No, I do not have a new car. The new toy to which I refer is an MP3-player gadget, a Christmas present from one of my sons. Up until now I've not had a chance to do much except listen to some music said son uploaded for me--my one attempt to do the same failed and I haven't yet read the instruction book (see my 7 for 7 list of things I cannot do.) The reason behind this particular present? My son believes I should exercise more. He is right, but don't tell him I said so. I bought this ergonomic trainer thingy before Christmas but it wasn't being used enough. Because it has this back-and-forth arm action, I can't read on it (I can, but it's awkward and difficult and sucks all the joy out of reading.)
But I can listen to music OR--and this is the good part--listen to an audio book...which is what I've finally worked out this week.
I joined
audible.com, which I'd heard all about at the Reno conference last year as they'd just taken Harlequin books on board. For an annual fee of $9.95 I received a credit for my first book download. I chose Susan Elizabeth Phillips' MATCH ME IF YOU CAN, which I'd not read yet as I was hanging out for the paperback edition. Hardcovers are ridiculously expensive in Australia. The download to my computer and upload to my device went smoothly--I didn't even have to resort to reading the instruction book!--and I have just finished listening to the whole book. No, I didn't exercise for the eleven-plus hours of the reading (unabridged). I listened while exercising the last three days, while driving, while walking, while cooking dinner, while ironing and doing assorted housework chores, and while lying in bed last night because I couldn't put it down!
At first I was slightly bothered by the voices the reader adopted. I'm still hating the cutesy three-year-old voice she put on and the purportedly big-tough-guy voice she adopted for Bodie's point of view. But I did get used to the rest and it stopped bothering me so much once I got into the story. And being by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, that didn't take long. I'm about to go make another selection. I'm trying to decide if I should select another from my favorite authors list or to take the plunge and go for a new author or even a new genre. There are a lot of titles listed so choosing won't be easy.
Anyone else listen to audiobooks? And have you had any experiences where you couldn't stand listening to the reader's voice?
posted by Bronwyn Jameson @ 5:38 PM
