Is anyone familiar with StoryTel who purchased Audiobooks.com?
Is this a good place to find audiobooks instead of Audible?
Trying to leave Audible but need a good place to land that has modern books on audio.
#audiobooks
See tagged statuses in the local bookrastinating.com community
Been working on de-Amazon-ing... now I'm wondering what Audible alternatives there are.
The library is out because I listen to books while I fall sleep and it can take me a month+ to actually get thru. Needs to be a format with like two month loan periods or somewhere I can get books for a reasonable price.
I know Kobo sells audiobooks, but I wanna know what folks are using and where they're getting books.
Been working on de-Amazon-ing... now I'm wondering what Audible alternatives there are.
The library is out because I listen to books while I fall sleep and it can take me a month+ to actually get thru. Needs to be a format with like two month loan periods or somewhere I can get books for a reasonable price.
I know Kobo sells audiobooks, but I wanna know what folks are using and where they're getting books.
Amazon/Audible has changed its royalty structure to supposedly pay authors more, but as usual they are lying. The new structure will actually drastically cut the amount most authors are paid for audiobooks. I recommend people stop using Audible and get audiobooks from stores that pay authors and narrators fairly or buy directly from authors.
From the article posted below:
Reality: Previously, premium books earned $8-12 in royalties while streaming books earned $0. Now ALL books earn $1-3 in royalties because premium revenue subsidizes the streaming pool.
The Deceptive Logic: Audible presents this as: "You used to make $0 from streaming, now you make $1.50! That's infinite improvement!" while hiding: "Your premium sales that used to make $10 now also make $1.50, destroying 85% of your income."
Article about the changes:
https://www.royalroad.com/forums/thread/155349
YouTube explanation from scifi and fantasy creator Daniel Green.
https://youtu.be/9H0ivgubPtI
Amazon/Audible has changed its royalty structure to supposedly pay authors more, but as usual they are lying. The new structure will actually drastically cut the amount most authors are paid for audiobooks. I recommend people stop using Audible and get audiobooks from stores that pay authors and narrators fairly or buy directly from authors.
From the article posted below:
Reality: Previously, premium books earned $8-12 in royalties while streaming books earned $0. Now ALL books earn $1-3 in royalties because premium revenue subsidizes the streaming pool.
The Deceptive Logic: Audible presents this as: "You used to make $0 from streaming, now you make $1.50! That's infinite improvement!" while hiding: "Your premium sales that used to make $10 now also make $1.50, destroying 85% of your income."
Article about the changes:
https://www.royalroad.com/forums/thread/155349
YouTube explanation from scifi and fantasy creator Daniel Green.
https://youtu.be/9H0ivgubPtI
I've finished: Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
A wonderful zombie novel for people that don't like the killing fest that is most zombie media.
Written in sections, each part explores new ideas about zombies, exploring their nature and treating them like an extreme type of marginalized people.
Each turn the story takes supplies an interesting new twist that takes you on a new path away from the cookie cutter version of the Zombie Apocalypse story.
I never expected to encounter a 5-Star Zombie novel.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/f9f7d019-aee2-4726-bdc3-8e69ffc78a15
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#SFF #zombies #amReading #bookstodon #AudioBooks
I've finished: Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory
A wonderful zombie novel for people that don't like the killing fest that is most zombie media.
Written in sections, each part explores new ideas about zombies, exploring their nature and treating them like an extreme type of marginalized people.
Each turn the story takes supplies an interesting new twist that takes you on a new path away from the cookie cutter version of the Zombie Apocalypse story.
I never expected to encounter a 5-Star Zombie novel.
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/f9f7d019-aee2-4726-bdc3-8e69ffc78a15
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#SFF #zombies #amReading #bookstodon #AudioBooks
Audio book resources?
Are there good resources/links for what to include in audio books, how much backmatter is too much, etc..?
I'm about to record my own and listen to podcasts more than audio books.
Thanks so much for any help!
#WritingCommunity #WritersCoffeeClub #Audiobooks #Bookstodon
Audio book resources?
Are there good resources/links for what to include in audio books, how much backmatter is too much, etc..?
I'm about to record my own and listen to podcasts more than audio books.
Thanks so much for any help!
