You may have noticed a few DJ titles migrating into the audiobook market this year. So far, Heart Trouble and Bedside Manner have been produced in the Hearts and Health series, and Surprise Groom just released last week! All I Want Is You, last year’s holiday romance, is also due to release within a few weeks for the holiday season.
Venturing into the audio market has been a learning experience for me — especially because I am not a listener myself. I am an unapologetic reader. I love the written word, and when I read, entire worlds come alive in my imagination. And I don’ t have to imagine anything the way the author wanted. I can imagine that character’s accent any which way. I can interpret the cute twink’s snarky reply the way I think it should be said. And I love that freedom.
Of course, with audio, the narrator is doing that work for you. And there’s something to be said for the magic of hearing these characters come alive on audio. I can appreciate the talent narrators bring to the table and the massive challenge they have in bringing someone else’s vision to life. That’s a daunting task, if you think about it!
I’ve been pretty happy with my forays into audio, but it hasn’t been without its hiccups. One of those hiccups is that I am unable to remain with the same narrator who began the Hearts and Health and Marital Bliss series. Regrettably, it was a financial decision — on both sides — but it has led to me getting to know a few more narrators, and really coming to appreciate all the varied styles they represent.
I’ve had to make some tough decisions. Some of them were financial. Some of them were stylistic. But I hope, in the end, readers (listeners?) will appreciate how much work and care goes into every single audiobook they discover.
If you want a preview of what’s to come for Hearts and Health, you need only listen to All I Want Is You when it releases in a few weeks. I’ve signed on to work with narrator Wyatt Baker on the rest of the HH series. I do hope to also continue the Marital Bliss series on audio, but I haven’t yet made a final decision about how to proceed. I’ll keep you posted on future developments!
What about you? Do you love audio, or is reading your one true love? I’d love to hear about your favorite audios and narrators! We’ll just call it field research.
I used to feel the same way about audiobooks as you do but I’ve become a huge fan.
I love audiobooks if done well. Some narrators are just that – they read the book but some are wonderful performers and I love those. I got hooked when I was sick a couple of years ago at Christmas. I spent a week in bed and couldn’t bear the thought of picking up a book (unbelievable for me!).
I had received a long audiobook ARC recently so I began listening to it. I was amazed – I didn’t fall asleep and I was captivated by the story. I could close my eyes and just listen and not think about how bad I felt. After that I began to get more audio ARCs and eventually started building a list of favorite narrators.
The other thing I love about audiobooks it that I can be “reading” while I’m doing other things – like housework or riding in a car. I’ve been able to read so many more books since I started listening to audiobooks.
I think the last two names on my list haven’t done as many audiobooks and might possibly be less expensive than the really well known/popular ones.
In no particular order my favorites are:
Michael Ferraiuolo
Joel Leslie
John Solo
Nick J. Russo
Kirt Graves
Greg Tremblay/Boudreaux
Gary Furlong
Michael Pauley
Sean Crisden
Darcy Stark
Mark James
I did come across samples by Darcy Stark recently, and I loved them! I am definitely considering doing some work with him at some point =) I heard several of the other narrators at a panel at GRL, and I did enjoy many of them!