Audiobook Mastering for ACX/Audible Submission — Self-Narrated Memoir/Nonfiction

I'm self-narrating the audiobook for my book, I Have 3 Friends (35 chapters, ~56,000 words, estimated 6 hours finished runtime), for submission to ACX (Audible/Amazon). I need an experienced audio engineer for mastering — and, on this first batch, some diagnostic feedback on my recording setup. Project status: New project — I have not yet recorded any chapters. I'll be recording with a Samson Q2U mic in Audacity, aiming for ACX loudness/noise specs as a baseline. Initial batch (test project): I'll submit my first 3 recorded chapters (17–20 minutes of raw audio). I need: Full ACX-spec mastering of these files Written feedback on my raw recordings — pacing/delivery, input gain or level issues, background noise/room treatment concerns, and any Audacity settings you'd adjust on my end A short checklist or notes I can use before recording the remaining 32 chapters ACX requirements the final files must meet: RMS -23dB to -18dB Peak level no higher than -3dB Noise floor -60dB RMS or lower Mono, 44.1kHz, 192kbps CBR MP3 Proper room tone/silence padding at chapter start/end and between paragraph breaks per ACX formatting guidelines Then, pending fit: ongoing mastering for the remaining ~32 chapters as I record them, at an agreed per-chapter or per-finished-hour rate. To apply, please include: Audiobook mastering samples (ideally ones that passed ACX QA) Your typical turnaround time per finished hour of audio Confirmation you're open to the paid 3-chapter test batch with feedback before we commit to the full book. Estimated cost for the whole project. Although this submission might seem like I have knowledge of audio recording. I am using AI to help me and I have no experience with doing this type of work, so I welcome guidance to complete a quality product including help on how to load the files to Audible and Amazon. Please share your experience Number of books you have mastered? Number of literary fiction books? How long you have been doing this kind of work? Any examples/references to completed work Your experience working with someone like me who is doing this for the first time. This is the link to the book. https://a.co/d/0hOiKmbR