#WritingCommunity #WritersCoffeeClub #Audiobooks #Bookstodon
Content warning the "debate" about whether audio books count as reading (long)
Next time I get the chance, I'll check that nothing from my side is preventing readers from using text-to-speech options on my books.
While I don't currently have the option creating my books in audio form for my smutty books, I'm not gatekeeping. However you get my stories, text or audio or beamed straight into your brain, my concerns are that you're enjoying the stories and I'm getting paid.
People who read through audiobooks aren't doing something of lesser value or worth than those who read through text format.
I'm annoyed that we have to keep having this conversation but the "cognitive differences" between reading what's on the page and listening to what's coming through audio can't justify continuing to malign the act of listening to audiobooks.
Yes, written literacy is important for those who can have that literacy. It's not so important that we should denigrate the act of reading audiobooks where all things are equal and the reader prefers an audio option.
https://indieauthors.social/@indieauthornews/114904808354192077
My Name is Magic is currently 50% off! It's a whimsical fantasy with eco-punk vibes set at a magic school, about queer teens in a race against time to save their friends from creatures out of Finnish mythology. You can check out my book here:
https://audiobooks.com/promotions/promotedBook/710768/my-name-is-magic?refId=205747
My Name is Magic is currently 50% off! It's a whimsical fantasy with eco-punk vibes set at a magic school, about queer teens in a race against time to save their friends from creatures out of Finnish mythology. You can check out my book here:
https://audiobooks.com/promotions/promotedBook/710768/my-name-is-magic?refId=205747
I'm looking for new homes for more than one Mastodon account, so tell me savvy-friends: Are there instances for audiobook fans & narrators?
*I realize that the answer is probably either "no" or "wut?", but if you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate them.
**What do I narrate? Romance & (under a different name and account) erotica. Even my spicy alt is solidly PG-13 though.
#Audiobook #Audiobooks #Bookstodon #Romancelandia #AskFedi @audiobooks @bookstodon @romancelandia @smutstodon
I'm looking for new homes for more than one Mastodon account, so tell me savvy-friends: Are there instances for audiobook fans & narrators?
*I realize that the answer is probably either "no" or "wut?", but if you have any suggestions, I'd appreciate them.
**What do I narrate? Romance & (under a different name and account) erotica. Even my spicy alt is solidly PG-13 though.
#Audiobook #Audiobooks #Bookstodon #Romancelandia #AskFedi @audiobooks @bookstodon @romancelandia @smutstodon
I've finished: The Book of Love by Kelly Link
What if one of those stupid YA scary movies about a bunch of teens finding an ancient artifact and waking an eldritch horror, was turned into an in depth slow-paced masterpiece.
Kelly Link spends so much time with each of the characters, we learn to know them and love them as people with their admirable and their annoying traits.
We see them through their own eyes and through the eyes of others.
We see them grow and make their own choices despite all of the magical interference.
https://bookwyrm.social/book/1574982/s/book-of-love
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#fantasy #bookstodon #AudioBooks #AmReading
I've finished: The Book of Love by Kelly Link
What if one of those stupid YA scary movies about a bunch of teens finding an ancient artifact and waking an eldritch horror, was turned into an in depth slow-paced masterpiece.
Kelly Link spends so much time with each of the characters, we learn to know them and love them as people with their admirable and their annoying traits.
We see them through their own eyes and through the eyes of others.
We see them grow and make their own choices despite all of the magical interference.
https://bookwyrm.social/book/1574982/s/book-of-love
@bookstodon @audiobooks
#fantasy #bookstodon #AudioBooks #AmReading
I'm canceling my Audible subscription and have a few final credits to use. Seeking recommendations for #audiobooks .
Kinds of things I'm looking for:
* History, especially of places, people, and perspectives I didn't get in school in the USA
* Science fiction / fantasy
* Light reads for when everything is just too much
* Anything you think is extra remarkable
I'm canceling my Audible subscription and have a few final credits to use. Seeking recommendations for #audiobooks .
