With traffic and travel and time constraints so big a part of most people’s life these days, finding enough time to read has become challenging. Years ago I faced this same thing when I was balancing my teaching job, being a mother, being a wife, and finding time to read. I started what has become a lifelong habit–reading for about 20 minutes before turning out my light at night.
Today book lovers have another option. They can listen to books while they drive, paint, work (at some mindless jobs), and jog or shop. I see runners all the time with their ear buds connected to some unseen source.
A little over 3 years ago I took note of that and started the process to make my books accessible that way. With a local studio I began recording my own books. For the first book I took quite a bit of time as the process was all new. When the second book was ready I was a lot faster and the cost was about 2/3 of what the first had been. This past few months my same technician (who is a dream to work with, by the way) and I got the third in my trilogy in the can.
My problem had been that the company I wanted to carry my audio books, Audible’s ACX, did not take submissions from Canada. They operated with the U.S. and Great Britain only. I needed a U.S. address and arranged to use my nephew’s which was acceptable.
Next problem? The same one I had with Amazon and the IRS: I needed an ITIN so that I wouldn’t be charged an exorbitant income tax rate. My accountant husband tried three times to get this paperwork done but had problems with the IRS and getting clear and consistent answers. At one point the government shut down and our stuff was caught in that fiasco.
My husband finally found a solution to that problem but the Audible one was still out there.
I just got frustrated and carried on doing what I could, hoping that an answer would come. It did. I happened to pick up a newspaper a couple of months ago in Victoria and read an article about Audible/ACX coming to Canada. Immediately I followed up.
Today, my second book, The Loyalist’s Luck, is available on their platform. I am ecstatic.
Second in the Loyalist Trilogy
You may be wondering why the second book is listed there now but not the first, The Loyalist’s Wife. There are some issues with the files for the first book and my technician is working on those at the moment. I hope to have the corrected files sent in to ACX within the next week.
We also have the third book, The Loyalist Legacy, recorded and I’m waiting for the final files for it.
Once you get the files sent in to ACX, you have to wait 2-3 weeks for them to review them. If they find issues you have to fix them and, presumably, wait again.
Meanwhile anxious readers can check the books out on Amazon. The books can be read out of order but I suggest starting with the first for the broadest and most satisfying reading/listening pleasure.
For any authors thinking of doing this, I found the ACX process of uploading chapter by chapter very simple to follow. I’ll announce in my newsletter (link at left) when all of the books are fully accessible as audio books.
Click on the Loyalist Trilogy books below for great historical stories with satisfying endings:
