Blogger: Rachelle Gardner
Like most people these days, agents tend to keep pretty busy, and one thing we’re always doing is READING. My desk is piled high with manuscripts. Okay, I’m lying. There are no piles. There are files in my computer, and more files in the Kindle app on my iPad. They’re virtual piles.
At the top of the piles are manuscripts from my clients. Next in line are manuscripts from people wanting to be my clients. If you imagine those piles never end, you’re right. So the problem for an agent is, how can we take time for pleasure reading? The reading of actual published books? (*gasp* )
We’ve got to find the time to read something besides manuscripts. Otherwise, how will we be savvy, up-to-date, on-top-of-things agents? How will we know what’s going on in publishing if we aren’t actually reading published books? We MUST read. It’s quite a conundrum, trying to find the time, trying to justify reading anything besides those stacks of manuscripts.
Eureka! I’ve found a solution and it’s called Audible.com. I can hardly express how much I love Audible (without gushing all over the place).
There are so many moments in daily life when I can’t read a manuscript, but I CAN listen to my iPod or iPhone. Such as: running, hiking, cleaning my house, folding laundry, cooking dinner, waiting in the carpool line at school, weeding the garden, and watching my daughters in their sports. Thanks to Audible, it’s all potential reading time. And I don’t even appear especially antisocial.
2013 is not even half over, and I’m listening to my 16th audiobook of the year. Some of my favorite listens this year have been:
- Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
- Lean In by Sheryl Sandburg
- To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
- The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
- Benediction by Kent Haruf
And now I’m almost finished with a novel called Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler. Oh. My. Goodness. I’ve enjoyed it so much that over the weekend I desperately needed an excuse to keep listening… so I decided to spend a little more time on housework. I scrubbed and buffed our hardwood floors ’til they looked like new. It was the most fun I’ve ever had cleaning anything. (Trust me, housework isn’t my specialty.)
Right now I’m having a hard time holding myself back from picking up the iPod again…and maybe the mop.
Must… work…….. must… not… listen…
Have you adopted audiobooks yet? Listened to anything good lately?
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I also read a lot of audiobooks while I’m illustrating children’s books! Read at least a dozen books that way while working on NAKED! these past few months, for example. I find I can’t listen to audiobooks during the early phase of book illustration but they’re great once I have the initial sketch layouts worked out.
Wow, that sounds like a great way to work and listen at the same time!
You’ve been plotting with my family, haven’t you??
“Fold the laundry” they said, “and you can even listen to a book” they said.
HA!! This is all just a plot to get clean clothes and meals, isn’t it???
Fancy how you all got Amazon in on it, too. Well, I’m not getting out of my nice comfy chair by the window JUST to provide the basic necessities of life to my children. And I cannot possibly listen to a book at a hockey game, I’m too busy politely suggesting things to the ref in Spanish*. And one cannot hear anything if one is ringing a cowbell.
Or so I’ve heard.
Okay, honestly? This is awesome. Which ones does Morgan Freeman read? Because I’d buy every single one of those.
* Nothing bad, just “hey, I bet you should floss” or “were you born with bad vision because you clearly did not see that puck go offside”. It’s all just stuff I learned on the mission field 😀
I love this, Jennifer. Especially a Canadian girl yelling at a ref in Spanish. 😉
One does not, NOT, yell in French in this neighbourhood. I’m 99.9% sure no one has a clue my Spanish is horrible. But man, I almost sound impressive.
Jennifer, you’re right, I’ve been plotting with your family. That was the inspiration for this post. 🙂
I knew it!! 😉
Jennifer,
Audiobooks are great to take on long plane rides to Bolivia, Italy, or anywhere else you are going. Plus they are good when you are sitting in airport waiting for you next flight.
As for Morgan Freeman you may try “Rabbit Ears Cherished Bible Stories: Parables that Jesus Told, The Savior is Born”.
Thank you!!
I have only listened to one audiobook, a few years ago. Not that I didn’t like it – but years of exposure to unmuffled engines and other loud scary things have left hearing a bit dodgy.
In a burst of what I can only call brilliant cosmic irony, the audiobook I heard was…”The Last Lecture”.
God HAS a sense of humour, and it’s weird.
Was that the one by Randy Pausch?
Yes it was. I listened to that one too. I enjoyed it a lot.
LOVE audiobooks while I’m driving. I’ve just started using them while cooking or cleaning. Addictive.
