Jez Layman's Blog

I am the (very humbled) winner of Sound and Scribe's March flash fiction contest, which centered around the song "Bangs" by Bricks+Mortar.

Here's a taste of the piece...
The guards circle like vultures overhead, along the fence, before the barbed wire. The overseers want us to escape—I know they do; if they didn’t, why would they put up a labyrinth and traps beyond the wall? They want us to escape, but they don’t want it to be easy. They want to test us. Weed out the weak. Many have given up already, embraced their prison, but not me. I know I’m playing into their hand with every unconscious guard and scale of the wall, every foray into the cavern or into the maze, but it’s my only chance. If I can just get away fast enough, maybe I can make it beyond their far-reaching clutches. Maybe I can finally leave for good.

Read the full piece (334 words) at Sound and Scribe.

I was asked recently by the lovely Ambers of Casual Readers to give my thoughts and experience on audiobooks and why they work for some readers/listeners and not others. This is an extended version of that response. I am currently taking a graduate course in audiobooks, work with these daily in the public library, and get most of my reading done this way on my own as well, so I have much to say on the subject!

First off, audiobooks are tricky because you need to not only match the right book to the reader, but you have additional factors to consider which affect the reader’s selections and reading experience. The biggest of these include narrator and narration style; reading situation; and format/accessibility.

Narrator and Narration Style
Narrators make a world of difference with audiobooks. The narrator needs to fit the book and/or character, they need to be well understood, and they need to not drive the listener crazy. I listened to The Lightning Thief on audio and while the narrator fit Percy, he drove me crazy in little ways, mostly through pronunciation (or mispronunciation, as the case may be). This narrator just wasn't a good match for me, even though the book was. I'm currently listening to Bud, Not Buddy, which is narrated by James Avery, who doesn't match the voice of a 10 year old boy, but he does seem to fit the style of the book (not to mention it’s nice to have an African-American reading the part of an African-American character).

It’s important to remember that narrations are also the narrator’s interpretation of the text and it may not always line up with your own. For example, on the page, you may understand a sentence to be said sincerely, but it may be read sarcastically, which changes the line altogether. Of course, unless it’s a favorite, you may never pick up the book copy after listening to the audiobook and you would know no difference. Sometimes you will seek out an audiobook because it’s read by one of your favorite actors (many read audiobooks, including Kate Winslet, Dan Stevens, and Archie Panjabi, among others mentioned in this post). Additionally, sometimes you can find an absolute perfect book that just doesn't work for you in audio because you don't match up well with the narrator. Much of this is up to personal preference; what works for some may not work for others.

Some books are narrated by multiple narrators or, in rare cases, a full cast. More often you have one narrator reading all the parts (Jim Dale is great at this), but when you do get two characters, it makes a difference. Eleanor & Park is a wonderful audiobook that works well with two narrators, due to the nature of the book being split between two points of view. Rebecca Lowman reads Eleanor’s chapters and Sunil Mahotra reads Park’s, which helps the listener easily differentiate between the alternating point of view chapters (especially important in the middle of the book when some chapters are only a sentence long).

Other books are narrated by a full cast, such as The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and this is usually done to convey a wide cast of voices or points of view. In the case of Guernsey, the book is told through letters from many characters and the differentiation between male and female makes a large difference and the cast of 4 narrators can more easily cover the 10 or 12 writing characters. In other cases, this is less of a narration than a dramatic production, such as Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere featuring James MacAvoy, Natalie Dormer, and Benedict Cumberbatch (among others), which is technically a radioplay, though, in this case, it does fall under the same umbrella of audiobooks.

Situation and Environment
The situation and/or environment in which one is listening also makes a difference. Most people--myself included--cannot just sit down and listen to an audiobook. You get distracted, you fall asleep; it just doesn't work. Lots of people listen while doing exercise or while knitting, which gives the mind something to do while the body is busy. I prefer listening while driving because it helps me listen to the book without distractions, but I'm able to do something else at the same time (plus, I have a long commute and this helps me read in that dead time). I can listen while I bake, but I can't listen while I browse the internet. This is similar to listening to a new music album where you want to focus on the lyrics you do not recognize, where you want to dedicate more of your attention than you would for an album you’ve heard fifty times already. The issue is finding the right situation for the reader, not too quiet, not too distracting.

Format and Accessibility
Format is a huge issue to consider when accessing audiobooks. While devices such as playaways do exist, this issue comes down primarily to two options: CD or download. Audio CDs are great if you are in the car or sitting in your living room, but aren’t very portable. You need to be able to switch the CDs when necessary and this doesn’t work while running a track or merging across four lanes of traffic in the middle of rush hour—but these are more easily accessible to some, and there is still a larger selection available, though most publishers and libraries are making the move to digital downloads. If you choose CDs, be aware that some audiobooks come in mp3 CDs, which are not compatible with all CD players.

Digital downloads are the alternative and my personal favorite. You can buy the mp3s yourself through iTunes or the Google Playstore or any other option (check out my list of free download sources here), or you may pay for an Audible account, but my first suggestion will always be libraries. These items are easily downloaded and put onto an array of devices, from iPods to tablets to desktop computers. These are generally less wieldy than CDs and take up less space (your iPhone vs a 10 disc set), and come with additional features such as bookmarking, 30-second rewind, and a continuous stream.

