Sound Off: What’s New in the Audio Market

Whether you’re at home, in the gym, sitting in traffic, or outrunning errands, an audiobook can enhance your day. It’s something multitaskers, audio enthusiasts and avid print lovers are real-izing more and more as audiobooks have skyrocketed in popularity in the last decade. In 2022, publishers’ audiobook revenue grew a whopping 10% to $1.8 billion, according to the Audio Publishers Association Sales Survey conducted by Harris Interactive. This marked the 11th straight year of double-digit growth for the industry.

“We continue to be in an exciting time for audio, with more people exposed to the audio format every day through a variety of retailers and library vendors in the space,” says Michele Cobb, executive director of the Audio PublishersAssociation (APA), the not for profit trade association which brings together audio publishing companies with suppliers, distributors, retailers, producers and narrators. Established in 1986, the APA works to raise the profile of the audio format through an array of initiatives and programs, including conferences devoted to the business and creation of audio, Sound Learning - which highlights the ways audio can improve literacy, the celebration of Audiobook Month in June, and the Audie Awards, which recognize achievements in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment.

Audiobooks have come a long way since the 1930s, when the first audio-test recordings were made using pas-sages from Helen Keller’s autobiography Midstream and Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven.” Audio now accounts for approximately 11% of the trade book market, according to data from the Association of American Publishers, making it a go-to format for millions of enthusiasts young and old.

Cobb, who describes the audiobook experience as “reading with your ears,” is excited for what’s to come in the space.“Our member publishers continue to trynew things, with creative dramatizations and full cast productions, audio originals, and strong marketing campaigns for the format,” she says. “It will be interesting to see how different consumer access mod-els impact the industry and whether consumer willingness to try titles outside of their comfort zone changes under these new models. Overall, the future continue to look bright as the number of listeners continues to grow.”

2024 is already shaping up to be another great year for audiobooks. Check out these upcoming summer and fall releases—they’re guaranteed to entertain, inform, and inspire listeners everywhere.

SIMON & SCHUSTER AUDIO

Since it published its first audiobook in 1985, Simon & Schuster Audio has opportunistically published audio-only or audio-first titles from authors such as Jimmy Carter, Stephen King, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Joel Osteen. With audio publishing’s continued growth, S&S made the strategic decision to lean into audio originals in a more programmatic way. It brought on Lara Blackman, Senior Acquisition Editor for Original Audio in 2022 to focus solely on developing an original audiobook list. Recent originals include audiobooks from bestselling authors, Bob Woodward, Julie Chen Moonves, J.R. Ward, Jeneva Rose, and William Kent Krueger.

Last summer the publisher released the first original audiobook project from author-duo Christina Lauren, The Honeymoon Crashers. This original is the sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Unhoneymooners. The Honeymoon Crashers concerns a perfectionist maid of honor and a carefree surfer-bro best man who team up to plan a wedding and end up finding a spark of their own, and features performances by a full cast, including narrators Jessica Marie Garcia, Harry Shum Jr., and Lee Osorio. Notably, this is the first project from the duo written for the audio format. “Hearing the witty dialogue and flirty banter that Christina Lauren is known for takes the listening experience to the next level,” the publisher notes.

Among other recent original audiobook releases is One of Our Own by Lucinda Berry (March), read by actors A.J. Cook (Criminal Minds) and Tessa Albertson (Younger), which centers on a suicide prevention hotline volunteer who answers a call that turns her world upside down. This edge-of-your-seat audio original thriller is tailor-made for the listening experience, says the publisher, as it pairs BookTok favorite Berry’s writing with standout performances from Cook and Albertson—creating “a match made in audio heaven.”

If humor is your thing, there’s also New Nigeria County from TikTok star Clare Brown (June), performed by the author and a full cast, including Ayanna Dookie, Korey Jackson, and Andrea Jones-Sojola. This original audiobook features a white family that moves to the affluent Black community of New Nigeria County, where a misunderstanding between neighbors escalates until the entire town is swept up in the drama. This “hilarious and whip-smart” work is sure to be a conversation starter and a book club favorite, the publisher says.

Out in September, there’s How to Chase Change by Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa, read by the author—who’s the creator and host of the popular podcast Do You F*****g Mind? This original audiobook is a guide to shifting your mindset to create the change you envision for your life, from your physical and mental health to your relationships, career, and beyond. Featuring an actionable, step-by-step, 30-day program that listeners can follow, it’s perfect for those looking to become the best version of themselves.

In October, there’s Meditations for Black Men written and read by Jor-El Caraballo. This original audiobook meditation program by therapist Caraballo, author of Self-Care for Black Men (Adams Media), aims to empower listeners to create a deeper connection with their mind, body, and spirit over the course of ten guided meditations. “Audiobooks can provide a safe space, or a moment of calm amidst our chaotic and stressful days,” notes the publisher, and Caraballo “brings us just that with this calming and inspiring meditation program.”

In December, bestselling author Elena Armas will executive produce the full-cast original audiobook, Know Your Newlywed. This romantic comedy written by Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum tells the hilarious story of two super-fans of a beloved dating game show who decide to fake a marriage to compete. The audiobook will include sound effects, music, and a to be announced cast.

Simon & Schuster Audio’s originals program continues to grow and it will be announcing more titles soon.

HACHETTE AUDIO

Hachette Audio is devoted to making storytelling come alive for listeners young and old. The audiobook arm of the Hachette Book Group, it works with some of the most influential literary figures around—from James Patterson and Malcolm Gladwell to Malala Yousafzai—and provides them with a best-in-class audiobook publishing experience, every time.

The division collaborates closely with authors from every Hachette print division and imprint, covering an array of adult, children’s, and YA titles, and pairs the author’s words with skilled actors, directors, and producers to create recordings that are both faithful to the text and a truly immersive and distinctive experience. “It’s great to see evidence of consumers reading and listening, depending on the situation, and marvelous to see backlist audiobooks continue to appeal to listeners years after their initial publication,” says Ana Maria Allessi, VP and publisher of Hachette Audio. “Backlist sales have never been stronger.”

Hachette Audio titles have been recognized with numerous Grammy, Listen Up!, Earphone, and Audie awards. In 2024 alone, Hachette Audio received six Audie nominations, including Audiobook of the Year for Sing a Black Girl’s Song, a newly discovered trove of unpublished work by poet and playwright Ntozake Shange read by a cast including actor Alfre Woodard. This summer and fall, Hachette Audio will release a new batch of audiobooks sure to engage listeners.

Eruption by James Patterson and Michael Crichton (June), read by Scott Brick, is a thriller about a history-making volcanic eruption that’s about to destroy the Big Island of Hawaii—and is tied to a terrifying U.S. military secret. A passion project for Crichton (Jurassic Park), the book was left uncompleted when he died in 2008. Knowing how special it was to the author, his wife, Sherri, held back his notes and partial manuscript until she found the right author to complete it: Patterson. The book is sure to be the biggest thriller of the year, says the press.

Queen of Fourteenth Street by Barrie Kreinik (June)—read by Kreinik, Orlagh Cassidy, Imani Jade Powers, Elisabeth Rodgers, and James Fouhey—is a Hachette Audio Original Drama based on the life of queer Broadway star Eva Le Gallienne, who, in 1926, left the commercial theatre behind to establish the Civic Repertory Theatre on West Fourteenth Street. With the aim of producing high-quality plays at low prices, she served as the Civic Rep’s lead actor, director, and producer for seven years, an openly gay person at a time when many queer people lived in the shadows. “In bringing to life the remarkable story of this pioneering woman, writer-performer Barrie Kreinik has created a riveting audio drama that reveals as much about our present-day culture as it does about the challenges this powerful artist faced down,” the press says.

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand (June), read by Erin Bennett, is the last of Hilderbrand’s bestselling Nantucket novels and features a bonus interview between the author and her longtime narrator, Bennett. The novel finds Hilderbrand returning to some of her most beloved characters, including the beautiful island of Nantucket, and is a medley of “glittering gatherings, sun-soaked drama, wisdom, and heart,” says the press.

Connie: A Memoir by Connie Chung (September), narrated by the author, is a “sharp, witty, and definitive memoir like no other” that delves into the iconic journalist’s storied career as the first Asian woman to break into an overwhelmingly white, male-dominated television news industry. “Chung pulls no punches as she provides a behind-the-scenes tour of her singular life,” the press says. “From showdowns with powerful men in and out of the newsroom to the stories behind some of her career-defining reporting and the unwavering support of her husband, Maury Povich, nothing is off-limits—good, bad, or ugly.”

Lifeform by Jenny Slate (October), read by the author, is a “wild, soulful, hilarious” collection of genre-bending essays, says the press. The book covers the journey to motherhood for the actor, comedian, co-creator of Marcel the Shell, and bestselling author of Little Weirds and includes laugh-out-loud ruminations on finding love and giving birth.

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE

The premier publisher in the audiobook industry, Penguin Random House (PRH) Audio has been a trailblazer in the space since the infancy of audiobook production. A global company where great stories meet great storytellers, PRH is a destination for those seeking works that delight, inspire, and change the conversation. Here, we look at three of the company’s major audio divisions in the U.S., Spain, and Canada.

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO U.S.

Penguin Random House Audio produces 2,000 audiobooks a year in the U.S. and has a catalogue of nearly 20,000 titles, with imprints that include Random House Audio, Penguin Audio, Listening Library, and Books on Tape. Listening Library was one of the first companies to produce audiobooks, starting in 1955, and today focuses on children’s and YA titles, while Books on Tape, launched in the 1970s, caters to schools and libraries and was a leader in making unabridged audiobooks standard across the industry. And, under the 16-year leadership of president and publisher Amanda D’Acierno, Penguin Random House Audio has become one of the company’s most successful divisions.

Working with the most experienced team in the business, Penguin Random House Audio operates 14 in-house studios in New York and Los Angeles, recording tens of thousands of hours of audio around the globe every year in a dozen languages. It has 21 producers with more than 295 years of collective experience, making it the largest and most trusted audiobook publisher around. Its expert in-house pre- and postproduction teams bring unparalleled know-how and innovation to its audiobook projects on an international scale. Its teams creatively collaborate with each of their authors, which include Grammy, Nobel, and Pulitzer Prize winners, presidents, world leaders, and bestselling authors, sometimes for years, before releasing a book, giving the company a great advantage in developing content in the way it was intended.

Producing audiobooks for every division within Penguin Random House, the company also publishes other authors’ and publishers’ audiobooks, notes Dan Zitt, SVP of content production, and it collaborates with publishers throughout the industry as well as publishing original audiobook content, further distinguishing it in the field. “We’ve earned accolades for our immersive recordings, and we believe the celebrated audiobook original content we have produced showcases the creativity that Penguin Random House Audio has woven into its DNA,” Zitt says. “With our original audio acquisitions, our producers have the opportunity to incubate an audio idea from the beginning, working with authors from ideation to collaboration and publication. There’s a lot more to be done in this space, and we are hungry to work on more of this content.”

