I'm grateful for continued success, good reviews & a growing clientele. #NotReallyRetired 😉

https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Letter-from-Paris-Audiobook/B074WFB2L8?asin=B074WFB2L8

Hang on for a wild ride!

Peggy Kopman-Owens outdoes herself in this complex mystery-thriller. Paris sleuth Louie Bertrand and his partner/mentor/employer Mrs. Duchesney begin by dealing with apparently mundane financial and social situations, then, before they can say c'est la vie, become embroiled in a love-and-conflicy situation from World War II, intrigue in the forms of a person from Moscow, a Parisian widow, a coded note sent to Mrs. Duchesney, and, overall, enough character ambivalence and multiple revelations to sustain the interest of the most sophisticated of mystery and history fans. 

Evie Irwin's narration adds immeasurably to augment the value of the audiobook, as vocally she weaves the emotions of the characters. The book is thoroughly enjoyable, and some of its five-star credit definitely belongs to Evie! 

Five stars.

So much has changed...

I’ve been retired?…(well ok, semi-retired!) for almost 1.5 yrs, but I have been busier than ever!

Things have radically changed for us in just the past few months and I am feeling a little overwhelmed! We’re in the midst of this horrible coronavirus that has devastated our country; the political environment is so toxic that this “news junkie” can’t watch the evening news without my blood pressure shooting through the roof; I had successful surgery…a full left knee replacement 3 months ago, and I’m still recovering, experiencing pain and being tortured with PT twice a week; and now…WNPV, the radio station where my hubby has worked for 32 yrs, closed its doors forever and went off-the-air…sadly, forcing him to retire and leave behind his 52 yr career in radio broadcasting. Hello unemployment! YIKES!! It’s more change than my brain can fully assimilate in one sitting. “Me brain hurts!”

Okay…so personally things have been a bit rocky…but my business is SOARING! On April 23rd I hit 1,000 units sold via Audible.com from 25 completed audiobooks…and I have 3 more in production. The coronavirus has markedly increased sales because more people are “at home” with a lot more time on their hands, and since I’m working from home I can record, edit and master audio files as much as I am able. My knee surgery abruptly took the “wind out of my sail” and slowed my momentum for a bit, but I’m now back in the studio after a short, but necessary hiatus from both radio and audiobooks.

In addition to narrating and producing audiobooks, I’ve been hosting a nightly radio show on SMILE FM on 27 stations across Michigan from 7pm-12mid since last September! It takes more time for show prep than I originally thought, but I LOVE IT! One of my ultimate dreams after retiring was to someday go back to radio…and here I am! Radio has always been my first love…it’s always been in my heart and deep down I’ve always known it’s what I was meant to do. The Lord made a way for all of this to happen without me ever having to go looking for it. He is GOOD!

In the midst of this scary time, I’m humbly grateful for a roof over my head, food on our table, a healthy family and many blessings that the Lord has provided to us along the way, in spite of a few bumps in the road.

Life is good…but I’m not really retired!

Retirement...what does that actually mean?

I’m entering another post on my blog more than a year after the last entry. A LOT has happened since then!

I retired from working full-time as a 911 dispatcher in December 2018. The residual effects of the life & death decisions, the hounding detailed accuracy, the non-stop mental gymnastics and intense stress of that job have interrupted my sleep for more than 6 months, impeded my ability to concentrate and left me trying to re-create a routine to my life. Such is the sacrifice many are willing to make who serve the pubic in this capacity.

I’ve continued to narrate and produce audiobooks…it seems slowly, but at least I’m moving forward…even if not at the breakneck speed I expect of myself. I discovered quickly that I hold myself to a much higher standard and performance level than may actually be necessary, but I will always be a perfectionist & strive for the absolute best I can produce.

Update in July 2019: I’ve completed 22 audiobooks, sold 615 royalty share copies and nearly finished two more projects. I just accepted an extremely challenging audiobook about the 1962 Amendments to the Food & Drug Act, due in September and also welcomed a 3rd “Grandmother” project from a returning client, due in November. That’s 26 audiobooks! When the 2 current projects are completed I will finally apply to be an Audible Approved narrator! ☺️ GOAL ACHIEVED!👍🏼 🎉

One more item for this post is just an observation of life. Sometimes the Lord allows the desires of your heart to just “drop in your lap!” Such is the case for me! In just a few weeks I will be back “on-the-air” with a daily show in the evenings on Smile FM in Michigan! Radio has always been my first love…it’s something that’s always been in my heart and deep down I’ve always known it’s what I was meant to do.

Life is good…but I’m not really retired!

Moving toward a life-altering change...retirement.

Retirement means different things to different people.  For some it means a permanent vacation, no rigid schedule/no itinerary.  For others it means investing in yourself for profit by continuing to work hard, but no longer for a "boss".

For me it means moving from a stressful, time-clock punching, full-time 911 dispatcher position for the local government to working full-time for myself...at my leisure..in my own home studio ...any time of day or night...at my own pace...with coffee cup in hand...and in my pajamas, if I so choose!

I'm steadily preparing for this adjustment by breaking into the audiobook business as a part-time narrator for as many clients that I can handle (while still working full time) with the goal of reaching 25 completed audiobooks by the time I retire...making me an official "Audible Approved" narrator for ACX.com.  Evie Irwin - Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX)

So far I have completed 13 audiobooks and am currently working on another 6 contracted projects.  Audiobook world...here I come! :)