About this book

A Voice Across Generations

This ten-chapter mini-book explores a simple question: when people are invited to contribute, how can they find out what happened to their contribution?

Through an imagined family and successive generations, John A Brown considers how children learn to question, how communities can follow decisions, and how a small trial might test a more accountable participation process. The family’s experiences are illustrations, not a report of a completed trial.

From raw material to a reading and listening edition

The book also serves as a practical example of a publishing process under development: gathering notes and documents, shaping chapters, editing and reviewing the text, preparing supporting pages and illustrations, and producing a public reading edition.

The audio production adds voice casting, the arrangement of narration and dialogue, recording, assembly, music and listening review. David V narrates throughout; in Chapter 3, Sammy speaks Mia’s direct dialogue. The same opening and closing music frames each chapter.

Recordings for all ten chapters are available on the Audio page, totalling approximately 32 minutes. Feedback on the trial recording led to higher and more consistent volume.

About the author

A double barrelled First Fleet descendent for what that is worth. What is worth is the acknowledgement that the indigenous population of this land are the original owners and that they never conceded ownership. I stand with them in that regard. I am a survivor of abuse from a young age and only in recent years have been able to come to grips with some of the drivers and issues that have plagued my life as a result of those abuses and the power, control, obstruction the institution that has systematically protected and denied Procedural Fairness for 75 years. I am only one of millions affected by this institution globally.

John’s other book, A Life Between the Layers, brings together recollections, records and reflection.

Make your own mini-book

Follow the public DIY guide to see how the stages fit together, including a worked audio-cost example from Chapter 3. Read it without registering, try the steps yourself, or ask for a helping hand where you need one.

The guide covers gathering material, editing, illustrations, audio, publication and preservation. Service scope and prices will be added as they are established, so you can consider what suits you before making contact.

Preservation and continued development

We intend to retain independent production backups and seek Internet Archive captures of the public edition. Links to confirmed captures can be added here when available. Archive capture does not guarantee permanent availability or preservation of every audio and image file.

The Sources page can grow as readers raise questions and further material becomes useful. Substantive changes can be recorded as the book develops.

Contact The Blue.Print about the book, a proposed trial or assistance with your own publication.