Me too! They keep me awake when I’m getting a little tired near the end of a journey too. 🙂
Sarah & Jeane —
Addictive is right! When I finish one, I’m always so excited to start a new one!
I love this idea! My brother-in-law used to listen to books during his many hours on the road. Brilliant!
Do you listen to them on an iPod or something? I only have a Shuffle right now. Might have to borrow my hubby’s iPod touch. 🙂
iPod, iPhone, iTouch… they all work.
Good advice, Rachelle. This is an area authors often forget when marketing their books. I was surprised and gratified to find there was an audio version of my latest novel, and that the guy reading it did a great job. If I send you the recording, will you come to our house? The windows certainly could use a cleaning.
Actually, Richard, I’d love to hear your audio. They never send agents copies of those. Do you have any extra copies? If not, perhaps I’ll contact the publisher. Seems like they should be good for ONE gratis audiobook. I would LOVE to hear how yours turned out!
I loved this Rachelle. I bet my boys would LOVE it if I listened to more audiobooks during cleaning—that way they would have fewer chores. 🙂
I’ve listened to audiobooks on CD on my computer and in the car for years. I LOVE them. I haven’t tried Audible yet. I’m going to have to get that onto my iPod. Then I can take them ANYWHERE without lugging my laptop around. 🙂
PS—In case you need another floor to mop, mine are available. And needy. 😉
I listened on CD and tapes for years, but Audible was a game changer. You don’t have to install anything on your iPod or iPhone… they’re ready to go. You just need an Audible account, and away you go!
I’m off to get one. 🙂
Not sure I’d actually clean while listening. I’d probably just sit on the porch with my cup of coffee and do NOTHING. 🙂 I do need to poke around on Audible some more. My book was just published there a month or so ago. Do you call it ‘published’ if it’s an audio? 🙂
Jessie, I find it impossible to listen to a book while doing nothing! I would probably fall asleep.
And yes, of course it’s “published” if it’s on audio!
Audiobooks can be an expen$ive habit – but they can be borrowed for free from the library.
Road trips are when I can enjoy them. And yes, doing housework while listening is awesome. Got through Life of Pi that way.
I was checking out audiobook CDs from the library for years, and before that, um, cassette tapes. I loved getting big, huge unabridged books on tape because I had a big, huge commute to work in LA.
But these days, I’m so “on the go” that it has to be the iPod/iPhone or nothing. I wish I could still do the CDs from the library! But I’m glad the library still has them for those who can benefit.
I don’t know about your library, but mine subscribes to an Overdrive service that allows library card holders to check-out audiobooks (as well as ebooks) online. I use it with my iPod all the time.
I do try to buy when I can (support those authors!), but for those of us whose reading appetites are bigger than our wallets, it’s wonderful. It’s worth asking if your library subscribes to such a service.
I listen to audiobooks every day on my commute and occasionally while doing housework. (BTW, SYNC offers two free audiobooks every week in the summer. They pair up a modern YA title with a classic that has a similar theme. See http://www.audiobooksync.com/free-sync-downloads/sync-schedule-13/ for this year’s schedule.)
Thanks for the tip, Shauna!
I LOVE audiobooks! I usually listen to them when I am driving back and forth to work. I have been doing it regularly for the last eight years. Right now. Currently, I am listening to Dan Brown’s “Inferno”. I’ve also listened recently to John Updike’s “Terrorist” and Paula McLain’s “The Paris Wife”. I also enjoyed Dr. Christiane Northrup’s “The Power of Joy” which I listened to twice.
I have to check out Audible.com. Thanks Rachelle!
Wow, a bunch of great books! (I loved The Paris Wife.) If you mostly listen in the car, then CDs work great. Makes the commute go by fast, right?
I usually listen to books on CDs. However, the newer cars are set up to use ipod or an any other MP3 Player. Some of the new cars don’t even have a CD player, you can only use a MP3 player. (NOTE: I just bought a new car recently so that why I know this)
Yes it does make the commute go fast.
I’m not too fond of audiobooks, because the narrator rarely sounds like how I imagine the protagonist to sound like.
Then there are the books, for example Sci-Fi or Fantasy / magical surrealism / etc., where the author clearly wrote something where the elements of the fantastic, the poetry of it all, that intimate connection between the audience and the fantastic, is fundamentally altered by the introduction of the human voice, which calls back to reality.
Not to say that there aren’t writers or forms of writing where this can work (theater, cinema, etc.), just that the literal form of a novel itself precludes it from working (most of the time), especially in consideration of particular genres.
Well, we all have our opinions, and I understand everyone doesn’t love the way books, especially novels, translate verbally. As for me, I’ve listened to hundreds of books, everything from “Great Expectations” to John Grisham and Ann Patchett, and only a couple of times have I found the narrator to detract from the work.
Lucky for all of us, we get to choose our format!
I just started listening to an audiobook, my first one. Here’s to hoping my floors are spotless in no time! 🙂
Hint: That mop won’t get up and clean the floor itself just because you’re listening to a book.
🙂
I like this idea. I’m going to look into Audible.com immediately. Thank you. 🙂
Alright. I might just have to check these out. I’ve been trying to hit the gym more often and this might be a good way to stay entertained while I’m on the bike/elliptical…and yes, cleaning the house too (shudder). 🙂
You are invited to a Read-a-thon at the Giovannetti household. Any date and time of your choosing.
LOL, welcome to my biggest weakness! I adore audiobooks and I have a monthly membership with audible. My husband and I have no problem blowing through 5 or 6 book credits a month.
Tip – you can also download audiobooks from most libraries! Look into that as well.
Some of my favorites have been:
The Happiness Project
Girl Gone
Two Kisses for Maddy
Enjoy your new obsession and you clean floors!!
My favorite audiobook is Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrow’s “The Guernsey Literary amd Potato Peel Pie Society”. It was read by five different readers.
I do housework while listening to books, and also during my walks. I hate to exercise so if I can listen to other words, I’m not listening to the words in my head saying, “I hate this I hate this I hate this…”
The Great Gatsby read by Tim Robbins was a great one. Another interesting listen is old radio shows. The writing on those shows was amazing. A couple examples: the entire Orsen Wells “War of the Worlds” broadcast, when you put yourself in the time, you can really see how people got freaked out; Fibber McGee and Molly – they had great word play; Jack Benny – The inventor of the sitcom. A lot of the gags are topical for the times but when you hear Mel Blanc, it’s like a long lost WB/Bugs Bunny cartoon.
For the mathematically inclined: (Swim Meets + Audible) X Starbucks Iced Chai = Sanity. 🙂
What are your thoughts on radio theatre drama? My children love Adventures in Odyssey, and I’ve been able to graduate them to stories like Anne of Green Gables and Corrie Ten Boom, even the Mitford series and Father Gilbert. It’s still not the actual book, obviously, and the choices are limited. Hmm, now I’m trying to think of ways to sneak in other books….
LOVE the Father Gilbert dramas. I think I have a little crush on him, but it’s probably the accent combined with how much sugar he puts in his tea.
Our secret is out, Sarah. He has an incredible voice. Better not travel to England…. 🙂
I wasn’t much into audiobooks until I inadvertently ordered one to review from Amazon’s VINE program. Popping the discs into my car’s CD player allowed me to listen while I drove places. I’m not the type of person who can have noise in the background while I work, but driving around running errands is mindless work, so it is a perfect chance to read.
I’ve been a fan of audiobooks for years, but I only recently signed up for Audible. I love love love making such great use of my time. I have one book going on my mp3 player during exercise. I listen to another in my car. Another while I fall asleep at night.
In fact, there are a couple books where the audio version is my preferred version. You can see which ones at http://jackieleasommers.com/2013/02/12/sometimes-the-audiobooks-are-better/.
I love audio books. While I was recovering from surgery I listened to Ken Follett’s WORLD WITHOUT END– all 45.5 hours of it! It kept my mind busy while my body healed. Loved it.
One of the finest books ever listened to? THE HELP. Artfully read.
I have “The Help” on audiobook. It’s on my to be listen to pile. The full 30 CD “Chronicles of Narnia” have been on my to listen to pile for years.
I LOVED The Help on audio, with all the dialects and accents it was perfect in that format.
I started listening when my husband became blind and I would set him up with an audio book in his room. I kept finding myself turning up the volume on the nursery monitor I used to check on him! I got no i-nothin’. But I have audio options on my Kindle — haven’t tried it yet.
Great idea, Rachelle! Thanks!
Andrea
I’ve heard that audio books are gaining in popularity over print books. So why are there not more books published as audio books in the CBA market?
When working in my lab in grad school, I had one type of experiment I had to do over and over that didn’t require any brainpower — audible.com saved my sanity. Now I listen when I run… so it is still saving my sanity!
