photo credit: audiobookupdate.com

dog listening

I absolutely love reading. But not only do I love reading, I feel it is a necessity as a writer to read. However, running a business, being a mum, running a house etc. etc. etc. often squeezing reading in is a luxury. Even before bed I generally work until quite late: until my head is dropping on the keyboard to be precise. Although this is definitely easing since my little ones have started full-time school.

In the last few years I’ve tried to find ways of fitting in more reading, especially when I was studying towards my MA, not only was there assignments galore but there was a huge reading list.

It was in this time I discovered Audible.

audible logoAudible is fantastic for anyone leading a busy life but would still love the pleasure of delving into a fictional world. Lots of people have said to me they’d rather pick up a book, and quite honestly so would I. But Audible allows you to listen to a story when you wouldn’t necessarily be able to read a book. For example: I listen in my car (instead of music), while walking the dog, while cleaning, ironing, dealing with tasks that don’t need a lot of concentration. Many people enjoy having the television on as background noise, but Audible allows you to get certain tasks done while enjoying characters and plots of a make-believe world (or a real world, as there are plenty of biographies to download). There is also plenty of non-fiction to choose from. My most recent non-fiction is ‘Hero’ by Rhonda Byrne. I love her work.

I’ve enjoyed so many novels through Audible. I have the app on my phone which means I can just click a few buttons and I’m back to the story where I left it. It’s so easy to flick back through the chapters, increase or decrease the narrator speed or even if you don’t like the novel you’ve chosen you can exchange it for another.

A cheap monthly fee allows you a credit a month, these build up to 6 credits, so there is no pressure to use them straight away.

I just had to rave about audible as I absolutely love it. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to pick up a book ever again. It just means you can have the best of both worlds. I generally have two books on the go now. A paperback and one through Audible. Well, at the moment I have three! I’m reading Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s, I Can See Clearly Now, Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley and I’m listening to Before I Go To Sleep by S.J.Watson.

So, I thought I’d share my thoughts with you about audible, as many people I speak to have never heard of it. I just think for anyone who wishes they could fit more fiction into their lives, this is definitely the way forward 🙂 (And no I’m not part of their Affiliate Scheme, I genuinely believe this is one of Amazon’s best services!) Give it a try!