Zitt, who has 28 years of audiobook experience, has personally produced more than 2,000 recordings, with former presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama, Bono, and the Beastie Boys. He’s particularly proud of the Audio team’s back-to-back major award wins in 2024, including winning the Odyssey Award, the Grammy, and the Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year. In total, the company has earned 19 Grammy Awards, 111 Audie Awards, and 28 Odyssey Awards, and has 27 #1 New York Times audio bestsellers.

New and forthcoming titles from Random House Audio include the thriller Camino Ghosts, set on the mysterious Camino Island, by John Grisham, read by Whoopi Goldberg (May); Earthlight by screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Sense8), a fully soundscaped, space action-adventure, read by a full cast (July); Good Lookin’ Cookin’: A Year of Meals—A Lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food by Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George, read by the authors (September), in which Dolly and her sister talk food and family; and Citizen: My Life After the White House by Bill Clinton, read by the author (November). There are also releases from Matt Haig, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Liane Moriarty, and many more.

Throughout the years, Penguin Random House Audio has stayed at the forefront of audio production and has continued to remain vital in the arena. Diversity is paramount to the company, which has established a global casting platform, Ahab Talent, to make new talent more easily discoverable by producers. The service, used by the publisher’s colleagues in several territories, has enabled the creation of pathways for underrepresented actors and artists to be a bigger part of the industry.

With its bounty of production expertise, Penguin Random House Audio is committed to breaking the boundaries of audio storytelling through a collaborative and innovative approach to every audiobook it publishes. The audio production team works tirelessly to combine Big 5 publisher resources with its more personalized boutique creative approach to publishing audiobooks, resulting in great payoffs for authors, publishers, and other clients with whom it partners.

“Each and every audiobook has its own trajectory and vision,” Zitt says. “We approach each book as its own unique creative endeavor, combining a boutique creative production approach with a dedicated team of more than 100 across editorial, production, marketing, publicity, sales, and operations. We invest our resources and creativity to work in ways that no other publisher can, on a scale that no other publisher does.”

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO GRUPO EDITORIAL

The largest Spanish-language audio producer in the world, Penguin Random House Audio Grupo Editorial has been a global pioneer in the publication of audiobooks in Spanish. The group is proud to call itself a digital native—its first titles were marketed 10 years ago, in 2014, when there were only a few Spanish-language distribution platforms available. Over the years, it has grown its production capability exponentially.

Today, Penguin Random House Audio Grupo Editorial—led by director Ángela Álvarez—has nearly 6,000 titles in its catalogue, which are sold and distributed around the world, the U.S. being one of its main markets. The group operates in eight Spanish-speaking countries (Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and the U.S.) and records in studios all over Spain and Latin America. It works with award-winning actors and narrators, has received four consecutive Audie Awards in the Spanish-language category and many other recognitions, including eight SOVAS Voice Arts Awards, and is often shortlisted in best-of lists, such as Audible Best of the Year. “We strive to represent the diverse and wide range of cultures and sensibilities of our books and authors accurately,” says Álvarez of what makes Grupo Editorial such a standout in the marketplace, “and to cover the whole spectrum of Spanish accents in the world.”

Always at the cutting edge of audio production in the Spanish-speaking world, Grupo Editorial has collaborated across international territories on numerous high-level productions, such as Gabriel García Márquez’s Until August, which was narrated by the same Academy Award–nominated actor in both Spanish and English, Catalina Sandino Moreno. Álvarez notes that Grupo Editorial plans to continue to bring its audiences top-class productions from the most prestigious and bestselling Spanish-speaking authors, including Isabel Allende, Mario Vargas Llosa, Anabel Hernández, and Mercedes Ron, as well as dramatized, iconic productions of Spanish classics such as the award-winning La casa de Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca.

Grupo Editorial’s production expertise crosses geographic and language borders, and it has recorded the most important and award-winning authors from across Latin America in local Spanish dialects. It maintains centers of audio production across the Spanish-speaking world, including Los Angeles, Miami, Mexico City, Spain, and Argentina. Some of its recent highlights

include Pedro Almodóvar’s book El último sueño, directed by Almodóvar and narrated by six of his regular actors, with music by Academy Award–winning composer Alberto Iglesias; as well as the production of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha, with a cast of 27 outstanding actors. Upcoming titles from Grupo Editorial include the audiobook of Booker Prize–winning novel Distancia de Rescate (Fever Dream) by Samanta Schweblin, as well as Spanish versions of new books by Stephen King, Sanderson, Katzenbach, and Robert T. Kiyosaki.

As for the future, Álvarez says, “there is still huge potential for growth in the Spanish markets in the next few years, with important territories such as Mexico, Spain, and Argentina still under development in terms of consumption and platforms and catalogues available.” The sky’s the limit for Spanish-language audio, and Grupo Editorial is at the forefront of creating the best productions around.

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE CANADA AUDIO

Since launching in June 2017, the Penguin Random House Canada audiobooks publishing program has firmly established itself as the leading presence in the audiobook market in Canada, now publishing audiobooks alongside many of its print and e-book publications, including works narrated by authors such as Rick Mercer, Jann Arden, and Michael Ondaatje.

“We are one of only a handful of publishers in Canada who has its own audiobook publishing program,” says Martha Leonard, associate publisher, paperbacks and audiobooks. “The ability to publish a book ourselves in all formats, for all readers, gives us a competitive advantage and allows us to provide the full 360 publishing experience for every author.”

Adding Canadian-authored books to the global catalogue, using Canadian talent, and sharing Canadian stories is a priority for the group. Leonard points out that sometimes these books include the use of indigenous languages that are less commonly heard and in some cases nearing extinction. Among other things, the audio team carefully takes on the work of sourcing accurate pronunciations so that it can contribute to the preservation of these languages. “Penguin Random House Canada’s audio team is contributing to an increased diversity of voices and texts represented in audiobooks,” Leonard says, “through publications from numerous Indigenous authors, featuring Indigenous performers.”

To highlight the breadth and diversity of its publishing program, Leonard points to the publication of The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, volumes 1 and 2, by Kent Monkman, an interdisciplinary Cree, visual artist, and his longtime collaborator, Gisèle Gordon, which includes a remarkable 40 different languages and dialects. Monkman’s gender-fluid alter ego Miss Chief Eagle Testickle often appears in the author’s work, the press notes, “as a time-traveling, shape-shifting, supernatural being who reverses the colonial gaze to challenge received notions of history and Indigenous peoples.” The audiobooks of these volumes, which came out late last year, are read by Gail Maurice, a Cree/Michif translator, actor, writer, filmmaker, and director who is also one of the inspirations for Miss Chief Eagle.

Alongside new, forthcoming titles such as Diana Beresford-Kroeger’s Our Green Heart and Murray Sinclair’s Who We Are, Penguin Random House Canada has newly released the Scaredy Squirrel Collection narrated by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, is excited about its partnership with the Azrieli Foundation to preserve the voices of Holocaust survivors, and will be producing audiobooks for L.R. Wright’s vintage Karl Alberg detective series, which Fox TV’s Murder in a Small Town (coming Fall 2024) is based on.

INGRAM CONTENT GROUP

If you know publishing, you know Ingram. For more than 50 years, Ingram Content Group has been a trusted business-to-business distributor of books, from print to e-books and audiobooks. Last year, Ingram’s global audiobook sales grew by over 90% and have been growing by double digits the last few years, matching industry trends.

Ingram’s CoreSource platform, which manages e-book and audiobook sales and their distribution, powers publishers large and small around the globe. Today, more than 100,000 publishers use CoreSource to reach 450 distribution channels, including 50-plus managed digital sales channels. In 2023 alone, the company added nearly two million new assets to the platform and completed more than 800 million successful distributions.

CoreSource is set apart by Ingram’s extensive partnerships and distribution channels. The platform is highly secure and customizable to publishers’ unique schedules, workflow, and business rules. While best known for the distribution of digital assets, the platform also enables print metadata distribution and can pass print files and metadata to Lightning Source—a print-on-demand service designed to help publishers cut the cost of printing and expand market reach, optimizing profits on every book sold. For Gilles Dana, president of G&D Media, this connectivity is essential: “Ingram has the best storage and delivery system in the industry.”

Publishers who rely on CoreSource benefit from the company’s ability to simultaneously make titles available globally and in multiple formats—as maximizing availability is the backbone for title discovery and sales. “Audiobooks are an important format for us,” says Nia Beynon, sales and marketing director for Boldwood Books, “and CoreSource has played a vital role in ensuring that our audiobooks are stored safely and distributed efficiently to the widest possible audience, so that readers and listeners anywhere in the world can access a Boldwood book in the format of their choosing from publication day.”

Europa Editions also relies on Ingram’s digital sales program to help make their books bestsellers. The Postcard by Anne Berest, narrated by Barrie Kealoha, is one of Ingram’s top-selling audiobooks of 2023, with nearly as many audio units sold as e-book copies. Michael Reynolds, editor-in-chief of Europa Editions, says, “Ingram has made delivery of audiobooks efficient and effective, allowing small publishers like Europa to enter the audiobook marketplace in a big way.” Winner of the Choix Goncourt Prize, The Postcard, released last May, is “a vivid portrait of twentieth-century Parisian intellectual and artistic life, ... an enthralling investigation into family secrets, and a poignant tale of a Jewish family devastated by the Holocaust and partly restored through the power of storytelling.”

Ingram is also excited for its range of 2024 releases. Why People Work by Ercell Charles and Merle Heckman, narrated by Ercell Charles, and published by G&D Media (April), is a business book that explores what motivates people to go to work, with a focus on helping leaders examine the expectations and motivations of the people they employ.

The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up by Laura Pearson, narrated by Julie Maisey, from Boldwood Books (April), is the follow-up to Pearson's #1 bestseller The Last List of Mabel Beaumont, which has sold more than 250,000 copies. It’s a powerful story of memory, loss, love, and new beginnings, about a woman, Shelley Woodhouse, who wakes up in the hospital from a coma with the creepy feeling that her husband should be arrested.

There’s also The Art of Murder by Fiona Walker, narrated by Christine Mackie (May). This title from Boldwood Books is the start of a new murder mystery series from the million-copy bestseller Walker. And from Europa Editions, there’s A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi, narrated by Liz Fodor (May), a book about sisterhood and healing from one of France’s most beloved contemporary novelists.

MACMILLAN AUDIO

A thriving division of the Macmillan group, Macmillan Audio records the best fiction and nonfiction available for both adults and children from Macmillan’s publishers, in addition to publishing original audio works. This summer’s releases from the division, which was named 2023 Audiobook Publisher of the Year at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards and won five Audies at the 2024 Audie Awards, include an especially rich variety of audio programming, from blockbuster fiction to powerful memoir.

Out in June is Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi, narrated by Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award–winner Cynthia Erivo. It’s the #1 New York Times bestselling author’s highly anticipated, “earth-shaking” conclusion, says the division, to her Legacy of Orïsha series.

Out this July there’s Loud by Drew Afualo, narrated by the author—an “empowering, inspiring, patriarchy-smashing” first book by the TikTok and podcast star, the division says. “All of Drew’s podcast listeners will be eager to hear Loud in her voice. Drew is famous for her laugh, and the audiobook will be sure to capture it in a way that is perfectly Drew.”

In August, the press will also release The Talk by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Darrin Bell, read by Darrin Bell, Emyree Zazu Bell, Brittany Bradford, and William DeMerrit. Originally published as a graphic novel, the work was inspired by a talk Bell’s mother had with him at the age of six, when he wanted a realistic-looking water gun, prompting her to tell him that she feared for his safety and that little Black boys are often viewed by the police as older and less innocent than they are. The Talk—winner of the NAACP Image Award and an ALA Alex Award—is being adapted for audio by podcaster Ronald Young Jr., features an appearance by Bell’s son Emyree Zazu Bell, and includes music, sound design, and archival audio that illustrates the recent history of race in America.

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston, narrated by Emma Galvin and Max Meyers, goes on sale this August. In #1 New York Times bestselling author McQuiston’s latest romantic comedy, two bisexual exes accidentally book the same European food and wine tour and challenge each other to a hookup competition to prove they’re over each other—except they’re definitely not. McQuiston, a big audiobook fan, attended many of the recording sessions, and fans can hear McQuiston’s voice on the audiobook, reading the openers of each chapter.

In addition to the exciting audiobooks that Macmillan Audio releases, it is also focused on diversifying the storytelling experience for its listeners. To that end, Macmillan Audio has launched audiobook narration workshops designed to discover and nurture new narrators from communities that have historically been less represented in the performing arts. These events are designed to give new narrators real, practical, and applicable skills they can use for developing a career in audiobook narration. So far, Macmillan Audio has gone on to hire more than 20 narrators discovered through the program, and the division expects to discover many more in the workshops to come.

SPOTIFY

Whether you’re in the mood for Taylor Swift, 21 Savage, or an episode of the Joe Rogan Podcast, Spotify can help you curate the soundtrack to your day. One of the world’s most influential audio-streaming platforms, Spotify—founded in Sweden in 2008—provides its millions of subscribers and other users virtually limitless listening options, on their phones, computers, tablets, and more.

In 2022, Spotify began offering audiobooks on its platform, giving listeners a brand-new audio experience and even more opportunity to connect with the artists they love through hundreds of thousands of titles. Spotify now licenses and produces audiobooks through its in-house publishing imprint, Spotify Audiobooks. The team at Spotify Audiobooks works with publishers, agents, and authors to license and produce audiobooks through Findaway, an audiobook production company that Spotify acquired in 2022 and that allows users to create, distribute, and monetize their own audiobooks.

“Spotify’s mission is to give a million creatives the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy it,” the company says. “Through our publishing program, Spotify Audiobooks is able to contribute to that mission by ensuring that our publishing reflects a wide breadth of creators, listeners, and perspectives.”

Spotify offers audiobooks through a selection of Premium subscription plans: Premium Individual, Premium Duo, and Premium Family. These audiobook offerings are currently available in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand and will expand into additional markets this year. Subscribers to Premium Individual get 15 hours per month to listen to Spotify’s catalog of more than 250,000 audiobooks, as do plan managers of the Premium Duo and Premium Family plans; plan managers are the individuals who set up the Duo and Family accounts. Listeners can also purchase additional hours, beyond the 15 allotted hours, if needed. Additionally, à la carte purchases of audiobooks are available in the same markets.

Spotify Audiobooks has an extensive backlist catalog for listeners to enjoy, as well as a selection of literary classics released in new editions, like A Tale of Two Cities, read by TikTok sensation Chris Tester, and The War of the Worlds, dramatized by award-winning narrator Vikas Adam.

There’s always something fresh to listen to. Among the titles premiering this year is Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the bestselling author of Mexican Gothic. The recording (out in August) of Garcia’s first book—originally published in 2015—is narrated by Kyla Garcia and offers “a brand-new presentation of an iconic author’s debut novel, featuring a new, culturally appropriate narrator.” There’s also Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War by Tom Steyer, a leader in the fight against climate change. Copublished with Spiegel & Grau and narrated by the author, Cheaper, Faster, Better (May) is a “hopeful climate book,” notes the company, in which Steyer argues that “the fight against climate change will not only create a healthier future but will bring new meaning to our lives, unite us in a common goal, spark our creativity, and bring new economic opportunities that will transform our country and the world.”

If YA romance is your thing, listen to Love, Off the Record by Samantha Markum (June, narrated by Ellen Quay). This third YA title by Markum from Spotify Audiobooks—following This May End Badly and You Wouldn’t Dare—has received praise from bestselling authors Jenna Evans Welch, Michelle Quach, and Kaitlyn Hill.

Finally, in women’s fiction, there’s The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster by critical darling Shauna Robinson (July, narrated by Chante McCormick). Spotify Audiobooks published Robinson’s two previous audiobooks—Must Love Books and The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks—in 2022. This one is “feel-good fiction with a Southern edge,” says the company, and a perfect summer read.

BLACKSTONE PUBLISHING

Husband and wife team Craig and Michelle Black started Blackstone Publishing in 1987 in a garage in Southern Oregon and, with the help of a handful of enthusiastic family members and employees, built an impressive audiobook business one cassette tape at a time. With a fresh perspective on the reading experience, Craig and Michelle, along with their staff, found innovative methods to produce and distribute audiobooks while pioneering creative ways to collaborate with publishers, booksellers, and the audiobook community.

In 2015, Blackstone expanded into hardcover, paperback, large print, and e-book formats, all while continuing to grow its audiobook business, and even built a state-of-the-art printing press at the company headquarters in Ashland to sustainably print books. These days, the privately owned company, with offices on both coasts, is one of the fastest-growing independent publishers in America, adding hundreds of new titles each month to its catalog of tens of thousands of books. They have published some of the biggest names in classic literature—Gabriel García Márquez, Ayn Rand, James Clavell—as well as contemporary authors like Neil deGrasse Tyson, Karin Slaughter, Jeneva Rose, Whoopi Goldberg, Don Winslow, and Robert Downey Jr.

To meet the evolving needs of audiobook and reading enthusiasts, Blackstone actively explores new technologies and distribution channels. In late 2023, the company unveiled Blackstone Unlimited, a groundbreaking platform that offers libraries revolutionary access to audiobooks. Boasting the largest always-available collection of adult and children’s downloadable audiobooks, Blackstone Unlimited Audio offers more than 6,700 titles, with a commitment to continuously expanding its list. The publisher has also begun partnering with Lyrasis, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization; through that partnership, Blackstone Unlimited will be available to libraries through the Palace Project, a library-driven platform and e-reader app for digital content and services.

Blackstone has an array of audio offerings on tap. Out in June there’s Familiaris by David Wroblewski, read by Richard Poe. A prequel to the beloved #1 bestseller The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Familiaris is the stirring origin story of the Sawtelle family and the remarkable dogs that carry the Sawtelle name. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, the book spans four decades of small-town American life as it explores love and friendship and the unique partnership between Homo sapiens and Canis familiaris.

In July, the press will release Shark Night by legendary Goosebumps creator R.L. Stine, read by Ramón de Ocampo. It’s the story of 12-year-old Carlo, who’s helping his mom film a shark documentary for the Danger Channel and, after a production miscommunication, finds himself lowered into a tank with a killer shark. This terrifying seafaring adventure will leave young readers gasping for air.

Another notable title, out in September, is Break Every Rule by Brian Freeman, with a narrator to be announced. This thriller from the bestselling author of Robert Ludlum’s hit Jason Bourne series concerns Tommy Miller, a mysterious man on the run from terrorists who’s hiding in Florida under a false identity. When his wife and daughter are abducted, he must confront the world he thought he’d left behind.

Also out in September is Gaslight by Sara Shepard and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, with a narrator to be announced. This psychological thriller from bestselling author Shepard and Sundance Award-winning filmmaker and podcast creator Joris-Peyrafitte concerns a Nevada woman, Rebecca, whose life is thrown into turmoil when a troubling acquaintance from her past, Danny, shows up at her door. It’s a gripping story about the inner workings of cults, the susceptibility of young minds, and the fragility of friendship and marriage.

BOOKBABY

Want to self-publish and monetize your work? BookBaby is on a mission to give authors the tools and resources they need to publish and distribute their books independently—a role the company has been perfecting since its inception in 2011. The self-publisher, led by president Jim Foley, caters to both first-time and seasoned authors working in an array of genres, including fiction (novels, short stories), nonfiction (memoirs, self-help, business books), poetry, children’s books, academic and scholarly works, and cookbooks and lifestyle titles.

BookBaby grew rapidly between 2012 and 2014, becoming a trusted partner for authors looking to navigate the complexities of self-publishing owing to its focus on developing user-friendly platforms and offering exceptional customer service. In 2015, the company expanded its services, offering a comprehensive suite of publishing solutions, including e-book conversion, printing, distribution, and marketing, and, in 2016, it introduced printing services for physical books. The company’s partnerships with major retailers and distribution networks further solidified its position as a leader in the industry with a reputation for reliability and professionalism.

As the publishing landscape evolved in 2019 and 2020, BookBaby adapted to emerging trends and technologies and invested in advanced marketing tools and enhanced printing capabilities. It also expanded its distribution channels to better serve its growing customer base. In 2021, the company celebrated a decade of empowering independent authors and, with a focus on innovation and author satisfaction, reaffirmed a commitment to providing unparalleled support throughout the publishing journey.

“BookBaby remains at the forefront of the self-publishing industry, continually evolving its services to meet the changing needs of authors in the digital age,” the company says. “With a dedicated team and a steadfast commitment to excellence, it continues to inspire and empower writers around the globe.”

BookBaby offers a comprehensive range of services tailored to supporting independent authors at every stage of the publishing process. Key services include e-book conversion of manuscripts into digital formats compatible with major e-book platforms such as Kindle and Apple Books; print-on-demand (POD) printing, which eliminates the need for large up-front printing costs and ensures efficient distribution; audiobook production, to help authors create professional audiobook versions of their work; and professional cover design and editing and proofreading services.

“Experienced authors with traditional publishing backgrounds often say the quality of the editing, book design, and formatting work by our people at BookBaby matches what they’ve experienced at the big publishing houses, including Simon & Schuster, which makes us all extremely proud,” says Jim Foley. “Our mission is to help independents produce quality books, and we are making that happen.”

The company’s distribution and marketing services include the distribution of books to major online retailers, bookstores, and libraries worldwide, marketing services like book promotion, social media marketing, email newsletter list building, and a dedicated author website. It also has educational resources to help authors navigate the publishing process and make informed decisions; author tools and resources to assist with formatting, metadata optimization, and other aspects of self-publishing; and a dedicated customer support system.

In 2023, BookBaby reached a big milestone—the publication of its 100,000th title. And it recently expanded its list of audiobook services. The company now accepts previously produced audiobooks for sale in its online bookstore, Bookshop, and pays authors 75% of the retail price on every sale, underscoring its commitment to helping authors earn income from their work.

