Steven Colborne's Blog, page 28

AI-Generated Audiobooks — I’m Amazed!

I have mixed feelings when it comes to technology. In 2018, I wrote a song titled Machines Taking Over the World which portrays my disillusionment with some of the negative sides of our technological age. On the other hand, I’m fully aware that technology has enhanced our lives considerably in many ways, and the benefits should not be understated.

My main vocational focus at the moment is making more people aware of the books I have written. Being a self-publishing author requires a lot more work that some might imagine; it seems there’s always more to do as technology advances and distributors make updates to their platforms. One huge recent change for authors has been the proliferation of audiobooks — yet another format for us authors to think about alongside paperbacks, hardcovers, and eBooks.

I regularly listen to a podcast by Joanna Penn, who describes herself as a thriller author and creative entrepreneur. At the beginning of each episode there’s a news segment where she talks about changes occurring in the publishing industry. She has been discussing audiobooks for some time, but recently her focus has been on the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in audiobook production.

I have felt very skeptical about the idea of producing audiobook versions of my books using AI. It appealed to me in a sense, because the costs associated with traditional audiobook production are very high. Generally speaking, you need a studio, and you need to either self-narrate or hire a narrator. The costs of producing an audiobook organically are prohibitive for me as they can run into thousands of pounds or dollars. It’s also quite a laborious and time-consuming process recording and editing the audio.

My interest was piqued recently when I noticed on Google Play that the platform is offering AI-generated audiobooks for free while the service is in beta. I was not feeling great about the idea, as I felt the quality of the AI voice would not be good in areas such as intonation and pronunciation. However, today, just as an experiment, I thought I’d have a go at transferring one of my shorter books into an audiobook format using Google’s text-to-speech technology.

I was absolutely shocked at how good the AI is! When you use the tool, you still need to go through every paragraph and correct issues of incorrect pronunciation, but in the book I chose to convert there were not too many changes to make. And the flow of the AI narrator’s voice does in fact very closely match that of a human being, much to my surprise!

I’m anticipating things could get more complicated if I decide to convert one of my books with footnotes into an audiobook using the Google Play platform. I’m not sure how that will work. And also, there were some niggly issues like my surname being pronounced incorrectly, which I had to update a number of times. But seriously, this technology is very impressive, and I feel confident now that I will be able to produce high quality audiobook versions of many of my books for free!

It’s true that nothing beats an audiobook narrated by the author. And perhaps AI-generated audiobooks don’t work too well with certain genres. But for the kind of non-fiction I write, it’s definitely viable.

One issue is how to make the audiobook versions of my books available once I’ve created them. Most book retailers, including the all-powerful Amazon, don’t currently accept AI-generated audiobooks, though this could change in the future. I’ve heard it said that there could be a clear distinction on audiobook retailer platforms so that they are labelled as either AI-generated or human narrated — the latter of which would likely be more expensive.

The process of producing an AI-generated audiobook on Google’s platform still requires quite a lot of work and editing. But the benefits, as far as I can tell, are huge. So I’m hoping to produce audiobook versions for some or maybe even all of my books in the coming weeks (which will keep me busy!).

There is the outstanding issue of how to make my audiobook versions available. I may need to sell direct to customers using a service such as PayHip or Gumroad which allow files to be downloaded in exchange for payment. But then there’s still the issue of making it easy for buyers to get the files onto their device of choice and have a smooth listening experience, without which they probably wouldn’t want to buy the audiobooks. It would be nice if people could seamlessly add my audiobook files to one of their existing apps, but I don’t currently know whether this is possible (leave a comment if you have any knowledge in this regard!).

In any case, I wanted to share my excitement with you over this new opportunity for authors. If you’ve written books yourself, you may wish to investigate this avenue. If you have any questions about the process, you’re welcome to leave a comment below or email me.

