 “Life is a mystery to be lived, not a problem to be solved.” - Angeles Arrien It’s not supposed to be simple, easy, or boring. It’s a mystery, an ever evolving flow of energy, in every direction that is a different and unique experience for each of us. It’s not a one dimensional problem. And if you are reading this, you are not dead, yet. Living a life to the fullest, everyday, is not simple, easy, and is never boring. Linda González, author of “The Cost of Our Lives,” and “Breaking Through Your Own Glass Ceiling,” is not only a fabulous writer, but also one of my favorite inspirational people still walking this earth. ODDUA AUDIO was really lucky to connect with her to record her narration of her audiobooks during the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic. Listening to them now, still inspires us all to endure the ever fluctuating realities of life, and strive for a better future that we all are deserving of. I got to have lunch with Línda last week, and again was blown away by the mover and shaker that she is: Author, narrator, life and business coach, writing coach, tennis player, cyclist, kayaker, paddle boarder, and mother. Linda González continues to help her clients and community from Marin, but will soon be moving to the East Bay. You can keep up with her and learn more about her at her website: https://www.lindagonzalez.net/
 Allegra Bandy is Performing at QWOCMAPFF!  Just in case you didn’t already know, Allegra Bandy is not only an audiobook producer, and voice over actor, but also a professional singer. She will be performing jazz and soul tunes during the reception of the 25th Anniversary of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP) International Film Festival on Sunday, June 15th. She will be accompanied by Dee Spencer on piano keyboard. For more information about Allegra Bandy, visit https://www.allegrabandy.com/ Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP) uses film to shatter stereotypes and bias, reveal the lived truth of inequality, and build community around art and activism. QWOCMAP creates, exhibits, and distributes high-impact new films that authentically reflect the lives of queer women of color both cisgender & transgender, and nonbinary, gender nonconforming, and transgender people of color of any orientation, and address the vital, intersecting social justice issues that concern our multiple communities. Check out the Film Festival, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 13-15, 2025 https://qwocff.org/ RSVP for Reception tickets here: https://qwocff.org/25th-anniversary-reception Happy LGBTQIA+ Pride Month!   Are you or someone you know looking for a quiet, comfortable, sound proofed and spacious place to record your audiobooks, audio for your podcast, YouTube Channel Videos, TikTok Video and Voiceovers? Do you want to record with quality gear, and not worry about all the engineering issues? We can help! Come record at the Hummingbird Hut Studio! Our services to include:
LET US KNOW: If you, or someone you know is interested in narrating their own audiobook, please get in touch. We love being a resource for our literary and artistic communities. Fill out the contact form on the HUMMINGBIRD HUT Recording Studio page, and we’ll set up a time to help you plan the recording of your project.  AUDIOBOOKS | MUSIC | VOICEOVER
ODDUA’s Mission: We create and publish content that helps people make their world a more peaceful, equitable, and joyous place. We provide high quality productions of voice over, podcast production, and audiobooks in primarily non-fiction and personal development genres. We provide authentic "true voice" listening experiences by specializing in author-narrated audiobooks. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, ODDUA AUDIO works with authors and publishers, musicians, companies and individuals, both nationally and internationally.
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 This May we are excited to celebrate three amazing authors (who are also moms), Janet W. Hardy, author of “The New Topping Book,” Carolyn Pistone, author of “Open For Joy,” and Hope Timberlake author of “Speak Up Dammit!” These phenomenal women share their knowledge and wisdom about being a successful boss, sharing your voice for clear communication, and how sexy it is to be the one in charge. These titles are on sale at a 25% discount on the ODDUA AUDIO Website through the month of May. Happy Mother’s Day!
