Month: October 2017

Audiobook Company Comparison: ACX vs Findaway Voices

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Author Resource, children's, Fantasy, mystery , , , , ,
Published through ACX.
Published through Findaway Voices

Part 1: Production

Introduction:

Recently, I had the unique opportunity to test the audiobook creation process of two different companies for creating audiobooks: ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) and Findaway Voices. It’s not a true experiment because there are too many variables, but I happened to have two short stories to produce simultaneously.

 

The Contenders:

ACX – Audiobook Creation Exchange

Besides being around a while, it has become the behemoth to beat simply because it’s an Amazon company. By default, that means it’s got major moving power when it wants to. On the flip side, it’s a massive company, therefore some things can fall by the wayside.

Major advantages: They have access to a lot of narrators. You as an author have way more control over the narrator selection process. Pacing’s ultimately up to you and the narrator you choose.

Hint: Try to find somebody who’s reliable and great with communication. It will make a world of difference in the long run.

Major flaw: They’re business practices kind of stink. In short, they’re out for the bottom line, not really you as an artist. To be fair, part of this problem stems from them being so big. Must be difficult to be so popular.

 

Findaway Voices – Draft to Digital Associate

This company’s a relative newcomer to the audiobook creation scene (at least to me).

UPDATE:

Note: You can use them with Kindle Direct Select titles but in that case you HAVE to go directly through Findaway Voices, not through Draft to digital and then Findaway. Basically, the ebook has to be exclusive to Amazon’s program for the length of time you have it in select. But you have more freedom with the audiobook.

Major advantage: They publish to far more platforms than ACX. Their customer service is top-notch, and they walk you through the audiobook process. Your share of the royalties will be much greater than with ACX (80%, I think).

Major flaw: By default, they’re a “middleman.” Everything takes longer when you involve more people.

Note: These will cover the Author side because that’s where my experience lies.

 

The ACX Process:

Step 1: Authors decide they want to publish an audiobook. Yay.

Step 2: Authors create an ACX account (basically, sign in with your Amazon.com account) and assert their rights to a title.

Step 3: Choose an excerpt and decide whether you want to do Royalty Share or PFH (pay per finished hour).

Step 4: Wait for auditions. Guess this one can vary a bit, but I’d recommend browsing narrators and sending the top 10 an invite to audition.

Step 5: Choose a narrator and offer them a contract. They accept!

Step 6: Review the audiobook files with the manuscript as the narrator uploads them to ACX. Send the narrator time-stamped corrections and any other directions within reason. Review the revisions!

Step 7: Review the whole audiobook, hit approve, and wait for it to pass quality assurance. Note: this is sound quality assurance not editing for mistakes. This typically takes 2 weeks.

Note: PFH offers attract a LOT more auditions.

Second Note:

Royalty Share is a double-edged sword and rarely outright profitable for the narrator. Essentially, the narrator accepts the responsibility for creating the audiobook and splits the royalties with the author. On the other hand, with ACX’s push for Bounties over royalties, getting a bunch of small RS projects might be profitable.

Third Note:

I had an issue with one of my books not going to production for several months, but it turns out that was a matter of my narrator not hitting the confirmation button from his side that says I paid him.

Findaway Voices Production Process:

Step 1: Author decides they want to publish an audiobook. Sweet.

UPDATE:

Step 2: I thought the book had to be published through Draft to Digital but it appears they’re merely associate companies that refer business to each other. So if you go through Findaway directly, you should be okay with Kindle Direct Publishing Select Titles.

Step 3: Click on the “Create an Audiobook” button. You may have to search for it by clicking on the “Other Formats” button.

Step 4: Fill out the paperwork for your tax information, cover, book manuscript, and such while you wait. In a few days, they say 1-7, they’ll get back to you with a selection of 7-ish narrators.

Step 5: Browse the narrators by listening to their samples. Choose a few to invite to submit an audition.

Step 6: Wait some more. The rep from Findaway Voices will let you know when they have some auditions for you to compare.

