I enjoy cozying up in front of the fireplace or laying out by the pool as I read, but you know what I enjoy even more? An audiobook that helps a long drive fly by. In fact, some really good audiobooks make me want to keep on driving.
In January, I drove to Salt Lake City for a month of flight attendant training. The airline offered to buy me a plane ticket, but I wanted to have my car with me so I drove the five hours. Though I wasn’t in the air, my romance novels were.
Plot Twist by Bethany Turner required I wear my seatbelt for all the turbulence it entailed. The narrator gave just the right inflection for humor, but I also loved that it wasn’t your typical romantic comedy. It offered a unique set up, believable characters (apart from George Clooney), and, get this, a plot twist. My favorite listen of the year.
Okay, it’s the only book I’ve finished listening to this year so far. I haven’t yet finished the book I started during my drive home last weekend. My husband is lucky I missed him so much, otherwise I wouldn’t have stopped in Boise but continued on toward my new base in Seattle to find out how The Cul-de-Sac War ends.
Graduation Day
As I wait for my own romantic comedy, Husband Auditions, to be recorded for audio, I’m excited to hear how the narrator brings it to life for others the way the above mentioned books came to life for me. In the meantime, I’m currently listening to the recording of book #2 in my Resort to Love series for approval. Sometimes a narrator will pronounce a name incorrectly or put emphasis in the wrong place, so I get to request changes. For example, Grandpa Johan should be pronounced Yo-hawn, not Joe-han. There were also questions on how to pronounce the Norwegian term of endearment “min skatt.”
Book #2, Finding Love in Big Sky, is the same book that got made into a movie, and when I was on the set, “min skatt” is the one thing each actor asked me about individually. They all wanted to know more about the phrase meaning my treasure. I included the foreign term in my story to symbolize how God created us all valuable like treasure. And I’m really treasuring the opportunity to share this message in film, print, digital, and audio.
If you enjoy audio books as much as I do, you’ll soon be able to listen to the whole Resort to Love series, but for now you can start with the first novel, Finding Love in Sun Valley. If you prefer to read books for yourself, I do have a 99¢ Valentine’s sale currently available on my e-book Finding Love in Park City in honor of the time I just spent in Utah. Click here to find out more.
Enough on my books. I want to hear about your favorites! With my new job, I’m going to be traveling a lot, and I need your suggestions to keep me entertained. ***Bonus points if you know of books about a flight attendant.
Do you listen to audiobooks? If so, please share your favorite recorded contemporary Christian romance.
Angela Ruth Strong survived breast cancer, works as a flight attendant, and uses her own crazy life experiences as inspiration for the stories she writes. Her books have earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been nominated for a Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. She and her husband also got to play extras when her novel Finding Love in Big Sky was adapted for film. To help aspiring authors, Angela started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho.
I have tried audio books, but found they are just not for me.
I am a very fast reader and audio books are too slow.
I find I am not concentrating on the story at all. It becomes just background noise. Forget about mutitasking and listening.
Good morning Angela! Congrats on your graduation from Flight Training. This retired teacher used audio books of the classics in her high school classroom. I was always amazed what I had missed in my reading. Audio books give a different perspective, but as Mary Preston stated they aren’t for me. I am an impatient reader and if I want to skip descriptive paragraphs or peck at the ending, at seven decades life is too short to be limited to a narrator’s pace of speaking. Best wishes. Meteorologist are predicting some nasty weather in the Midwest. Stay warm, safe, and dry.
I have not listened to any audio books yet because I love to just sit and read. I have just recently signed up on Youtube for several authors audio books so maybe I will give them a try, but I’m afraid my mind will wander and I won’t pay attention to the book.
I have occasionally listened to audiobooks during long car trips but not at home. You’re new job sounds like it will be a fun adventure!
I have no audio books, I prefer to read.
I love audiobooks! I’m a SAHM, so while the boys are at school and I’m cleaning the house, I listen to audiobooks. Makes the work more fun!
I’ve only listened to one audiobook (one of Jen Turano’s). I much more prefer a paperback book in my hands. :D
I don’t listen to audio books. I find myself either listening to them and not doing anything else (really bad while driving, which I have NOT done!), or totally ignoring them. So, it’s either my Kindle or a paperback for me!
I sometimes listen to audiobooks but I probably can’t pick a favorite one I have listened to many good ones.
Congrats on the new job!
I love audiobooks. :) If you’re into mysteries or thrillers, I’d recommend either of Luana Ehrlich’s series: Titus Ray or Mylas Grey. I also loved the narration of Molly (book #1 of Sarah Monzon’s Sewing in SoCal series) and can’t wait to listen to the rest. Another series I’ve enjoyed is Rose Fresquez’ Eron Outsiders (loved each of the stories). Jessie Gussman’s Cowboy Crossing series is a favorite because she has their heroes sing a hymn in each of her books, and her narrator has a great voice!
