Authors and narrators greatly appreciate the people who take the time to listen to our audiobooks and then write thoughtful reviews. In this installment in my series of interviews with audiobook bloggers, I’m excited to welcome Beccy Stokes from Audiothing Reviews and find out about her review interests and process.
[Read more…] about Interview with Audiobook Blogger Beccy Stokes
Authors and narrators greatly appreciate the people who take the time to listen to our audiobooks and then write thoughtful reviews. In this installment in my series of interviews with audiobook bloggers, I’m excited to welcome Susan Voss from Dab of Darkness and find out about her review interests and process.
[Read more…] about Interview With Audiobook Blogger Susan Voss
Authors and narrators greatly appreciate the people who take the time to listen to our audiobooks and then write thoughtful reviews. In this third installment of the series, I’m excited to interview audiobook blogger Jennie Mortarotti from Narrator Reviews to find out about her review interests and process.
I live alone with two cats, one cranky and one snooty and two outdoor cats I rescued. I teach photoshop and do computer repairs. I spend some time doing crafts and making costume jewelry. Repurposing things is a fun way to use leftovers and throwaways, so I spend time doing that. I love browsing around in antique and collectible stores.
Several years ago I was driving for a delivery company and started listening to audiobooks. Night driving was especially boring and I was thinking of quitting the job, but once I got onto audiobooks, I lasted about 3 more years.
I was keeping a Wordpad list of the bad narrators and my thoughts about them, mainly to not waste time or money on books they narrated. I found many readers that were really great so expanded my notes to include them. Information about some of the narrators was pretty scarce, and I wondered if others looked for the same information. So I thought I’d start a blog about them. At first it was mind numbing to figure out how to use the Google Blogger so decided to try WordPress. I googled a narrator, and the blog I didn’t finish came up on the first page of Google. I was surprised to say the least, so, of course I put my mind to figuring it out.
Sometimes I do it in the dining room on the table and most often I am in the bedroom. When the weather is nice I do it outside. I could be anywhere as I have more than one device and use Dropbox so I take notes as I’m listening.
If it’s something I’m interested in reading and it’s not on audio I sometimes write the author and ask when they expect to have an audio edition. I have no plans on doing both. I do collect old books, mostly history, and I do read those.
I decide by authors I know, titles that are interesting, book covers that are catchy and also by narrator.
I rely on Audible’s very good book blurbs and excellent samples. I’ve found some new authors and narrators on Audible that I adore.
I love cozy mysteries and I like humor, getting both in one book is a bonus. I like silly books like the talking chihuahua Pepe in Waverly Curtis’ Barking Detective Series or Sid the skeleton in Leigh Perry’s Family Skeleton Mysteries. I love Lee Goldberg’s Mr Monk books. For really cozy, cozies I listen to M.C. Beaton’s Hamish Macbeth or Agatha Raisin Mysteries.
I do accept from narrators, authors and audiobook producers. I like to first listen to the narrator if I don’t know their work, usually by going to Audible or Soundcloud. I don’t listen to books with a lot of erotica in them. I know it’s popular today but I just don’t like listening to details of someone else’s sex life. I don’t care for a lot of swearing that’s overused. I like the Evanovich books, but the gratuitous swearing is hard to listen to. There are some genres I don’t listen to much, but I am open to new things. I’ve found I like steampunk just from accepting a review request. So I’m open to new things.
I am fair about the reviews. There is no difference as far as criteria goes. If I didn’t like a book I may try two or even three times to listen to it again. It may just be I’m not in the mood right then for that type of book or it might be the narration is off. When I listen, I jot down any particular thoughts I have about the narration and other things of interest.
That’s the wonderful thing about audiobooks you can do anything while listening. I could be playing games or chatting on facebook, or mopping the floor or combing the cat. I’m always doing something. It can only interfere in other tasks when I can’t hear the book, so it’s other things may interfere in my hearing the book.
1. Tell Me Where it Hurts By Dr. Nick Trout
http://narratorreviews.blogspot.com/2011/05/simone-vance-narrating-tell-me-where-it.html
I especially love animals and found this a heartwarming and beautiful book.
2. Anne of Green Gables By: L.M. Montgomery
http://narratorreviews.blogspot.com/2014/08/anne-of-green-gables-by-lm-montgomery.html
The Anne books have been favorites of mine since I read my first one when I was about twelve. They are classics in every sense of the word.
3. Snobs By Julian Fellowes
http://narratorreviews.blogspot.com/2012/07/snobs-julian-fellowes-narrator-richard.html
It’s intriguing how society changes over time, and Snobs is wonderful at showing the way people thought and conducted themselves in the past.
Muriel Wylie Blanchet in A Curve in Time, as she had a sense of adventure, was daring, and at the same time, sensible. To spend summers with 5 children and a dog sailing in many uncharted waters took skill, and courage. I felt very connected to her as she detailed her adventures. Life did not happen to her, she happened to life.
http://narratorreviews.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-curve-of-time-by-m-wylie-blanchet.html
Blog: http://www.narratorreviews.blogspot.com/ or http://www.narratorreviews.org/
Twitter: @Audiobookguru
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Narrator-Reviews/210535265649857
Thanks, Jennie, for spending some time with me and giving readers a peak inside your world! One thing I’ve discovered through this series is that the highlighted reviews make me want to add books to my queue. For instance, I’m sure I’m not the only Downton Abbey fan to notice a Julian Fellowes book among Jennie’s favorite reviews!
Do you have a question for Jennie? Please leave a comment!
Authors and narrators greatly appreciate the people who take the time to listen to our audiobooks and then write thoughtful reviews. In this first installment of a new series, I’m excited to interview audiobook blogger April Holgate from Eargasms Audiobook Reviews to find out about her review interests and process.
I have always been a reader in one form or another. I generally get through a book a day. I just cannot help devouring stories! I was the kid whose favorite teacher was the librarian. She always let me borrow more books than you were allowed. As a kid I was very introverted. I loved going into my books and living an adventure in my head. As I grew older I started coming out of my shell and getting into theatre. Turns out reading and theatre are a perfect combination!
My career has varied from being an artist to working in Broadway theatres to working as a kid’s talent agent then back to being a starving artist again. I have loved every minute of my journey!
I have been listening to audiobooks for several years now. I started here and there while working on art projects or playing video games. I thought it was a great way to make that time more productive. Later I listened during my long commutes to and from work, 2-3 hours each way. Now I have a new job where I am on the computer all day, perfect for listening to books.
I started writing book reviews several years ago when I discovered Goodreads. It started as a way to keep track of books I had already read and my thoughts on them. Amazingly enough people started liking the reviews and asking for recommendations. I write a review for everything I read, the good, the bad and the eh. I only started including narrator info in the reviews a few years ago. I realized they were an important part of the experience that I left out. A narrator really can make of break a read.
I am a very fly by the seat of your pants kind of girl. I write reviews on my Kindle, on my iPhone, sneak them in while at work and at my desk. I have written reviews while lounging in bed, on the subway, in the bubble bath, waiting in line and most often at my messy desk. Wherever I am that gives me a moment to think and get those thoughts out. I am almost afraid to show you a picture of my desk because it looks like an episode of hoarders! LOL What can I say, I like chaos.
My traditional reading time is very limited due to work and life, so I am very picky about what I physically read. Mostly those are books from authors I am already invested in, who have not made the jump to audio.
Selecting an audiobook is easier because I can listen while I work, commute or pretend to work out. I have plenty of authors and series that I stalk, um follow. I am always watching for them to release. Other books will catch my eye because of the cover art, I like pretty. Then I read the blurb to see if the story interests me. From there I will listen to the sample to determine if I like the narrator. If everything looks and sounds good, I will spend one of my precious credits or accept the offer to review.
I have read a few books both in traditional reading and them in audio. Most of the time it is because the author has made the transition to audiobooks, other times it is because I need to reacquaint myself with a series that I read in ebook and am now switching to audio. I love experiencing the book again in a very different way. Many times I pick up things that I missed the first go around.
There is also the rare occasion when I switch to an ebook because I am not enjoying the narration. It has only happened a few times.
Do I ever! I have my top three favorite genres.
Romance, pretty much every sub-genre, I read anything from the sappy sweet to YA to naughty erotic to romantic suspense. I am a sucker for a good love story; smexy steam is always a bonus.
Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, especially if it involves shifters! I love me some yummy shifter crack! My favorite thing about the genre is the way it can rebuild the world you thing you know. It is fantasy but modern as well.
Mystery, love them all, especially a cheesy Cozy Mystery. I love playing detective and trying to solve the crime before all the clues are revealed. There have been a few that gave my inner Sherlock Holmes a real work out!
I welcome any offers for audiobooks. I have submission from authors, narrators and publishers. You will find I do a fair share of indie/self-published audiobook reviews. It is important for me to showcase more than just the NYT Best sellers. Generally my policy is just ask, you never know what might catch my attention. I have ever changing book moods!
For me a review is about liking the book or not. I hate reviews that regurgitate the book blurb or give spoilers. You will not see that at Eargasms. My philosophy is Keep It Simple. I go over what I thought of the book and characters in general. Was there a story, was it any good? How steamy did things get? What kind of narrative was it, single POV or mixed?
I spend at least a paragraph of the review is dedicated it the narration. Again, keeping things simple, commenting in the pace, tone and energy of the read. I have pet peeves about bad accents, background noise and weird pauses.
I do not have a lot of criteria as far as the genres, except for Romance. I need a story with my steam. I am not a fan of thin stories wrapped around oodles of sex. Give me a quality story with my smut!
I listen while I work, I think it makes me more productive. Oddly enough splitting my attention tends to make me more focused. I get through more work when I am listening to an audiobook . I also listen while I am editing photos or creating props/costumes. Again, I think the audiobook helps me focus more on my task. I don’t usually need to think too hard about work or art, listening is a nice way to let my mind wander.
I also listen at the gym, but we are not going to talk about that torture chamber!
So hard, it is like picking a favorite book! Impossible! Here are a few more recent ones that I really enjoyed.
http://www.eargasmsaudiobookreviews.com/2014/08/07/jitters-a-quirky-little-audio-book-by-adele-park/
Jitters is a favorite review because it was a book I was expecting to adore. There was such a sense of theatricality about the read, I fell in love! I do not usually enjoy full cast narrations; this was a very happy exception.
http://www.eargasmsaudiobookreviews.com/2014/11/29/audiobook-review-better-nate-than-ever-by-tim-federle/
Better Nate Than Ever is a favorite because I loved the combination of writer/narrator, and Nate really reminds me of so many friends. I can just imagine them as him in their youth.
http://www.eargasmsaudiobookreviews.com/2014/05/09/the-selkie-spell-by-sophie-moss/
The Selkie Spell was such a beautiful read. It was one of those books you want to crawl inside and live. Loved the Irish accents!
I am going to show exactly what a classic book nerd I am here. I think I would be either Elizabeth Bennett of Emma Woodhouse. I think I have Lizzie’s forthright attitude and spunk. Emma is my more playful side. Ms. Austen really did know how to craft an awesome character!
I think I could easily relate to most of Shakespeare’s heroines as well. Katherine, Beatrice or Rosalind; all strong, independent and sassy as all get out!!
Blog http://eargasmsaudiobookreviews.com/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2016803-april
Amazon
Audible http://www.audible.com/listener/A1KYJA5YM1479G?ref_=a_search_mst_tnaft_5
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/eargasmsaudiobookreviews
Thanks, April, for a peak inside your world! Also, I thank you for all of the narrator interviews on your blog this month, including my interview today!
Do you have a question for April? Please leave a comment!
