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Erggo

Karen@KarenCommins.com

470.737.NAR8 (6278)

Karen Commins

Award Winning

Atlanta Audiobook Share-rator™

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Webinars and Jewel Audiobooks Releases

Put Yourself In The ACX Driver's Seat

Have you wanted to narrate audiobooks but don’t know how to get started?

Or have you created a profile on Audible’s marketplace site ACX.com – the Audiobook Creation Exchange – but not moved forward?

Perhaps you’ve read horror stories about how bad projects, low pay, and even narrators who’ve been scammed.

I was one of the beta testers for ACX 10 years ago, before Audible launched the site to the world. I have been using ACX ever since – as both a narrator and a rights holder – and have developed tremendous insider experience that I shared in this webinar FOR THE FIRST TIME.

With me as your tour guide in this info-packed webinar, you’ll be able to navigate ACX to success!

YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO …
  • Understand ACX payment systems.
  • Set up your ACX profile to your best advantage.
  • Use the ACX search engine to find titles of interest.
  • Spot scam listings.
  • Vet the title to ensure it’s one worth doing – even BEFORE you audition.
  • Best practices about workload, from audition to payment.
  • Communicate effectively with the rights holder throughout the project.
  • Dive into contract clauses and protections.
  • And much more!

Here are a few comments from some of the attendees about this informative webinar:

  • “Worth every minute to be here! This information is invaluable.” – KN
  • “Thank goodness for Karen’s honesty and her experience. I’m going to re-watch the video and read all the notes. Unbelievable. Such great info.” – AP
  • “Wonderful presentation. So much to think about.” – MM
  • “Wonderful webinar. Learned so much!” – MB
  • “Your passion is evident. Thank you for all this information and inspiration. A wonderfully insightful webinar.” – CB
  • “This has been unbelievably, incredibly helpful.” – JB
  • “Many, many thanks, Karen. You’re an Uh-Mazing wealth of info, and so kind to share your pearls.” – CD

My presentation ran 2 hours, and then we had a full hour of questions and answers. You get the 3-hour audio and video recordings of the webinar, a PDF of my 90+ accompanying slides, and a resource list of over 40 helpful links you’ll use to get the most out of your ACX experience — all for only $59 via PayPal.

When you check out with PayPal, you will be sent an email with a link to download the file.

This is where the Express Checkout Button will show. View it on the front-end to see how it will look to your visitors

How To Acquire Audio Rights Webinar Recording

Are you an audiobook narrator who wants to obtain audio rights so that you can produce, narrate, and publish your own line of audiobooks?

Perhaps you are a print publisher who wants to move into audiobooks.

In this webinar, my guest speaker Jessica Kaye gives you the information you won’t find anywhere else!

Jessica has over 25 years of audiobook and publishing experience:
  • She is a Grammy-award winning audiobook producer with more than 500 titles to her credit and audiobook/book publisher of more than 200 titles.
  • As an attorney in the firm Kaye & Mills, Jessica specializes in intellectual property, publishing law, and licensing.
  • She is the founder of Big Happy Family Audio, which is a well-established audiobook distributor.
  • Jessica has served as the president of the Audio Publishers Association.
In this unique webinar, Jessica will help you learn about:
  1. Using the appropriate terminology and the etiquette
  2. Understanding rights holder expectations (advances, royalties, etc.)
  3. Determining fair costs and payment guidelines
  4. Structuring the offers/licenses/contracts

Just think – once you know how to acquire audio rights, you might be able to acquire the audio rights to your favorite book and then produce and narrate it!

Going one step further, you might even consider establishing your own boutique audio publishing company. Rather than auditioning and waiting for publishers to cast you, you could cast yourself!

You get the 1.5-hour audio and video recordings of the webinar, a sample agreement from Jessica, a transcript, and helpful links you’ll use to research rights for only $49 via PayPal.

When you check out with PayPal, you will be sent an email with a link to download the file.

This is where the Express Checkout Button will show. View it on the front-end to see how it will look to your visitors

JEWEL AUDIOBOOKS RELEASES

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Road to Tara: The Life of Margaret Mitchell

Written by Anne Edwards
Narrated by Karen Commins

14 hours

Margaret Mitchell was as complex and compelling as her legendary heroine, Scarlett O’Hara, and her story is as dramatic as anything out of her own imagination. Indeed, it is the basis for the legend she created. Gone with the Wind took the American reading public by storm and went on to become one of the most popular books and motion pictures of all time. The book was a phenomenon whose success has never been equaled, but it shattered Margaret Mitchell’s private life. In Road to Tara, Anne Edwards tells the real story of Margaret Mitchell and the extraordinary novel that has become part of our heritage.

