Huckabee Gets Gritty at Macmillan

Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, recently narrated the audio edition of his upcoming book God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy for Macmillan Audio. Laura Wilson, Macmillan Audio’s director of production, and freelance producer Scott Sherratt traveled to Huckabee’s home in Florida to record the audiobook. Drawing on his travels as a presidential candidate, Huckabee “explores the stories of smalltown families, fundamental American values, and what makes the United States great,” according to the publisher. The audiobook and hardcover go on sale January 20.

First Ladies at Highbridge

On February 3, Highbridge will be releasing First Ladies, the eighth volume in NPR’s American Chronicles series, hosted by Cokie Roberts, author of Ladies of Liberty and Founding Mothers. Highbridge said Roberts “lends her authoritative voice on the subject” as she introduces profiles of Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Mary Todd Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jackie Kennedy, among others, along with NPR interviews that have aired over the years (including interviews with Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Barbara Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama). “With the presidential election heating up next year, we’re sure this will be timely and of interest,” said the publisher, “especially with Hillary Clinton always making headlines, whether she decides to run for office or not.”

Brilliance Enlists Campbell for ‘Hush’

Cassandra Campbell was in the Brilliance studio recording the audio edition of Hush, the new romantic suspense novel from Karen Robards. Campbell, an Odyssey and Audie Award winner, was chosen, per the publisher, “for her remarkable ability to create tension while expertly animating multiple characters, quickly ushering listeners into this dizzyingly suspenseful story and swiftly carrying them through to the gripping finale.” The audiobook goes on sale December 30; Gallery will release the hardcover on the same day.

Daniels ‘Screams’ at Tantor

Tantor brought in narrator Luke Daniels to read Dark Screams, Vol. 1, the first in a series of short story collections, edited by Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar. This volume includes “Weeds” by Stephen King, “The Price You Pay” by Kelley Armstrong, “Magic Eyes” by Bill Pronzini, “Murder in Chains” by Simon Clark, and “The Watched” by Ramsey Campbell. Daniels has narrated over 250 audiobooks, according to Tantor, and has received 13 AudioFile Earphones Awards and three Audie nominations. Hydra will release the collection as an e-book on December 9; Tantor will release the audiobook on December 30.

Random House Brings in Heyborne and Meyers

Two-time Odyssey Award winner Kirby Heyborne and Ariadne Meyers, narrator of We Were Liars, will together read All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven for Random House Audio. In her first novel for young adults, Niven “explores the facets of mental illness and teenage relationships,” according to Random House, through Theodore Finch and Violet Markey, two tweens who are dealing with the idea of death in different ways. The book is a “must-listen for fans of Eleanor & Park and, of course, The Fault in Our Stars,” said the publisher. The audiobook and hardcover (from Knopf Books for Young Readers) go on sale January 6.

Graham Reads Pelecanos at Hachette

The Martini Shot, a collection of short stories and a novella from George Pelecanos, will be read by Dion Graham for Hachette Audio. The title novella, per the publisher, takes its name from Hollywood slang for the last shot of the day (the one that comes before the drinking begins), and goes “behind the scenes of a television cop show, where a writer gets caught up in a drama more real than anything he could have conjured for a script.” The author and the Audie Award–winning narrator go way back: Graham had a role in The Wire, which Pelecanos wrote screenplays for. The book is out in hardcover and audio on January 6.