Hi Book Lovers,
After working a long tax season, I’m back to share an interesting experience with a
fantastic outcome!
Enjoy,
Antonia
Good Ideas Often Take Time to Develop …
Five years ago, I was signed by an incredible book publisher. With an internationally acclaimed cover artist and a talented staff of editors and designers, they have created a stellar catalog of brilliant novels. Plus, they share my vision—that everything I write or present must be of the highest quality.
Following the release of the original Back to One in 2021, I received numerous requests from readers for an audiobook. When my publisher asked if I would consider turning Back to One into a series, the idea for an audiobook took a backseat … until the summer of 2024.
Let’s Do This
Since my original career path was acting, I never doubted my ability to be the narrator. Moreover, a benefit of reading my book was that I was familiar with it, down to the subtle intonations and expressions that echoed through my mind when I wrote it.
Over the years, I had done several radio commercials with a professional recording studio in Birmingham, so I was familiar with the producer and comfortable in the studio.
It would not be as easy as I expected.
A Long and Arduous Creation
Summertime in Alabama … the sound booth would turn into a suffocating sauna (you can’t run air conditioning during taping). So, the recording days were limited to three hours at a stretch.
After my active role as narrator was complete, I was present for nearly all of the editing. It was my lack of knowledge of the intricacies of editing that caught me by surprise.
I watched as the production engineer removed every breath (unless it was used for acting emphasis), adjusting the spacing as needed to achieve balance. To say this process is meticulous is an understatement. The producer, with more than half a century of experience, was obsessed with everything sounding perfect.
Meeting Audio File Setup & Technical Requirements
Title credits, introduction, and end credits, which were separately captured, needed to be inserted into the corresponding sections with quiet (natural room sound) added to these files, along with the beginning and end of each of the 48 chapters. Additionally, some lines required re-recording. Often, it was not an error in the reading but rather some extraneous noise caught by the very sensitive, high-quality microphone.
Lastly, all sound levels must be adjusted and consistent throughout the entire recording, a highly painstaking process. Time-consuming? What I had naively expected to take no longer than two months took five, working five days a week. And, of course, I was paying by the hour.
Good News about Hard Work
At times, it seemed like the process would never end. That said, the final product was spectacular! In fact, the highly respected Chanticleer Book Reviews has honored the Back to One audiobook with its Best Book Award!
“Antonia Gavrihel shows off superb storytelling and narration skills in her audiobook, Back to One, where passion, family, and, most importantly, friendship clash in an emotionally intimate slow-burn romance.”
Spotlight: Sample of Back To One Audiobook
Back to One audiobook is now available on all major audio platforms, including Audible, Spotify, Barnes & Noble, Google, and Apple.
Exciting News about the next novel in the series:
Back to One: Take 5 Hero Shot will be released on November 4, 2025!
Readers’ Character Reviews …
“Cate & Kyle share the most unexpected bond- one we can all hope to find at some point in our lives. Antonia Gavrihel writes with exquisite detail, bringing the pages to life.” KC - Amazon/Goodreads
“Back to One is a beautifully written novel that compels the reader to turn the page, eager to learn more about the main characters, Cate and Kyle. There is an honesty that Gavrihel brings to this story that makes every page feel like you are reading about two people you’ve known and cared for your entire life.” TR - Amazon
“Back to One Series….I love these books! I immediately fell in love with the main characters, Cate and Kyle, and felt like they were my best friends.” SFL - Barnes&Noble
“Love the two characters, Cate and Kyle! Can’t wait for novel number five!” FGCF - BN
Thank you for your heart-warming and kind words. I, too, have fallen in love with my main characters, Cate and Kyle. From the beginning, I wanted to see where their journey would lead.
Does it take seven novels to tell the complete story? If you think about your own life, with its many stages of growth, choices, and opportunities, it is easy to see how many exciting adventures these two wonderful people could have.
All novels in the Series are available in paperback and eBook/Kindle formats.
Back to One Audiobook Wins Best Book Award!
See my author profile on Amazon to purchase the Back to One Series. Please visit the Back to One website: https://antoniagavrihel.com/, where you can read past issues of this newsletter and keep up to date on Back to One releases and events. Also, all the novels have a soundtrack, and you can link to each through my website.
Until the next BTO World issue …
Antonia Gavrihel