"If you are a dog or pet-lover, there is a chapter that will absolutely wreck you," cautioned Mike Parker, publisher of "What the Dog Said." As I prepared to record this delightful and entertaining book, I also realized that a couple of places would be emotionally challenging. I spent years rescuing dogs and I knew and experienced the ups and downs of pet ownership.
For most of the chapters, I prepared and read ahead, made notes, practiced a bit out loud. Joanne Brokaw's style is fun and Geoff (my brother and awesome studio engineer) and I enjoyed the stories; a collection of mostly previously published articles collected into a now-published book.
Heeding Mike's warning, I spent several days mulling over what I should do. Should I read the difficult part over and over until I was desensitized to it? What if, instead of being desensitized, would it continue to be possibly more emotional?!
I chose an unusual approach - I decided to do this part of the book with a cold reading. Not that there is anything cold about it. Did it wreck me? Yes! And because nearly every sentence is the first take (minus the two words I flubbed and the 6-7 times I welled up and had to start again at those spots); it's genuine emotion. I instructed Geoff to just have me start right where I left off each time - "It's getting to me, too," he admitted.
And I am very proud of the result. It's a beautiful part of this book and I hope I did the author justice and that readers will listen and be filled with simultaneous joy and emotional depth.
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