Additionally, BookBaby is excited to announce that authors now have two new ways to create their audiobook, depending on their needs and budget. In addition to the AI-assisted narration service that launched in November 2022, it now offers both author-narrated and voice actor–narrated solutions with the same great service and affordable prices BookBaby is known for. “As BookBaby looks to the future, it remains dedicated to its mission of democratizing the publishing process and helping authors share their stories with the world while earning the lion’s share of the money on book sales,” the company says.

CHIRP / BOOKBUB

Discovering and marketing audiobooks online should be an easy, joyful experience, and that’s where Chirp comes in. Known for its personalized audiobook deals without commitments, Chirp is an innovative audiobook retailer powered by Pubmark, the same company that owns e-book discovery site BookBub. Chirp offers its listeners limited-time discounts on popular audiobooks for under $5, without any subscriptions or fees.

Chirp provides listeners with expert curation and unmatched value—and provides publishing partners with innovative products and tools to get the right books into the right hands. In an increasingly cluttered media landscape, Chirp offers publishers and authors an efficient way to get their books discovered. Chirp customers receive fresh, hand-selected audiobook deals each day directly in their inbox, along with access to an ever-growing catalog of more than 200,000 audiobooks, which includes titles from bestselling writers such as Jodi Picoult, Nicholas Sparks, and Elin Hilderbrand and lots of hidden gems from popular indie authors.

Audiobook publishers distribute their entire catalog of books to Chirp, to drive à la carte sales. Chirp drives discovery by highlighting limited-time discounts of popular books through highly targeted promotional emails and on-site merchandising to help publishers increase sales, reach new readers, and boost visibility of their newly released and backlist audiobook titles. Listeners purchase audiobooks directly from the Chirp website and can listen via a web player or the company’s easy-to-use app, which PopSci named Best Budget Audiobook App. Chirp allows its millions of customers to get the best audiobook deals. As a customer, you buy only the audiobooks you want—there are no complicated or wasted credits, the company says—and the audiobooks you purchase are yours to keep forever.

And Chirp just released a new partner marketing tool to make promotion even easier. The Chirp Promo Image Generator offers authors and publishers complimentary, customized promotional assets to quickly and easily share their audiobook deal on social media, in newsletters, or in digital ads. “We know that authors and publishers who share Chirp deals directly with their audience via social, newsletters, and ads drive incremental sales, but creating promotional images can be really time consuming,” the company says. “That’s where the Promo Image Generator comes in.”

The Promo Image Generator tool allows partners to simply insert a book and a price into the system, and the tool generates three personalized promotional images, a custom URL that links directly to the audiobook page, and some sample promotional copy for the title. It’s a great, streamlined approach to the book promotion process and a key addition to Chirp’s commitment to helping publishers and authors succeed in getting their books discovered.

Over the years, Chirp customers have accounted for tens of millions of dollars in audiobook sales and have listened to billions of hours of audiobooks on Chirp's mobile app and website. The company is excited to continue that growth in the future as it navigates the rapidly expanding multi-billion-dollar digital audiobook industry.

DREAMSCAPE MEDIA

An audio production star in the Midwest, Dreamscape Media—based outside of Toledo, Ohio—is an award-winning independent publisher and multimedia studio committed to producing a diverse range of high-quality content. Its catalog includes bestselling audiobooks, children’s educational videos, works by prominent independent authors, and more.

Established in 2010, Dreamscape, led by president Sean McManus, seeks to publish entertainment for the entire family. More than a decade after launching, the company has grown its lists of audiobooks, e-books, films, documentaries, and television shows to include bestselling and award-winning titles. There are currently more than 8,000 audiobooks and 2,000 video titles within the Dreamscape catalog, and among those titles are more than 30 Audie Award winners and nominations, including winners in the young adult, history, and biography categories. In 2024, Dreamscape won an Audie Award in the Young Listeners category for The Skull by Jon Klassen, narrated by Fairuza Balk and Jon Klassen and produced by Andy Jones.

A full-service publisher, the company handles the entire audiobook publishing process, from audiobook acquisition to production, sales, and marketing. More than 50% of its titles are published in the mystery, thriller, and romance genres. In 2022, the company launched Dreamscape Select, which offers publishing services to independent publishers and authors in order to provide them with a global reach for their audiobook titles.

Dreamscape is proud to be one of the fastest-growing audiobook publishers in the English language. Last year, the company saw its sales grow 40% year-over-year. It has spearheaded several initiatives over the past twelve months, including an expansion of its narration talent pool in its local area, resulting in a talent search that received media attention as the company focused on growing its narration community.

“We are a Midwest-based publisher, so our unique location gives us the advantage of finding fresh talent in this area of the country,” the company says. “We are non-exclusive with all distribution platforms, allowing us the ability to reach audiences globally and in different business models.”

Among Dreamscape’s recent achievements is the launch of a new sci-fi, fantasy, and LitRPG division called Dreamscape Lore, which already has several award-winning titles under its belt, including The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang, narrated by Emily Woo Zeller, winner of an Earphones Award; and Dual Memory by Sue Burke, narrated by André Santana, which won the 2024 Voice Arts Award and was an Audie Award finalist.

Dreamscape has also established many new publishing partnerships—with Marvel, Storm Publishing, Mayo Clinic Press, Bloodhound Books, and Canongate. Moreover, numerous authors have signed on to be part of the Dreamscape Select publishing services program, including Frieda McFadden, Marie Force, Rachel Hanna, Jenny Hale, and Rachel Amphlett.

High-profile 2024 audiobook releases from Dreamscape include Karma, an autobiography by music icon Boy George (January), and I Curse You with Joy, an essay collection by actress and stand-up comic Tiffany Haddish (May)—both narrated by the author. The company has also acquired numerous titles from the catalog of bestselling author Kiersten Modglin. It will be the first time that these titles—Playing Jenna, The Nanny’s Secret, The Messes series, and more—are available in the audio format. Dreamscape is also proud of its ongoing collaboration with bestselling romance writer Samantha Chase (Kiss the Girl, Irresistible Love) and is thrilled to announce a huge partnership milestone with the author—the release, in late 2023, of the audio version of her holiday ensemble novel A Merry Montgomery Christmas, which marked Dreamscape’s 50th audiobook collaboration with Chase.

ECW Press

Located in Toronto, Canada, ECW Press—standing for entertainment, culture, and writing—is proud to be one of the most diversified independent publishers in North America, publishing some 1,000 books distributed throughout the English-speaking world. Led by visionary president and copublisher David Caron, ECW—which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year—began producing audiobooks in-house in 2016 and has since put out more than 600 titles, becoming a leading Canadian audiobook publisher. The press, which produces audiobooks for more than 35 publishers and distributes audiobooks for 30 more, has been recognized as a certified B Corp, a designation that denotes its commitment to social and environmental sustainability.

In 2018, ECW introduced its Bespeak Audio Editions imprint, which aims to bring the best of contemporary Canadian literature to audiobook listeners around the world, with each audiobook written and performed by Canadian creatives. Under the imprint, ECW has produced Earphone Award–winning audiobooks, and their titles have regularly appeared on Apple’s annual top 10 lists. The press’s newest audio releases include a novel about a grieving senior citizen, a study about prisons, and more.

Denison Avenue by Christina Wong, with illustrations by Daniel Innes, concerns an elderly woman living in Toronto’s Chinatown-Kensington Market neighborhood, which is undergoing gentrification. To deal with her grief after the loss of her husband, she begins to collect bottles and cans. The audiobook—released in February and shortlisted for a 2024 Canada Reads award—is narrated by Wong and includes both a PDF with illustrations that is available on supported reading platforms and behind-the-scenes production notes from Wong and Innes, detailing their inspirations for the story, a poignant meditation on loss, aging, and gentrification.

Abolitionist Intimacies by scholar-activist El Jones—winner of the 2023 Evelyn Richardson Nonfiction Award—“examines the movement to abolish prisons through the Black feminist principles of care and collectivity,” the press says. The audiobook, released in April and directed by Diane Roberts, is narrated by Aiza Ntibarikure, who “deftly weaves through the poetry and prose of Abolitionist Intimacies, all while conveying Jones’s central tenets in a way that is both genuine and urgent.”

What’s Not Mine by Nora Decter is the tragicomic story of addiction and survival about a teen girl living in a small town that’s being wrecked by fentanyl. The audiobook, released in April and directed by Marcia Johnson, features first-time audiobook narrator Billie Baird, who shines as the quick-witted protagonist facing “an exceptionally rough coming of age . . . in a bleak adult world,” the press says.

Rounding out the press’s offerings is Wait Softly Brother by Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer, which was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. It concerns a woman who returns to her childhood home and helps her aging parents sort through the generations of memorabilia stored in their house, leading her to piece together the strange tale of one of their ancestors. This masterfully written novel, says the press, “deftly unravels the stories we are told to believe by society and shows the reader how to weave new tales of hope and possibility.” The audiobook—released in March and directed by Laura Kyswaty—is narrated by K.H. Taylor, who infuses the tale with elegance and skill, the press says.

GALAXY PRESS

Galaxy Press was established in Los Angeles in 2002 to publish the fiction of prolific author L. Ron Hubbard (1911–1986), allowing Bridge Publications to continue publishing his nonfiction. Today, the press is the US publisher and distributor for Hubbard’s complete fiction library, including the mega-bestselling 1982 science fiction tome Battlefield Earth.

During the first half of the twentieth century, Hubbard was one of the most successful writers of popular fiction, and his works appeared in all of the fiction magazines of the day. He wrote adventure, detective stories, air stories, science fiction, and fantasy under his own and 15 pen names. He is known to have averaged 100,000 words a month, most months.

“Realizing the tremendous wealth of fiction writings and content created by L. Ron Hubbard,” says John Goodwin, president of Galaxy Press, “we continuously strive to create new product lines, maximize the value of the works, and make them available in every format to new audiences.”

Audiobooks—or, more accurately, audio experiences—make up a significant component of Galaxy Press’s offerings, and the press puts great care into making them sound fantastic. In 2008, the press began a six-year project to republish more than 150 of the short stories and novelettes, including westerns, mysteries, science fiction, and fantasy, that Hubbard wrote in pulp fiction’s heyday of the 1930s and 1940s as both an 80-volume book and an audio drama series. The resulting audio project—the L. Ron Hubbard Stories from the Golden Age audiobook collection, directed by Jim Meskimen—features a huge cast of voice actors and 175,000 sound effects.

“These re-creations are not your standard audiobook,” Goodwin says of the collection. “Not only have the best elements of classic radio drama been revived, but they have also been augmented with state-of-the-art production values borrowed from feature films and improved even more to create the best audiobooks available.”

The project was so successful that PW, in its January 25, 2009, starred review of the Orders Is Orders audiobook, wrote, “Hubbard’s stunning writing ability and creative imagination set him apart as one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century.”

In 2016, Galaxy followed up that mammoth project with the Audie Award–winning “movie of the mind” unabridged Battlefield Earth audio drama, which is 46 hours long and features 67 actors performing 198 characters. “As the novel is filled with a vivid mix of characters and types, accents, and ages, it was paramount to assemble a full cast of talented international actors,” Goodwin says. “Performers with theater and television backgrounds were excited to participate in this massive production. The voices are augmented with more than 150,000 cinematic-quality sound effects to create a rich and accurate aural landscape.”

