Do you listen to audiobooks? I have friends who listen to books while doing various activities—cooking, housework, exercise. For several years, I’ve been listening to books in the car. At first, the idea was to occupy my mind while driving long distances, but now I listen to a book whenever I get in the car to drive more than a couple of miles (which, living out in the country as I do, is every time). I also like to listen to books while walking on the treadmill at the gym, although when I’m walking on the country roads near my house, I feel it’s important to be able to hear what’s happening around me.
But is listening to audiobooks really reading? Well, no, not in the way we’ve always understood the term. But hearing the words spoken is just another way of consuming the content of a book, so the distinction, if there is one, is without a difference. Although you’ll find a divergence of opinions on the subject, research appears to back me up on this. In fact, I saw an article recently that suggested we retain information we hear better than if we read it on the page.
When my earlier books came out in print, I had a few visually impaired acquaintances ask me about audio editions. I wasn’t yet into audiobooks myself, so I wasn’t aware of how they worked. And because my work is traditionally published by small presses, the format in which the books come out is out of my control. (Mostly. I probably could have worked something out with the publishers, but it wasn’t a priority.)
I was extremely pleased, though, when the publisher of my second novel, Oliver’s Travels, informed me that they had sold the audio rights to an audiobook producer. My sole involvement in the production of that audiobook, which came out in the fall of 2023 (2 years after print publication), was to approve a sample the proposed voice actor/narrator had submitted. I had no problems with the sample, so, after I provided a short pronunciation guide for the words I thought might be problematic (my name, for example, plus some Chinese) the book went into production. And then months went by, and I didn’t hear anything further.
Until, that is, I happened to take a look at my Author Page on Amazon.com and I discovered that the audiobook of Oliver’s Travels was scheduled for release the following week. I never heard from the audiobook producer. I never heard from the publisher. No one ever approached me about promoting the audiobook’s release. I found it very puzzling and still do. Also, although I received an advance on royalties, I wasn’t given a copy of the audiobook. I had to buy one myself from Audible. I still haven’t heard from the publisher about it.
In the meantime, I’ve listened to most of the audiobook at this point, which is wonderfully narrated by Rex Anderson. I’m very pleased with the result.
The process was a bit different for The Last Bird of Paradise. My publisher told me they were looking for a narrator through ACX, the Amazon affiliate that creates audiobooks. Because I know some voice actors (we needed a female voice for this one), I put the word out. The publisher eventually sent me some samples, and ultimately we went with one submitted by Amelie Peterson. And, unlike my previous publisher, when the book was released, they sent me a copy. I haven’t listened to the whole thing yet, but I like what I’ve heard so far.
It’s very odd to listen to someone else read your words. I frequently read to audiences from my work, but, not being an actor, my approach is a little different. I typically read all the text in the same voice, dialogue and all, with only a little dramatic flair, when appropriate. These voice actors, however, when reading the dialogue of different characters, actually make an effort to differentiate the voices, which I’ve enjoyed hearing. I hope you do too.
If you listen to either of these audiobooks, I’d love to hear your feedback!
P.S. You might enjoy exploring other features of my:
- I’ve Got Questions: a series of short interviews with authors
- Reading Journal: every month, I do short summaries of [most of] the books I’ve read that month.
- Literary Magazine Rankings: updated every December, I provide a ranking of literary magazines as an aid to writers looking for places to submit work.
- Events: this is where I post information about upcoming appearances.