Step 7: Choose a narrator and wait for the first 15 minutes. This is where I’m at right now. It should take another 3-7 days to get this.

Step 8: Review the files and give feedback through their commenting system. Review the updated files. Approve.

Note:

It took way longer to get the book through the publishing process because they had an issue with my cover and took two weeks to tell me they had an issue with the cover. Then, once I fixed the problem, it took another two weeks for them to tell me that the fix was fine.

Which Company is Better for You?

The answer depends entirely on your personality and financial situation.

Some things to consider …

Findaway Voices is only available for PFH. That means, if you have no budget for this process and must go RS, they’re out of the race and ACX is your winner.

If you hire a narrator through ACX, you have to be exclusive to Amazon companies and ones they negotiate special deals with, like iTunes. In terms of choice and freedom, Findaway Voices wins hands-down.

If you’re a control freak, ACX probably edges out the competition here. You have direct access to your narrator every step of the way.

If you’re somebody who likes to be guided and helped along the way, Findaway Voices can fulfill that mentoring role. They’ve got a lot of experience at this.

If you’re really good at selling people Audible subscriptions, ACX will be more profitable.

If you’d like a bigger piece of the pie you made, Findaway Voices is your answer.

ACX provides you with codes to help promote your book. Findaway Voices offers your book in WAY more places.

 

Conclusion:

I’m probably going to continue using both companies. They fulfill different niches. The PFH model means that you have to shell out more money at once, but you can probably find a “cheaper” narrator through Findaway Voices because they will help you keep to people in your price range. I’ll have to see how sales do on multiple platforms vs. Amazon exclusive. Shorter projects will likely end up with Findaway Voices. Jury’s still out on whether longer projects will work that way.

 

New to Draft2Digital? Check it out. (Note: this is a referral link. It will basically tell them I sent you.)

 

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible – If you buy some of my audiobooks with your first credits, I’ll pay the first month’s bill (beyond the free ones). (Terms and conditions: must have proof of purchasing my books, like a screenshot. Will also have to have paypal.)

Random: Forge of Empires Review and Negotiation Tutorial

Julie Gilbert game reviews , , ,

Introduction:

Thousands of games suck up countless hours. Some feel like a waste of time because they feel like they’re going nowhere (i.e. Island Experiment), while others keep things interesting by providing long term and short term challenges. I’ve not played Civilizations, though I’m told it’s similar to Forge of Empires.

 

Rating: 4.5/5

It’s not perfect. Plundering is the single most annoying aspect of the game. My personal policy is to fight people for the tournament points but not bother plundering. You don’t need the goods if you build a few resource factories. It mostly just ticks your neighbors off.

Taverns:

Cool new edition (within the last year or so) to the game. You get to visit the taverns of your friends. When they visit your tavern, you earn silver. This silver can be spent on bonuses. The single most useful thing you can buy is a 4th round for negotiations. The second most useful item I’ve found is the City Shield. You get new neighbors every two weeks or so, but it’s inevitable that sometimes you’re going to be paired with those super-annoying people who have all day to fight and plunder people.

Neighbors:

The majority of people in the game are there for fun and don’t bother others. Like in real life, exceptions to this exist. Sometimes, it helps if you kindly ask them to stop plundering you. Other times, it makes matters worse because they’re miserable, vindictive human beings. Go with the flow. Use a City Shield as needed but also do things like schedule when you can collect your goods the second they pop up.

Guild Expeditions:

One of the best aspects of the game is the ability to join a guild and participate in Guild Expeditions. Every week, starting on Tuesday at 8:00 AM server time GE starts. I fight my way as far as I can. Typically, that means the middle of the third round. A few months ago, the game designers added a harder 4th level with better rewards. After that, I negotiate.

How to Win at GE Negotiations:

Step 1: Go to your tavern and activate the 15 minute 4th turn. It’s third down on the left in the Resources Boost tab of the Tavern Shop. (You could get 30 minutes, but 15 is typically plenty. Remember, you only get 8 turns unless you win some as prizes.)