Galaxy Press is excited to release volume 40 of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future in print, e-book, and audiobook formats this May. The bestselling anthology, now in its 40th year, brings together original stories and illustrations by rising talent in speculative fiction, such as Lisa Silverthorne and Stephannie Tallent. The writers are winners of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future contests, which Hubbard created as part of his lifelong commitment to discovering new writers and artists.

Each quarter, contest judges select three writers and three artists for inclusion in the anthology, which features 24 stories each year. The result is “an eclectic collection ranging from alien invasion to alternate history, from cyberpunk to comic fantasy to post-apocalyptic worlds,” the press says. “There are stories to fit every taste—the best of the best selected by the best.” In addition to this year’s selection of stories, volume 40 will feature articles with art and writing tips from established authors and artists, and the audiobook will include a PDF featuring 15 full-color illustrations and information about the artists.

As Hubbard wrote in the first volume of Writers of the Future, “a culture is as rich and as capable of surviving as it has imaginative artists.” Galaxy Press continues to support that vision today.

GREAT PLAINS AUDIOBOOKS

Publisher Ann Richardson is a doer. The longtime professional audiobook narrator, with more than 350 titles to her credit, took action during the Covid pandemic and founded her own company—Great Plains Audiobooks, a unique boutique studio with a focus on bringing both Nebraskan and Scandinavian literature and authors to audio.

Based in San Francisco, where Richardson lives with her husband, Great Plains Audiobooks was inspired by Richardson’s love of the Great Plains region, her immigrant father and Swedish heritage, and her memories of growing up in a rural town southwest of Omaha and spending endless days riding her horse in the countryside. “Although our production volume is low due to our extremely focused niche, our audiobooks are beautifully produced,” says Richardson, who focuses on titles she feels passionately about that might not otherwise have been produced in audio. Richardson has worked on audiobooks across an array of genres, including historical fiction, nonfiction, true crime, LGBTQ fiction, and Swedish literary fiction. She narrates most of the productions herself but is open to casting other narrators if a title calls for additional voices. Among her hits is the 2022 production of the critically acclaimed Swedish book Inlands by Elin Willows, which won an Earphones Award from AudioFile magazine.

This year, Richardson is at work on a major project: the creation of three audio productions of books by mystery writer Mignon G. Eberhart (1899–1996), known as America’s Agatha Christie. In 2023, Eberhart’s novel The Mystery of Hunting’s End became an official selection of the One Book One Nebraska reading program, and it got Richardson’s attention. “Great Plains Audiobooks developed an instant affinity for this author and is dedicating 2024 to bringing three of her most iconic novels to audio,” she says.

Eberhart, a native of Nebraska, was one of the most celebrated and prolific female mystery writers in America in the 1930s, publishing some 59 novels and many short stories over a 60-year career. Great Plains Audiobooks has already released The Mystery of Hunting’s End in an audio format. The chiller is set in Nebraska at Hunting’s End, a weekend lodge owned by the rich Kingery family. Socialite Matil Kingery invites a peculiar collection of guests to the lodge—the same people present when her father died there five years earlier from a supposed heart attack. Now, she intends to find out which one of them murdered him.

After The Mystery of Hunting’s End comes The Patient in Room 18—Eberhart’s 1929 literary debut, which introduced formidable nurse Sarah Keate and features a hospital room with an unpleasant reputation for murder. Then it’s on to While the Patient Slept, originally published a year after The Patient in Room 18, which also stars nurse Keate, this time as she arrives at a gloomy mansion to nurse a bed bound man after a stroke. Meeting the patient sets off alarm bells for the nurse, but fleeing the mansion proves all but impossible.

HARPERCOLLINS CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING

A global source of inspirational content, HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP), based in Nashville, Tennessee, can trace its history back to eighteenth-century Scotland, where local publisher Thomas Nelson founded a modest press with the goal of making Christian titles available to the average person. HarperCollins Publishers acquired that press in 2012, and it, along with Zondervan Publishers, a Bible supplier acquired in the 1980s, became HCCP.

These days, HCCP represents the works of more than 2,000 authors—like Max Lucado and Sarah Young—and specializes in Bibles, spiritual growth and business titles, cookbooks, commercial and literary fiction, audiobooks, and more. Among Thomas Nelson’s imprints is W Publishing, a commercial nonfiction division that publishes across the faith-based and secular markets, with an emphasis on memoir and transformative storytelling. W Publishing prides itself on giving authors a nurturing, faith-friendly, boutique-style publishing experience.

In 2018, HarperCollins Publishers introduced HarperCollins Focus (HCF), which owns and operates a collection of imprints, including Harper Select. HCF empowers readers to transform their hearts and minds while connecting them through story, advice, mentorship, and community. Its mission, the press says, is “to inspire the world with content that equips people to lead lives of significance, integrity, and purpose.”

The newest audiobook titles from HCCP and HCF serve as a guide to handling life’s ups and downs. Ready to harness your superpowers? Check out Power Moves: Ignite Your Confidence and Become a Force by Sarah Jakes Roberts (April/W Publishing), narrated by the author. This book from the bestselling writer of Woman Evolve “will help you craft a language toward your issues with intentionality,” the press says, and figure out “whether you’re living life authentically or if you’ve found a way to maintain status quo.” It will also assist listeners as they tap into the most powerful versions of themselves and introduce these authentic selves to others.

Also on offer from W Publishing is A Crown That Lasts: You Are Not Your Label by Demi-Leigh Tebow (August), narrated by the author, with appearances by her husband, former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. Here, the former Miss Universe and Miss South Africa, who has more than two million online followers, discusses “the danger of tying our identities to our accomplishments” and helps listeners “discover the truth of who you were created to be and how to use your platform, no matter how big or small, for eternal impact.” The book is organized into four sections—Dig, Plant, Grow, and Flourish—with key moments for listeners to pause and reflect alongside the author in a highly interactive audio experience.

Finally, from Harper Select, there’s An American Story: Everyone’s Invited by Wilmer Valderrama (September), narrated by the author. This stirring memoir from the actor, producer, and activist delves into his upbringing in Venezuela, “where he was raised by two hard-working parents as they navigated their family through a rapidly changing country and the rise of Hugo Chavez,” the press says. It’s the story of an immigrant “who had a dream to change the world, a talent for entertaining, and a determined spirit to build a new life, taking as many as possible with him on the journey.” The memoir will dive into a side of Valderrama’s life that many of his fans have never heard before, and the press hopes that it’ll resonate with people everywhere.

JOHN MARSHALL MEDIA

In 1995, John Marshall Cheary established John Marshall Media with the goal of producing outstanding audio and giving clients an amazing experience, every time. Based in New York City, John Marshall Media, now led by CEO Kevin Fecu, is a multi-Grammy-Award-winning audio production, digital distribution, and marketing services company specializing in audiobooks, podcasts, and audio tours for museums, visitor attractions, and exhibits. The company has spent years making outstanding audiobooks for the Big 5 publishers and is now also helping smaller publishers and independent authors to create great audiobooks and bring them to market. One of its world-class audiobook producers can guide a client through the entire audio process, whether it’s an author or a narrator recording or a single voice or multi-cast production. The company will even provide distribution and marketing guidance if needed.

John Marshall Media has produced more than 10,000 audiobooks, and it works with the largest publishers in the world, including Penguin Random House, Amazon, Scholastic, and McGraw Hill, along with hundreds of independent outlets. It has recorded many high-profile celebrities and authors, including Neil Gaiman, Meryl Streep, Cameron Diaz, 50 Cent, Michael J. Fox, Al Franken, and Sean Hannity, and has worked on the Harry Potter books.

In 2023, John Marshall Media merged with Lantern Audio—an award-winning audio production company offering a wide range of services including scripted writing, production, technology solutions and operations—to expand its services and capabilities, creating “the largest and most powerful audiobook eco-system in the world,” the company says. Along with audiobook production, John Marshall Media also has a full-service distribution division, called Lantern Audiobook Distribution, covering dozens of audiobook retailers worldwide. And it has its own online storefront where customers can shop and publishers can monetize their products.

The client-focused company also prides itself on being the gold standard in educational audio, with an education department that has been responsible for some of the highest-quality, award-winning ELT courses, education audiobooks, children’s songs—it has produced more than 3,000 songs to date—and foreign language teaching tools on the market. With an expansive roster of talent, including adults, teens, and children, and expert audio technicians, John Marshall Media has worked with Macmillan Education and Capstone, among many other companies, and has become a trusted name in educational publishing.

John Marshall Media has 21 studios in two countries, with more than 1,000 narrators and voice actors. The company has earned five Grammy Awards and more than 50 Audie Awards and is widely regarded as the best in the industry with the most experienced and highly trained staff, the company notes. At the 2024 Audie Awards, John Marshall Media had 20 nominations—the most in its history— and took home three Audies. The winning titles are: Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale, narrated by Kristin Atherton, a Reese’s Book Club Pick about a woman who discovers she has the power to change the past; the middle grade novel What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski, narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano, Alexandra Hunter, Karla Serrato, Gail Shalan, Reena Dutt, Caitlin Davies, Andrew Eiden, and Kirby Heyborne; and No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister, a story about the power of books, narrated by Barrie Kreinik, Braden Wright, Carol Jacobanis, Cassandra Campbell, Gabra Zackman, George Newbern, Jesse Vilinsky, Max Meyers, Rachel L. Jacobs, and Stephen Graybill.

L.A. THEATRE WORKS

What do Paul Giamatti, Mark Ruffalo, Annette Bening, John Lithgow, Hilary Swank, Neil Patrick Harris, Laurence Fishburne, and Tessa Thompson have in common? The actors have all starred in performances produced by L.A. Theatre Works (LATW)—the nonprofit theatre and media arts organization, founded in 1974, and the world’s leading producer of audio theatre.

Led by producing director Susan Albert Loewenberg, LATW is committed to recording and preserving great performances of important stage plays, maximizing the use of new technologies to make world-class theatre accessible to the widest possible audience, and expanding the use of theatre as a teaching tool. The organization, which has a library of nearly 600 titles, preserves and disseminates major works in the American and world canons, draws attention to new plays and playwrights, and produces plays that address critical historical, cultural, and social issues.

Now celebrating its 50th year, LATW continues to expand its national and global reach, bringing the finest dramatic literature to everyone regardless of geographic or economic barriers. Their forthcoming audio dramas include a World War I play, the story behind the invention of the radio, and an adaption of a cherished children’s classic.

Journey’s End—out in July—is based on the 1928 dramatic play by English playwright R.C. Sherriff and is set in the trenches near Saint-Quentin, Aisne, toward the end of World War I. Featuring performances by Jack Cutmore-Scott, Adam Godley, Ian Ogilvy, and others, it plays out in the officers’ dugout of a British Army infantry company in 1918 and provides a glimpse of the officers’ lives in the last days before Operation Michael, a major German military offensive. Based on Sherriff's own experiences as an army officer in the Great War, Journey’s End “pays tribute to the virtues of duty, perseverance, and comradeship experienced amidst horrors on the Western Front,” LATW says.

