Week Eleven: Ebooks and Audiobook

 

 Hi Y'all!

I am one of those readers who loves ebooks! They allow me to read books on the go without the struggle of carrying around a book. Let's be honest: carting around books can sometimes be annoying and not socially appropriate, for example, I can't bring Kingdom of Ash (a thousand-page book) while I wait in line for a roller-coaster. I blame this mostly on social expectations rather than the reader, but it is still a thing. Ebooks also have more self-publishing authors, such as Amanda M. Lee, one of my favorite authors! She has published several series that feature books, short stories, and novellas. According to JC Reindl, "she made just under $1 million last year by staying home and writing novels and short stories on mysteries, witches and romances" (Detriot Free Press, 2016, par. 1). My favorite series of hers, Wicked Witches of the Midwest, features a fantastic family of witches who have so much snark it's ridiculous. I definitely recommend her books if you want to explore self-publishing kindle books! Here is her website: https://www.amandamlee.net/

Now, audiobooks, I struggle with. I try to get into the book but get distracted or can't fully commit to the story. And driving (at least on interstates) requires my total concentration. Yet, I recommended to a lot of my patrons at the library, especially my outreach programs to local assisted living centers. I do know there were some issues with Spotify back in February when they redid their term and conditions. According to The Author's Guild (2024), "The updated terms, which were slated to go into effect in March 2024, required authors using Findaway’s services to grant Findaway and Spotify rights to “translate, modify, [and] create derivative works” from submitted audiobooks. The terms further stipulated that Spotify could use the audiobooks (termed “user content”) in “training” and “modeling” in connection with Spotify services" (par. 1). It basically would have allowed Spotify the possibility to take the content from audiobooks, change a few things and then repost it. The original authors would have very little recourse. Authors and narrators on social media were demanding that they change their T&C and that users boycott the platform until they do so. Luckily, they did! "The new terms remove the rights to “translate” and “creative derivative works” from the grant of rights, make the grant of rights revocable by the authors, and further make it explicit that the grant of rights does not authorize Spotify to use user content to create new ebooks, audiobooks, or use it for voice narration AI training" (The Author's Guild, 2024, par. 3). It's a great relief that authors, singers, and narrators won't have to fight for the ownership of their own content. Audiobooks will no doubt grow in popularity and usage in the upcoming years. Now, while I don't listen to audiobooks, I have been recommended to listen to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I also have listened to (on Instagram) Michael, @michaeloek, who does a fantastic Tairn! https://www.tiktok.com/@redtowerbooks/video/7348956443258801451. That is the link to his last video of Tairn! 

References

Amanda M. Lee. (2024). Author Amanda M. Lee’s official website. Author Amanda M. Lee’s Official Website. https://www.amandamlee.net/ 

The Authors Guild. (2024, February 23). Authors guild response to Findaway and Spotify’s audiobook terms of use. The Authors Guild. https://authorsguild.org/news/response-to-findaway-spotify-audiobook-terms-of-use/ 

Lee, A. M. (2023). White Witchmas. WinchesterShaw Publications. 

Maas, S. J. (2023). Kingdom of Ash. Bloomsbury Publishing. 

Reid, T. J. (2017). The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo: A novel. Simon & Schuster Audio. 

Reindl, J. C. (2016, February 29). Michigan e-book All-Stars hit it big, quit day jobs. Detroit Free Press. https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2016/02/29/michigan-e-book-all-stars-hit-big-quit-day-jobs/80817098/#::text=Lee%20self%2Dpublished%20her%20first,you%20know%2C%22%20she%20said.

First Room. [@michaeloek]. (2024). You asked... Michael answered. #fourthwing #ironflame #firstroom [Video]. https://www.tiktok.com/@redtowerbooks/video/7348956443258801451