Step 2: Use process of elimination. By that, I mean choose everything. If you have 10 things to test, do the top five and the bottom five. Your goal here is to find out what’s NOT a choice. Every wrong guess will be marked with red. Every correct guess will be green, and every correct item in the wrong slot will be yellow. These are what you’re looking for.

Step 3: Once you know what is a part of the negotiation for that round, randomly place the yellow ones in slots that are different from the one they showed up in yellow. Here’s where you want them to turn green.

Step 4: Use process of elimination to continue placing the remaining yellow ones into new slots. If you do this well and get a little lucky, you will be able to guess a few of them then easily place the remaining ones.

Step 5: If you have to, use 10 diamonds to get a 5th round of guesses only if you’re reasonably certain that you can get it in that last round.

Notes about Negotiations:

  • If you happen to hit 3 of the green ones in your first random guess, you might want to cut your losses and start over. (It’s really difficult to do process of elimination with only two slots available to test new items.)
  • Diamonds initially can cost some real world money, but now with GE, you should be able to win enough at random through the rounds you can fight through to at least get a start. I’ve never gone negative overall because several of the higher rounds offer 50 or 100 diamonds as the prize.
  • Wait and start this method when you have 7 or 8 attempts so you can get the farthest. With the limited number of attempts, there’s usually no reason to go for the 30 minutes.

Conclusion:

It’s a game. Have fun. Enjoy yourself. Be nice to people.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible – If you buy some of my audiobooks with your first credits, I’ll pay the first month’s bill (beyond the free ones). (Terms and conditions: must have proof of purchasing my books, like a screenshot. Will also have to have paypal.)

Author Interview: Tony Gavin – Author of The Kill Shot

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Author Resource, Western, Writing ,

 

Introduction:

Guess I’m sort of on an interview kick. Got a ton of other articles to write, but it’s nice to talk to real people sometimes too. Today, we get to meet Tony Gavin, author of The Kill Shot. I’ve not yet experienced this book but I’m looking forward to reviewing the audio. Welcome, Tony.

 

What do you do for fun?

Until a recent spinal injury robbed me of the pleasure, I enjoyed competition shooting, horse riding and archaeology. Since then, writing has become the prime pleasure in my life. I still accompany my wife (A professional archaeologist) on archaeological digs and adventures and have travelled extensively around the world with her over our 35 years together.

Who or what inspires you the most?

Without a doubt I would not be writing today if it were not for the inspiration received during a chance encounter with Jenna Miller of ‘Ravenna old and new west vestures’ fame. She was my riding partner and wrangler on a dood ranching vacation and she just oozed western spirit and enthusiasm.

About your writing:

What other writers/people do you consider inspirational? If they’re authors, what about their work captures your interest?

I enjoy books by Ken Farmer as well the late Max Brand and Louis L’Amour. They bring the wild west to life in a way that I can only aspire to achieve.

What got you into writing?

My writing began only five years ago with a script for an independent movie production company. Born out of necessity (Keeping down the cost of the short) I wrote the script myself after studying and learning the required skills online. The experience was successful and more importantly enjoyable. Therefore almost immediately I re-wrote that story as a full length book. From there I have progressed to producing number of books, e-books, audiobooks, digital braille books, stage plays and screen plays. All with varying degrees of success.

What is your writing process?

For me the hardest decision is which project to complete next. I still work full time so my time for writing is limited, which is not the case with my ideas. There must be 15 to 20 outlines for various scripts and books just waiting in line. I tend to rotate between the different writing disciplines unless a deadline is looming near.

When do you consider a work complete?

I tend to finish a project and then set it aside for a month or two and come back to it. It’s surprising how many faults that are found when you do this.

About your book:

Are there any deep themes or messages in the book the readers should be aware of?

In “The Kill Shot” in particular, what is little known and appreciated is the amount of research that has gone into the book. The characters in the book are mostly real people. Camillus Fly the famous photographer of the time for example. Even the lesser throw away characters such as Louis Souc the check in clerc, Gus Westcamp the porter and Mary Tack a housekeeper were all real people working in the Occidental Hotel in 1883. I use them in a fictitious manner of course but I like to imagine that their lives were as exciting as I make them.

