Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Do you hear what I hear?


So, I have a bit of news. My sisters trilogy is going to be made into audiobooks! 

A bit of background. Last November, when I went to that writing conference in Las Vegas, the first day was all about meeting author service vendors. It is amazing how many services there are out there help us with things we don't want to or can't do on our own. 

I spoke to three companies which do audiobook production for independent authors. None of them had a specialization in historical fiction, but all three said to reach out when I got home and remind them that we'd spoken in Vegas.

So I did. 

Crickets. 

But you know what crickets mean? Try again later. 

I put it on my calendar, and every 3 months I would pitch them again. After hearing about a friend's negative experience with one company, I cut them from my pitch, but continue down with the other two. 

In August, it bore fruit. An acquiring editor got back to me, said that the pitch was interesting, and asked to read the first book. A week later, she offered a three book contract on the strength of that. 

What this means is that I have licensed only the rights for them to produce audiobooks - I'm still in the author, and everything still belongs to me. And that's how it will stay, because I am an only child and a bit of a control freak. But they will produce the audiobooks and release them - and promote them - and while my royalties might not be as large as if I done the books myself, the books will be done and out into the world and will certainly make me more money that way than they ever have sitting on my computer waiting to be turned into audio. 

All that to say, persistence is a superpower. Use it to your benefit.

Another brief update: I am starting a new feature in my newsletter where I discussed the research I'm doing for my current historical novel. If that's something you think you'd be interested in, you can sign up here.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the audiobook deal!