Two new Sci/Fi releases from Iambik

Iambik Audiobooks has just released two new audiobooks in the science fiction/fantasy genre.  Outer Diverse by Nina Munteanu is narrated by Dawn Harvey.  This book is the first in the 'Splintered Universe Trilogy'.  From Craig Bowlsby, author of Commander’s Log: “A master of metaphor, Munteanu turns an adventure story into a wonderland of alien rabbit holes… a fascinating and enthralling read.”

The second sci/fi offering is Steel Whispers by Hayden Trenholm

and narrated by the prolific Mark F. Smith.  This is book 2 of 'The Steele Chronicles."  From Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of Wake. "Steel Whispers is an edge-of-your seat amalgam of police procedural and razor-sharp science fiction. The streets of Calgary never seemed so mean! Fans of Dashiell Hammett and William Gibson both will love this; a great novel from one of Canada's fastest-rising SF stars."



And, although this collection of short stories has been for sale on the Iambik site for awhile, it's finally available on Audible.com.

Las Vega Noir is in the crime genre and was a collaborative effort of several narrators at Iambik.  I was privileged to record the story Bits and Pieces by Christine McKellar.  I can personally recommend this one if you like crime and you like it gritty.   Here's the link if you are an Audible member and would prefer to purchase it there.

All Iambik audiobooks are available, unabridged, for $6.99 each on their site.  You have your choice of mp3 or m4b downloads.

Like horror? My latest recording available on Audible

My latest recording, "Autopsy" by Joel M. Andre went on sale on Audible yesterday.  This one is a short story so it's only around 30 minutes long.  Fun to read since I like creepy stories.  It's also available via Amazon and should be up on iTunes pretty soon.

The direct link to Audible is here.   It's also available on Amazon here.  

I decided to give myself a break from recording -- it seems like I've been in my closet/studio non-stop lately.  Yesterday, I went to Ikea with my friends Duane and Linda.  Naturally, we all found a few things to buy and scoped out some possible future purchases.  I fell in love with the most adorable metal cart on wheels.  It was in the kitchen 'island' area.  The color is what first caught my eye -- turquoise.  Then I realized that due to it's petite size, I could use it for open storage in a number of places in my house.  So, I bit.  It's now sitting in my home office next to one end of the futon.  The photo at right is from the Ikea site.  I'll post one of mine when I've finished loading it up.  It also comes in gray.

Duane was eying some of the bathroom sinks made specifically for small bathrooms -- which she happens to have in her house.  She's probably going back for one of them on her next visit.  She and Linda both bought really pretty blue and white pillow covers that sported an old fashioned design yet looked very much 'now' like Ikea goods usually do.  We all found things to buy in the kitchen and bath areas and Linda and I were both interested in the Poang chair which comes in a variety of finishes and cushions.  Our friend, Shirley, bought two of these for her family room a couple of years ago and they've held up really well, especially considering how inexpensive they can be.  The price basically depends on what type of cushions you choose.   Now if I could only get George to give up just ONE of the leather loveseats in our family room...

Catching up with recording...etc., etc...

I've been knee-deep or maybe I should just say completely hidden away in my little closet/studio for the past week.  I've been working on a collection of short stories, Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes, when I received offers for three more books.  Actually one is a short story -- Autopsy by Joel M. Andre -- in the horror genre.  That one is now finished and should be available via Audible and Amazon very soon.  I'll post here when it goes on sale.

I'm lucky that I have a nice chunk of time before the deadline for Sweet Tea... (which my proof-listener and I have really enjoyed) because I signed contracts for two more books.  One is in a similar vein to Sweet Tea... and is called  A Dixie Christmas.  It's actually two novellas and is a lot of fun to read.  There are some very talented Southern female writers being published --- hopefully, they'll be getting more attention with their works on audio.

The latest book I contracted to record is the one with the swiftly approaching deadline - August 1st.  This one is a real departure for me which is one of the reasons I accepted it.  The Twilight book and movie series and the HBO series "True Blood" have been part of the rise in popularity of the supernatural mixed with sexy romance.  Shifting Positions by Jennifer Dellerman is in the same vein.  Only this book deals strictly with 'shifters' or men who turn into wolves once a month.   This book is one in a series dealing with different characters (some shifters, some human) in a small town in Colorado.  LOTS of steamy sex in this one.  The cover of the book (available for the Kindle on Amazon) features two people who look nothing like the way I perceive them to look.  For one thing, the main female character is described as being blonde (not brunette like the cover).  Also I picture the guy being a little older than the cover model.  Maybe because his voice is constantly described as being a 'growl', I have a young Sam Elliott (sans mustache) in my head as the lead, Caleb.  Caleb is supposed to be fairly young but the model on the current book cover looks too much like a kid.