What gave you the idea for this book?

I noticed the vast number of photographs of dead people taken back in the 1800’s and researched the reason for this macabre subject. A photographic record was a less stinky means of proving a bounty hunters kills to the authorities to collect a reward than delivering a rotting corpse in person. Hence the title “The Kill Shot.”

How long did the book take to write?

Off and on, just over a year.

Who designed the cover?

I went for a different design for the audiobook cover from that on the paperback just to set them apart. It was created by a good friend of mine, Gavin Rymill.

 

About Other Books:

Do you write in other genres?

Yes. I use the pseudonym Pastor Pat Lalor for the “Godly Law” series of Christian based books for younger people.

 

Tell us about one other book or series and why it’s important to you.

The Dictionary of the American West by Win Blevins has been invaluable to me for finding words and phrases used in the 1880’s.

 

Random:

What’s one thing very few people know about you?

I was born in England, UK.

What are you non-writing hobbies or interests?

In addition to the hobbies listed above I am a follower of Cowboy Mounted Shooting. The fastest growing equine sport in the USA right now.

(Me: Sounds like fun.)

Conclusion:

Thanks for joining us today, Tony. Please tell the readers how to get in touch with you.

Social Media Links:

https://www.facebook.com/MicroMovieStudios/

https://www.facebook.com/PastorPatLalor/

 

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible

Audiobook Edge Interviews: Rachel Jamieson – Music Composer

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Author Resource, children's, Kindle books, Reader Resource , , , ,

 

Introduction:

Let’s try something a little different and chat with a lady who love music. Rachel Jamieson isn’t the author or illustrator for Mandy and Mitch and the Big Brave Boots. She’s the musician.

First, let’s meet the lady.

About this Work:

What brought you to working on this project?

I was approached by a friend of mine who is a director and with whom I have worked on a number of short films in the past. She had a new project on the go which turned out to be a children’s audiobook written by a friend of hers. The intention of the audiobook was to use a fun story with relatable characters to help children begin to talk about things like anxiety. I loved the whole idea of the project and knew it was something I wanted to be involved with.

 

What was the hardest part of bringing this story to life?

As the composer for the project, my role was to bring the story to life through music. The story is all about emotions, so the fundamental purpose of the music was to help convey the emotions that Mitch experiences. This was probably the hardest part, trying to really conjure up how it feels to be scared or feel brave through the music. That said, it was also the most enjoyable aspect of the project because it was very rewarding listening to the music transform alongside Mitch.

What would you say to someone who thinks music gets in the way in audiobooks?

I do understand that some people feel music can be a distraction in audiobooks and so it is the composer’s responsibility to handle the music sensitively and know when music is needed and when it isn’t. If done well, music can add so much to an audiobook because it provides instant atmosphere. Also, a strong score can be a unique selling point for an audiobook that really makes it stand out.

 

About you:

What drew you to writing music for audiobooks?

I grew up listening to audiobooks, everything from the BBC Narnia series to Malory Towers. In the Narnia audiobooks, in particular, I experienced how powerful music could be in audiobooks and how it could really add an extra dimension. So, I loved working on an audiobook because I knew how effective music could be and wanted to write music which would help create the world of the story.

Do you have a process when you approach a work? Please describe it for us.

I listen to the audiobook and talk to the director about their vision for the audiobook and what they want from the music. With ‘Mandy and Mitch’ I knew, right from the start, I needed to produce a strong melody that would capture Mandy and Mitch’s personalities. In addition, I wanted music that could be easily adapted to convey the emotions that Mitch experiences. So, I guess the first step is getting to know the characters and deciding what the overall sound of the music should be.

From there, it’s also very important, especially with music for audiobooks, to work out how much music is needed. Deciding where music is needed and where more space should be left for the narration can be key. With ‘Mandy and Mitch’ the director wanted music throughout, which meant I had free reign to really have fun with the music.