  Erica Baccus recording her audiobook, “A Promise Kept, Honoring His Wishes, Embracing Our Love” for Soul Sparks Press (August 2025 release) A personal memoire of Erica Baccus’ telling the story of the love of her life and his battle with advanced dementia and alzheimers disease, and the brave promise she kept to him to help him with his assisted suicide. Emotional and revelatory, Erica did an amazing job narrating this intense and heart wrenching journey.  In April, Allegra Bandy, CEO of ODDUA AUDIO, spoke on a panel at the Publishing Professionals Network Conference at the David Brower center in Berkeley, CA. She was on a panel with Becky Parker Geist of Pro Audio Voices and Joe Finlaw with North Atlantic Books, talking about audiobook publishing. Allegra focused her comments on author narrated non-fiction audiobooks, and about some of the benefits and challenges working with author narrators.   Are you or someone you know looking for a quiet, comfortable, sound proofed and spacious place to record your audiobooks, audio for your podcast, YouTube Channel Videos, TikTok Video and Voiceovers? Do you want to record with quality gear, and not worry about all the engineering issues? We can help! Come record at the Hummingbird Hut Studio! Our services to include:
LET US KNOW: If you, or someone you know is interested in narrating their own audiobook, please get in touch. We love being a resource for our literary and artistic communities. Fill out the contact form on the HUMMINGBIRD HUT Recording Studio page, and we’ll set up a time to help you plan the recording of your project.  AUDIOBOOKS | MUSIC | VOICEOVER
ODDUA’s Mission: We create and publish content that helps people make their world a more peaceful, equitable, and joyous place. We provide high quality productions of voice over, podcast production, and audiobooks in primarily non-fiction and personal development genres. We provide authentic "true voice" listening experiences by specializing in author-narrated audiobooks. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, ODDUA AUDIO works with authors and publishers, musicians, companies and individuals, both nationally and internationally.  There is a book you have written that you have published. You’ve also made an ebook, and know you need to also make an audiobook to sell too. What does that look like? What does it take to narrate your own book? What if you don’t want to narrate your own book? What if your publisher, who isn’t you, wants an actor to narrate your audiobook? The first thing to really ask yourself is...  We get so many authors coming to us, telling us they want to have an audiobook made of their book, but they don’t know if they retained their audio rights of their book. Maybe they wrote their book a while back, and don’t remember what the contract with their publisher said. They might have to contact the publisher to find out. Did you, the author, even negotiate keeping your audio rights? Does your publisher already have their own audio department, and their default is to hire actors for all of their audiobooks? Or worse, use AI voices? Did you think about any of that when you signed the contract? Know your rights!!! Just like being a citizen in this country, it is important to know your rights. It is important to know what you have a say in, and to claim it. Authors, future authors, future creators…know your rights! And keep them! It is our mission to create authentic listening experiences of non-fiction audiobooks, which means we work with the authors to help THEM narrate THEIR OWN BOOKS. There are no, and never will be, any AI voices. ODDUA AUDIO only produces the real deal. 
 In March, we had the opportunity to record Carrina Lau narrating beautiful guided meditations with music. She did an amazing job, and the mediations have elements of nature sounds, singing bowls, and her soothing voice. You can learn more about Carrina and her inspiring work as a healer and mindset coach at https://stan.store/Carrinalau.    Are you or someone you know looking for a quiet, comfortable, sound proofed, and spacious place to record your audiobooks, audio for your podcast, YouTube Channel Videos, TikTok Video and Voiceovers? Do you want to record with quality gear, and not worry about all the engineering issues? We can help! Come record at the Hummingbird Hut Studio! Our services to include:
LET US KNOW: If you, or someone you know is interested in narrating their own audiobook, please get in touch. We love being a resource for our literary and artistic communities. Fill out our CUSTOMER INTAKE FORM, and we’ll set up a time to help you plan the recording of your project.  AUDIOBOOKS | VOICEOVER | NARRATION
ODDUA’s Mission: We create and publish content that helps people make their world a more peaceful, equitable, and joyous place. We provide high quality productions of voice over, podcast production, and audiobooks in primarily non-fiction and personal development genres. We provide authentic "true voice" listening experiences by specializing in author-narrated audiobooks. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, ODDUA AUDIO works with authors and publishers, musicians, companies and individuals, both nationally and internationally.  I am truly blessed to have been raised by a phenomenal woman, and am descended from some phenomenal women. The women I come from were bosses, leaders, community wranglers, game changers, and looking at this next generation, it’s looking like it runs in the family. I have also had the good fortune to work with primarily women authors over the years, and this month we are celebrating the following ODDUA Audiobooks written by some phenomenal women:
  Rebecca Kraus Interviewed for KQED Radio’s Snap Judgement  Nick Sowers stopping in from Seattle, WA, to survey his designs of ODDUA’s Hummingbird Hut Studio. He’s seen sitting in the window well of the studio. He’s a very tall guy, but found it quite cozy to hang out, chat, and do some acoustic measurements of the space. Looks like there are some tweaks to the space that we’re going to do to make it sound even more amazing.   Are you or someone you know looking for a quiet, comfortable, sound proofed and spacious place to record your audiobooks, audio for your podcast, YouTube Channel Videos, TikTok Video and Voiceovers? Do you want to record with quality gear, and not worry about all the engineering issues? We can help! Come record at the Hummingbird Hut Studio! Our services to include:
LET US KNOW: If you, or someone you know is interested in narrating their own audiobook, please get in touch. We love being a resource for our literary and artistic communities. Fill out the contact form on the HUMMINGBIRD HUT Recording Studio page, and we’ll set up a time to help you plan the recording of your project.  AUDIOBOOKS | MUSIC | VOICEOVER
ODDUA’s Mission: We create and publish content that helps people make their world a more peaceful, equitable, and joyous place. We provide high quality productions of voice over, podcast production, and audiobooks in primarily non-fiction and personal development genres. We provide authentic "true voice" listening experiences by specializing in author-narrated audiobooks. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, ODDUA AUDIO works with authors and publishers, musicians, companies and individuals, both nationally and internationally.  Happy Lunar New Year! Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy February! All of the happy things I want to celebrate right now. Having recently lost another friend to cancer, I am reminded how ridiculously short our lives are, and how each day gives us opportunities to connect with people in our lives, to strengthen our relationships, and to be grateful for all of those precious moments that we are able to share together. We are all guaranteed death. “Nothing is more certain than death and taxes…” so spend your life and your money wisely. And don’t wait to tell people you love them. Tell them! Make it weird 🙂    This month we honor and celebrate one of ODDUA AUDIO’s most famous author’s, Dossie Easton. She is the co-author with Janet W. Hardy, of “The Ethical Slut,” “Radical Ecstasy,” “The New Topping Book,” and “The New Bottoming Book.” “I am proud to serve my communities as psychotherapist, relationship counselor, educator, and author. Since 1969, I have lived and worked in sexual minority cultures. I am dedicated to feminist, polyamorous, BDSM, spiritual, gender-diverse, and LGBTQ individuals and communities. I explore, with my clients and in my own life, new paradigms of gender, sexuality, and relationships. I am committed to offering authentic, respectful, competent, and compassionate psychotherapy and relationship counseling to people exploring non-traditional lifestyles” - Dossie Easton Happy Birthday Dossie!  Are you or someone you know looking for a quiet, comfortable, sound proofed and spacious place to record your audiobooks, audio for your podcast, YouTube Channel Videos, TikTok Video and Voiceovers? Do you want to record with quality gear, and not worry about all the engineering issues? We can help! Come record at the Hummingbird Hut Studio! Our services to include:
LET US KNOW: If you, or someone you know is interested in narrating their own audiobook, please get in touch. We love being a resource for our literary and artistic communities. Fill out the contact form on the HUMMINGBIRD HUT Recording Studio page, and we’ll set up a time to help you plan the recording of your project.  AUDIOBOOKS | MUSIC | VOICEOVER
ODDUA’s Mission: We create and publish content that helps people make their world a more peaceful, equitable, and joyous place. We provide high quality productions of voice over, podcast production, and audiobooks in primarily non-fiction and personal development genres. We provide authentic "true voice" listening experiences by specializing in author-narrated audiobooks. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, ODDUA AUDIO works with authors and publishers, musicians, companies and individuals, both nationally and internationally.  Happy New Year, and now on to more awesomeness… 2024 brought so much, and we are off to new audiobooks to come, and new possibilities for even more awesomeness in the studio in 2025. Also, more traveling, writing, singing, and creating! Yes, I’m a nerdy lady who makes audiobooks because it’s fun! Because I like working with people, documenting their unique voices, knowledge, and stories. I get all warm and fuzzy on the inside when someone bravely lays down some amazing story on the mic, and I get to record it! Every author I get to record are already amazing people, and I feel like one of the luckiest people on earth that I get to work with them. Keeping my mind and heart open to what’s coming in 2025. Just saying hello in the video below. I’m going to do more videos in 2025, and my dorkyness is something that I just don’t want to edit out. I will get better at this, I promise :)  In November of 2024, Allegra traveled to Los Angeles to record Kathleen Cameron’s audiobook, “The Best of Yourself” which will be released this Saturday, January 11, 2025. It was a pleasure and an honor to work with such a dynamic individual, and she did such a wonderful job narrating her audiobook. This audiobook is the first collaboration with Soul Sparks Press, and we are so excited to help bring this life changing audiobook to fruition.   Kaya Griffin came in to record her audition for music school. We captured audio and video for her that day. What a talented young lady!  Deepika Sandhu, owner and operator of Soul Sparks Press, was in the studio to record the opening and closing credits for Kathleen Cameron’s, “The Best of Yourself.” Deepika is also the author of “Hello Universe, It’s Me”  Are you or someone you know looking for a quiet, comfortable, sound proofed and spacious place to record your audiobooks, audio for your podcast, YouTube Channel Videos, TikTok Video and Voiceovers? Do you want to record with quality gear, and not worry about all the engineering issues? We can help! Come record at the Hummingbird Hut Studio! Our services to include:
LET US KNOW: If you, or someone you know is interested in narrating their own audiobook, please get in touch. We love being a resource for our literary and artistic communities. Fill out the contact form on the HUMMINGBIRD HUT Recording Studio page, and we’ll set up a time to help you plan the recording of your project. AUDIOBOOKS | MUSIC | VOICEOVER
ODDUA’s Mission: We create and publish content that helps people make their world a more peaceful, equitable, and joyous place. We provide high quality productions of voice over, podcast production, and audiobooks in primarily non-fiction and personal development genres. We provide authentic "true voice" listening experiences by specializing in author-narrated audiobooks. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, ODDUA AUDIO works with authors and publishers, musicians, companies and individuals, both nationally and internationally. Year in Review We did it! We officially changed our name to ODDUA AUDIO! Changing our brand name from ODDUA Publishing LLC to ODDUA AUDIO LLC is more congruent with the digital audio products that we produce, and will hopefully give people a more accurate view of what we do.  We are excited to announce a new production partnership with Soul Sparks Press, a new publishing company founded by one of ODDUA’s authors, Deepika Sandhu.  We welcomed the new addition to the ODDUA AUDIO family, a new (to us) Yamaha Baby Grand Piano! It’s a little bitter sweet how this beautiful instrument came to us, as we have inherited it from our dear colleague and play auntie, the late Gail Dobson, who recently passed this April.  ODDUA AUDIO was presented with the “Startup of the Year” Award, at the 21st Annual Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce’s Awards Luncheon  First Music Album Recorded in the Hummingbird Hut. We had The Faultline Trio in the studio to record their first album. Scott Larson, of TriTone Productions, engineered the sessions, and the album is scheduled to be released in late Spring of 2025. Not only is this Faultline’s first album recorded of original music, but also the first Neo Soul/Jazz album to be recorded in the Hummingbird Hut Recording Studio.  Allegra Bandy featured on “The Mammahood” Blog. Allegra was interviewed by Heather Anderson, the founder of The Mamahood, and THE CLUB.The Mammahood “is where we mamas go to lift each other up and be supported ourselves."  Our newly built studio, The Hummingbird Hut is in full recording swing! New Team Member: Daryl! Welcome Daryl to the ODDUA AUDIO Family! We're thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our team, Daryl, hailing all the way from the vibrant Philippines! As our social media and marketing maestro, Daryl brings not just expertise but also an infectious passion for storytelling and connecting with people. A self-declared globetrotter, Daryl has a knack for diving headfirst into diverse cultures, savoring unique experiences, and capturing them all on his ever-growing YouTube travel vlog. Whether it's chasing sunsets, exploring bustling cityscapes, or savoring local delicacies, Daryl thrives on meeting people from all walks of life—believing that these connections are the true architects of personal growth. With Daryl on board, expect ODDUA AUDIO's social media to resonate with new energy, creativity, and stories that inspire. Let's give him a warm welcome as he embarks on this exciting journey with us! Note from Allegra : Happy Holidays As this year comes to a close, I am amazed at what we have accomplished. And this is just the beginning! I am excited to move forward with this new studio, with new audiobooks on the horizon, and hopefully some fun creative vocal projects for myself. Winter is an ideal time for going within, for reflection, and planning. I'm hoping to be able to take some time for that, and maybe even write some music while it's raining and storming out. Taking deep breaths as we move into this next year, and I am committed to being really kind and compassionate to myself, so that I can share the best of myself with the world. I hope you do too. Thank you so much for reading our newsletter, and please reach out. I want to stay in your loop too! Hope you have a beautiful holiday season, and see you next year!  Are you or someone you know looking for a quiet, comfortable, sound proofed and spacious place to record your audiobooks, audio for your podcast, YouTube Channel Videos, TikTok Video and Voiceovers? Do you want to record with quality gear, and not worry about all the engineering issues? We can help! Come record at the Hummingbird Hut Studio!
Our services to include:
LET US KNOW: If you, or someone you know is interested in narrating their own audiobook, please get in touch. We love being a resource for our literary and artistic communities. Fill out the contact form on the HUMMINGBIRD HUT Recording Studio page, and we’ll set up a time to help you plan the recording of your project. Allegra Bandy featured on “The Mammahood” Blog An interview with ODDUA AUDIO’s founder and CEO, Allegra Bandy, by The Mamahood was posted on October 30th. Allegra was interviewed by Heather Anderson, the founder of The Mamahood, and THE CLUB.The Mammahood “is where we mamas go to lift each other up and be supported ourselves. By hosting a variety of topic-specific chat groups, and curating an exciting list of mama-products and services we love, TM has created a virtual community where we can connect with each other, thrive ourselves, and enjoy this wild mothering adventure!” To read the full article, go HERE Friends in the Studio: |