I think these three topics are the biggest stumbling blocks for readers/listeners, beyond finding a book they will enjoy. There are other issues on a personal level, such as the point of view (some prefer first person for audio) or sound effects (more likely in children’s read-a-longs, but possible in adult books). Additionally, it is important to remember that audiobooks change the reading experience and sometimes that changes the reader's reactions as well. I find that I'm more likely to stick with an audiobook than a print copy, and I'm more likely to remember details from the book. For others, it's the opposite. It all comes down to the reader, in the end, as it does with print copies.

If you need suggestions on audiobooks, please feel free to browse my Goodreads audiobooks shelf of books I have listened to recently, and I highly recommend viewing the list of Odyssey or Audie winners, which are the awards for audiobooks (as well as the Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album).

I had a lot of requests for links to free (legal) ebook resources, so I put together some of the better ones you may try. Granted, most of these are going to be for public domain books, but there are a few newer titles as well.

First and foremost, check your local library. Especially if the book is newer.
Project Gutenberg - over 42,000 free ebooks in multiple formats
LibriVox - best place for public domain audiobooks [Note: as of 30 May, their site is having some technical difficulties, but try it anyway, maybe they’ll resolve soon.]
Ink Mesh - search engine for ebooks that ranks by price (includes free & paid downloads)
Many Books - ebooks and audiobooks. WIDE variety of formats for each. Has lists of popular authors, titles, and genres.
Open Library - free public domain downloads; free lending library of newer titles. Works pretty much the same as your local library, but without the library card.
Internet Archive - database of print, audio, and video files. Organizes well into categories.
Scribd - ebooks, primarily in pdf format. You can also publish and share here.
ePubBooks
Feed Books - free public domain & original fiction; charges for new books
Google Books - advanced search, select full view only
International Children's Digital Library - Children's books in many different languages; organized by reader age, character type, genre, length, or even cover color
Amazon - free ebook search direct link
Nook - free nook/BN search direct link
Text Book Revolution - free book & textbook downloads


Leave a comment if you have any others to add to the list!

This is a piece I wrote as a submission for The First Line, where all of the submissions for an issue must begin with the same initial line. I received an email back today that informed me that I would not be included in the Summer issue, with an added note from the editor that he enjoyed my story and I “just missed” being included. Their policy does state that I can post online or submit elsewhere after I have received a denial, but out of respect for the publisher, I won’t submit elsewhere at this time. However, I will post it online.

The First Line: I started collecting secrets when I was just six years old.

I started collecting secrets when I was just six years old. They were little then, stories untold. But they grew bigger, and so did I. I take them from the low, I take them from the high. Everyone has secrets—and I have the most. They’re as much a part of me, as a part of their host.

I know who she kissed, I know why he lied. I know that you smile, when you’re crying inside. I know what’s been hidden and where it’s stashed. I know who’ll be going, when the budget is slashed. I know what you’re thinking, and I know what you’ll say, because I bring home secrets with me, each and every day.

Secrets, filling the nooks and crannies of my home. Secrets, I like to go through them when I’m alone. I keep them in boxes, I keep them in jars. I keep so many, they outnumber the stars.

You had your secrets, and I wanted them, too. I wanted them so badly I didn’t know what to do. You shared them willingly, I didn’t have to try. I asked and you answered, I didn’t have to pry. You presented them in boxes, tied up with bows. You whispered them in smiles and kisses on my nose. You told me so much, I never got bored. But I couldn’t return them, couldn’t share my hoard.

When you finally came over, when I let you in, I thought we’d be even, now that I’d let you win. I showed you my boxes and I showed you my jars, secrets about locks, and taxes, and cars. I showed you my collection, vast and complete. I showed you them all, nothing too discreet. I shared them and you frowned; you didn’t like all the secrets I’d found. You didn’t care for my collection so grand, not when there was nowhere to sit and nowhere to stand. There was no room for you in my secrets you said, no room for your toothbrush, no room for your bed.

I couldn’t keep both, you wanted me to choose. My love or my whispers, which would I lose? I looked around at the shelves and out over the floor, I looked at the man, standing inside my door. I started collecting these secrets when I was just six. I knew all their tales, I knew all their tricks. They were my constant companion and my life-long friend. Could I give them all up? Put this life to an end?

I looked in my boxes and looked in my jars, I looked at my heart, and remembered the scars. The scars from the others, the ones old and red, from the things they did, the things left unsaid. Everyone has their secrets, and I have the most. They’re harder to manage, when I am the host. I remember the people who left, the ones my secrets drove away. I remember their names, and the things that they’d say. I remembered the loneliness, when they’d finally gone. I remembered their names: Harold, Lucy, and John. When they’d all left it was just me in my house, no sisters or friends, no heavenly spouse.

I opened my boxes and I opened my tins, I released the wishes, the kisses, the sins. I opened the windows and I opened the doors, I opened the cabinets, I opened the drawers. I cleared out the spaces and I cleared out my mind, I shooed all the secrets I could find. I cleared out my cobwebs, I cleared out my stores. You wanted some room, now all of it’s yours. My life had been secrets and now it laid bare. They’re all gone, every last one—I swear.

You believed me and smiled, took hold of my hand, everything had gone just exactly as planned. You took me in name, you took me to wed. We shared our life, the kitchen, the bed. No secrets shall we keep, that’s all that you asked. I promised, but wondered how long I could last.