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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter



I can still remember what I first said upon being diagnosed with Stargardt disease that summer after graduating college ... "I won't be able to read books anymore!"

As it turned out, I can still read books, though it's hard - I have to use magnification and even then I have to guess at most of the words. It's a slow and frustrating process, which is why I hardly ever read any actual books anymore. I eventually gave up reading fiction completely because the stories just couldn't flow. But then I began listening to books instead of trying to read them. It took me a while to get used to that, but once I did, the stories resumed flowing.

The downside of listening to audio books, though, is that they're more expensive than print books (saying you can even find the book you want in audio). For instance, you can buy Storm Front by Jim Butcher in paperback for $9.99, but if you want it in audio, it will cost you $39.99 ... ouch!

So I try to find the books I want at the public library. My library doesn't have a lot of audio books, but fortunately one can use a process via computer, link+, that lets one get books that are at nearby libraries if your library doesn't have them. This too can be frustrating as you have to pounce on these books quickly before anyone at their home library puts a hold on them, as they have priority. There are a few link+ audio books I've been lying in wait for ..... Kraken by China MiƩville, Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm, Before I go to Sleep by S. J. Watson, The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen ... someday :)

But meanwhile, I did just capture one link+ audio book I'd been waiting for for a while - Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. Hope it turns out to be good!


5 Comments:

Blogger Mike L said...

Crystal,

Have you thought about looking into ebooks in a digital format and using print to voice software? My son does all his computer programming with the aid of such software. Not sure it would have the emotional impact, but it is a thought.

Hugs,

Mike L

5:07 AM  
Blogger crystal said...

Hi Mike,

I do think my computer comes with a text to voice ability but I've never tired it. That's a good idea - thanks! :)

1:02 PM  
Blogger crystal said...

Mike,

I just looked around and found that there's a system on the mac that's all about this - lots to learn but maybe it will help ... http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover/

Thank you!

1:11 PM  
Blogger Mike L said...

I don't know much about it Crystal, only that the software exists, and as I said my son uses it. I think the state actually supplied it for him. He is a PC guy so he probably couldn't help much.

I think you can do quite a bit of control, I have heard his system, and honestly it goes so fast I can't understand it. But I have heard other digital voices and they sound quite good.

And it crossed my mind that maybe you could use something like that. I have a Nook and there are tons of cheap books out there. I found all of Andre Norton's books for free on the internet, so I haven't had to buy a book for quite a while. There are also a lot of other SF books on the Baen Free Library in a variety of formats.

Let me know if it works for you.

Hugs,

Mike L

7:05 PM  
Blogger crystal said...

My sister said that her husband just got a kindle and that one can have it speak the text. I don't have a kindle/nook but I think it's possible to get free software for the computer to read kindle books, and maybe then my computer could "speak" the kindle books to me. I'll look into it.

Andre Nortin! I remember The Witch World :)

11:46 PM  

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