Kinds of things I'm looking for:
* History, especially of places, people, and perspectives I didn't get in school in the USA
* Science fiction / fantasy
* Light reads for when everything is just too much
* Anything you think is extra remarkable
Other audiobook readers, this happened to me on 3 different apps now so I wanted to alert others of this. As I usually do, I look up what new books my favorite narrators have narrated. Now, when I click on the narrator name, I am treated with audiobooks with their AI clone instead of their human narration. I already checked. That narrator is alive and still is recording audiobooks. Always listen to audiobooks before you make a purchase/borrow. Even now, it is incredibly obvious which ones are AI and which are narrated by the original human. This has happened to me on Hoopla, Libby, and on Audible so far. I know the audiobook narrator I looked up works for Recorded Books. It would not surprise me if they claim that they will never produce AI narrated audiobooks and then turn around and exploit their narrators without them knowing about it.
…Other audiobook readers, this happened to me on 3 different apps now so I wanted to alert others of this. As I usually do, I look up what new books my favorite narrators have narrated. Now, when I click on the narrator name, I am treated with audiobooks with their AI clone instead of their human narration. I already checked. That narrator is alive and still is recording audiobooks. Always listen to audiobooks before you make a purchase/borrow. Even now, it is incredibly obvious which ones are AI and which are narrated by the original human. This has happened to me on Hoopla, Libby, and on Audible so far. I know the audiobook narrator I looked up works for Recorded Books. It would not surprise me if they claim that they will never produce AI narrated audiobooks and then turn around and exploit their narrators without them knowing about it.
I took the liberty of emailing the narrator about this. This was his reply.
Robert,
Thank you very much for alerting me about the clone of my voice. As a Black narrator, this deeply troubles me, especially since I did not make this clone nor did I authorize it's creation. I will be extra vigilant as to what publishers I work with in the future and will make my displeasure very clear. I cannot thank you enough for your advocacy and for alerting me. In a hostile world that's more than willing to embrace this technology, we desperately need more people such as yourself.
Thank you again, my new friend!
#AI #Audible #Libby #LibbyApp #Audiobook #Audiobooks #Library #libraries
When Amazon tells you they're replacing actual human narrators at Audible with AI for the glorious cause of accessibility, remember that those assholes regularly rope authors into Audible Exclusive deals, which not only means you can only hear them on Audible, it also means those audiobooks then become inaccessible to PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
It's not about accessibility, it's about the profits.
When Amazon tells you they're replacing actual human narrators at Audible with AI for the glorious cause of accessibility, remember that those assholes regularly rope authors into Audible Exclusive deals, which not only means you can only hear them on Audible, it also means those audiobooks then become inaccessible to PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
It's not about accessibility, it's about the profits.
Bye bye #Audible , hello #LibroFM o/
Wish I had done this sooner!
I also didn’t know so of @pluralistic ’s #audiobooks were on there.
Even some I couldn’t find on https://craphound.com/all-audiobooks/ !
I don't use audiobooks — but if I did I sure wouldn't want one with an AI voice.
I appreciate this from John Scalzi on Bluesky: At no point will any of my audiobooks be narrated by "AI." "AI" can't perform stories, it can only recite words. Both my stories and my listeners deserve better. All my audiobooks will be read and performed by actual people.
He continues: (NB: I don't have problems with automated screen readers for folks who need them; assistive devices are a different discussion entirely.)
I don't use audiobooks — but if I did I sure wouldn't want one with an AI voice.
I appreciate this from John Scalzi on Bluesky: At no point will any of my audiobooks be narrated by "AI." "AI" can't perform stories, it can only recite words. Both my stories and my listeners deserve better. All my audiobooks will be read and performed by actual people.
He continues: (NB: I don't have problems with automated screen readers for folks who need them; assistive devices are a different discussion entirely.)
hey book nerds, Libro.fm is having a sale this weekend. A lot of their bestsellers are $5, which is an awesome price for #audiobooks.
In terms of #romance I saw Lights Out (the production on that was awesome it's probably the best-produced book I've listened to), Neon Gods, Leather & Lark, etc.
Your purchase with them funnels some profits to your choice of independent bookstore, and in the current environment those folks are facing a lot of heat and could use the support.
hey book nerds, Libro.fm is having a sale this weekend. A lot of their bestsellers are $5, which is an awesome price for #audiobooks.
In terms of #romance I saw Lights Out (the production on that was awesome it's probably the best-produced book I've listened to), Neon Gods, Leather & Lark, etc.
Your purchase with them funnels some profits to your choice of independent bookstore, and in the current environment those folks are facing a lot of heat and could use the support.