Coming out in August is LATW’s original commission of Can You Hear Me by Anna Lyse Erikson, the true story of how Guglielmo Marconi developed the radio. The play—featuring a cast including André Sogliuzzo, Mark Jude Sullivan, Harold Bride, Lucy DeVito, and Martin Jarvis—enacts Marconi’s discovery of modern radio communications through a conversation with his daughter Degna. Their exchange reveals the nature of his scientific explorations and their historical impact, including the rescue of Titanic survivors, and their lasting legacy on modern media and communications.

Rounding out LATW’s offerings is The Secret Garden, an audio drama adaptation by Jeanne Sakata of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel that will be out in October, with a cast to be announced. LATW’s original commission of Burnett’s novel “brings to life this beloved story about solitary and contrary 10-year-old orphan Mary Lennox, who discovers friendship and her own inner spirit as she tends the magical secret garden of her uncle’s English manor,” LATW says.

NAXOS AUDIOBOOKS

There are few things more fun than immersing oneself in the classics of Western literature. Those who love the classics—whether it’s the writings of Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, or Austen—will find a treasure trove of listening options at Naxos AudioBooks, a UK-based company established in 1994 by Klaus Heymann, founder of the Naxos Music Group, and Nicolas Soames with the purpose of making the great works of literature accessible to all.

Naxos quickly established itself in the audio market as a producer of fine recordings by outstanding classical actors, such as Juliet Stevenson and Kenneth Branagh, and experienced radio voices, such as Neville Jason and David Timson. Naxos’s acclaimed titles include James Joyce’s Ulysses, read by Jim Norton and Marcella Riordan; Jane Austen’s Emma, read by Juliet Stevenson; and Richard Fawkes’s The History of Classical Music, read by Robert Powell. Its productions are regularly awarded Earphones Awards by AudioFile magazine.

Naxos has received recognition for a number of highly ambitious unabridged projects. These include The Diary of Samuel Pepys, read by Leighton Pugh, with David Timson; Finnegans Wake, read by Barry McGovern, with Marcella Riordan; War and Peace, read by Neville Jason; and The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, featuring David Timson.

The audio label also caters to younger readers, with a range of junior classics titles such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, read by Sean Bean; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, read by Liza Ross; and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, featuring Fiona Shaw. There are also nonfiction titles about dinosaurs, Vikings, and more.

Recent projects from the Naxos team include the launch of a streaming subscription platform, Naxos Spoken Word Library, which offers a wide range of audio content. And there are imminent plans to introduce Naxos AudioBooks Educational Editions, a series of spoken-word products that will include an unabridged recording of each featured text, along with an in-depth accompanying study guide, also in audio format. The first eight titles on deck include Pride and Prejudice and Frankenstein.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Naxos AudioBooks remains committed to expanding its list of quality audiobooks, which can be found on all main audiobook platforms. Naxos’s 2024 key titles include The Towers of Trebizond by Rose Macaulay, read by Clare Corbett (February). It’s one in a series of five audiobook productions of novels by Macaulay—an unjustly overlooked author, Naxos says. There’s also The Life of Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Gaskell (June), a multivoiced production featuring Lucy Scott as Elizabeth Gaskell and Penelope Rawlins as Charlotte Brontë that is the first audiobook recording of Gaskell’s acclaimed book.

Finally, there’s The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, read by the prolific Laurel Lefkow (August). This collection includes 28 short stories; in addition to “The Yellow Wallpaper,” which grippingly tracks a woman’s descent into madness, there’s “The Unexpected” (Perkins Gilman’s first published work), “The Great Wistaria,” “An Extinct Angel,” “The Unnatural Mother,” and “Deserted.” These stories from one of America’s most important feminist voices range from the subversive to the humorous and are often imbued with satire and social commentary.

OASIS AUDIO

Oasis Family Media has made it its mission to provide high-quality, positive content for a range of age groups as it works to enrich the lives of readers and listeners through the production of meaningful print and audio products. Located in the village of Carol Stream, in the western suburbs of Chicago, Oasis Family Media—whose leadership team includes publisher Steve Smith, associate publisher Rebecca K. Reynolds, and owner Jon Morris—is the parent company of Oasis Audio.

The company began in the 1950s as Domain Communications, a recording studio and agency buying airtime for the Christian radio shows it produced. In 1996, Oasis Audio was formed to record and produce audiobooks in a still relatively untapped market and specialized in recording unabridged versions of Christian and inspirational books licensed from other publishers. Oasis Audio remained the major producer of Christian content into the 2010s, but as the Christian bookstore market began to shift and as audiobooks began to shift from CDs to digital, the company shifted direction, too, pursuing more mainstream family-friendly, children’s, self-help, and business-related titles.

The Oasis Audio catalog currently includes more than 2,000 titles and adds 175 audiobooks annually. It has a vast library of children’s series, including the Boxcar Children, the Nancy Drew Diaries, and 57 children’s titles in the popular Classic Starts series. Oasis publishes a series of award-winning biographies of literary and media figures that are popular in libraries, including the 2018 title The Good Neighbor, the biography of Mister Rogers, narrated by LeVar Burton. Their bestselling relationship book, The 5 Love Languages, and its subsequent volumes by Gary Chapman have remained bestsellers for nearly two decades. And they are the official audiobook publisher of the authorized Edgar Rice Burroughs library of classic adventure and science fiction titles, including Tarzan and the John Carter of Mars books.

In 2020, the company launched a print publishing division, Sky Turtle Press, to publish quality, illustrated books with timeless appeal, including the first modern English rendering of Edmund Spenser’s 1590’s epic poem The Faerie Queene. This title will also be published in audio by Oasis in 2024. In December 2021, Oasis acquired Enclave Publishing, a boutique publisher of speculative Christian fiction with a catalog that includes science fiction, fantasy, time travel, steampunk, and more. Oasis publishes many of Enclave’s YA and adult novels in audio. Beginning in 2025, Oasis will also publish audiobooks based on Sky Turtle Press’s Ultraman series. In October, the first title, Rift, by bestselling thriller author Steven James, will be published in both audio and print editions.

Oasis also publishes a selection of carefully curated public domain titles. Their series of George MacDonald titles are read by a recognized MacDonald scholar; their L. Frank Baum titles feature insightful original introductions by literary experts on Baum’s work; and their epic classics, like Victor Hugo’s The Man Who Laughs and Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), are beautifully read by award-winning narrator Simon Vance. Fall 2024 will also see the release of ten of the original Raggedy Ann and Andy books by Raggedy Ann creator Johnny Gruelle, licensed by the Gruelle estate through Simon & Schuster.

PLAYAWAY PRODUCTS

Everyone deserves access to world-class digital content—that’s what the innovators at Playaway Products believe. Established in 2005, the Ohio-based company, led by CEO Gene LaMarca, is a producer of physical audio players and tablets, offering an array of products including Playaway audiobooks, Launchpad tablets, and Wonderbook read-alongs that promote literacy and make technology accessible to everyone, especially students and library patrons. At the core of Playaway Products’ product development strategy is creating easy-to-use technology that doesn’t require Wi-Fi or special downloads, which supports their mission to promote literacy and bridge the digital divide—all while filling a critical gap in the marketplace.

Playaway, the first product released by the company, is a preloaded audiobook device that eliminates the need for personal devices and Wi-Fi, offering a reprieve from screen time. Created for the circulation market and available in schools and public libraries, Playaway aims to create a world of confident book lovers and has a catalogue featuring more than 30,000 adult and kids’ audio titles. Each month, 80 to 100 popular and award-winning titles are added.

Recent titles include Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, narrated by Ina Marie Smith and Jordan Barton, and Not Your China Doll by Katie Gee Salisbury, narrated by Caroline McLaughlin and Katie Gee Salisbury. Playaway gives library patrons and students the freedom to take audiobooks everywhere.

The company also has more than 350 Spanish-language audiobooks, with more on the way every quarter. It offers schools and libraries a single source for high-quality Spanish-language content, helping to close a significant gap between the availability of and demand for Spanish-language audiobooks in the U.S. Despite the growing need for Spanish-language materials, users face challenges in accessing high-quality native and translated content. Playaway’s Spanish collection assists schools and libraries in enhancing their communities, catering to native Spanish speakers, heritage speakers, and Spanish learners.

The company’s past Spanish titles include the business book Los 5 Niveles de Liderazgo (The 5 Levels of Leadership) by John C. Maxwell, narrated by Gerado Prat; El Tono Universal (The Universal Tone), an autobiography by renowned Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana, narrated by Gustavo Rex; Ella Persistió: Pura Belpré (She Persisted: Pura Belpré) by Meg Medina et al., narrated by Almarie Guerra and Chelsea Clinton, a biography of Pura Belpré, the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City; and Lotería by Karla Arenas Valenti, narrated by Yunuenn Hidalgo, a middle grade novel inspired by the popular card game Lotería that blends Mexican folklore and fantasy.

Playaway Products is also home to Launchpad, a preloaded tablet for kids, preteens, and adults that’s filled with collections of learning apps and videos grouped by age and ready to play right off the shelf. Launchpad is designed with a simple, easy-to-use interface, is 100% secure, and is made to be passed from one set of hands to the next. There’s also the award-winning Wonderbook, a read-along product pairing a print book with a ready-to-play audiobook inside.

This all-in-one super-format features a diverse collection of expertly curated titles, including more than 400 award winners, sing-alongs, Spanish-language titles, youth large print works, prebound options, and more. With 870-plus titles and new releases every month—spanning the best children’s books from Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, Weston Woods, and more—Wonderbook has everything necessary for building confident book lovers in the library or classroom.

POST HYPNOTIC PRESS, INC.

Founded in 2010 by twins Carlyn and Carl Craig, Canadian indie publisher Post Hypnotic Press is a real family affair. “We started out as a family company and remain so today,” says publisher Carlyn Craig, who works closely with her brother, Carl, an audio guru with 40 years of experience, who’s in charge of music, mastering, and sound design for the press, which has two studios in Burnaby, near Vancouver.

“I was a bit ahead of the curve,” Craig recalls of her decision to launch Post Hypnotic nearly 15 years ago. “While audiobooks were already quite popular and growing in the U.S., Canadians took longer to warm up to them.”

The company, which thrives on variety, at first worked only with Canadian creators, but, over time, it has branched out to work with U.S. and U.K. publishers as well. In addition to handling in-house projects, it produces content for outside companies and self-published authors and collaborates with writers who record out of their own studios. It focuses on nonfiction titles—in categories like politics, business, self-help, and memoirs and biographies—as well as YA, adult fiction, and more. Its authors include bell hooks and Julia Cameron, and its narrators and actors include Robin Miles and Hayden Panettiere. Among their new and upcoming releases is a novel about Wuhan and the global pandemic, a female sexuality study, and a business book on branding.

Wuhan: A Documentary Novel by Chinese writer, poet, and dissident Liao Yiwu—out in May, with a narrator to be announced—delves into “the heart of the crisis that unfolded in Wuhan,” says the press, as it unpacks the secrecy and cover-ups that surrounded the Covid outbreak. The author, who was once imprisoned in China for writing incendiary poetry, now lives in Berlin, where Wuhan was released in 2023 to much acclaim.

