A is for Audiobooks: My New Love Affair

I recently saw two friends, Rob Zimmerman and Deena Schoenfeldt, talking about audiobooks. I was puzzled. When did they listen to them? How did they find the time? Audiobooks seemed to be more time-consuming than actually reading, since I can read a book in half the time it takes to listen to it, and I was already unsatisfied with the amount of time I had for books.

Rob said he listened while shovelling snow. Deena said in the car.

I live in Australia. No snow. I catch the train to work, and while I could certainly listen to audiobooks that’s my writing time. I do drive a bit, but mostly I have small, noisy kids in the car. No cigar.

Then, I suddenly found some snow I could shovel!

I walk from my car to the station, and from the station to my office, nearly half an hour each way, or an hour a day five days a week. I was listening to music, but since I prefer to sing while listening to music, and I couldn’t really do this walking in public, this wasn’t really ideal music listening time. Why not listen to an audiobook?

Once I found some time to use, I decided to give audiobooks a try. That was January 12. Since then I’ve listened to 7 audiobooks, in addition to another 3-4 books I’ve read in ebook format. It’s the most books I’ve read in a 10 week period in years, and I’m loving it. 

I started with listening while walking. Then it was while doing the chores, if the kids were in bed, and my husband was otherwise preoccupied. As books grabbed and held my attention, I scrounged for more time for the stories. While exercising at 5am in my house. Doing my exercises to repair my abdominal separation (a staggering 1500 of them a day). 

Then it was in the car, to and from the station or, even better, en route to pick up the kids from my mother in law’s, or home from my parents on a weekend evening, as both kids slept in the back seat – both trips of a good forty minutes. Finally, it was the gym. 

The gym was a good move. After nearly a year at the gym, and some 18kgs of weight loss (with ten still to go) my motivation was flagging. Audiobooks suddenly gave me a new incentive to go - if I go to the gym, I can listen to the book, I told myself. Now I celebrate the nights I go to the gym – I can find out what happens next! 

I am not addicted. Honest. Just a little in love. 

This is an A to Z Blogging Challenge post. For more information about the challenge, check it out at A to Z Blogging. If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might like to join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign-up to my newsletter. Check out my March Newsletter if you missed it.  

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The Nuance In the Name

I recently guest posted for @abhinavjain87 on the importance of character names, particularly in a fantasy context, although not exclusively.

What makes a good name? Does it really matter what you call characters? Will readers care all that much?

For answers to these questions, and others, stop on over to read the full post here. You can also see some examples of my names and what they mean to me, and tell me if they evoke similar imagery and feelings for you. What did you call your characters, and do you feel they 'fit'?

Spells: Ten Tales of Magic

Spells: Ten Tales of Magic is an anthology edited by Rayne Hall, released 28 October - and my short story A Magical Melody is part of the collection!

Some of you may have seen an earlier incarnation of A Magical Melody on my blog as part of the A-Z Blogging Challenge, but Spells: Ten Tales of Magic will feature the revised (and therefore improved) version. The original (first draft) version is no longer available on my blog, pending the release of the anthology. A publication date is not yet confirmed, but is expected to be later in October.

I'm delighted I was asked to submit a revised version of A Magical Melody, and even more pleased to have it accepted. The story did deserve a bit of polish - and in fact, the concept of the world intrigues me enough I'll probably revisit it in future for a novel of its own. 

I've shared the cover here with you, but the official cover reveal was done yesterday on the blog of fellow anthology author, Cherie Reich. You can find the original launch, complete with an interview with the cover artist, here.

You can find the anthology on Smashwords and shortly on Amazon.

In the meantime, another anthology in the series edited by Rayne Hall, Haunted: Ten Tales of Ghosts is free at Amazon from 23 - 27 October. If you're interested, you can find it here for US Kindle and here for UK Kindle. 

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to check out my previous posts if you haven't already. If you're finding yourself here often, you might as well join as a member, sign up to the blog through RSS or email, or sign up for the newsletter.

Don't forget to share the love and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook or StumbleUpon (or other social networking site of your choice) if you know other people who might also enjoy this.

Thanks for stopping by and visiting with us.