‘Blonde Indian: An Alaska Native Memoir’ is about to be an audiobook

Greater than 15 years after Ernestine Hayes’ revealed her memoir, “Blonde Indian” is changing into an audiobook.

Hayes says she clearly remembers when the e book got here out {that a} girl in Juneau instructed her that she couldn’t learn it due to her eyesight.

“And I all the time stored that behind my thoughts,” Hayes mentioned. “That an audiobook for individuals who weren’t in a position to learn that dimension print or one thing like that, I might nonetheless love them to listen to these tales.”

Hayes determined to relate the e book herself. She says that when she reads the print model of “Blonde Indian,” she sees so many issues that she would inform her artistic writing college students to not do. However studying the e book aloud for the recording was a unique expertise.

“I simply loved it, and skilled all of it once more,” she mentioned. “I used to be there with the cockroaches. I used to be hitchhiking on the outdated freeway. I used to be on my technique to Reno. It was all alive for me once more.”

There will probably be a launch celebration on Tuesday for the audiobook. Hayes and the manufacturing staff will share tales and bloopers from the recording course of. The occasion is free and open to the general public, and for Hayes, it’s a technique to say thanks to the entire individuals who have supported her, particularly in troublesome occasions.

“And I believe that what we’re doing is we’re giving again to the neighborhood and thanking them for all of the help and recognition and good needs and goodwill that they’ve despatched and the energy of that, that I acquired simply from figuring out I’m a part of such a neighborhood,” she mentioned.

Take heed to an interview with Ernestine Hayes and the audiobook producers on Juneau Afternoon.