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Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Audio Reading (is that an oxymoron?)

I was going to write a blog about my new year's resolutions. But I really don’t have any! And when I was glancing at the Tote blog, I read Susanna’s blog about her Sony reader and was very intrigued. Especially as I’ve become addicted to audio books. I listen to them on my MP3 player, and I can also hook that into the car stereo. And I get them free from the library! Now the problem with the library is that they don’t have a lot of romances. They’ve got your basic bestsellers, Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, Jayne Ann Krentz, etc. Ooh, I did see Liz Maverick’s Crimson City series out there, or some of them at least. Right now, I’m listening to JD Robb. Um, I’m a little behind, so I’m listening to the 5th book in the series. There’s probably a hundred by now. I’ve also downloaded a lot of mysteries and am trying new authors I hadn’t read before.

It’s very interesting about audio books. It made me realize that I do a lot of skimming as I read. I can read a book in about six hours, a good, solid evening’s read. That same book will take 12 hours to listen to. Of course, one can read faster that someone speaks, so that’s another factor. The other about an audio book is that the reader is extremely important. It’s actually a performance, with a producer and a director in addition to the person reading. A poor reader can absolutely ruin a really good book. But I’m hooked because I can cook dinner or do laundry or go for my speed walk or sweep off the deck, all while listening to a book. I don’t have to dedicate an evening. So while I’ve been reading on average about two books a month, since I got my MP3 player for Christmas, I’ve listened to four books!

So let’s continue the discussion on alternate ways to read besides print books! Post a comment (please leave your e-mail so I can contact you) and I’ll enter you in a drawing for an autographed copy of Somebody’s Lover. I’ll also add you to my newsletter for updates on releases.

As a teaser, here’s the cover of my May release, Hers for the Evening.

Happy New Year!!!

Jasmine, Jennifer and JB!
http://www.skullybuzz.com/
Newsletter: skullybuzz-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Blog: http://jasminehaynes.blogspot.com/

17 comments:

Jennifer Skully/Jasmine Haynes said...

Happy New Year!

Patti (@TheLoveJunkee) said...

I love audio books! My library's selection is very, very small, twice my SIL (who lives in another state) has checked them out and lent them to me....I have a long drive in the am and listening to the audiobooks keeps me sane in traffic!

Jennifer Skully/Jasmine Haynes said...

They're wonderful for driving, Patti! Luckily I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and they have a very large selection. Although, as I mentioned, they don't have enough romance. Glad you can get some from your sister, too!

Mason Canyon said...

I love audio books too. I've found that they help me handle road rage so much better. I have a friend in Houston and we swap audio books each year at Christmas. I just got a big box from her and can't wait to start listening. Our library also offers some pretty good titles.

The MP3 player is wonderful for books when you're doing things outside. And it does work great in the car too.

The one thing that always gets me is at the end the announcer says something like 'thanks for reading our book.' It should be thanks for listening.

Great post.
mcbookshelf@gmail.com
http://wwww.masoncanyon.blogspot.com

CrystalGB said...

Audiobooks are great. Listening to audiobooks on the commute to work helps to make the drive more bearable.

Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com

Jennifer Skully/Jasmine Haynes said...

Agreed, Mason, it helps soothe road rage! Which, um, I admit to feeling when I'm in downtown freeway traffic. The audio books also really help pass the time on a road trip. That's actually where my sister got me hooked on them. And as soon as spring comes around and yard work starts again, the MP3 player will be great for that!

LOL, on listening versus reading!

Michele L. said...

Oh yeah, audio books are fantastic! You really get a feel for the characters when somebody reads them to you.

I like to sit outside or even at the beach with a good book in my hands and read. Something about reading just soothes the soul and immediately calms me down. I am an avid reader!

Both listening and reading to books is music to my soul! Can't go wrong with either one!

Happy New Year Jasmine!

Rosemary Gunn said...

Hmm..."alternate ways to read besides print books..."

I've tried to listen to one book on audio...Da Vinci Code. Didn't appeal to me at all. I loved the book...not so much the listening part. I'm going to have to give the audio thing another try, I think.

I buy tons of ebooks! Love those! [grin] Usually I read them on the computer or print them out to read. I'm still trying to figure out how to read them on my Blackberry. Maybe one of your readers can help me out with that.

Congratulations on the release of Courtesans #1 (Yours for the Night), along with all the books you've got coming throughout the year!

R

www.rosemarygunn.com
(check out Open Proposal -- an eBook from Liquid Silver Books)

Jennifer Skully/Jasmine Haynes said...

Yes, Crystal, they're great for the commute! I'm not sure why it took me this long to figure out. Especially since I'm not even commuting anymore!

You're right, Michele, there's just nothing like reading, LOL, or listening! And you've pointed out something I forgot to mention. The reader acts like the characters, changing voices, inflections. So you actually get a performance. Which is why a poor reader can ruin a book.

Oh yeah, Rosemary, I bet someone here can tell you how to read e-books on your Blackberry. Or leave a comment on Susanna's blog from yesterday because that kind of stuff was what she talked about. And thanks for the congrats!

Rebekah E. said...

I like audio books because I can clean and listen to the book. If I don't do that then I will sit on my but all day reading and not getting a thing done in the house.

bc428(at)juno(dot)com

Estella said...

I don't care for audio books.
I have a kindle and I read ebooks on my PC.

Pat Cochran said...

I've not begun to move much past
print books. When you have used a certain method of doing something,
like reading print, for over sixty
-five years, it's awfully hard to
make a change! As to varied methods
there are always the e-readers now
in favor.

Pat Cochran

Unknown said...

I have only had one audio book and I did enjoy it. I guess it depends on how much time you have to read! The advanage to the audio book is you can listen to it and do other things at the same time.

lead[at]hotsheet[dot]com

Mary Kirkland said...

After I had surgery to take my wisdome teeth out and he accidentally fractured my jaw, I was in so much pain I couldn't sit up for very long without nodding off from the pain meds. But my neighbor went to the library and got me a few audio books and my husband played them in the bedroom when I was awake. It was a great way to get my mind off the pain I was in.

me8acat@yahoo.com

Jennifer Skully/Jasmine Haynes said...

Sorry I wasn't able to get back in and comment yesterday, but I had to pick up my mom from the airport. She'd gone to Atlanta to spend Xmas with the boys. It was nice to have her home!

LOL, Rebekah, my house actually got cleaned and the laundry done because I wanted to listen to that audio book! It was Third Degree by Greg Iles.

I'm jealous of your Kindle, Estella. One of these, I'll get one, too!

My sister had been listening to audio books for years, but, like you Pat, I have my own way of doing things. And maybe the MP3 is a bad thing because I'm listening way too much! but it's fun.

Being able to do other things at the same time,, Virginia, is the advantage. There are disadvantages, like if you miss something, it's easier just to flip through than to rewind, and if you want to check some from earlier in the book, forget it. Plus you can't skim. I tend to skim long descriptions.

Oh no, Mary! I'm so sorry to hear about your jaw! That's terrible. But I'm glad the audio books helped you through.

Thanks for stopping by everyone. I'm off to draw the winner of Somebody's Lover, back in a bit!

Jennifer Skully/Jasmine Haynes said...

And congratulations to Pat Cochran, the winner of Somebody's Lover. I'll contact you for your snail mail, Pat!

Thanks everyone!

Linda Henderson said...

Congratulations Pat, I know you will enjoy the book.