Having suffered through excruciating actor public readings of my stories in the past, I opened the audio file of The Sugarloaf and the Red Shoes experiencing more than a bit of dramatic tension. We are all familiar with ‘The Five Stages of Grief’, but I wonder if writers go through a similar emotional journey.
While the elation of publication and positive reviews may have dissipated, having the work interpreted by an actor sets-up a whole new set of unease.
I took a deep breath and clicked on the arrow.
The sinister intro music put me at ease and when the talented Jenny Hoops began, I knew my story was in great hands. Using a neutral American accent for the narration and a pitch-perfect Southern American accent for dialogue, Jenny Hoops adeptly managed to swing from optimistic storyteller to hint at character darkness. No easy feat.
I was elated by the end of the clip. Not only was The Sugarloaf and the Red Shoes presented as I had hoped, Jenny Hoops enhanced my words and brought the story to life. Her work is much more than just reading words on a page. Through her craft she has made my story all the better. And that’s a rare experience indeed.
