Audible Now Let's You Read Along With Your Kindle Books - Publishers Weekly

Isn't it confusing to do that?

On his way home Panzer stopped at the Publishers Weekly site.

 

There he found Ed Nawotka's post about Audible's new feature to read a book as you listen to it. 

 

Panzer says,"It does mean more sales if the listener wants to do both."

 

Note:This is either a short-medium length or long-short length post (your choice which). Bring a cup of tea to drink.

 

To read the post tootle over to Audible 

The 30th Annual Audie Awards: 28 Category Winners - Publishing Perspectives

I wish they let cats narrate their own books.

Today, as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, he heard clapping and cheering outside the Panzermobile. Following all the hoopla took our inquisitive kitty boy to the Publishing Perspectives site. There he discovered news about the Audie Awards.

 

According to Porter Anderson's post, the Audie Awards were presented yesterday in New York. The Audie Awards are presented to the best narrator/reader in each of 28 categories. The list of winners is at the end of the post and some of them might surprise you.

 

Panzer says, "There's even a short story collection category."

 

Note: This is a long post. You'll need a big cup of cocoa (Mom's got a 20 ounce cup for her cocoa) and a big chocolate muffin with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting (Mom says you can never have enough chocolate) all to snack on while you read.

 

To read the Audie Award winners tootle over to Annual Audie Awards Winners

Free Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Podcast Episode: What Kind of Criminal

I love the weekend.

Today for you weekend entertainment Panzer found a new mystery episode at the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (EQMM) podcast.

The episode, titled What Kind of Criminal, is read by the author, LaToya Jovena. Including the intro, the episode is 23 minutes long.

 

As with all EQMM podcast episodes, it's free for listening.

To listen to the episode tootle over to EQMM Mystery Podcast

Free Cozy Mystery Audio Book: A Quirky Mystery With A Pug

AI? Doesn't sound different to me.

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he decided to make a stop at YouTube. There he found a free cozy mystery audio book.

 

Celia Kinsey's audio book, Something Borrowed, Something Chewed, is 1 hour and 17 minutes long. It's AI narrated and free on YouTube.

Panzer says, "It's a short novel."

 

To listen to the audio book tootle over to Cozy Mystery Audio Book

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Fiction Podcast

When Panzer was out tootling around in the Catosphere, he found an interesting mystery episode for you at the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Fiction Podcast.

I'm finished for the day.

The episode is The Man Who Read John Dickson Carr by William Brittain. It's a story which appeared in the December 1965 issue of the magazine. 

 

The episode is 17 minutes long and narrated by Josh Pachter.

Click on the play button at the top on the left side.

Enjoy the story.

 

To listen to the podcast tootle over to EQMM Podcast

 

Auto Narrated Audio Books - Google Play Books

As Panzer was napping he rudely shaken from his kitty bed by clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Not particularly happy with the situation, he got into the Panzermobile and followed all the hullabaloo to the Google Play Books site.

Now ... I'll try again.

There he discovered Google has a new service to turn you book into an AI narrated audio book. All the instructions are available at the site. In the description it does say the service works for nonfiction books. After you list the book for sale on Google Play Books you can download the file and sell it at other sites that "accept AI narrated audio books."

Panzer says, "It does look interesting, but always read all the terms and FAQs."

 

 Note: Since you'll be busy reading, watching and doing, don't bring anything to eat or drink today.

 

To read about Google Play AI audio books tootle over to Auto Narrated Audio Books

Audible Letter Petition - The Authors Guild

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he made a stop at the Authors Guild site. There our traveling kitty boy found a letter The Authors Guild plans to send to Audible-ACX. Panzer told you about Audible's membership program that touts the return and exchange of authors' audio books.

 

The Authors Guild letter lays out all the reasons the return/exchange program is unfair to authors and the narrators of their audio books. The Authors Guild is soliciting authors and their supporters' signatures on the letter. The Guild would like to collect 25,000 signatures.

 

Please help.

Panzer says, "It might seem like you're saving yourself money by returning and/or exchanging an audio book, but you're really costing the audio book author and the narrator money when you do it."

 

Note: It's a medium length letter. Bring a cup of tea to drink while you read it.

 

To read the full letter and add your name, tootle over to Letter to Audible

To read Panzer's previous post tootle over to #Audiblegate

Draft2Digital Adds Audiobook Distribution via Findaway Voice - The Digital Reader

Panzer had hardly entered the Catosphere today when he heard clapping and cheering ahead of the Panzermobile. Following all the hullabaloo took our speedy kitty to The Digital Reader site. There he found a post about Draft2Digital's newest service.

According to the post by The Digital Reader site owner Nate Hoffelder, ebook distributor Draft2Digital is now offering audiobook distribution through partner Finaway Voice. If you already have an audiobook, Findaway Voice will distribute it through their platform. Or, you can produce your audiobook using Findaway Voice's narrators and, then, they will distribute the audiobook through their platform. Findaway Voice has a distribution network that spans more than 170 countries.

Watch out Smashwords.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Audiobook production and distribution ... Draft2Digital just keeps adding services for indie authors."

Note: This is a medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and one a half muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Draft2Digital

ACX Launches in Canada, Ireland - The Digital Reader

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere the Panzermobile was suddenly buffeted and knocked around by cheering and clapping. Our strong kitty pilot nearly lost control of his ship. Following all the hullabaloo took him to The Digital Reader site. With no digging at all he discovered the news about Audible Creation Exchange (ACX) that was causing all the noise.

Mom says I have a nice speaking voice.

It turns out, according to a post by site owner Nate Hoffelder that Audible Creation Exchange (ACX) is making their services available in Canada and Ireland. ACX gives authors and publishers the ability to make audiobooks by either narrating their books and stories themselves or hiring a narrator to do it for them. Publishers generally hire a narrator rather than ask the author to narrate their work. When approached, narrators audition with the hope of being hired. Until now ACX's services have only been available to authors and publishers in the U.S. and the U.K. Mr. Hoffelder's post includes a link to the original announcement from ACX.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... It's a whole new opportunity for this little kitty."

Note: This is a short post. Bring a cup of tea for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Audible Creation Exchange

Marketing ACX Audiobooks

ACX here I come!

Panzer parked the Panzermobile over at Joanna Penn's The Creative Penn blog today. He was looking for ideas for marketing audiobooks. Turns out Joanna had done a post on just that subject.


Not only does Joanna explain how audiobooks are beginning to gain a market share, she also has five tips for marketing your ACX audiobook. In addition there's a section giving tips for choosing a narrator, producing your audiobook and distributing your audiobook to Amazon.

To learn about producing your own audiobook, tootle over to Audiobooks Marketing