The Hite Report: A Nationwide Study of Female Sexuality by iconic sex educator Shere Hite—first released in print in 1976—is a labor of love for the press. Out in July, the audiobook recording is a complex multi-cast production, narrated by Karissa Vacker, that will bring Hite’s groundbreaking work about sex and female sexuality to a wider audience. “We wanted the listener to get a sense of how many different women contributed to this research,” Craig says. “This book is for all women, especially those who are stranded in communities that don’t want them to learn about their bodies.”

The press is also excited for the Ap release of The Dim Sum Strategy: Bite-Sized Tools to Build Stronger Brands by veteran brand strategist Peter Wilken, who ran agencies for Ogilvy and Leo Burnett. The easily digested audiobook, read by the author, is perfect for busy professionals. “If you’re an entrepreneur or solopreneur that knows building your brand is important, but you don’t know where to start, Dim Sum Strategy is the first book you should read,” Craig says.

In the future, the press aims to release print, e-book, and audiobook formats of its books simultaneously, which they’ve already started doing with a range of public domain titles. It will soon be releasing a new edition of William Butler Yeats’s Irish folk and fairy tales in one volume, with Gerard Doyle narrating the audiobook. The new edition will feature an introduction by Irish poet Bernard O’Donoghue and illustrations by Irish illustrator Gráinne Fordham.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS

A trailblazer in the field of academic publishing, Princeton University Press brings scholarly voices and ideas to the world stage. In 2018, Princeton UP became the first university press to launch its own audio imprint: Princeton Audio. Since then, the press has released more than 150 audiobooks—ranging across disciplines from art history and nature to politics and economics—and it collaborates with leading audiobook publisher RBmedia to release additional audiobooks as well. As part of its publishing mission, Princeton Audio aims to produce audiobooks to improve accessibility and engagement in the retail and library markets. It supports diverse voices and aspires to work with audiobook narrators from a range of backgrounds.

“Our audio publishing program allows us to expand our reach and engage with our readers in a creative and exciting way,” the press says. “We deliver the finest narration and sound editing as well as a broad distribution network that allows us to reach scholars, students, and engaged listeners everywhere.”

Princeton Audio’s new spring releases include After 1177 BC: The Survival of Civilizations by Eric H. Cline, narrated by John Chancer, with an audio bonus track by the author. Out in April, After 1177 BC from a range of backgrounds.

“Our audio publishing program allows us to expand our reach and engage with our readers in a creative and exciting way,” the press says. “We deliver the finest narration and sound editing as well as a broad distribution network that allows us to reach scholars, students, and engaged listeners everywhere.”

Princeton Audio’s new spring releases include After 1177 BC: The Survival of Civilizations by Eric H. Cline, narrated by John Chancer, with an audio bonus track by the author. Out in April, After 1177 BC tells the gripping story of what happened after the Bronze Age collapsed—why some civilizations endured, why some gave way to new ones, and why some disappeared forever. Also out in April is The Beauty of Falling: A Life in Pursuit of Gravity by Claudia de Rham and narrated by English stage and screen actress Juliet Stevenson. The book interweaves “an accessible explanation of our current understanding of gravity,” the press notes, “while tracing the trajectory of Claudia de Rham’s life in science and her ambitions to become an astronaut.”

This August, the press will release Class Dismissed: When Colleges Ignore Inequality and Students Pay the Price by Anthony Abraham Jack, with the author also narrating. This book from the writer of the bestselling The Privileged Poor “reveals the entrenched inequities that harm our most vulnerable students and what colleges can do to help them excel,” the press says. It “shows the real shortcomings of diversity policies in higher education.”

Finally, out this September, is Capital: Critique of Political Economy, Volume I by Karl Marx, edited by Paul Reitter and Paul North, translated by Paul Reitter, and read by Simon Vance, a multi-Audie-Award-winning narrator and industry legend, with a preface by Wendy Brown and an afterword by William Clare Roberts. Marx (1818–1883) was in exile in England when he embarked on a multivolume critique of the capitalist system of production. This “major new translation of the explosive book that transformed our world” is “bold, readable, and authoritative,” the press says, and perfect for a twenty-first century audience.

Princeton UP also boasts a rich backlist of titles and in recent years has released a number of classics in audio for the first time, including And Still the Waters Run: The Betrayal of the Five Civilized Tribes by Angie Debo, narrated by Kate Harper; Racism: A Short History by George M. Fredrickson, narrated by John Chancer; Against Democracy by Jason Brennan, narrated by Christopher Ragland; and Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire by Judith Herrin, narrated by Phyllida Nash. The press aspires to bring more classics to audio in the future, for listeners to discover or rediscover in a fresh way.

RBMEDIA

RBmedia, headquartered in Landover, Maryland, is proud to be the largest audiobook publisher in the world, with an annual publishing program of nearly 9,000 titles and a catalog of more than 70,000—the largest collection of audiobooks in the industry. The company publishes across 12 audio brands and has its own flagship brand, Recorded Books, featuring bestselling authors from Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas to J.R.R. Tolkien and Jeff Kinney.

Helmed by CEO Michael Paull, RBmedia has a deep collection of award-winning titles, including multiple Newbery Medal, National Book Award, Booker Prize, Pulitzer Prize, and Hugo Award winners and finalists. Its audiobooks continually top bestseller lists, including 30-plus New York Times bestsellers since the beginning of the year, and it publishes broadly and deeply across every genre: mystery and thriller, sci-fi and fantasy, romance, business, children and YA, Christian and faith-based, classics, and more. Its powerful digital, retail, and library distribution helps power nearly every consumer-facing and library-facing platform, including Audible, Spotify, Apple, Google, Everand, Storytel/Audiobooks.com, OverDrive, and Hoopla.

In 2024, the company’s critically acclaimed audiobooks were honored with multiple Audie Award nominations and wins, including The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, narrated by the author; Diva 2.0: 12 Life Lessons from Me for You! by Sheryl Lee Ralph, narrated by the author; and Goodbye Christopher Robin: A.A. Milne and the Making of Winnie-the-Pooh by Ann Thwaite, narrated by Simon Vance, which won the Audie for best achievement in the history/biography category. Other exciting new releases are Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland, performed by various narrators, and I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger, performed by David Aaron Baker.

RBmedia is also a market leader in groundbreaking new audio types and formats, producing audio originals like Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton, performed by the author; and Brandon Sanderson’s The Original by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal, narrated by Julia Whelan. It also produces dramatized adaptations featuring full casts, cinematic music, and sound effects via its GraphicAudio brand, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. GraphicAudio has published several of bestselling author Sarah J. Maas's fantasy series, including A Court of Thorns and Roses, Crescent City, and soon to be released Throne of Glass.

The company publishes internationally via its U.K. audio brand, W. F. Howes, and its Australian audio brand, Wavesound, as well as Spanish-language, French-language, and German-language audiobooks via its BookaVivo, Éditions Thélème, and RBmedia Verlag audio brands. It plans to continue to grow the size and distribution of its audiobook catalog while continuing to expand into new markets globally.

RBmedia is the audio home for multiple books that have been adapted into films—including Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You, the basis for one of the most-watched movies on Amazon Prime, ranking at #1 its first week—and a number of films that were honored with Academy Award nominations and wins in 2024, such as Erasure by Percival Everett, which inspired the film American Fiction; Poor Things by Alasdair Gray; and Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. And many more bingeworthy RBmedia audiobooks have recently come to film, TV, and streaming or soon will, including Fourth Wing, Bridgerton, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Outlander, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

SOUNDBOOTH THEATER

In 2017, prolific narrator and musician Jeff Hays opened the doors of Soundbooth Theater—known to fans as SBT—with the goal of creating more immersive audiobooks and giving artists in the audio fiction sphere bigger opportunities to collaborate. “When I started Soundbooth Theater, it was because I missed being in a band and collaborating with other artists,” Hays says. “Over time, our mission has evolved, but that collaborative spirit is still at our core, and we continue to put our authors, artists, and fans first.”

In 2019, the company began producing Cinematic Audio—productions with full casts, original music, and mesmerizing soundscapes that it likens to “movies for one’s ears.” Simultaneously, it looked to create a marketplace where it could set its own pricing, run sales, and give its collaborators a high percentage of the royalties. And, in 2020, to enhance the customer experience, Soundbooth launched SBT Direct, which allows users to purchase and play audio directly from the company’s website and accompanying app.

“We’ve grown and changed a lot over the years, but there are two things that will never change, and that’s our emphasis on quality and our dedication to our community,” says Emily Labes-Royce, Soundbooth Theater’s chief marketing officer, who notes that the company is filled with artists—even on the business team. “We want everyone to feel welcome in the weird, wonderful worlds we create.”

In the world of audiobooks and audio drama, nobody does sci-fi and fantasy like Soundbooth Theater. It produces Classic Audiobooks—with straightforward narrations—and also does more immersive Cinematic Audio productions featuring full casts, expansive sound design, and incredible music. It describes itself as a rich collective of talented writers, narrators, actors, sound engineers, composers, musicians, producers, technology experts, and admin professionals—a one-stop shop for audio production that allows the company to partner with storytellers of its choosing.

Since its founding, Soundbooth has been refining its Cinematic Audio offerings in both the feature-length and serialized formats. Each production features a cast of multiple voice actors, world-class sound design, and Hollywood-level original music. The company’s passion for nerd culture and worldbuilding gives it the creative jet fuel it takes to render vibrant, transportive audio universes. It specializes in the fantasy subgenre LitRPG/ GameLit, known as “trapped in a video game fiction.” These game-inspired worlds have been spectacular playgrounds where stories can be explored through sound and music.

One of Soundbooth Theater’s biggest successes thus far is the apocalyptic fantasy Dungeon Crawler Carl, which the company recently began to adapt and serialize. In addition to season two of Dungeon Crawler Carl, it’s now adapting Travis Bagwell’s Awaken Online into Cinematic Audio. Some of its non-LitRPG Cinematic Audio serials include The Stars Have Eyes, Seance: High Falls, and Space Buns. The company’s upcoming Classic Audiobooks include the July release of Dungeon Lord 5, as well as book three of its newest hit Classic Audiobook series Mimic & Me.

In addition to the Cinematic Audio series it has in production, Soundbooth Theater is in the process of rebuilding its app from the ground up for the third time and is excited to make it even more user-friendly and dynamic. The company is looking forward to expanding its presence at fan conventions and industry events and to keep connecting with fans in new ways.

RADIO WAVES STUDIOS/ SUEMEDIA PRODUCTIONS

Audie Award–winning producer Sue Zizza has been a force in the audio field for three decades and has worked as a transmedia producer, director, writer, and sound designer. Zizza is the cofounder, with fellow veteran producer David Shinn, of Radio Waves Studios and SueMedia Productions—a one-stop audio production resource for clients large and small. “It’s an undeniably exciting time for audio content,” Zizza says of the industry, “particularly for indie authors and creators who might have been left out of the audio space in the past.”

