My Journey With Audio Books – and a GIVEAWAY for you!

Today is the kick off to audio book week (thank you Jen at Devourer of Books!)and I could not be more THRILLED!  I listen to as much audio as I read books…. some weeks, audio beats out the books.  Now – before you non audio book listeners click off this page, bear with me because really – this post is for you.  😀

Those of us who listen to audio know how awesome it is… yet I know from many of my readers, they think it is all good and well for me… but they really couldn’t possibly.  SO let’s take a little journey together shall we?

It’s fall 2009 and I have several trips I need to make to Grand Marias Minnesota.  this is a 4 hour drive, one way from my home.  Now normally, I am an 80’s rockin’ to the music kind of gal… but 4 hours of hard pounding tunes in my head (even if some are pop music – yup… I said it :razz:), gets to be too much.  At that point… I would rather listen to silence.

But this particular fall is different… as I am  fairly new to the book blogging world and recently had discovered Hachette Audio.  They gave audio books away to listen to and review.  Seriously new concept for me.  SO sure enough, in my jeep I have an audio book… it is James Patterson’s Worst Case (the Michael Bennett series – and yes…totally the third book in the series but how would I have known that?)  Anyway… I popped the audio into my vehicle and I was hooked.  The story grabbed me and while making the long haul to Grand Marais, I was able to get deep into the story – loving the sound effects, the narrator, EVERYTHING.

I ask myself, “Where can I get more of this?”

So that is where it began – but it only lead to more… I had to have more.  I loved it and I could listen to audio when I was unable to read a book.

*Hand waving rapidly back and forth*

“But Sheila, I can’t listen to audio – I can’t stay focused on it and it puts me to sleep!”

I hear that a lot.  So here’s the thing.  I can not just get cozy in a chair and listen to audio.  I would be passed out in no time or my mind drifting to something else…. like if there is ice cream in the house, or is the DVR is set up right to record Survivor…. HOWEVER as many of us readers are multi taskers, here is how audio works, and when it works for me:

• In the car – I have audio all the time.  I listen to it to work, to the grocery store, everywhere…. and road trips where I am riding alone – it is awesome and passes the time!

• While mowing the lawn.  We have a big lawn.  On the rider I still invest 3+ hours on the lawn once, sometimes twice a week.  I pop in my ear buds on the IPOD and mow to a story… now instead of singing while I mow and scaring the neighbors, I can laugh out loud or cry and let them think I am crazy.  😛

• While cooking.  I don’t have the patience to stay in the kitchen.  I have to start dinner, then move on to something else which usually means I forget about dinner.  Dinner dies.  BUT now I listen to audio Cd’s in the kitchen and I hang out…. its like it calms me and suddenly I enjoy chopping vegetables, and cleaning up while an audio is on.  I am happy – my hubby is really happy.

• While Cleaning… if I am working on one room I place the audio where I can listen to it and go to work.  I enjoy the work more, and get a book in on the side.  “Look ma – no hands!”

• Getting ready in the mornings.  I spend about 30 minutes average a day in the bathroom in the morning.  I keep my IPOD speakers in there and can listen to audio while I get ready for my day.

Audio doubles my “reading” in a year.  There are books I would probably never get to if it were not for audio.  I am more daring with audio… I listen to classics on audio, and non fiction as well as fiction.  You may be amazed at what a great narrator can do. 

*hand shoots up*

“But Sheila…. audio can be pricey…”

True.  However check your local library.  Ours has a wide variety of audio and is connected to many more libraries in the state so I can reserve from another library on-line and have it delivered to my library within days of the request.

Also – audible.com is your friend.  I signed up last year and right away you receive two free audio, after that you receive a credit a month to pick one out for 7.99.  No contract – you cancel anytime.  AND they have wonderful sales – a couple of months back I picked up quite a few for 4.95 each.

That all being said – audio and non audio listeners alike, here is my challenge to you.  This week… start an audio.  Any audio… once you have listened to it come back here and link your review to this post.  I will make a side bar contest link so you can find it.  If you are not a blogger, you can still participate by coming back after you have listened to an audio and share in the comments what you listened to – where you listened to it and what you thought of it. 

In two weeks from today I will draw a name using random.org out of those who link (or comment) about an audio they listened to and the results.  (If you have a blog – I would prefer you also link your review of the audio).  The winner will receive an audio sent to them from Amazon of a value of $20 or less before shipping.

That’s it – happy audio week everyone – let the festivities begin!  😀

** When you have your audio reviewed – link it below to be entered!

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…