Audiobooks for the Audiophile: In which the journey begins

When I first started writing this post, it was after a conversation I had during lunch at a writing conference where we discussed some of our favorite audiobooks and what makes them so special. The woman I was talking to asked me to post some recommendations, so I got to work making a list. Until I realized how woefully little I actually knew about audiobooks. Sure, I'd listen to a few every year and had a few that were stand-outs. But what really made me enjoy them so much? And why were there a few I couldn't bare to listen to even though I loved reading the book?

The first time I consciously remember listening to an audiobook was back in high school. I'm not a huge fan of British classics (the descriptions are far too plentiful for someone with an American journalism background) but I love the stories, so I listened to David Copperfield, The Lord of the Rings, Vanity Fair. Then I moved on to some American classics I could never seem to find time to sit down and read like The Sound and the Fury and The House of Seven Gables. Then I went through my history phase with Ronald Reagan's autobiography, Tom Brokaw's Greatest Generation series and several books by David McCullough. Then there were the book club books like Daughter of Fortune and, yes, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Before I started my freshman year in college, I had gone from listening to books I didn't think I could ever get through just by reading them to listening to the books because they were fun and beautiful. Not that I didn't love those classics, and I learned a ton for the histories, but all of a sudden I wasn't limited to classic literature methodically read by British stage actors. I was listening to full-fledged productions that merge literature and acting and music. It was like candy for my ears.

And now that I've spent the past six months actually paying attention to what I've listening to, I can literally hear the difference.

I don't pretend that I have listened to everything out there, but it's safe to say that my audiobook experiences reach into the hundreds. When I'm listening to a good audiobook, I have to leave ten minutes early for everything because I have to finish the chapter. And the story and the audio production have be of high quality both independently and together, which means the writing has to be stellar, the narration has to be engaging, and the have to work together.

Access to audiobooks is only getting easier because they don't only come on tape--or even CD--anymore. Even as a Mac user, I can download audiobooks directly to my computer and listen to it or upload it to my iPod. And with those great little Play-Aways that I can pick up at the library and plug into my car or my headphones or my computer speakers...yeah, I'm a fan. They're perfect for long road trips or tedious chores or rainy days or any time at all. If you don't know much about audiobook providers, NextAdvisor.com reviews some of the most popular and features additional information about audiobooks.

I've made it my mission to listen to more audiobooks, specifically children's/MG/YA books. To pay attention to why they work. To get lost in the stories along the way. And the more audiobooks I listen to, the more I discover my journey as an audiophile has just begun.

This post is the first in a three-part series dedicated to Molly Jaffa, who loves audiobooks only slightly less than I do.

The "Yes" Conundrum

I know I'm not alone in this. I cannot possibly be the only person in the world who can't seem to say "No" to people. Okay, so I don't have any trouble saying "No" to drugs and other illegal activities, but I can't seem to say it to anything else. I spread myself so thin that I don't seem to have anything left to give. I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted and lack the time to take care of the physical.

The biggest problem is that I kind of need to say "Yes" to people. If I didn't, I'd contently spend my life alone in my room reading and writing, and then I'd have no experience to write about and learn nothing new to develop my writing. Plus, I'd go crazy and not even realize what was happening.

The key word missing from my life? Balance. To have a balanced life, I don't need to summarily say either "Yes" or "No" to everything that comes my way. But I need to learn how to discern what are opportunities to learn, provide service, further my personal goals, cultivate friendships and what is just filler.

Yeah, like that'll happen.

One Year Ago Today...

I still miss Ashley. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her. There's still this hole in my heart her smile and laugh and sassy ways used to fill. My brain knows that she's in a better place--no longer suffering, probably smiling that same mischievous smile--but my heart still wants her with us.

The void the death of a loved one leaves is never truly filled. Christmas just isn't the same without my grandmother giving me pajamas or a crochet scarf. I still get a lump in my throat when I look at pictures of my friend Elizabeth who died our senior year in high school. My Uncle Bernie, Prince, Mrs. Flame. They all had a part in making me who I am, and I wish I had one more chance to let each of them know how much they mean to me.

So today I mourn. But tomorrow I live.

Welcome Back, Bloggers!

It's been one month since my last post. And it was a totally exhausting month. I used those 28 days to prepare my SCBWI WIP Grant application (which goes in the mail tomorrow), get through our big conference for work (which I'm still catching up on work emails I received during that week) and write up a storm (which I actually did). Unfortunately, I also spent the last week of February flat on my back with the worst case of bronchitis and laryngitis I have had in years. In fact, the last time I was that sick was during the great pneumonia debacle three years ago.

Needless to say, I'm happy I stepped away from the blog-o-sphere for that long. I hadn't realized how much time I spend reading other blogs and writing my own posts. But I also missed the connection I have with friends and family through blogs. So if you had a baby or got a publishing deal in the past month, I'm sorry I missed hearing about it, and forgive me for not going back and reading all the posts I missed. That would kind of defeat the purpose of the hiatus.

In the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some new reading lists, spazzing out about writing efforts and maybe posting something worth-while along the way.

So welcome back, fellow bloggers. I look forward to what the next month has to bring.

Honoring SCBWI Keynote Speakers

Usually after I return from a conference, I write a couple of posts about what I learned and things that I want to work on. I had ever intention of doing that this week as well. Then I decided the best thing I could do was take what Sara Zarr and Linda Sue Park both said in their keynote addresses.

So I'm shutting off the internet this week, possibly even this month. I'll still be posting on facebook and twitter, because let's face it, I'm from the tech generation and would probably never talk to many of my friends if I totally ignore technology. But I'm going to try to limit my internet use, and my blog is officially going into hiatus so I can re-focus on writing.

It's time to go to work.