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Saturday, November 29, 2014

Have you tried Audio Books?


Have you considered turning your books into audio books?  I recently converted six of my books into audio books using the Amazon acX platform and have to say I am very pleased.


SO HOW DOES IT WORK?

First, you enter your ASIN or ISBN number into their search bar to find your book.


Then, it will bring up their Agreement which basically states that you are the rights holder and want to convert your book into an audio book - in many more words, of course. After you have agreed to their terms, it will load your description from the book's listing on Amazon. Check it carefully, because it doesn't bring in some of the punctuation correctly (ellipses, contractions, etc).

On the same screen, you will enter the Copyright information and the genre of the book. This is also where you will enter information about your preferred narration producer including gender, language, accent, age and style. 

Once you have entered this information, you will be able to provide a short description which is also your sales pitch to the producers to hopefully entice them to audition for your book. Make it good! if you have been a best seller, make sure to mention that.

Next, you will enter any script notes to the potential producer. This is where you give them a sense of how your characters should sound, so they have something to work with. If you have an actor in mind that can be helpful, otherwise, they are shooting in the dark a bit. You will then upload your manuscript here in pdf or txt format.

On the next screen, you will enter the word count and territories you have the rights to, as well as how you would like to pay for the production. You have the option to pay the producer up front or let them share in the royalties. The chart below outlines the various options and the royalty rate you will receive.


Additionally, they have a Bounty program where you can earn $50. ACX pays Rights Holder and Producer $50 every time the audiobook is the first audiobook purchased by an AudibleListener™ member on Audible. The $50 payment is split 50-50 between Rights Holder and Producer, amounting to $25 each.

Once you have entered this information, it will bring up your listing to review one final time before posting.

Now, all that is left, is waiting for producers to audition. They will submit a short audition reading and you will be notified via email when someone has submitted an audition. When you receive the one that you like, you select them and the process begins!

They will submit a 15 minute sample and this is when you want to be careful to make any notes back to them on things you would like to change. Once the 15 minute sample is approved, they will start producing each chapter and uploading those for your review.

It probably will take a bit of tweaking because quite frankly, they aren't inside your head. It takes some teamwork to get the narration right.

Once you have approved all of the chapters and a short excerpt for potential buyers to listen to, acx will review the files to make sure everything is correct. Once they approve the production files, they will make the book live which usually takes 10-15 days. They will also send you 25 codes for free downloads that you can provide to readers.

Here are my two books if you would like to listen to the samples.






Hope this is helpful to you! Let me know if you would like to receive a code for a free download. I still have some left and would be happy to provide them in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks!

-Ginger

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Thursday, November 6, 2014

Book Review The Blue Amaryllis - A Love Story

GINGER'S SPICE
Flavored Reviews 
by Ginger Gelsheimer

The Blue Amaryllis
by Sonia De Leon














5 Stars!

The Ultimate in Forbidden Love


Brief synopsis: When we first meet Leia York, she is depressed and alone, mourning the loss of her mother to cancer. She's never had a real relationship and has no shoulder to cry on. Fortunately, she receives an invitation from a former professor to come to the Amazon and assist him with gathering and studying various plants that may have medicinal purposes. With nothing to lose, Leia sets off on the adventure of her life. After a long journey deep into the Amazon, she finally reaches the Matis village. At first, she is awkwardly shy about the native dress (strings of beads only) and I had to laugh when she first sees her professor, James, completely naked along with the rest of the Matis tribe. One of the first people in the tribe she meets is Tanun because she falls unconscious at his feet. If she had only know the foreshadowing... It doesn't take long for Leia to forget about the high-pressure rat race she came from and she settles in to the Matis tribe, learning there ways and also learning to love them. One, far more than others... unfortunately, Matis must keep their bloodlines poor and a girl with green eyes from Chicago will never suit the tribe.

Characters: The author did a beautiful job creating characters that are believable and interesting. I absolutely fell in love with Tanun and the rest of his tribe for their sheer simplicity and how happy they were in their lives. They care for each other as a village, not as the "Smith and Jones who has the  nicest house and car" syndrome. What I would give to live like them! Tanun is gorgeous and primitive, but smart and a healer and he falls for Leia every bit as much as she falls for him. If he would have only told her his secret from the beginning! Leia is so fun to grow with as the story moves along from her embarrassment of being naked all the time to a point where she actually participates in their painful rituals in order to fit in and try to become one of them - all out of love. I thought the author also did a great job with the dialogue because obviously, they didn't speak the same language, but it had great flow and never became distracting.

Originality: This one gets 5 stars for originality for sure. The story was so much more than a romance novel. It intertwined the serious and very real situation the natives in the Amazon are facing and hopefully brings to attention their need for help. You can't help but want to go there and help these people to continue their beautiful way of life. The author says at one point that it is like traveling back in time and that is true. Would we destroy our Indians in America now if we had the chance to do it over?

Recommendations: This one has to go with barbecued tapir, one of Leia's favorite dishes from the Amazon. Sorry, but it can't very well go with fine wine and a steak now can it?  I highly recommend this story not only to romance readers, but to anyone who loves rich history, stories with a strong purpose, being lost in a lush tropical rain forest or simply getting away from the rat race.

-Ginger

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Sunday, November 2, 2014

November Edition - Authors' Cave eZine!


Welcome to the November edition of the 
Authors' Cave eZine!

Lots of fun inside and great recipes for Thanksgiving, too!




-Ginger

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