The last of the series of Ironman Extremis is now available on ITunes.  Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did:-)

Gudenkauf, Heather. The Weight of Silence. 9 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 9½ hrs. Recorded Bks.2010. ISBN 978-1-4407-7696-0. $102.75; Playaway digital; digital download. F
Gudenkauf’s fast-paced and compelling debut novel centers on the lives of two seven-year-old girls who go missing in a small Iowa town and is told through the points of view of six protagonists, three children and three adults. As the story unfolds, these memorable characters reveal insights into small-town life, childhood friendships, and alcohol and familial abuse. Narrators Eliza Foss, Therese Plummer, Tony Ward, Andy Paris, Jim Colby, and Cassandra Morris beautifully and effectively render the multiple perspectives, giving each character a unique voice. Between the writing, the characters, the setting, the action, and the narration, this is one audiobook that will be hard to forget. Highly recommended.—Kristen L. Smith, Loras Coll. Lib., Dubuque, IA

Hi Therese,

I had the BEST time recording Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell.  I hope you enjoy the audiobook that should be released in May by Audible.com.  Happy Listening:-)

Product Description

About the Author

I sat in Madison Square Park yesterday in the glorious sun, well feeling kind of sorry for myself.  My life, or as I see it, is not going according to the script I have written out in my head.  I shared this with my brother on the phone as I sat on a bench shared with other New Yorkers gobbling up the sun as much as I was.  My brother empathized with how I was feeling being an actor himself and we both ended up laughing about it and finding some humor in the seriousness.  I hung up the phone and the woman next to me was looking at me and i apologized if i was talking too loud into my phone. I do that quite often.  She said, “No you weren’t but I couldn’t help but overhear what you were saying and I want to tell you that you will get work again.”  I looked at this perfect stranger and just breathed in her positive comment.  I let it settle over me and then said, “Thank you so  much for saying that.”  Turns out she too is an actress and working at her own Bar in Brooklyn and we talked about not giving up and finding humor along the way and how, with age, we actually are enjoying the journey more.  And she was off.  High fiving me and laughing.

I sat there for a minute and let myself absorbe that fantastic interaction.

Moments later a man in a mortorized wheelchair with a keyboard attached to it came wheeling up to  my bench.  His body was badly crippled and he was trying to type something into his keyboard.  ”Hello,” I said and I could tell he was smiling and struggling to type something in with his overly stretched fingers as they were.  I got up and looked at his keyboard and he was typing in….”Would you be my friend?” and then he pressed a button and this electronic recording came on telling me the man’s name was Mario.  I said it is nice to meet you Mario. He typed in that he goes to school.  Actually as I watched him type he would be struggling so much with the keyboard and the screen actually showed what words he was trying to type on the bottom so I would finish the sentence with him.  When i understood what he was saying a big smile would come over his face.

Now I am not sure what was going on with the man’s body but I sat there, in the sun in the middle of the busiest city I have ever known and had this amazing conversation with a man who could not use his own mouth to communicate.  And I realized, again, that so much is being said, with or without a voice.  So much is being communicated if I stop, slow down, and listen. I use my voice to make my living and at that moment realized the tremendous gratitude I have to be able to do that.  Mario needed a friend for a few minutes.  I was able to be there.  I needed a friend for a few minutes and the other actress was there.  One breath at a time whether I am talking or listening,  life is happening and not to be missed.

Until next time:-)

Harris, Charlaine. Real Murders. 5 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 6¼ hrs. Recorded Bks. 2010. ISBN978-1-4407-4572-0. $56.75; Playaway digital. F
This inaugural entry in New York Times best-selling author Harris’s (www.charlaineharris.com) eight-title Aurora Teagarden series, first published in 1990, at last comes to audio. Though formulaic at times, the delightful, Clue-like mystery is replete with charming characters, subtle action, and a piling body count. Introverted librarian Roe meets monthly with the members of the Real Murders Club to close famous and historic unsolved murders. When a member of the club dies in a manner similar to their latest “case,” everyone is a suspect—and a potential victim. Narrator Therese Plummer characterizes Roe perfectly, satisfying with just the right touch of horror and humor. With its somewhat romantic and witty components, this series is sure to become a hit again in audio and will especially resonate among fans of Harris’s Lily Bard series and Lorna Barrett’s “Booktown” titles.—Terry Ann Lawler, Phoenix P.L.