On Writing and Storytelling: Meanwhile, in the Land of ACX…

Thursday, February 12, 2026 — Orlando, Florida

“Patience, he thought. So much of this was patience—waiting, and thinking, and doing things right. So much of all this, so much of all living was patience and thinking.”
—Gary Paulsen, Hatchet

Hi, everyone!

It’s been nearly 24 hours since I sent off the audio files for Reunion: Coda to the wonderful folks at ACX. Yesterday morning, my producer and narrator, Stefan (Steve) Lee, emailed me with some terrific news: he wrapped up recording the audiobook on Tuesday night!

Knowing how finicky I can be (and how ACX can sometimes behave more like a picky chef than a publisher), Steve took the extra step of listening through every track to catch any flubbed lines, repeated dialogue, or audio hiccups. He reassured me that he recorded multiple takes for each section—this novel gave him plenty of opportunities for a retake or two—and then meticulously swapped out anything that didn’t meet his standards.

He also asked me to listen to the submitted tracks. If I heard anything off—wonky sound, odd echoes, or a slip of the tongue—he wanted me to flag it so he could fix it before the project entered ACX’s legendary four-step review gauntlet: Metadata, Cover Art Compliance, Audio Review, and Final Confirmation. Steve isn’t just a narrator; he’s the kind of collaborator who genuinely has your back.

Because the novel is a big one—the paperback clocks in at 531 pages—the audiobook runs 16 hours, 18 minutes, and 57 seconds. I didn’t have time to listen to the entire thing, but I sampled five random tracks plus the Prologue, listening carefully for any marred lines or accidental repetitions. Happily, I found none.

So, late yesterday afternoon, I submitted the project to ACX for review. And now… I wait for Reunion: Coda to pass QA and make its way to Audible.

Based on my experience wrangling the Audible editions of Reunion: A Story and Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen, I’m optimistic that the new audiobook should be ready for eager ears by February 24. As I type this, the project’s review journey hasn’t officially begun, but I’m not worried about the cover: I designed Reunion: Coda’s artwork in Canva Pro back in late October, at the same time I created the covers for the other two books. ACX approved those without issue, and since this one follows their specs to the letter, I expect it to breeze through as well.

I’m not losing sleep over the other review steps either. The one stubborn audio file that needed attention was replaced with a crisp new recording, and the metadata lines up perfectly with the hardcover, paperback, and Kindle editions. But if you know me at all, you know patience is not my natural state—especially when something this important is in limbo. And trust me, releasing an audiobook version of my first novel is muy importante.

So I’ll be here, waiting in the Land of ACX, doing my best impression of a patient person until the next update arrives.