It's definitely a lot of work to read a long piece like that. Your reading was very human, if that makes sense, maybe "personal" is a better word - it's not a piece that needs a sound booth. I'll renew my question to both of you: since you both read for the audiobook versions of your books, what was that experience like and would you do that again. I just finished re-listening to "To the Bridge" and I'll be starting "Blackout" soon.
Jun 21, 2022·edited Jun 21, 2022Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em
Hi Sarah Hepola.
I really enjoyed reading this. It was longer than I had planned to invest, but as usual with your writing, I became invested and finished it.
I also enjoyed listening to it. It even has birds chirping in the background, which was nice. And reading a long story IS hard work.
I laughed out loud at the description of Amber's turd reaching escape velocity. The inspired vision of a nasty piece of shit literally being launched into orbit had me cracking up. So funny!
The story also surprised me a bit. I kind of expected the typical Depp fan perspective and was pleasantly surprised at the balance. I have a longtime grudge against Depp for having won the love -- even for a brief period -- of Winona Ryder, and THOSE brown eyes. Color me jealous. But I also have grown to have deep sympathy for him for other obvious reasons.
You threaded a very tiny needle eye, and did it without sacrificing anything. It had all the things. So good.
I read the article first and LOVED that it was so long! But I knew that I'd have to read it again, and I was wishing that there was an audio recording of it, so thank you for doing it. I'm still thinking about it and may have some things to say or ask, but my immediate impression was WOW, its flow, organization, breadth...what a beautiful piece of literary journalism (is that the right genre, in the vein of Capote?). Exceptional, thoughtful, balanced, lyrical...(Oh my, I'm overdoing it here, but damn it's the best thing I've read about this sad affair.)
Wow, wow, WOW. SO well read. Gotta admit, I was 100% uninterested in everything Depp v. Heard until I started listening to your commentary. And even after really enjoying and learning from that, I was still unwilling to read your very long article with the attention and care it deserves. But happily, I decided to listen instead. Normally I am disappointed when articles are read because they work so much better for me in print. Not so here!! Your reading is so incredibly good; it really brought the story to life for me in a beautiful and arresting way. I found the ending very moving. You capture something deep in the human experience in this piece, which is so remarkable given that it otherwise comes off (at least for me, clearly millions of other people feel differently) as a tawdry, depressing celebrity spectacle combined with a similarly dismal #metoo table-turning rehash. Normally I’m much more into analyzing than storytelling, but this made me see just how important a really well-told story can be. Brava.
Y'all are giving me what I want. I loved reading and listening to this piece.
As a former blackout drunk, who read "Blackout" in my first year of sobriety, I get very upset when someone says... "I'm only hurting myself." Nope. Nope. Nope. I'm glad you pulled the I-wrote-the-book card.
I loved recording mine, at Brilliance Publishing in Grand Haven, MI. We slated four days, but there was a snowstorm getting there that stranded me overnight, so we had three, and finished with time to spare. I was in a sound booth, could see the sound guy on the other side of the glass, and listened to a producer/director, a gal of maybe 70 who's done hundreds of books. She would stop me when I flubbed a word, or even made a weird sound. I would have done it immediately again, and said as much when we finished; I think I also cried a little. I listened to it I think twice in my car right after it came out (and when I lived somewhere when I was driving a lot) and not since. One comment on the Amazon site said my voice was so bad it even stressed out his dog but I loved doing and am glad to have!
It's definitely a lot of work to read a long piece like that. Your reading was very human, if that makes sense, maybe "personal" is a better word - it's not a piece that needs a sound booth. I'll renew my question to both of you: since you both read for the audiobook versions of your books, what was that experience like and would you do that again. I just finished re-listening to "To the Bridge" and I'll be starting "Blackout" soon.
Hi Sarah Hepola.
I really enjoyed reading this. It was longer than I had planned to invest, but as usual with your writing, I became invested and finished it.
I also enjoyed listening to it. It even has birds chirping in the background, which was nice. And reading a long story IS hard work.
I laughed out loud at the description of Amber's turd reaching escape velocity. The inspired vision of a nasty piece of shit literally being launched into orbit had me cracking up. So funny!
The story also surprised me a bit. I kind of expected the typical Depp fan perspective and was pleasantly surprised at the balance. I have a longtime grudge against Depp for having won the love -- even for a brief period -- of Winona Ryder, and THOSE brown eyes. Color me jealous. But I also have grown to have deep sympathy for him for other obvious reasons.
You threaded a very tiny needle eye, and did it without sacrificing anything. It had all the things. So good.
BTW - You're not alone. https://youtu.be/MSJaSS_Zj0Y
I read the article first and LOVED that it was so long! But I knew that I'd have to read it again, and I was wishing that there was an audio recording of it, so thank you for doing it. I'm still thinking about it and may have some things to say or ask, but my immediate impression was WOW, its flow, organization, breadth...what a beautiful piece of literary journalism (is that the right genre, in the vein of Capote?). Exceptional, thoughtful, balanced, lyrical...(Oh my, I'm overdoing it here, but damn it's the best thing I've read about this sad affair.)
Wow, wow, WOW. SO well read. Gotta admit, I was 100% uninterested in everything Depp v. Heard until I started listening to your commentary. And even after really enjoying and learning from that, I was still unwilling to read your very long article with the attention and care it deserves. But happily, I decided to listen instead. Normally I am disappointed when articles are read because they work so much better for me in print. Not so here!! Your reading is so incredibly good; it really brought the story to life for me in a beautiful and arresting way. I found the ending very moving. You capture something deep in the human experience in this piece, which is so remarkable given that it otherwise comes off (at least for me, clearly millions of other people feel differently) as a tawdry, depressing celebrity spectacle combined with a similarly dismal #metoo table-turning rehash. Normally I’m much more into analyzing than storytelling, but this made me see just how important a really well-told story can be. Brava.
Well read ! Thanks I have not had time to finish the whole piece… today, I listened as I walked the dog and watered the garden. Fascinating !!
Y'all are giving me what I want. I loved reading and listening to this piece.
As a former blackout drunk, who read "Blackout" in my first year of sobriety, I get very upset when someone says... "I'm only hurting myself." Nope. Nope. Nope. I'm glad you pulled the I-wrote-the-book card.
I loved recording mine, at Brilliance Publishing in Grand Haven, MI. We slated four days, but there was a snowstorm getting there that stranded me overnight, so we had three, and finished with time to spare. I was in a sound booth, could see the sound guy on the other side of the glass, and listened to a producer/director, a gal of maybe 70 who's done hundreds of books. She would stop me when I flubbed a word, or even made a weird sound. I would have done it immediately again, and said as much when we finished; I think I also cried a little. I listened to it I think twice in my car right after it came out (and when I lived somewhere when I was driving a lot) and not since. One comment on the Amazon site said my voice was so bad it even stressed out his dog but I loved doing and am glad to have!
Sarah Hepola, I’m in awe. I just love the way you told this story - so glad you are doing what you do.