Paperback copies of ‘One True God’

Friends, I recently received paperback copies of my new book and I am delighted with them, they turned out really well! It has to be the most exciting part of being an author — when you get your hands on the first physical copies of a newly published book that you’ve worked hard to make as meaningful and as appealing as possible.

Above is the paperback version, but there’s also a hardcover edition which I haven’t seen yet. As many of you know, I’m on a very tight budget so have only been able to order a few paperbacks for now.

I made this book, as well as all my other books, free in their eBook editions and have been pleasantly surprised by the number of people who have downloaded a copy. If you’d like to get a copy of the book, either a physical copy (Amazon only) or a free digital copy, you can see a retailer choice page by clicking this link.

I am planning to post a general life update soon so ‘stay tuned’ for that!

As always, thank you for your interest in my work. God bless you.

Surprise

When I used to go to Hillsong Church London we’d sing a song which began with the lyrics, “We’re giving it all away, away, we’re giving it all to go your way” and that song came to mind as I was contemplating what to write in this blog post. Why? Because I’ve decided to give all my books away in their eBook editions! This includes my new book, Christianity, Islam, and the One True God.

I was in two minds as to whether to do this because quite a few people have purchased my new book and I don’t want them to feel upset. So if you have bought a copy of that book, please accept my apologies for this! But the $0.99 you spent is going towards helping me stay afloat financially (and potentially funding me to be able to write more) so I hope you won’t feel too hard done by!

So yes, all of my books are free as eBooks at all retailers as of right now and you are welcome to download as many of them as you like. My primary aim with writing is to share insights, and I feel delighted to know that people are reading my books even if I’m not making money from sales for a period of time. And if you do want to support me financially, my books are all available as paperbacks (some as hardcovers) or you can always make a donation to me via the donate page if you really enjoy my work and want to offer support.

To see all my books, with links to retailers, visit the Books page.

Another way in which you can return the favour of reading my books for free is to leave me a positive review on Amazon or whichever other retailer you choose to get your copy from. I particularly need reviews for my new book, so please consider leaving a review if you read it and enjoy it.

It’s the weekend! So get yourself some free philosophical theology and enjoy!

When You do the Wrong Thing

As people of faith, our moral conduct is central to our lives. We want to always act in a way that is good in the sight of God, because we know God has all power and is able to judge with severity.

Today, I did the wrong thing. I made a mistake in my moral conduct. It was not something serious, though God takes note of everything we do, and the severity of our sins is a matter for God to judge. We all have a conscience, and when we do something wrong, we can feel it in our spirit.

Of course, we all sin and fall short — it is part of human nature. The Abrahamic Scriptures are full of descriptions of the human tendency to sin. These same Scriptures also highlight the need for repentance, and that God is most forgiving and most merciful.

Everything that happens in existence is under God’s control, and I do find it comforting to know that when I have made mistakes, I couldn’t have done things any other way — it was the will of God. But the Scriptures are emphatic about the fact that God judges sin, even while being in control of all our sinful actions. Sin is part of the way God unfolds the story of creation.

I said sorry to God for my transgression today, and I’m grateful to Him that He has given me a character that recognises sin and is willing to repent. I hope that God will blot out my transgressions and grant me His mercy on the day of judgment — a day which according to Scripture will inevitably come.

$0.99 Price Promotion Ends Today ⏱

I recently posted to let you all know that my new book titled Christianity, Islam, and the One True God is available as an eBook for less than a dollar/pound/euro for a limited time. Today is the last day of the price promotion, after which time the book will return to full-price.

With the free Kindle app you can read the book on any device.

To read about the contents of the book, click the cover image below and select a retailer. I hope you will avail yourself of a copy, I’m very proud of the book and think it contains many interesting philosophical and theological insights to get readers thinking!

You can also click here to view the retailer choice page.

Many thanks for supporting my work!

My New Book for $0.99 🎉

Hello everyone! To celebrate the launch of my new book titled Christianity, Islam, and the One True God, I am running a very limited duration price promotion. The book is currently priced at $0.99 (or a close equivalent in pounds, euros, etc) in all stores and marketplaces in its eBook edition.

