Sunday, August 14, 2016

The Assassin's Betrayal now available as audiobook

With the audiobook market exploding like a bundle of TNT tossed into a bonfire, I figured it was time to get in the game. Besides, the Amazon-affiliated ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) made it pretty simple to produce an audiobook, so why not? The way I looked at it, not giving it a shot was pretty much like leaving money on the table. And like most indie authors, I’m always hunting for new ways to make money with my writing. Doing it “for the love of the art” is nice and all, but it doesn’t put beer in the fridge or Big Macs on the table.
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So I headed over to ACX and began auditioning producers for my latest novel, The Assassin’s Betrayal. I got lucky and received 5 auditions in the first 48 hours, but once I heard Chris Rice narrate my story, I knew I had found my guy. He just nailed the vibe I was looking for. Though I must admit the producer who narrated the sample in a deep, thickly-accented British baritone was … interesting.

Anyway, Chris and I hashed out a split royalty deal—because no way was I forking out a few grand on an unknown venture—and he buckled down to business and the end result is that The Assassin’s Betrayal is now available as a professionally-produced audiobook on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

The process was relatively painless, if a bit time-consuming, and I’d be lying if I said it’s not kind of cool to hear a professional read your novel out loud. Of course, what I’m really hoping is that you will find it cool to hear a professional read my novel out loud. While I can’t say I’m in a rush to do another audiobook, I certainly would not rule it out, especially if the sales make it worth the while. Maybe when I finish revisions on The Assassin’s Prayer, I’ll look into adapting that one. Because as far as I’m concerned, the audiobook market can never have too much guns ‘n’ guts.

Now, for those of you who are reading this but can’t afford the price tag or just don’t feel like putting your hard-earned cash into my pocket, I have 20 free download codes available so you can grab The Assassin’s Betrayal audiobook at no cost. Shoot me an email (markcallen777@gmail.com) or leave a comment under this post and I’ll hook you up. First come, first served, and everyone who leaves a 5-star review gets a free Glock … and by “Glock,” I mean a pink water pistol from Dollar General.