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[Jordan]

I finished DOAPK this morning on my freezing cold walk into work. Wow. Just wow. The ending nearly had me in tears!

I was going to listen to DG on Sunday, but not having a device for it yet, this will be a good opportunity to listen to one of the other books I bought a few months ago. Just picking one will be a problem. :-P

A Reason To Believe
Widdershins
American Love Songs
Life After Joe

Hmmm...

[HJ]

Life After Joe

[Mtsnow13]

I just got myself the Armed and Dangerous: Four Dangerous Ground Novellas, Volume 1 compilation on Audible. Yay me!

I didn't realize this was coming out this month, so I am very glad I waited on what I wanted to gift myself for Christmas.. (looks like audible is having up to 40% off until the 20th on most of their other titles). I'm so excited! This will be so nice to listen to on the long drive to Portland :)

[Jordan]

Joe was my pick too. I need to read more from Harper Fox and this book is less like what I've been reading lately. Much as I love cops and murder mysteries, taking a break before I get overloaded sounds like a good plan to me.

[Becky]

I woke up having a coughing fit about 3:30 last night (what the heck was that about?) So I listened to the last chapter of Old Poison to help me doze off again.

Audiobooks, anytime, anywhere! :D

[Anne]

Hj wrote: "Life After Joe"

Yes!

[Jordan]

Audio books are great at night, aren't they? I especially like In Sunshine or in Shadow, myself.

[Josh]

Susinok wrote: "I am caught up on your stuff. Gotta wait for the next one, but I have credits ready to go.

What's next Josh? Kick Start?"

Hopefully today I can listen to the Dark Tide files -- ARGH -- and then Kick Start. And after those two I have to decide what next.

The Haunted Heart series will go into audio, but I'm wondering if I should wait a couple of books or start right away.

I do want to pick that narrator very carefully.

[Josh]

Hj wrote: "Life After Joe"

Love that one.

[Josh]

Jordan wrote: "Joe was my pick too. I need to read more from Harper Fox and this book is less like what I've been reading lately. Much as I love cops and murder mysteries, taking a break before I get overloaded s..."

It's actually reached the point where I wince when I see one of the protags is a cop. I think everyone has concluded LE is the secret to riches and success. :-D

[Tharayn]

The Dark Tide! Oh how I love that book... Can't wait listening to it and how Chris interprets Jake and Adrien in this one.

[Ame]

How was it again? No-elle!!

Heh :)

[Josh]

Ame wrote: "How was it again? No-elle!!

Heh :)"



Shoot. Me.

[Josh]

Tharayn wrote: "The Dark Tide! Oh how I love that book... Can't wait listening to it and how Chris interprets Jake and Adrien in this one."

Listened to six hours worth of it yesterday. :-) I do enjoy Chris's Jake.

[Susinok]

You are TEASING US! No FAIR!

[Josh]

Susinok wrote: "You are TEASING US! No FAIR!"

Hey. it's one of the perks of my job!!!

[HJ]

Josh wrote: "Tharayn wrote: "The Dark Tide! Oh how I love that book... Can't wait listening to it and how Chris interprets Jake and Adrien in this one."

Listened to six hours worth of it yesterday. :-) I do enjoy Chris's Jake...."

So do we! Process it ASAP and then lean hard on Audible to get it up fast - please!

[Sara]

Josh wrote: "Tharayn wrote: "The Dark Tide! Oh how I love that book... Can't wait listening to it and how Chris interprets Jake and Adrien in this one."

Listened to six hours worth of it yesterday. :-) I do enjoy Chris's Jake. "

Don't we all! *sigh*

[Mtsnow13]

I really enjoyed The Dickens With Love! And I received this surprise freebie from Audible tonight...Free 3-1/2 hour classic Christmas Charles Dickens The Cricket on the Hearth on Audible... http://www.audible.com/pd/Classics/Th...

[Anne]

Wrapping gifts and knitting socks and listening to Simple Gifts, such a lovely Advent Sunday :)

[Susinok]

I'm downloading Simple Gifts now, along with Woke Up in a Strange Place by Eric Arvin narrated by Charlie David, and The Return by Brad Boney also narrated by Charlie David.

Looking forward to all of these. I somehow also had a $10 bonus from buying in November, but I could have sworn that the books I bought were all under 14.99. Oh well not going to argue with 'em. I've spent enough money there. :)

[Karen]

Susinok wrote: "I somehow also had a $10 bonus from buying in November, but I could have sworn that the books I bought were all under 14.99."

It seems that they calculated based on the "regular price," instead of the member's price. It confused me at first.

[Jordan]

We do love Jake's voice, don't we?

[Jake]uh huh[\Jake] lol

You got that right!

I just listened to Life After Joe. In the first half hour I wanted to strangle the narrator. His accent was thick, sounded Irish to me, and I felt like he was talking too fast for me to enjoy the story. But by the end I was really into it. I'd gotten used to him and could get into the story which turned out to be very good!

It does make me wonder how the narrator from In From The Cold would have been with this story though.

[Tharayn]

Jordan wrote: "We do love Jake's voice, don't we?