This offer will end in about 48 hours, so if you’re keen to read the book, now is the best possible time to snap up a copy! Get the book on Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play, Rakuten Kobo, Barnes & Noble Nook, or your other digital outlet of choice.

Click the cover image below to view a retailer choice page.

I hope that you will enjoy reading this book! To find out more about its contents, the best thing to do is read the description on the book’s product page at your retailer of choice. Once again, here’s the link to the choice page from where you can find out more. Happy reading!

Desperate Times

London is so broken, and the situation I find myself in leaves me beyond despair. The housing authorities seemingly don’t respond to communications, and those in positions of support do very little to support. Crimes aren’t taken seriously and there is nowhere safe. I feel as though I’ve explored every avenue of the system and it is simply not working in a humane and compassionate way.

At the time of writing I am in deep distress. Readers of this blog know all about my struggles in recent years, and especially over the last few months. Many readers have been very generous with their prayers, encouragement, and financial gifts, which have helped keep me alive.

I stayed away from the flat for the last two nights because of the ongoing dangerous behaviour of my neighbour. Things have reached a stage where I don’t think I can return, even to pick up belongings. Sleeping rough feels very unsafe, I don’t know where to go. Financially, I’m very close to my overdraft limit and it’s more than two weeks until I’m due to receive any money.

I don’t have any friends or family to turn to. I had to walk away from abuse from my father and my sister isn’t understanding. I have my faith in God, and I have the Scriptures to read, and a little of my overdraft left for food and drink, and that is all I have.

I honestly don’t know where to turn. Things have gone from bad to worse. I’m in a budget hotel tonight and when I wake up tomorrow… I have no idea.

All I can do is once again ask for your prayers. I have a Donate page if you would like to donate. And you can email me via the Contact page if you would like to offer any words of support, advice, or encouragement. Thank you for reading and God bless you.

On Helping Others

Many people who want to ‘help’ others do so for selfish reasons. Sometimes, they are looking for vulnerable people to abuse. This is evil, but it’s a reality.

People who offer help are sometimes looking to trap others psychologically, because it gives them a sense of power and control, so they don’t have to deal with their own mental health issues.

Not everyone is like this, only some people. Others are genuinely kind and are motivated by a desire to do the right thing in God’s eyes. This is the purest motivation.

Those who seek to help others, and are purely motivated, will want nothing in return except God’s approval. They will give because they understand that this life is only fleeting and because they have an eternal focus in mind.

Perspective

Today’s article may be a little disjointed. I’m just going to try to share what’s on my mind, though everything is rather muddled. The reason why I’ve titled this post ‘Perspective’ is because after a period of intense focus on the completion of a new book, I’m now taking stock and thinking about what happens next. Also, I’ve been listening to quite a lot of Chillhop, and one of my favourite songs in the genre is Perspective by Barnes Blvd, so I wanted to share that with you! Give it a listen if you want to hear something beautiful and mellow.

I shared in an article a couple of weeks ago that due to financial hardship I was going to sell my laptop. I did actually put it up for sale, but had no reasonable offers, so it didn’t sell. And I’m so glad. There’s no way I would have been able to complete my new book without a computer, and as writing is such a big part of my life I think I would be sorely regretting it if I was computerless! Many thanks are due, once again, to those of you who have donated money to me in recent months, because it’s largely due to your contributions that my financial situation isn’t so much worse.

I’m not going to write about accommodation in this article, except to say that I’m still living in the same place and haven’t yet been able to find an alternative. A few days ago someone who’d seen the TikTok video I was featured in offered a possibility of accommodation in a different part of the UK, but then I didn’t hear from them again, and in any case I’m not sure whether it would have been a viable option. So I’m still living in the same place, with all its woes, and trying to make the best of it.