Random Questions:

What’s one random thing people don’t really know about you?

That’s a tricky one, maybe that I can juggle and one of my favourite things to do is go to a park and play catch!

If you could only leave 1 lasting impression on the world, what would it be?

Maybe that we should all just be nicer to each other. We could make so much difference if we all just took the time to be kind and go out of our way to help others.

Do you have other hobbies? What do you do to relax?

I used to play a lot of table tennis when I was younger, but I love pretty much all racket sports. Playing a sport helps me unwind and take my mind off things.

What kind of movies do you enjoy?

I love dramas. When I watch a film, I want to be moved by it and feel something for the characters. My current favourite film is ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ because of the acting and incredible true story basis. Plus, I love the soundtrack, which is a bonus!

Is this the only composing you do? If you do other forms of composing which is your favorite and why?

I have been a composer for a couple of years now. It awesome and varied work. I have worked on lots of short films, three feature films and a number of commercial projects. I love writing for feature films in particular because one of my favourite aspects of composing is creating melodic themes. The length of a feature film gives me space to develop that and use that development to tell a story.

Do you get to read for fun? Do you have a favorite genre to read for fun?

I studied English Literature at university so have always enjoyed reading. I like reading lots of different genres but one of my current favourite books is ‘On the Road’. When I read a book I want it to really take me somewhere, so any book that does that in whatever genre is good for me.

How do we get in contact with you?

Come visit my website: www.racheljamieson.com/

Or find me on Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/racheljamieson.music/

https://soundcloud.com/racheljamiesonfilmmusic

Conclusion:

Very cool. It was nice to meet you, Rachel. Thanks for sharing your passion for music with us.

 

Associate links to follow…

Music only:

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible

Awesome Audiobooks: 4.5/5 The Pygmy Dragon by Marc Secchia

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, dragons, Fantasy, Reader Resource , , ,

 

Introduction:

Whenever you pick up a book by Marc Secchia, you can expect epic adventure. He’s created quite a wide world of dragons, shapeshifters, and humans locked in strife.

The Review:

Summary: Pip gets snatched away from her family and put in a zoo. There she befriends Hoonago (sorry about spelling, I heard the audiobook), a giant ape-like creature. After that, she’s rescued/ kidnapped by a dragon and taken to a dragonrider school.

Additional Comments:
– World Building – 5/5 The story’s full of imagination and neat world-building. The story fits within the same world as Aranya, though if asked to compare, I think that book’s better.
– Pip’s kind of a fun character.
– Pacing 3/5 – Parts of this book are unnecessarily long. I heard the audioversion, which made those sections bearable, but I don’t think it really got to the “meat” of the story until quite a few hours in. The time spent describing the zoo could easily have been halved and still given readers a feel for the horrors Pip faced.
– The end didn’t have as much closure as I like, but it’s still a good story.

  • Content warning: Recommended for upper teens and adults. While there’s nothing I’d consider steamy by any stretch, there are a few references to nudity and subtle suggestive comments made by some of the characters.

Conclusion: If you like dragons, Marc’s definitely a writer to check out.

Conclusion:

This is the second story I’ve listened to by this author. The narrator did a decent job, but I didn’t love his voice as I did with the narrator of Aranya. I know it’s a companion book, but it still sort of suffered sequel syndrome of not quite being as good as the first book experienced. That said, it’s still a solid fantasy read.

Associate links to follow…


Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible

Awesome Audiobooks: The Automaton’s Wife by Vered Ehsani

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, ghosts, mystery, Paranormal, Reader Resource , ,

Introduction:

This story picks up roughly where The Ghosts of Tsavo left off. The series is pretty cool if you’re into strange characters. The narrator’s perfect for the part.

Review:

5/5 Charming, Witty, Weird

Summary: Bee’s back and she’s got her hands full. There’s murder and mayhem afoot and bigger crises like warding off would-be suitors.