I first read Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell when I was around 11 years old. It has remained my favorite book and movie of all time. However, I didn’t know much about the author until recently. In this article, I wrote about my own trip on the Road to Tara and encourage other narrators to find and publish their dream projects.

The audiobook was released on Margaret Mitchell’s birthday and is available exclusively on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

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Bly vs Bisland: Beating Phileas Fogg in a Race Around The World

Written by Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Island
Narrated by Karen Commins and Melissa Reizian Frank

11 hours 34 minutes

Every now and again, we get a Divine whisper of an inspired idea. Such was the case about a very special and exciting audiobook I created and produced.

In 1889, Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland were female reporters in New York. Each went on a daring solo trip around the world at the same time. Nellie wanted to beat the time of Phileas Fogg, Jules Verne’s fictional character in Around The World in 80 Days. Rival reporter Elizabeth Bisland left on a solo race around the world hoping to beat Nellie’s time!

Nellie sailed east to England in the morning. That night, and unbeknownst to Nellie, Elizabeth took a train west to San Francisco. In Bly vs Bisland: Beating Phileas Fogg In A Race Around The World, I combined the narratives from both women into a single book with 1 thrilling timeline! Who will win the race?!

I was thrilled to release this audiobook in honor of the 125th anniversary of this famous race.

This blog article has more details about the book and takes a peek at its creation.

Elizabeth Cochrane adopted the name of the Stephen Foster song Nelly Bly as her pen name. This famous song is performed in the credits by noted musicians Vivian and Phil Williams and is used with their gracious permission. You can hear more of their music at VoyagerRecords.com.

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Fanny Herself: A Passionate Instinct

Written by Edna Ferber
Narrated by Karen Commins
This wonderful, coming-of-age story follows Fanny Brandeis from her childhood in Winnebago, WI into her 20s as a businesswoman in Chicago. Even though the book was written in 1917, many of the themes are still relevant.

Fanny’s mother, a widow, makes a decision about her children’s education that affects all of them throughout their lives. Like many of us, Fanny has to decide how whether she will pursue wealth or her creative dreams. We also wonder whether Fanny will find love.

I have recently discovered Edna Ferber and find that she is a brilliant storyteller. Ferber won the Pulitzer Prize for Novel in 1925 and may be best known for her book Show Boat, which was adapted into a successful and long-running musical.

Rather than relying on dialogue to progress the story, she offers such vivid descriptions that we feel we are right there with the characters, experiencing the world as they did. Her female characters are strong and assertive, and I could identify with both Fanny and her mother. I was sorry when the story ended!

Ferber originally published this book as a serial story that ran in the April-November 1917 issues of The American Magazine. Check out my companion Kindle ebook which contains the original, beautiful, hand-drawn illustrations that accompanied the magazine segments

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The Story of the Statue of Liberty

Written by Benjamin Levine and Isabelle F. Story
Narrated by Karen Commins
The Statue of Liberty, one of the world’s most iconic symbols, was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. Standing proudly in New York Harbor, it became a welcoming sight to scores of immigrants.

Although the statue commemorates the friendship between two countries, the gift almost didn’t occur!

In this concise history, developed by the US National Park Service, you will learn how the colossal statue was conceived, financed, built, transported, and dedicated.

Whether you’re planning to visit the Statue of Liberty in person or from the comfort of your home, this audiobook is the perfect companion!

The Heart of the New Thought audiobook cover
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The Heart of the New Thought

Written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Narrated by Karen Commins
This short book was first published over 100 years ago, but Wilcox offers advice for living a better and more spiritual life that is still practical today. Wilcox suggests ways to change your thinking and specific actions to take in order to feel better about yourself and improve your life.

For instance, have you ever noticed that the more you talk about being sick, the illness worsens and stays with you for a longer period of time?

I’m especially proud of this book because it is the first publication for my new audiobook company Jewel Audiobooks! Jewel Audiobooks will specialize in self-development and travel treasures and long-hidden gems of fiction.

Erggo

Karen@KarenCommins.com

470.737.NAR8 (6278)

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