[Jake]uh huh[\Jake] lol

You got that right!

I just listened to Life After Joe. In the first half hour I wanted to strangle the narrator. His accent was thick, ..."

I realzied that sometimes you need a certain time to adjust with a narration. Not everytime it fits perfect with your one imagination like Adrien English series or Dangerous Ground.
In From The Cold is a good example for that, because first I thought "okay... nope, that narration will be troublesome for me". But after a while I couldn't think or wished for a better narration. It was perfect and I loved that.
I mean there are narrations out there I didn't really like until the end and there are narrations which are sometimes a bit over the top but overall entertaining. But sometimes you just have to customize to the narration.

It does make me wonder how the narrator from In From The Cold would have been with this story though.
I often wonder how narrator A or B would interpret a certain story. =)

[HJ]

Jordan wrote: "I just listened to Life After Joe. In the first half hour I wanted to strangle the narrator. His accent was thick, ..."

I just checked this on Audible. It's the one I won't buy, based on the sample, because of the accent. It's supposed to be a Geordie accent, that's the accent for Tyneside, but it's awful. It's mainly the intonation I can't stand, the flatness and upward lift at the end of the sentence.

I'd forgotten that, when you listed the options and I chose this - I was just going on the fact that the book is amazing!

ETA The narrator is of course the one Josh used for The Dickens With Love

[Jordan]

I would have listened to it at some point as I'd already bought it and hadn't heard him speak before. However, this was the perfect length for a four hour train ride.

[Becky]

Hj wrote: "I just checked this on Audible. It's the one I won't buy, based on the sample, because of the accent. It's supposed to be a Geordie accent, that's the accent for Tyneside, but it's awful. It's mainly the intonation I can't stand, the flatness and upward lift at the end of the sentence.
"

Just tried a quick sample and I (as a local!) agree - that's just not right. Geordie is a pretty tough one to get right without it sounding like a total parody. This one sounds too much like a performance of an accent, rather than someone speaking naturally in that accent.

[Becky]

Just got my new credit for the month. I don't have many Lanyons left to get. But I think this month is time for Come Unto These Yellow Sands

[HJ]

Becky wrote: "Just got my new credit for the month. I don't have many Lanyons left to get. But I think this month is time for Come Unto These Yellow Sands"

It's really well done. I loved it all over again, listening to it.

[HJ]

Becky wrote: "Just tried a quick sample and I (as a local!) agree - that's just not right. Geordie is a pretty tough one to get right without it sounding like a total parody. This one sounds too much like a performance of an accent, rather than someone speaking naturally in that accent. ..."

Exactly. You'd spend all your time thinking about the performance rather than hearing the book. It may (or may not) be a good performance for an American, but it should never have been done. Get a local-born actor to do it! Or someone English reading in his normal accent.

[Jordan]

Agreed. I spent my time trying to hear and understand the words. I had to listen hard when I wanted to relax with it. Until I got acclimated to it, that is.

[Susinok]

I am listening to The Dickens With Love.

[Mtsnow13]

I just finished The Adorned and it was beautiful listening to Shannon Gunn's narration.

[Mtsnow13]

Hj wrote: "Jordan wrote: "I just listened to Life After Joe. In the first half hour I wanted to strangle the narrator. His accent was thick, ..."

I just checked this on Audible. It's the one I won't buy, b..."

I agree, as well, that the sample kept me from purchasing that one. Very hard for me to get past the accent. I loved the book, though!

[Josh]

Karen wrote: "Susinok wrote: "I somehow also had a $10 bonus from buying in November, but I could have sworn that the books I bought were all under 14.99."

It seems that they calculated based on the "regular p..."

Oh yeah. They don't miss many tricks.

[Josh]

Hj wrote: "Jordan wrote: "I just listened to Life After Joe. In the first half hour I wanted to strangle the narrator. His accent was thick, ..."

I just checked this on Audible. It's the one I won't buy, b..."

I don't know if it's that ACX won't sign narrators who aren't in the States? No, it can't be that because Alexander J Masters is located in Croatia. I do not understand why there are so very few British narrators on ACX. I mean...almost none.

[Josh]

The other problem though, is it isn't just about the accent. In fact, in all honesty, the accent is not as important as someone who understands the characters and can read well and effectively.

[Susinok]

Josh wrote: "The other problem though, is it isn't just about the accent. In fact, in all honesty, the accent is not as important as someone who understands the characters and can read well and effectively."

Exactly!

You mentioned on your interview with Adrian (with an "a") that people told you that you would have trouble finding men willing to narrate m/m sex scenes. Has that been the case? In all of the books of yours I've listened to so far they have not been at all awkwardly read. The narrator does not sound uncomfortable.

Of course, I've found in other romance books that the narrators plow right through a sex scene with no hesitations, etc., so I suppose a professional can handle anything.

I have no trouble at all with listening to sex of any variety. It's blood and gore I sometimes have to fast forward through. That's has happened often in the JD Robb books and some other mysteries I've listened to.

[HJ]

Josh wrote: "The other problem though, is it isn't just about the accent. In fact, in all honesty, the accent is not as important as someone who understands the characters and can read well and effectively."

