The Misfits of Carnt Are Coming to Audio
I’m here to announce that the Misfits of Carnt series got purchased by an audiobook publisher called Podium Audio. That’s big news for me because I’ve never sold the rights to anything before. It’s also big news for you because you’ll get to experience one of my book series in the way it’s meant to be experienced, through audiobook. Not only will it be professionally produced, but the narrator, Rebecca Woods they secured for the book is talented. Not only is she good with accents, but she had fantastic comic timing.
And in case you’re wondering (being that the magic of Carnt is cast with singing), are you going to hear a cover song of Adele when Jack raises the dead? Sadly, no. Even using the lyrics is copyright infringement to the music industry. That’s why all my musical references are all song title and artist only. Anything else walks a line that I cannot cross.
Maybe one day, if the story was ever popular enough, I can go back and afford the licensing agreements to use actual songs in the book. But this is my first audiobook deal, and the first time any sort of publishing company is taking a risk on me, I need to prove to them that I’m worth the investment.
And I think the Misfits of Carnt will be worth their investment because I believe this series (and my work more generally) was meant for audiobook. When I write, I listen to everything before I publish. My final edit, the one that tells me this story is ready for the world, is done through text-to-speech. When I write, I hear the voices of the characters in my head. For me writing is more of an auditory experience.
Rebecca nailed those voices, as if she was listening to my thoughts as I wrote it. I’ve been writing the third book these past few months and am in the editing phase. I find myself going back and hearing her voice in my head. The same thing happened to me with the Wheel of Time audiobooks, I cannot read those books without hearing the narrators in my head. Suffice it to say that her performance is fantastic.
Not only that but comedy is best experienced with a group of friends. I’m serious about this, back in college, I was part of a sketch comedy group, and one of the shows had six people in the audience on opening night. We got a chuckle or two, but it tanked. We all felt bad, like it was the worst production we ever wrote, and a dumpster fire of a play. The next night, it was packed, people were laughing, it was one of our best shows we ever did.
With the Misfits of Carnt being on audio, that means people can get together and listen to the book with their friends. When it comes out on audio, I implore you, get together and do a Misfits of Carnt night. If the thought of meeting for many nights to listen to the whole thing doesn’t sound feasible, take your favorite chapter, gather your friends, and listen.
Laughter is infectious and is best experienced in a group. What may generate a smile while reading can be gut bustingly funny with friends. If you want an experience with your friends, then listen to the book with them. There’s a reason why Monty Python films were wildly successful in the United States when they were first released, the films were a limited release and packed a comedy hungry audience into a theater, and after they all laughed together, they went home and quoted to each other for years to come.
The Misfits of Carnt was written for that communal experience that one could quote later to make each other laugh. Now, it will be available in a form where one can experience that together. There really isn’t any other type of audiobook meant for listening parties. Imagine getting all your friends together for a titillating romance or depressing triple axe murder book. I’m not saying those aren’t fun to put on your queue, I’m just saying that those are books that people read and get together later to talk about.
The Misfits of Carnt are books that you can experience together. Comedy is better together, and at the very least it will be a unique party idea.
You can get the audiobook here.