Additional Comments:

– I think I’ve said it before: this is my brand of weird. That said, it’s probably not going to be everybody’s cup of tea. If you’re in the mood for a serious book, definitely wrong series.

– If you’re in the mood for fun and weird, definitely a great series to try.

– The series combines the charm of Alexander McCall Smith’s #1 Detective Agency with the random, wacky weirdness of Seth Graham Smith’s Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies.

– I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks lately and these are always a light-hearted bit of escapism.

– The character has a few quirks that can come across as annoying, especially in the way she describes things. But overall, it’s still highly entertaining.

– I find the blurb a tad misleading after you’ve heard or read the story, but if you enjoyed the first story, I see no reason for you to dislike this one. If this is your introduction to the series, you might want to grab book one so you have some context.

Conclusion: Decent entry in an awesome series.

Conclusion:

I’ve listened to dozens of audiobooks this year, and I have to say, this series is one of my favorites. They’re very, very strange, but quirky little mysteries. Most of the charm’s in the characters.

-Jules

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible

Audiobook Reviews: Christmas and Ghosts – 3 Books by Paul Fitz-George

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, ghosts, London, Paranormal, Reader Resource , , ,

Something New, Something Strange …

The review this round is going to be a tad different than normal. I’m reviewing three different books by the same author. Paul Fitz-George writes about ghosts. He’s a bit of a supernatural historian.

The Reviews …

4/5 The West End Ghost Book: A Ghostly Gallivant Through London’s Haunted Heartland

Summary: Sort of a who’s who of creepy ghosts and where to find them in London.

Additional Comments:

– Kind of glad that I didn’t have this book before my trip to London.

– I heard the audio version. The narrator did a lovely job with the performance, but some of the titles were really hard to distinguish because of the sound effect used to make it even creepier.

– It’s like an occult history book. I found it interesting because it’s vastly different from my usual listening fare.

Conclusion: If you’re up for some ghosts, give this a go.

4/5 The Whitby Ghost Book

Summary: A peek into the supernatural goings on in Whitby, England.

Additional Comments:

– Writing and narration are both good, though I could do without the sound effects. Sometimes they help, but in this case, they just made some sections hard to hear.

– Cover’s pretty creepy, but it fits the mood nicely.

– A nice companion piece to the West End Ghost Book (though I think this one was actually the first book).

Conclusion: Historical supernatural accounts. Not exactly sure what to call them.

4/5 Christmas Customs of Old Whitby by Paul Christopher Fitz-George

Summary: A super-short, niche book about Christmas customs in an old English town.

Additional Comments:

– The title sort of says it all.

– I heard the audioversion. The narrator fit the project well.

– If you’re into history, it might be a good fit for you.

Conclusion:

Small slice of history with a touch of weird.

Conclusion:

Paul Fitz-George’s works definitely fall outside the realm of normal, but they’re fun and short overall. He’s got two narrators: Time Winters and Petrina Kingham. Both handle their respective stories well. I’d listen to more works by them.

As Always …

If you want the chance to get the audiobook for free, please join Audiobook Readers’ Edge.

If you’re an author (or a narrator) with an audiobook you’d like featured, sign up for Audiobook Authors’ Edge.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Julie C. Gilbert

Audiobook Edge and it’s Matchmaker Program are completely free now, but if you wanna donate anyway, go for it 😉

Er, just do it as a friend b/c otherwise, you’re basically just paying paypal.


Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible

Awesome Audiobooks: 4.5/5 Lost and Found by Amy Shojai

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, drama, mystery, Reader Resource , , ,

Introduction:

The story falls in the category of “far-fetched” but still fun.

Summary:

It’s like the adult version of a horrible, no good, very bad day. This woman – September Day – knows how to find trouble in spades.