Radio Waves Studios—located in the historic Radio Waves building in New York City—offers the audio publishing industry, audio storytellers, and podcast creators comprehensive services, including script consultations, casting, recording, and post production services. It specializes in projects that feature lively ensemble performances and immersive sound design effects and has been honored with nine Audie Award nominations and two wins, as well as with Wilbur Awards, Gracie Awards, Gabriel Awards, and NY Radio Festival Awards, among others.

Radio Waves also offers studio consultations and does build-out work for those looking to put in a home studio or upgrade their facilities.

Often working hand in hand with Radio Waves Studios, SueMedia Productions is an independent audio publisher whose award-winning work extends to audiobooks, podcasts, and radio play productions. SueMedia produces both locally and remotely, utilizes top voice talent, and helps clients to develop projects and create the right distribution plan for a production.

New and upcoming releases from Radio Waves Studios and SueMedia Productions include fiction and nonfiction audiobooks, as well as a selection of audio plays that spotlight historical figures such as abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass and Russian composer Pyotr IIyich T. Chaikovsky.

The Sweet Fragrance of Life: & Other Horror Stories by Elizabeth Schwartz explores European Jewish history, culture, and real-world events through a feminist, shtetl perspective. The dynamic audiobook—produced by SueMedia and out this fall—will feature Schwartz reading stories from the book in English and actress Yelena Shmulenson reading them in Yiddish. There will also be an original score by violinist Yale Strom.

Just in time for the Summer Olympics, there’s Eddie Reese: Coaching Swimming, Teaching Life—a biography of esteemed U.S. Olympic swim coach Eddie Reese, written by swim coaches Chuck Warner and Dana Abbott. SueMedia Productions worked remotely to record 81-year-old Reese, who can be heard sharing his favorite coaching advice on the audiobook.

Radio Waves Studios and SueMedia Productions also have worked on a number of audio play releases that are part of a wide-ranging collaboration with the audio drama division of theater company Ensemble for the Romantic Century (ERC). The audio plays include July 5th, a production on Frederick Douglass and featuring actor Albert Jones that is interwoven with a musical program that centers the culture of Black America; and None but the Lonely Heart, which delves into the relationship between Pyotr IIyich Tchaikovsky and his patroness Nadezhda von Meck and stars actors Stephen Fry and Vanessa Redgrave.

Finally, SueMedia has worked to develop pilots and limited series for a number of podcasts. Day By Day focuses on the lives of six diverse characters as they experience addiction and handle recovery. The pilot episode recently won Best Storyline at Miami Web Fest and has been selected as a featured podcast for the Baltimore New Media Festival this October. In 2022, it was a Tribeca Audio Storytelling official selection. Radio Waves Studios is currently completing the last of the first series episodes, as well as supplemental materials for listeners that focus on the recovery process. And Curveballs, a screwball comedy that takes you behind the scenes of a children's baseball show within the wacky world of obnoxious kids, sexy hosts, horny ballplayers, bumbling executives, and one harried female producer who is valiantly trying to drag a sexist sports culture into the 21st century, was just nominated for Best Scripted Podcast by the Venus on Broadway International Film Festival.

WISDOM PUBLICATIONS

The road to enlightenment is paved with books, and no one knows that better than the team at Wisdom Publications. Based in Somerville, Mass., Wisdom is the leading publisher of books and online courses on contemporary and classic Buddhism, mindfulness, and meditation. And, with the launch of the Wisdom Experience in 2019, it’s also the premier membership platform for Buddhists, offering members hundreds of hours of video and thousands of pages of books to read online.

Founded more than 30 years ago, this nonprofit organization traces its beginnings to Tibetan teachers Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche and is now led by CEO/publisher Daniel T. Aitken, a business executive who holds a PhD in Buddhist philosophy and has had a lifelong interest in Tibetan Buddhism, the Tibetan language, and its literature. Wisdom is dedicated to nurturing writers and teachers around the world and, per the press, “to advancing critical scholarship, preserving and sharing the literary culture of various contemplative traditions, and helping people to find and engage with teachers, teachings, and practices for a wise and compassionate life.”

The press recently opened an office in the West Village in New York City—part of its plan to expand its offerings and better connect with authors and practitioners. “Having a dedicated studio space there has allowed us to increase both the quantity and quality of our digital content, which plays an ever-increasing role in the industry,” the press says. “The space also lets us host in-studio audiences for select episodes of our talk show, Wisdom Dharma Chats, and book launches, fostering regular and meaningful engagement between the Wisdom team, authors, and our readers.”

Wisdom’s most notable titles of 2024 include the audiobook version of Bearing the Unbearable by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore and the new companion book Bearing the Unbearable: A Guided Journal for Grieving, both out in April. With the audiobook, narrated by Cacciatore as “Dr. Jo,” “listeners can immerse themselves in the emotional journey of grief with the added authenticity of Dr. Jo’s voice,” the press says. “This will not only enhance the connection between Dr. Jo and the audience, a connection for which Dr. Jo is known, but will also offer a new and unique way for people to connect with the compassion and stories embedded in the book.”

The press hopes that the release of the audio version of Bearing the Unbearable will allow the title to reach new audiences, providing an inclusive experience for those with varying reading preferences or accessibility needs. “We believe that the audio format allows for a more intimate and personal engagement with the material, creating a powerful avenue for individuals to navigate the challenging terrain of grief,” the press says.

Another key title, out this fall in print, is the tenth and final volume in the Library of Wisdom and Compassion series, Vajrayāna and the Culmination of the Path by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron. “As we conclude this monumental series, we turn to making the content available in audiobook format so that even more individuals can access the profound teachings shared by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron,” says the press, which released volume 2 of the series, The Foundation of Buddhist Practice, as an audiobook last year and hopes to release volume 3 as an audiobook soon.

NORTH ATLANTIC BOOKS

Words have the power to soothe and restore—that’s something the team at North Atlantic Books knows well. The independent, nonprofit publisher, founded in 1974 in Vermont and now based in Berkeley, California, is focused on publishing books that heal in the fields of bodywork and somatics, herbalism, social justice, and health and wellness, as well as areas of healing that have historically been underrepresented within mainstream publishing.

Audio is a growing part of North Atlantic’s business, and the company is building up its audio program with the goal of making more of its backlist titles available in the format. The company is also looking to broaden its accessibility and connect with more readers, says Kelly Bolding, North Atlantic’s digital business strategist, with a key focus on improving its ability to adapt practice-based and other nontraditional books—like herbals and workbooks—into audio.

North Atlantic’s new and forthcoming audio titles are here to help listeners explore the world of healing in meaningful ways.

Surviving Modern Yoga by Matthew Remski, narrated by the author, with a foreword by Theo Wildcroft, is a “survivor-forward investigation of what lies underneath the shiny veneer of yoga and wellness marketing,” says the press. The book, out in May, uncovers the physical and sexual abuse perpetrated by Ashtanga yoga leader Pattabhi Jois and reckons with the culture, structures, and mythos that enabled it as it brings to light how we’re each susceptible to cult abuse and exploitation.

The Modern Herbal Dispensatory by Thomas Easley and Steven Horne is one of North Atlantic’s bestselling titles and part of the press’s efforts to make more herbalism resources accessible in new formats. The audiobook, out in June, is narrated by Lyle Blaker. This beloved classic for the modern herbalist—a definitive guide to 250 safe and effective herbal medicines, preparations, and single-herb remedies you can make at home—is written for the beginner and experienced herbalist alike. It offers easy-to-follow instructions and is supplemented by a guide, recipes, and a helpful index.

Movement for Every Body by Marcia Dernie, DPT, narrated by A’rese Emokpae, is part exercise manual and part workbook. Out in August, this inclusive guide to improving mobility, building strength, and increasing flexibility is for every body of any size, shape, and ability—and for anyone who doesn’t fit the typical fitness mold and doesn’t wish to. “This book is all about making movement more accessible to people of all bodies and identities, and the audiobook format is one way of bolstering that accessibility,” Bolding says.

Finally, there’s Kindred Creation by Aida Mariam Davis, narrated by the author, an exploration and consideration of Blackness to be released this December. Structured in three parts—Remember, Refuse, and Reclaim—Kindred Creation is “a philosophical guidebook and life-giving invitation to power, purpose, and potential,” says the press. “It’s a path to Black freedom, a love letter to Black futures, and a blueprint to intergenerational Black joy and dignity—all (and always) on Black terms.” Author, founder, and organizer Davis excavates the impacts of colonialism and considers how oppression and enslavement affect the self, nature, and community.

SOUNDED.COM

The team at sounded.com is breathing new life into stories, and it wants to help creators tell the stories that matter most to them. Located on the picturesque Isle of Man in the Irish Sea—a place famous for the short-tailed breed of cat known as the Manx—this pioneering business-to-business-to-consumer company is a real-time audiobook production platform and online bookstore whose mission is to make book production simple for all.

The sounded.com author portal is a self-service or managed-service real-time audiobook production platform that can produce audiobooks in more than 60 languages and 162 dialects. Trusted by authors, publishers, and storytellers, sounded.com makes audiobook production simple. Using the Sounded author suite, users can convert their work into an audiobook in a matter of minutes and see it posted right away on the company’s bookstore. The company employs powerful editing tools that allow users to control how each chapter, line, and word of a project sounds; it offers hundreds of voices, including different languages and regional dialects, to choose from, the ability to publish a book with ease in a few clicks, and the freedom to set its price. Always innovating, the company will also be introducing multi-character features and soundscape later this year for its self-publishing clients to use in the creation of audiobook projects.

Sounded.com works with an array of authors and publishers, across genres, and specializes in nonfiction titles and academic works. To help bring studio quality narration to audio production, it employs TrueVoice, a voice-replica program open exclusively to leading audiobook narrators and voice artists. The TrueVoice program allows creators to choose a narrator that’s right for their project—voice artists include established names like Gill Mills, David Holmes, and Martin Whiskin—and there are new narrators coming on board all the time. Recently, the company signed “the Spanish Buzz Lightyear,” Javier Fernández-Peña, to accommodate the growing demand for Spanish-language audiobook content. It also recently signed Cath Lanigan—author of such hits as Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile—for a new adventure series that will be available exclusively in an audio format on the platform.

Empowering users is paramount for the company, and its consumer-facing mobile app and online bookstore give authors the opportunity to sell their audiobooks through the Sounded platform. Earlier this year, the company signed agreements with distributors and rights holders to bring 120,000 audiobooks to its online store, allowing users to buy audiobooks on an à la carte basis.

Sounded.com is a proud member of the UK Publishers Association, the Independent Publishers Guild, the Audio Publishers Association, and the Alliance of Independent Authors and is a partner member with IngramSpark. It was shortlisted for Start Up of the Year at the Futurebook Conference in London in 2023 and was on the cover of the Bookseller magazine at the Frankfurt Book Fair also that year. In June, sounded.com will be attending the Self Publishing Live conference in London, as well as the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. As always, the company welcomes attendees who are interested in connecting and finding out more about its audiobook production services to reach out directly at info@sounded.com.