I’m really missing not having a counsellor. I do have some friends, and I’m grateful for them, but counselling is a different kind of relationship. I miss having that one-hour slot every week where I can just share, without judgement or attachment, all my thoughts, worries, hopes, and dreams. There is a low-cost counselling service that I applied to recently, but they are only offering assessments via video, and this was not suitable for me (I won’t go into why). I would love to see a private psychotherapist — I think everyone should have the opportunity to do so — but cannot presently afford to.

I had a really good phone chat yesterday with a long-time friend who I met at Hillsong Church London. He is one of the most conscientious and God-fearing people I know. Even though I haven’t been able to persuade him to read the Qur’an, we are still able to have good chats, I suppose due to mutual respect and a willingness to continue the friendship despite theological differences. I get a bit frustrated when my friends seemingly don’t take an interest in my writing, because my writing is the beating heart of what I understand to be my vocational calling (at least, at the present time). But yesterday, my friend was asking me about my books and it was a blessing to have that discussion. I was able to share a little about why I write and my writing and publishing process. It was kind of him to ask and listen, and a blessing for me to be able to share.

On the subject of books, I think I may have written my last one. I think I’ve covered everything of theological and philosophical importance that I want to share. I am having niggling thoughts about potentially writing a book about divine justice — that was actually going to be my next publication before I changed my plans and decided to write Christianity, Islam, and the One True God. But much of what I wanted to say about divine justice is covered in my new book, so there may not be the need to write another. I will prayerfully consider what to do.

I don’t want to publish so many books that everything becomes really stressful and chaotic. As a self-publishing author, I have to manage every aspect of the publishing and marketing process, and the more books I have available, the more overwhelming certain tasks become. For instance, over the last couple of days I updated the back matter of all sixteen of my published works to include information about my new book. This was a necessary but daunting and rather laborious process!

If I had any more books, the task would have been too daunting for me to tackle alone, and I don’t have the money to employ someone else to do it. I also think that quality rather than quantity is best when it comes to writing and publishing books, although there’s no doubt that more books can lead to more exposure, which can be a good thing, depending on one’s ambitions. I guess there are pros and cons to every approach — for fiction writers having a ‘series’ can be really important, but for non-fiction writers less so. I suppose I will write books for as long as I feel I have something meaningful to contribute, and no longer!

At the beginning of the year I prayed to God about what my focus should be for 2022. The word that God gave me was ‘rest’. So I’m going to try to take heed of this and cut myself some slack, as things have been particularly stressful over the last couple of years and particularly in recent months. There will be some work to do in order to make people aware of my new book, but I will take things slowly and try not to stress about it. I will rest in my accomplishments and try to be thankful to God for all He has been doing in my life. God is mighty and wise — all my hope is in Him.

Loving this photo related to my theme of ‘rest’ by Eduardo Flores on Unsplash. What’s your word for the year and how’s it going? Please share in the comments!

Money Back Guarantee (sort of)

Friends, I hope you are all doing well! It’s late into the night in the UK so I won’t be writing at length, but I just have a few thoughts to share in relation to my new book. The book is called Christianity, Islam, and the One True God, and is available now.

To put it simply and honestly, I’m really pleased with this book, and I wholeheartedly believe if you take the time to read it, you will not regret it. Did you know that you can download a free sample from Amazon to read on any device? Just go to the product page and click ‘Send a free sample’.

If you buy the book on Kindle and it’s not to your liking, you are able to return it for a full refund. So I really hope you’ll give it a go, either with a free sample or the whole book. You’ve got nowt to lose.

Here are the links to view the book on Amazon in the US and the UK:

Amazon US | Amazon UK

The book is also available in all other Amazon international stores, and if you click the Amazon link on this choice page it should direct you automatically to the book’s page on your country’s Amazon store.

A huge amount of time and effort has gone into making this book a stimulating and thought-provoking read, so if you’ve enjoyed reading my writing in the past, give this book a try!