The last (and one of the only audio books that I started) was my own. I started playing it while my entire family ate breakfast and I burst out laughing. It felt odd to hear a professional reading my humor. I even blogged about my son’s hilarious reaction to it. (http://ironicmom.com/2013/05/06/how-an-8-year-old-boy-reacted-to-hearing-his-moms-audio-book/)
I have trouble making time to listen to audio books. My twins are 9 now. I teach full time and have only a 5-min commute to work. If my kids and husband are in the house awake, I feel a need to be alert and not plugged in. Maybe it all boils down to having very little alone time. I do read a lot before bed (I go to bed early so I can read). If you have other ideas how I incorporate more time (besides cleaning!) I’d love to hear them.
Great post.
I’m back again. When you’re reading an audio book for pleasure, is that the only book-for-pleasure you have on the go, or would you have another (different) paper book on the go too?
I always have at least one for-pleasure Kindle book going, too. And a non-fiction. And some client books…
I do both at the same time now but usually the books are of different genres so I don’t get confused.
That makes sense.
I have always loved being read to but thought I was too busy for audiobooks, but I found I can easily keep up with them when I’m doing portraits and paintings for people. You’re right. They’re awesome. (For free audio classics, I like Librivox.org. Karen Savage is one of my favorite readers there.)
I don’t like audio books because it’s faster to read, but I do listen to recordings of conference workshops while driving, especially long distances. Those don’t require enough attention to take my mind off the road, but keep me from getting bored and sleepy.
I started an audiobook on my way to work yesterday because it is hard to find time to read for pleasure.
My son left for a trip to Alabama yesterday after work, and I told him one thing I’d like him to do was check out an audiobook. He usually listens to music, but this is his first solo drive for such a long distance. I told him a book would help keep his mind active and help keep him awake. So he took my advice, and got an audio book. I don’t know yet if he listened on his way down, but he arrived safely.
One name: Harry Potter
The language heard on an audiobook takes the story to a new dimension. It was like a different book!
Couldn’t agree more!!!
My husband & I started buying books on tape years ago, mostly to listen to in the car on long trips. It really helps the time to go by faster!
I recently discovered Audible as well. I am about to finish “Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman, which is read by himself and is amazing. Next in line is “City of Ember”.
I look forward to listening while I eat lunch everyday!
I, too, am a audiobook junkie. Certain genres seem to have the best narrators. Humor books read by their authors are almost always great. David Sedaris has amazing delivery, and Mindy Kaling’s book was also good. Young Adult and Juvenile fiction tend to have wonderful narrators, as well. I listened to the entire Eragon, Artemis Fowl, and Hunger Games series on audiobook just because the narration was so fantastic. I’ve had less success with general adult fiction, but Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series is excellent.
I have been a HUGE fan of audiobooks from Audible.com’s beginnings. I call it “theatre of the mind”. It’s how I read ALL the Harry Potter books. If you’d just visually read Rowling’s books and want an entirely new experience, listen to the audiobooks. Jim Dale, the narrator of the entire US version won a Guinness World Record for “Order of the Phoenix”. He had the most number of DIFFERENT voices in a single book–135! Amazing!
One more thing–if you are financially strapped and can’t afford to buy books from Audible, there are some libraries systems that let you check out or “borrow” the audiobooks by downloading them right onto your iPod or android phone.
Audiobooks are great. Though I don’t have a long commute, I managed to listen to “Freakonomics” and “Moonwalking With Einstein” in my car recently.
Great idea. I’m not sure it would work for me as I always have an eight-year-old girl in tow, but I like the concept. I recently published my first book “A Train Called Forgiveness” on Audible. Bill Cooper, a 40-year radio veteran with a great reading voice is the narrator. I’d highly recommend Bill to anyone who needs a male narrator.
For many years now it has been audio that has allowed me to enjoy so many great books. Having a family, with three kids, I find it difficult to sit down and read a physical book in my favorite chair, without being pulled away with kids wanting to play or show me something. Instead I listen to audio books during my short commute and sometimes while at work (if I am working on something where I do not require extreme focus, which is rare.)
Where I get the majority of reading time is during my walks. After work I enjoy a walk while listening to a good book. I find myself wanting to take longer walks (win-win) to devour the contents. I haven’t done quite as good as you with 16 books, but I am half way to my goal of 24 books by the end of the year.
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