I agree that it's essential that the narrator has these qualities. And I know from his other work that the narrator of Life After Joe does have them. But much as I'd love to listen to Harper's books, I can't get past the first two sentences of the sample so I know I'd never be able to listen to this one.

I wonder why ACX has so few English narrators? Many of the "old" audiobooks I used to listen to were very much read rather than performed, so maybe English actors don't really know about voice work? But I'd find that surprising. Maybe they're deterred by the technical aspects, because as they say "ACX requires you to create finished retail-ready audio, not just rough unedited narration", but I don't see why this should disproportionately affect UK actors.

Is it possibly to do with publishers? - when they own the rights and decide they want an audiobook, are they more likely to choose someone in the same country i.e. in most cases the USA? Given that they're dealing with digital media it seems illogical, but ... Why else would a book which is so completely Australian as Tigers and Devils be narrated by an American?

[Josh]

Susinok wrote: "Josh wrote: "The other problem though, is it isn't just about the accent. In fact, in all honesty, the accent is not as important as someone who understands the characters and can read well and eff..."

I had a couple of cases where guys auditioned and then withdrew the audition -- especially at the beginning. But now ACX is flooded with narrators, many of them very new and trying very hard to break into a competitive business, so there's a bigger and better selection of narrators.

Which has been great. I listed Kick Start, contacted Adrian, and in that short span of time -- maybe an hour? -- I'd already received another audition for it!

That's how competitive the narrating is getting.

[Josh]

Hj wrote: "Josh wrote: "The other problem though, is it isn't just about the accent. In fact, in all honesty, the accent is not as important as someone who understands the characters and can read well and eff..."

I don't know. I know I was more than a little disconcerted when I was looking for English narrators.

Now that was a while ago. And the audio book biz has boomed since I listed Strange Fortune, so maybe more English and foreign narrators are getting into the ACX listings? The number of narrators seems like it's tripled in a year, so things are changing fast.

If there is an issue, I'm guessing it has to do with payment. That there are some tax restrictions or payment issues with non-nationals that ACX hasn't worked out yet.

[Jordan]

I MUST recommend Sean Crisden as a fantastic narrator! I just spent 6 hours listening to him read American Love Songs by Ashlyn Kane and he had me laughing a lot. He can read teenage girls, drunk guys in a band, and two guys falling in love with each other and not even knowing it for two years of their life. Of course, it didn't hurt that the story was very good and well written to. I honestly think this story was made for audio. It's a sweet story that I highly recommend.

[Valerie]

Jordan wrote: "I MUST recommend Sean Crisden as a fantastic narrator! I just spent 6 hours listening to him read American Love Songs by Ashlyn Kane and he had me laughing a lot. He can read teenage girls, drunk g..."

He is VERY popular! That's one of my favorite audiobooks, too. :-)

I'm looking forward to listening to him narrate The Dickens With Love. I've been saving it.

[Becky]

Started listening to Come Unto These Yellow Sands last night. I think that will be my last new audiobook of the year. But I'm sure I'll be listening to some old faves over Christmas. Especially while travelling.

[Susinok]

I started the In Sunshine or in Shadow short story collection. I'm about to finish In Plain Sight. Nice narration!

[Josh]

Susinok wrote: "I started the In Sunshine or in Shadow short story collection. I'm about to finish In Plain Sight. Nice narration!"

It seems like most readers are enjoying the change up in narration? I hope so!

[Josh]

Speaking of audio books, LB Gregg and I will be doing a joint audio giveaway on Saturday of our holiday audio books. (The codas go on hold until next Monday.)

I believe all you have to do is comment on our blogs to be entered to win.

[Justacat]

Hi all - I almost never post, but I thought it was worth coming out of lurker-dom to mention that the first 4 of Michael Nava's Henry Rios detective series have been released in audio. I've just started the first, The Little Death: http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-T.... The narrator is Gregory St. John, who I don't know, but so far I think he's excellent and I'm really enjoying it. (Caveat: I'm only less than an hour in.)

I've never read these in print, they've been on my list for a long time. The writing seems superb and is a pleasure to listen to.

There are no reviews yet, which seems sad - it's like they slipped in under the radar. I figured this group is a perfect potential audience!

[Josh]

Justacat wrote: "Hi all - I almost never post, but I thought it was worth coming out of lurker-dom to mention that the first 4 of Michael Nava's Henry Rios detective series have been released in audio. I've just st..."

Hey you!

Thanks for the rec. The books are beautifully written. so glad they've made it into audio.

[Justacat]

Josh wrote: "Justacat wrote: "Hi all - I almost never post, but I thought it was worth coming out of lurker-dom to mention that the first 4 of Michael Nava's Henry Rios detective series have been released in au..."

Hey yourself! :)

Yes, I was immediately impressed by the writing. I've even rewound once or twice just to listen to a particular phrase or passage again. I really love audiobooks, especially for mysteries, but a disadvantage is not being able to slow down to savor or re-read such passages. Then again, sometimes hearing them read aloud enables you to really well, hear, and appreciate, them even more than reading would.