A good book read by a talented narrator is a beautiful thing, but a good book performed by a full cast of talented narrators can bring a whole new dimension to the listening experience. Here are a few examples where the full cast really elevates the audiobook. Read more…
Memorial Day signals the start of the summer season—gardening, picnics, barbecue grills, swatting mosquitoes, splashing in the pool, fireworks, beaches, bike rides, sunburns, baseball, mowing the lawn. And, ahh—sipping lemonade while lying in a hammock listening to an audiobook. Today’s Audio Adventures celebrate summer listening experiences to sink into with your ears. Read more…
Wedding romances exist under a particular set of rules that make them even more carefully crafted than your usual happily-ever-after romance. Not only do we (usually) know in advance that the characters have a stable, defined future ahead of them, but now we know that they are going to end up married—or are already married! Making this type of story fresh and appealing involves a lot of creativity from the author as well as a compelling narration. We already know the ending, so the author and narrator need to seduce us, shock us, crack us up, or simply tell us a story we can’t resist hearing. You have to bring your A game to make a wedding romance stand out.
On the other hand, many romance readers are suckers for the dress selection, the inevitable fights among members of the bridal party, and the misty-eyed promises of forever that give wedding romances a hushed respect, even from the most hardened pragmatists. Let’s get the show on the road with four new wedding themed (if sometimes unconventional!) audiobooks.
Springtime in Manhattan—yes, this is a city of steel, glass, cement, and towering testaments to man’s need for architectural dominance. But in between those structures there is green sprouting, forsythia blooming, daffodils popping up, beds of tulips waving in the breeze. Spring has come to the city, and it is glorious!
Perhaps it’s this sense of intense pace, of the energy, of cycles of death and renewal, that mystery writers find so inspiring. Recently, I listened to BLOOD OATH by Linda Fairstein, narrated by Golden Voice Barbara Rosenblat, who has become the voice of Alex Cooper and her posse. In each audiobook in the series, Fairstein shares with listeners the rich background on a different landmark or historic area of New York City. Even for a New Yorker like myself, I pick up facts about the architecture and history of this city. In this, the 20th audiobook in the series, a murder takes place under what is referred to as the “Bridge of Sighs” (after the original in Venice) that connects the court house in lower Manhattan to “the Tombs” (the jail). Of course, the real NYC bridge has none of the architectural interest of its Venetian namesake. Read more…
How does anyone learn to be a parent? We not only can’t be told ahead of time how to do it, but we resist advice once we become parents and find out how hard it is. Many learning audiobooks say that part of the difficulty in the U.S. is a parenting culture that is too doctrinaire and unforgiving. Kim Brooks, the author of SMALL ANIMALS, describes how she was dragged into the legal system by a common parental mistake. She argues that too many parents have to defend their choices against the judgments of other parents and a growing number of institutional scrutinizers. Read more…
People wanting to change their lives usually go through six stages before they succeed, says personal growth blogger and podcaster Gregg Clunis in his audiobook, TINY LEAPS, BIG CHANGES. With his sincere, resonant voice and determined pacing, his reading of this stimulating audiobook gives it instant credibility—authority you recognize right away when you hear it. His thinking on this subject, intuitive and accessible, contributes to the audiobook’s power: He says people need a jolt of unpleasantness to kick-start change—a wake-up call like a betrayal by someone you trusted, a demeaning interaction with a boss, or a bad decision that has come home to roost. But for most of us, the alarm bell is not enough. The sting of bad news fades quickly because we tend to resist change and fall back into familiar routines. But once we have learned to “stay with” our unhappiness, he suggests that we spend time looking at alternative directions and focus on one, connect with it fully, and then get into a daily routine that moves us in that direction. Read more…
Each summer AudioFile celebrates audiobook narrators with a Maine clambake in Boothbay, Maine. Narrators come from across the country, and sometimes we even have an international guest. But it’s not just the usual suspects—each year a different and diverse group of narrators joins us. We greet old friends and make new ones!
We always have representation from AudioFile’s Golden Voices—this year Barbara Rosenblat and Robin Miles joined us. AudioFile Earphones Award winners and Audie Award winners also are well represented. And it’s a true delight just to get to put voices and faces together. Read more…
This past weekend, narrators, producers, and the AudioFile staff gathered by the sea for a day of sunshine and perfectly cooked lobsters. One thing is for sure — we had a lot of fun talking audiobooks with a crowd of audiobook lovers!
Our summer staff picks this month include 6 audiobooks — both new and old favorites — that are compelling enough to keep you company along the journey to wherever you’re going, whether that’s driving up the coast, strolling around the block, or commuting to work. Read more…
Everyone in the audiobook world had eyes on the NYC conferences and social events last week. With more than 400 narrators, publishers, producers, authors, Audie judges, and audiobook media attending each of 4 events, I greeted, spoke with, or waved at so many audiobook people. At the Audiobook Tea—held during BookExpo—I was delighted to introduce the four guest authors: Laini Taylor, Gayle Forman, Jason Fry, and Kathryn Hahn spoke about their audiobooks. Publishers Weekly covered the event that was attended by booksellers, librarians, and publishers. Read more…
So how did your tax preparation go this year? Personally, I only cursed twice. First when I dropped the file of medical receipts. Second when I learned that despite what my husband and I had spent on doctors, it wasn’t enough to be deductible. I discovered that after adding it all up on a recalcitrant calculator.
That’s when, inspired by Marie Kondo’s runaway bestseller, THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP, I shredded those useless receipts and resolved next year to keep only that which I truly need (in one pouch as she does). Emily Woo Zeller’s Earphones Award performance makes Kondo’s quirky, precise guide to living tidily endearing as well as helpful. (Watch Zeller’s delightful Behind the Mic chat about narrating the book – she too folds her shirts differently!) Her friendly tone warms the exacting tea-ceremony aspect of Kondo’s approach and animates her appealing eccentricities, such as thanking her possessions. Then again, who’s calling whom eccentric? I’ve always talked to my stuff. Read more…
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