Warm Air, Cool Promise: The Sound of Stories Taking Flight

Monday, October 13, 2025

Orlando, Florida

Hello and welcome once again to A Certain Point of View, Too. It’s a warm autumn afternoon in my corner of subtropical Central Florida, although it’s not as hot and humid as it was when I arrived here in late August. We’ve already had one chilly (by Sunshine State standards, anyway) morning as a result of the first cold snap of the season, but it’s still hot enough to keep the air conditioning running, at least till the temperatures dip southward in November and December just enough to turn it off and open the windows instead.

Adventures in Audiobook Production

Late last night on ACX, I received a message from Stefan (Steve) Lee, one of the three narrator-producers working on audiobook editions of my Jim Garraty stories. Steve is currently working on Reunion: Coda, the longer and more complicated of the three (Brandon Padilla is almost finished with its precursor, Reunion: A Story; Bryan Haddock is still working on Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen).

Because Stefan drew the longest book – the print edition of Reunion: Coda is 471 pages long, including the front and back matter sections – we don’t expect to roll out the Audible edition until February 2026. That said, he is enthusiastic about the project, and he wanted me to know that he has begun recording the first chapters of my first novel.

“Hey, Alex,” he writes. “I’ve already finished the recording for the Prologue and the first chapter – A Night at the Moonglow. Once I finish those, I will upload them for you to review. Please send me your notes/ thoughts on the performance and what needs improvement. Thanks. Best, Stefan”

Although I have never worked on an audiobook before, this shows that the project is progressing well. All three of my collaborators appreciate the stories; Brandon Padilla, the narrator of Reunion: A Story, is so enthusiastic about the novella he is adapting that he has purchased a new microphone and will re-record some of his previous work to improve audio quality and pacing. Bryan Haddock, who got the Comings and Goings gig, predicts his audiobook will be ready for a December release. He enjoys the story and its characters, and his sample from the novella’s first chapter was excitingly good.

And if all goes well on Stefan’s end, soon, I will get to hear the opening segments of my magnum opus, Reunion: Coda!

As I sit here in my rented room in Orlando, the hum of the air conditioner blending with the quiet anticipation of what’s to come, I’m reminded that this season—both literal and creative—is one of transition. The audiobook adaptations of my Jim Garraty stories are no longer distant dreams or speculative goals; they’re becoming real, chapter by chapter, voice by voice. Each narrator brings not just technical skill, but emotional stewardship to the work, and their enthusiasm affirms something I’ve long hoped: that these stories resonate beyond the page.

There’s still much to do—reviews to give, notes to send, pacing to refine—but for now, I’m grateful. Grateful for collaborators who care, for readers who listen, and for the quiet thrill of hearing my words take flight in someone else’s voice. Reunion: Coda may be the longest of the three, but its journey is already rich with promise. And as autumn deepens here in Central Florida, I’ll keep listening, editing, and reflecting—one chapter at a time.

Thanks for joining me on this leg of the journey. More soon.