Additional Comments:

  • Warning: Contains strong language throughout. And a bit of violence.
  • Plot’s kind of out there, but that can add to the charm.
  • The author does a decent job narrating her own story. Not a huge fan of the concept of self-narrating, but she does decent sound effects and voice variation.
  • I love Shadow! Feel like I should get a T-shirt with that emblazoned on it. He’s adorable. I could go either way on sections of a book being written from a dog’s point of view, but it’s done well here.
  • Some of the “bad guys” aren’t really believable, but it’s good to have some moral ambiguity to wrestle with. (sometimes)
  • The part about drug trials is realistic enough.
  • Loved the end twist. I had heard book 2 first, so I might have known it already, but I’d forgotten enough.
  • There are quite a few perspectives to keep track of, not all of them necessary. But the skipping around didn’t bother me in audio form.
  • I love how ordinary September is. That makes her an awesome heroine.

Conclusion:

Don’t think too hard about plausibility. Grab the audiobook and enjoy the wild ride.

 

* I received a copy of the audiobook, but the choice to review it as well as the opinions expressed here are my own.

As Always …

If you want the chance to get the audiobook for free, please join Audiobook Readers’ Edge.

If you’re an author (or a narrator) with an audiobook you’d like featured, sign up for Audiobook Authors’ Edge.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Julie C. Gilbert

Audiobook Edge and it’s Matchmaker Program are completely free now, but if you wanna donate anyway, go for it 😉

Er, just do it as a friend b/c otherwise, you’re basically just paying paypal.

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible

Audiobook Reviews: 4/5 A Memory of Grief by Dale T. Phillips

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, mystery, Reader Resource , ,
Haunting cover

Introduction:

The cover’s a bit more haunting than it probably ought to be. It’s one of the few times that I don’t think it fits well unless you want to get deeply philosophical about the main character’s mood.

Summary: Zack Taylor’s told his best friend just committed suicide, but he knows better … and he’s going to prove it.

Additional Comments:

– Warning – not a “clean” book. Contains half a dozen f-bombs and plenty of violence.

– It’s a bit like a Jack Reacher book in that certain people get pounded and you still end up rooting for the good guy.

– There’s a romance subplot that the book could have done without. It’s not that it was bad, but it seemed a tad forced.

– The characters are likable – or unlikable – as they’re supposed to be. That’s always fun. I also enjoyed the fact that the main character isn’t invincible, but he’s still admirable and tough as nails.

– There are a few light-hearted moments. The descriptions are decent.

– I heard the narrated version. Although I can’t say the narrator’s voice is my favorite, he fits the character well and put on a solid performance. I would listen to another of his books.

Conclusion:

Mystery that provides an excellent excuse for the main character to bust people’s heads (and arms and whatnot). Highly enjoyable if you can stomach the violence.

As Always …

If you want the chance to get the audiobook for free, please join Audiobook Readers’ Edge.

If you’re an author (or a narrator) with an audiobook you’d like featured, sign up for Audiobook Authors’ Edge.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Julie C. Gilbert

Audiobook Edge and it’s Matchmaker Program are completely free now, but if you wanna donate anyway, go for it 😉

Er, just do it as a friend b/c otherwise, you’re basically just paying paypal.

Associate links to follow…

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4 More Freebies – Grab Bag – Children’s, Romance, Fantasy

Julie Gilbert children's, Fantasy, middle grade, Reader Resource , , , , ,
Cover reminds me of old school classics.

Introduction:

We’ve moved from weird to romance. Now, let’s settle on sweet and nostalgic and romantic. Eh, life’s like a box of chocolates and all that.

Children’s Tale

He Whistles for the Cricket by Gwen Walker

I can’t make heads or tails of that title, but the story sounds lovely.

Second Chance at Love

Still Falling by Crystal Walton

Okay, so maybe there’s still a bit of romance here. They do look cute together.

A Wee Bit of Fantasy

The Movement of Crowns by Nadine Keels

The heir to a crown balances duty and love.

YA Action and Adventure

A Measure of Disorder by Alan Tucker

Goblins, fairies, dragons, and middle schoolers … recipe for interesting.

Conclusion:

Besides being free, I admit these have little to do with each other. But grab bags and randomness can be fun too.

 

Yaddah, yaddah, blah, blah – links below are associate ones.


Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible