Who's Your Author? discussion

I'm looking for new audio books to listen to at work!

Does anyone know of any specific books that are cheap/free on iTunes? The only reason I ask is because the KMM Darkfever podcast was free, and I was wondering if anyone is familiar with other authors doing something similar.

I've heard good things about Audible, too. Anyone care to elaborate? How do YOU purchase audio books, if you listen to them?

I'm sorry I don't know of any other's that are free. But I downloaded Darkfever Free on the sony e-book site too.

Hmm thanks. They don't have to be free. I just love listening to audio books when I'm at work, but they are so darn expensive. I think they run normally $15-$22 on iTunes. Eeek.

I pick up audiobooks at my library and listen to them at work on the computer. One of the best parts of listening to them through computer (instead of my MP3 player), is I can speed up the tracks using Windows Media Player.

It is nice because WMP will not make them sound like chipmunks, but just cut some of the deadair out. So, it takes less time to listen to the book :)

I love audible! You can get some really good deals. Some times, I have found that they don't have all the books in a series available. Which is very annoying. But to their credit, I have to admit, this doesn't seem to be such a problem anymore.

Also, I would also agree with FlibBityFlooB, check out your library, you can find some really great audio book, and they are free!

I love audible.com! Most of their books aren't free though. They tend to have some short stories that are and actually right now they have A Christmas Carol for free download. But if you buy one of the memberships it does tend to make the cost a bit less than a typical audio book. I actually have two audible accounts. One is $22.95 a month for two books ($11.47 a book) and then the other is a yearly subscription. It's $229.50 for 24 books ($9.56 a book). Whenever I have a good chunk of money to spend on audiobooks, I renew the yearly membership.

The library is good, but mine tends to be really slow about getting new books, and I'm just not patient! I listen to so many audiobooks a month that I am constantly trying to find something new!

BTW - my ipod has that same option to listen to a book faster, but it never seems to change the pitch of the voice which is nice!

I have Audible, and I like it... however, my MP3 player does make them into chipmunks when I try to speed up the track. And, WMP doesn't work speeding up my audible purchases. So, I try to only buy audible if it's something my library cannot get. :)

I'll have to consider getting an ipod. I just love to be able to speed the books up, because the narrarators can really *drag* sometimes!

Kelley Anne wrote: "BTW - my ipod has that same option to listen to a book faster, but it never seems to change the pitch of the voice which is nice!"

What ipod do you have and how do you do that? I have a nano, but I'm getting an iphone next month when my upgrade is available.

I listen to them in the car off my ipod and that would be awesome to speed them up without changing the voice. :)

My iPod does that, too. I have an 8gig iPod Touch. I LOVE it. ::swoon::

I'll have to check out the library. I caved last night and bought the audio books for and .

Can you import the audio books from the library onto the iPod? I know you aren't supposed to do that because it's wrong.

Ugh, I feel guilty for even suggesting that.

I have a 120gb Classic. I need LOTS of room for audio books, music and videos! But under the settings, there are audio book settings. And you can switch it to slower/normal/faster. I'm not sure which models have that option, but I would guess most of the newer models do.

I have been seriously meaning to get an ipod. Blah! All of this talk about audio books is making me want to get some!!

I think there is a website, I can't remember the name, but it has alot of free audio books. The only problem is, the books are read by everyday people, who volunteer.

Sorry, I can't remember the website name.

That website I believe Leslie is referring to is librivox

http://librivox.org/

Also check out www.PodioBooks.com , they have *hundreds* of free novels that you can download as PodCasts (some of these you can also find in iTunes as PodCasts). If you don't mind that they are "serial" novels the authors upload an episode at a time, instead of having the entire novel in one long file, it's a veritable treasure trove of free lit. I've discovered several new authors this way, since many are self-published and virtually unknown.

You might also check with your library to see if they offer digitally-downloadable audiobooks, instead of having to make the trip to the local branch and search for tapes or CDs. My library offers digital audiobooks through their website, using a service called Overdrive, I think.

And I think there are some audiobook rental sites out there, the first that comes to mind is www.audiotogo.com

Hope that helps! :)

Similar to Mary my library also offers Overdrive. It's great. And you don't have to pay for the book and there are no late fees or having to drive the books back to the library. They just expire. :-) The only downfall is the lending time is only 2 weeks where regular books is 3.

The library where I work just signed on for Overdrive, and I'm so psyched about it. I can't wait to see how it works.

it's pretty awesome Sarah. The one we have does audio and they also have the ebooks for the readers.

That's what we are planning to do, audio and ebooks. My new Sony weeps for joy. :)

I'm a member of Audible and love it. They have lots of sales and specials. I've probably spent a fortune on books. In my old age I've gotten lazy and mostly listen to books instead of reading them. It's awesome and like having someone read you a story. I'm going to check out the sites some of you have posted. I also recently discovered the library and have started listening to those.

I love Audible too! I don't think it's being lazy, I can read while driving, knitting, spinning or working!

Well, I'm certainly reading a lot more books now! Just because I can listen while I do almost anything.

I'm an audible girl as well. I tend to buy the audiobooks of books I've read and loved in the past, allowing me to "reread" them on my commutes or while doing work around the house. I started out with a monthly subscription, but was too impatient for my credits and eventually bought an annual membership. With the credit specials and sales they've had over time (and my rule to save credits only for books over $10), I have manged to build up quite a collection.

DarkHeart - I am right there with you! The other day I started looking at just how many books I'm gotten from there and was pretty shocked by the number! But for me, I actually have two accounts. One of them is a monthly, and the other is a yearly. Whenever I have a big chunck of money that I can use to splurge with I renew my yearly membership.

There is also a site that rents audio books and it works like netflix... the site is www.kitabe.com, I tried the membership for a bit but at the time they did not have all of the authors/series that I like so I canceled my membership and went back to Audible. There selection may have improved but I have not checked them out for a while.

I get mine from the library and then just load them on on iTunes.

My library never has any of the new releases. Takes them forever to get them!

I find I like to read a book, then listen to it on audio, sometimes you get things you missed when you read them.

I tend to catch myself speed reading in some books, especially if I am really caught up in the action. With audio books, that's not an option!

The last book I read I had both. I listened to it and when I missed something, went to the book to read it. It was good.

Just thought that I'd share this info. On audible.com, the first Lara Adrian book was just released in audio!

Are her books any good?

I really like her series. Have you read Black Dagger Brotherhood? A lot of people describe her series as "Black Dagger Brotherhood lite". They are very similar series but Lara Adrian's aren't quite as dark or as racy. I read her series before BDB, and love both series!

Just found another author with a bunch of new audio books on audible. Charlaine Harris now has both her Lily Bard and Aurora Teagarden series in audio now.

Kelley Anne wrote: "I really like her series. Have you read Black Dagger Brotherhood? A lot of people describe her series as "Black Dagger Brotherhood lite". They are very similar series but Lara Adrian's aren't qu..."

I'm reading it. Am on book 4.

I used to get audio cd books from the library and load them on itunes. I still occasionally do that. But what I do more often is download from audible.com -- prices are decent. You get 1 audio book per month for "free" with your membership -- but the membership is less than the price of an audio book. Audible.com (like Amazon with the Kindle -- but different than itunes) will store your books online for you. They are super easy to download and automatically appear in itunes. Also they have really good sales. I just bought a J.D. Robb book for 4.95.

Then my library does the Overdrive online thing -- mediaondemand.org -- I download audio books for me and the kids on there. Of course the selection is more limited, but I tend to find good stuff. :)

Amanda wrote: "My iPod does that, too. I have an 8gig iPod Touch. I LOVE it. ::swoon::

I'll have to check out the library. I caved last night and bought the audio books for a..."


Yes you can do that, as long as you delete it when you are done listening. :)

Darcy wrote: "I find I like to read a book, then listen to it on audio, sometimes you get things you missed when you read them."

I do that too. I tend to listen while working out, so that way if I miss something, it's not really crucial since I've already read it.

Does anyone know if the Jeaniene Frost books are available on audio? I checked Audible.com, and I-tunes....and could not find CD's at Barnes & Noble...I have a feeling they are not on audio yet but am hoping I am wrong.

i'm almost certain they aren't on Audible.com. I think I looked.

Nichole -- I'm pretty sure she posted on her blog a couple months ago that someone recently bought the audio rights, but I don't think the books have come out yet in audiobook form.

That's good to know! I've been wondering if they would ever be coming out on audio!

Anyone else notice that you can get a lot wider variety of audio books now than you could 5 years ago. It seemed like then only some books came out in audio and they usually didn't come out until months after the book. But not anymore! I don't know if that's because audiobooks have become more popular, or maybe it's because I just happen to be reading the right books now! Either way, I wont complain!

I have noticed that. I used to rent them from Recorded Books or Books on Tape, but I can't help but wonder if the convenience of digital downloads hasn't made them more popular. I can rent them from my library, but the choice there is limited. But Audible.com almost always has what I want.

FlibBityFLooB wrote: "Nichole -- I'm pretty sure she posted on her blog a couple months ago that someone recently bought the audio rights, but I don't think the books have come out yet in audiobook form."

Thanks....I had checked her website but could not find anything.

Has anyone noticed that so many GREAT authors are missing from audible and iTunes audiobooks?!?!
Lara Adrian's- The rest of the books
Kressley Cole
Jeaniene Frost
Nalini Singh (Only in 1 book in German)
Lora Leigh
Larissa Ione
Jacquelyn Frank
Lynn Viehl
Alexis Morgan
Alexandra Ivy
Alyssa Day
Angela Knight
Kathyrn Smith

I find this so terribly frustrating, and I can't find information on when to expect them?!

Anyone have any info?

I know! It is frustrating.

I don't think that any of them have books released in audio yet. It seems like once they get them in audio, audible almost always gets them.

One good piece of news, the Lara Adrian book is brand new on there. I think within the last month. So hopefully that means that the rest of the series will slowly follow!

I'm listening to an Anne Rice novel for the PNR February Challenge 'cuz she was born in the same year as me. Look it up! Anyhoo I got it from the library, thank God, because it just goes on and on and on and on, although the plot is mildly interesting, the hero is a twit.

FlibBityFLooB wrote: "That website I believe Leslie is referring to is librivox

http://librivox.org/"

Thanks, FlibBityFLooB. I think that is the website that I was thinking of.

When buying Audiobooks, I think that it is important to click on the sound sample button.
You never know what the narrator will sound like unless you preview it.
I can't tell you how many good books are ruined by a rotten narrator.

So any suggestions of good series?

I have already listened to all of the Highlander series by Moning, the Fever series by Moning. I also have part of the BDB series and listened to Covet. I need something new! Any suggestions?

Amanda wrote: " Can you import the audio books from the library onto the iPod? I know you aren't supposed to do that because it's wrong.
"

Yes you can as long as you delete once you are done/when the period of checking it out has ended.