audiobooks – ACHUKAblog

Surge In Digital Audiobook Sales Alongside Huge Slump In eBooks For Children/YA

January 28, 2016 By achuka Leave a Comment

The Association of American Publishers have just released their new SnapShot report and they found that digital audiobook sales increased 37.7% from January to September 2015.

The global audiobook industry is currently evaluated at 2.8 billion dollars, and the United States only accounts for $200 million of this total. One of the big reasons why growth has been so explosive the last few years is primarily due to the sheer amount of new titles are being produced. 43,000 new audiobooks were released by major publishers and distributed through companies like Audible, iBooks, Findaway and your local library in 2015.

The APP has also found that eBooks sales fell 11.1%, with most of the decline coming from Children/YA books (44.8%). Meanwhile print is enjoying a resurgence with paperback books enjoying 13.3% growth.

via Digital Audiobook Sales Increase 37.7% in 2015.

Exclusive Philip Pullman story to Audible

December 17, 2014 By achuka Leave a Comment

Audible has released an exclusive story about characters from the world of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series (Scholastic) on Audible.

The Collectors is set in the senior common room of an Oxford college. Two new characters, Horley and Grinstead, discuss two new works of art that Horley has added to his collection, but neither men know that the two pieces in question are about to be caught in the crossfire of a story that has travelled through time and between worlds.

The story is free to download for Audible members and is narrated by Bill Nighy.

via Exclusive Philip Pullman story to Audible | The Bookseller.

Next year is the 20th anniversary of the first book in His Dark Materials, Northern Lights, and Scholastic is releasing a new set of special edition paperbacks.

CHICKEN HOUSE & AUDIOGO ANNOUNCE JOINT INITIATIVE

September 20, 2013 By achuka Leave a Comment

In its latest collaboration, the children’s fiction publisher Chicken House has joined forces with leading audio book publisher AudioGO. Chicken House/AudioGO Productions will bring the Chicken House list into worldwide audio formats for retail, download and spoken word distribution. Each Chicken House/AudioGO Production will include an exclusive bonus track, specially written by the author, such as interviews with the characters, hidden chapters, and secret incidents …

Chicken House MD, Barry Cunningham and AudioGO Publishing Director, Jan Paterson have expressed their excitement about the joint venture:

‘I’m pleased and proud of this new creative partnership with the innovative team at AudioGO. Chicken House has always added the editorial elements that keep readers involved in their books and these new exclusive audio extras, alongside great stories and brilliant readers, will add to the dramatic listening experience. Our authors are excited by reaching out to the listener through character and plot and, together with print, eBook and other media, completing a 360-degree story experience.’
Barry Cunningham, Publisher & MD, Chicken House

‘We have been working with Barry Cunningham and the team at Chicken House for many years, and have published the audio versions of some of the terrific Chicken House titles in the past, such as The Wolf Princess by Cathryn Constable and the best-selling Tunnels series by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. I am really pleased that AudioGO is able to strengthen and develop our relationship with Chicken House, and especially excited by the creativity around the additional ‘audio only’ elements of the programmes.’
Jan Paterson, Publishing Director, AudioGO

Chicken House, founded in 2000 by publisher Barry Cunningham, is an independent part of the Scholastic Group. It publishes under its own imprint in the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and The Netherlands. Its authors include Lucy Christopher, Cornelia Funke and Melvin Burgess.

AudioGO, the home of BBC Audiobooks, is a prolific publisher of complete and unabridged audiobooks and large print books.