Hi Congratulations on your new job, that is awesome. I found a book called The Flight Attendant and it looks good to me. I love listening to books on audio but only if they are on CD’s -MP3’s. I am not tech savvy at all, but I can put CD’s on. Have a great rest of the week and stay safe. I enjoyed reading your post.
I listen to a lot of podcast and you tube videos while I’m driving. I haven’t delved into the audio book world. A lot of my friends have though and love it. Congratulations on your job and your upcoming audios.
I’ve loved audiobooks for several years! I’ve recently started knitting prayer shawls that I donate to my local hospital, and Christian romance audiobooks have become a great companion while knitting!
A few of my favorite contemporaries are:
Then There Was You by Kara Isaac (I adored the story, and I loved getting to hear the Aussie accents brought to life!)
Then Came You by Becky Wade (This is the prequel novella to the Bradford Sisters series, it has a male narrator and a female narrator, and I felt that they did an absolutely brilliant job bringing the story to life!)
A Twist of Faith by Pepper Basham (I adored this story, and again fabulous narration!)
Nicole by Sarah Monzon (I read Molly and Jocelyn in ebook, but listened to Nicole and I absolutely loved the narration, the same narrator does all of them. I have Amanda in audio and I am super excited to listen to it soon!)
I get that. I’ve heard you can speed them up.
Thank you! I’m in the West, so I’ll be warm, safe, and dry. Hope you get to cozy up with some good books and speed read your way through them.
Try them while driving or cleaning! They are fun for road trips too because everyone listens together.
Yes. And thank you! My first trip is next week.
Do what works for you! I love reading too.
Perfect! Do you have a favorite narrator?
I get it. The narrator makes a difference too.
That does sound dangerous. Maybe try an audiobook when your husband drives sometime. Then you can enjoy it together!
That’s a good probelem to have.
How cool! I enjoyed Molly. Will have to try listening to the rest of the series when it’s out. I also love what the singing adds to a book. Thanks for all the suggestions!
Thank you! Ooh… I watched a show called The Flight Attendant. I wonder if it’s based on the book. Do they still make CDs? ;-)
Thank you! I know podcasts are really popular right now, and I’ve listened to a few of those, as well.
First of all, that is a GREAT combination–audiobooks and knitting. Second, what a gift you are giving. Third, you have great taste in books. :-)
I don’t listen to a lot of audiobooks at least fiction ones, but I love to listen to Christian devotionals in audiobook form
I have a few but haven’t listened to them yet. I have seen a few good flight attendant books & they look good also
I’ve never listened to any yet but maybe soon. I like to listen a lot to books. I have no books about flight attendants though.
I have been listening to audiobooks quite a bit lately. Last night I was listening and following along in the ebook.
I do like audiobooks. I especially like to listen to them while I’m exercising or cleaning house. So far my favorite audiobooks are by Jessie Gussman. Her books are amazing and she has a a wonderful narrator, Jay Dyess.
I don’t listen to audiobooks. I tried a long time ago, but found I could not concentrate on them or felt like I should be doing something else while listening. For me, it’s like reading while the TV is on, you’re suppose to be watching but it just becomes background noise that you ignore.
I do know a friend of mine who has a hard time with reading physical books anymore because of some eye surgery she had a while back. She’s found a new love for audiobooks & has probably “read” more that way.
So I don’t discount audiobooks, for some people they are easier. I say as long as you are reading, it doesn’t matter what format you use :-)
Did you say you’ll be based in Seattle? I live on the Oregon coast & my sister-in-law lives in Pacific WA, which isn’t too far from there. Of course, I’ve been to the Seattle waterfront many times (love Pike’s Place) with my husband & we do love it. I think the Pacific Northwest/ Puget Sound is one of the most beautiful places!
I’m not really into audiobooks. I loved Plot Twist though, just finished reading it actually. It was so much fun!
I am not a fan of audiobooks. My mind seems to drift to something else. By the time, I get it back to listening, I have no idea what is happening. With a book, my mind stays focused on reading. With being disabled, we do not go on long road trips. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
I love audiobooks ❤️
Janet W Ferguson – A Coastal Hearts series.
I’m a visual person, so I prefer reading a book over listening to an audiobook, but I’m looking forward to checking out Liwen Ho’s audiobooks in the near future.
Big congratulations, Ang! I am so proud of you! I don’t get many audiobooks but if I own the eBook, I let Alexa read me the story as I follow along. (After having a major head injury in 1982, I find this works best!) However, I have listened to some audiobooks from the library and a few that were given as gifts and find them delightful as the narrator can sound like they are truly the character!
I discovered audiobooks last year when I won a copy of Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish (also by Bethany Turner, and it was amazing!) It was then that I learned I could listen while I work, and it has doubled my annual reading quota! Some of my favorites have been Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan, The Finder of Forgotten Things by Sarah Loudin Thomas, and Under the Magnolias by TI Lowe. Here’s to some happy listening!
I just started listening to audiobooks.
I’ve found audio-books hard to keep track of plot however I once listened to one that had a male and a female narrator and enjoyed that one.
sometimes listen to them