Bonjour!
Summer is here and the thrill of new travel odysseys beckon. I’m thrilled to share that my culture clash novel set in the South of France, Opposites Attack, is finally an audiobook. For various reasons, the project kept dying on the vine like Viognier grapes in a drought. And then, life burst forth. There’s even a musical treat by Lakota John at the end, so be sure to listen to the credits.
It took a stellar voice talent to pull off varying French accents plus, in lesser roles, Spanish, Cuban-American, German, Indian, and British. The Americans had to sound different: male, female, older, younger, Midwestern, high society. There were children’s voices, too. At last, I found the amazing actress Holly Adams, an Earphone and Independent Audiobook Award winner, and Audie Finalist. She also speaks French. I do not. How would I know if words were pronounced correctly? (I’ve tried to learn French, as you’ll read in the new release. I lived vicariously through Alyce.)
I never expected creating the audiobook would be so challenging, nor that I would change a single word. Re-reading the manuscript as a narrator/listener—and having once made a living as a voiceover artist—I’m sure I was too critical. But a book written to be read and one written to be heard are two different experiences. Even more so when a French accent is layered on top of dialog. For example, “I’m a success manqué” sounded like “I’m a success monkey.”
Given how many times I re-read and re-heard it, I never tired of Alyce and Jean-Luc. They, and other characters, shared more with me than they had before. Even the cover was updated. There’s more about the book’s transformation, my true adventure that inspired the story, discussion questions, and recipes in the “Lagniappes” section in the print and ebook. Many audiobook platforms also give you this bonus material in a PDF format after purchase.
The endorsements below, from the original, still hold true. If you’re looking for a rollicking, food-filled, battle-of-the-sexes escape to the South of France that’s not without its poignant moments, indulge in the new Opposites Attack. It’s the one with the title written on a computer keyboard. The audiobook should be available everywhere, even libraries, but you’ll need to ask them to order it. Do let me know if you have trouble finding it in any format. Many audiobook sites are running low introductory prices on it. See links below.
Merci beaucoup and have a fabulous summer!
Jo
“A fun, rollicking tale with an enchanted setting, the kind of book you want to share with your dearest friends.” —CASSANDRA KING CONROY New York Times bestselling author
“Gutsy good humor and fantastic characters that made me laugh out loud. Armchair travel at its best!” — KIMBERLY DANIELS, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, NC
“Merci for taking me back to the deliciousness of Provence! I wish my first stay in France had been this delightfully wicked.” —TERESA ENGEBRETSEN, The Sabbatical Chef
“Sparkles like fine champagne and feels like a Truffaut romantic comedy.” —RICHARD GOODMAN, author of French Dirt: The Story of a Garden in the South of France
Spend a delightful day at the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, SC, where you can take a selfie at his desk.