Unfortunately, this recording has really cut into any free time I have to begin another book for LibriVox.  Right now, I've had to content myself with keeping my hand in by participating in the weekly poetry reading.  I've always enjoyed doing that anyway but it will be nice to have a chunk of time to record another book for them -- I have a long list of ones I'd like to begin. 

On the yarn front, I made something that I not only like but also solves my long-time problem of finding a plant I can't kill.    An Amigurumi cactus.  Just what I need.  I also started a man's hat for The Humble Stitch Project and I'm still plugging away at the lady's dropstitch scarf I began awhile back. 

OK, back to my airless little studio to 'talk dirty' to my microphone.  My deadline will be here before I know it...

Family visit, shopping and a floppy sun hat

I decided to give myself a few days off from recording during the latter part of last week since my sister Heidi and her family were here for a short visit.  This meant that other than some reading prep for a new book I'm recording called Shifting Positions by Jennifer Dellerman, I did no recording or editing.  I spent time with my two 'out-of-town' nieces, Bailey - age 5 and her sister, Taylor - age 3 and then went estate/yard selling with my friends Duane and Linda.  We hit three small sales but got lucky.  All three of us bought books at a sale in Duane's neighborhood.  Linda's are pictured.

     
I also snagged a little globe note holder.  (I have a thing for globes and maps.)  Linda was the big winner of the day, though.  She also bought a nice used set of luggage ($10 for the set) AND we went to one of our favorite stores, A Modern Line, so that Linda could pick up the vintage double size headboard that she had refinished by the owner of A Modern Line.  It turned out beautifully.  You can really see the grain of the wood.  Now all Linda has to do is advertise and sell her current guest room bed (along with a desk) and she's one step closer to completely revamping her guest bedroom.

  
In the mean time, we also sent off the package we were readying a couple of posts ago to The Humble Stitch Project.  So now we're starting all over again for the next batch of items.   I did make one other item during this time.  My sister, Carol, and her family are getting ready to go on a Disney cruise so she asked if I could make a floppy yellow sun hat for her 5 year old daughter, Ava.  I looked at a number of patterns, picked one that both Carol and I liked and got to work.  I purchased the pattern from a blog called Crochet Dreamz and it was SO easy to make.  I used a bright lemon yellow yarn and decided to go with all white flowers after finding Mickey Mouse ears buttons at the local Jo-Ann's.  There were quite a few colors in the package of buttons but I decided to stick with primary colors.  I used the smaller buttons in the center of the flowers and decided to add one of the large ones on the back of the brim.  Now Ava can feel stylish and and right at home among the Disney crowd.

To borrow a quote from one of the characters from one of my favorite '80's movies, "Sixteen Candles", it's time to "no more yanky my wanky" (spoken by The Donger) and get back to work.  I recorded and edited today so I'm off to a good start for the week.                                                         

A Variety of New Releases from Iambik!

Once again, Iambik Audiobooks has been busily working behind the scenes.  Four new books are now up for sale in the categories of scifi/fantasy, young adult, crime and literature.  First up in the crime genre is Bound for Eternity by Sarah Wisseman and narrated by Priscilla Holbrook.   Disappearing artifacts, jealous colleagues, and dead bodies—who says a museum curator’s job is easy?  From Barbara D'Amato, Chicago author of the Cat Marsala series:  "Highly authentic, written by an archaeologist, BOUND FOR ETERNITY is a great read. The museum setting was both eerie and fascinating. I hope to see Lisa Donahue in many books to come."

Next up is a new addition to our science fiction/fantasy

collection.  The Land at the End of the Working Day, written by Peter Crowther and narrated by Robert Keiper, is actually a collection of four stories.  The title of the book is the name of a bar in Manhattan near New York's legendary Chelsea Hotel.  You'll meet the regulars at the bar along with some other characters who may wander in only once but they become another story.  Every one has a story, right?



 
Skulk by Marc Estrin and narrated by Anthony St. Pierre 

is our newest literary fiction book.   This is Marc Estrin's sixth critically acclaimed work of serious fiction.  From Peter Glassgold - author of Angel Max, Anarchy:  "Marc Estrin has his finger on the pulse of American madnesses. Contemplating 9/11 conspiracies would be no laughing matter except in the hands of a writer who once (INSECT DREAMS) resurrected and apotheosized Gregor Samsa's discarded insect carcass. Now in SKULK, this master satririst raises questions of our national (ir)realities to breathless heights. As they used to say, 'Right on!'"


Our last new offering is a new rendering of a children's classic.
Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper  is given the Irish

treatment by our own Tadhg Hynes.   Who better to give voice to Twain's first historical novel set in London? 

Head over to Iambik to listen to the full first chapters of these four and any of the other books in our catalog.  The books are all unabridged and priced at $6.99 each.  They are available in mp3 and m4b formats.