write: “Donation for LibriVox” along with your donation (otherwise we won’t get the donation!)
Don’t forget to write: “Donation for LibriVox” along with your donation!

Rockin’ the new ride!

By kruthie73

On Monday, 8 February, 2010

In audiobooks, librivox, pics, random

So New Year’s Eve I was getting ready to head out to Beth and Marcel’s 4th yearly karaoke bash when I found that my car wouldn’t start. My poor car is fourteen years old, and it’s been going downhill for the past year or so, dying at intersections, juddering, etc. Now, it’s dead. It might be resurrectable, but at fourteen, I really don’t want to put more money into it. On the other hand, I’m not quite ready to buy a new car right now. I’m trying to pay off my school loans, and getting further into debt isn’t part of my plan. So, instead of a car, I got me one of these:

Granted, mid-winter is probably not the best time to start riding a scooter, but I’m still having fun. 🙂

I recently finished my recording of Dayspring by Harry Sylvester for Ignatius Press. It’s already up on their website, and I’ve started a new recording for them, The Eternal Woman by Gertrud Von le Fort. It’s considerably shorter than either of the other two books I’ve done for them, and I’m nearly halfway through already. The only difficulty with it is the length of the sections; only four of them but two are about 20 pages and the other two are upwards of 40. That’s over an hour of recording for those last two sections. I’ve had to divide them into three so that I don’t blow out my vocal chords.

I’m also currently recording The Sky is Falling by Lester Del Rey for LV, another scifi, since I had such fun with the Mack Reynolds one I did for the SFFAudio Challenge.

New books!

By kruthie73

On Monday, 16 November, 2009

In audiobooks, librivox

The library book sale was last week. I went on opening day this time ($5 entry) because last year I couldn’t find any knitting books and I was hoping to get a better choice this time. There still wasn’t a whole lot, but better than last year. In addition I got a few books of poetry, some mysteries and some scifi. I also picked up a few baby books for a friend.

I’ve started a new LV project, Ultima Thule by Mack Reynolds. I’m doing it for the 4th Annual SFFaudio Challenge. It’s a short novel, so I hope to have it finished within a couple of weeks.