Tag: Voice Driven Content

  • Abibliophobia and Audiobooks – Are Your Books Available Audibly?

    Are your books available audibly? If not, you may be missing out on significant sales!

    ABIBLIOPHOBIA exists! – even with audiobooks

    Abibliophobia "The Fear of Running Out of Books to Read" - Poster for Libraries, Librarians - Schools, Classrooms, Teachers, - Elementary, High School, Grade School CPS006

    The Voice Technologies Powering Amazon’s Alexa (often referred to as “voice assistants”) Are Ushering in a New Era of Storytelling and an exciting Platform for Authors to Reach More Readers.

    Authors can use this new platform of voice technology to increase their readership (aka listener-ship) and to increase book sales.

    Audiobooks 

    Voice Assistants are increasing the popularity of audio-books more than ever by making easily accessing them with voice commands and hands-free listening while the listener drives, washes dishes, knits, cleans, rake leaves, cooks, bakes bread, or takes care of the laundry.

    Some audiobook-o-philes say that after listening to an audiobook that they enjoyed while multi-tasking, they noticed such a huge improvement in getting those daily tasks completed that they incorporated the habit regularly and always have the next audiobook lined up. Audiobookophile clubs are popping up every where to share favorites with other likeminded individuals.

    In fact, some tell me they get nervous knowing that they don’t have the next book or series lined up. I understand that! The thought of taking a trip without several books available to makes me twitch! There’s that abibliophobia again!

    Here are five reasons why your books should be available as audio-books.

    Click on this link to read more about them.

    1. Audiobooks are the Busy Booklovers Friend!
    2. The Oral Tradition of Listening to Stories and the Spoken Language
    3. Increase and Develop Vocabulary and Spoken Syntax
    4. Hone Listening Skills and Critical Thinking Skills
    5. The Growth of Audio-Books is corelated with the Increase of Use of Voice Assistants.
    Hands Free Reading with Audiobooks

    The major reason for audiobook listeners is to be able to multi-task in this age of never enough time to get everything done.

    Alexa and other voice recognition services makes accessing audiobooks easier than ever before.

    People (aka readers aka listeners) listen to audiobooks while driving, folding laundry, cooking and washing dishes, while walking (getting those 10,000 steps in), cleaning, and other daily tasks that may be mundane but we all need to do.

    Listening to audiobooks while doing these daily tasks makes them much more enjoyable and creates good habits!

    10,000 steps

    • Publisher’s Weekly reports that audiobook sales have shown a double-digit increase every year for the past ten years and are not showing any indication of slowing down.

    • The global impacts of COVID-19 continued to significantly affect the Audiobook Service market in 2020 with global sales of more than 3.3 billion USD – and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 24.4% over the next several years. (Grand View Technologies, San Francisco, Calif.)

    • 2021 Audiobook sales in America increased by 25%!

    • June 7, 2022 report shows 1.6 Billion dollars in audiobook sales in 2021.

    • The USA is the biggest consumer of audiobooks at 1.6 billion in sales of the global market’s 4.8 billion dollars.

    Audiobooks are awesome. There is no doubt about that!

    Audiobooks honor the time-old traditions of storytelling with the latest in digital technology!

    Storytelling-a time-honored tradition

    Why are audiobooks important to authors and their book promotion marketing strategies?

    They are important because they continue to connect your works with more readers/listeners.

    Also, put some short stories out there to hook new readers.

    Robert Dugoni does this with his series. He makes a short audiobook available to hook you into his Tracy Crosswhite crime fiction series. Here is the link to get the free audiobook download on Amazon.

    The Last Line: A Short Story (Tracy Crosswhite) by [Robert Dugoni]

    Short stories can hook new readers because they allow readers to sample your work without investing the 8-10 hours required for the average reader to read a 110,000-word novel.

    And most of us can read faster than we can listen to an audiobook. The average 110,000-word novel would take about 12 to 13 hours of listening time.

    However, most of us do not have the 8-10 free hours to read a book each week especially if we have other hobbies or interests. BUT, listening to a book or a story while we go about our daily tasks will enable most of us to reconnect to books!

    And for “readers” (aka listeners) to connect with your stories!

    We’d love to hear from you! –Kiffer


    Looking for an awesome audiobook to listen to:

    Try Chanticleer’s award-winning author Janet Oakley’s action thriller series that takes place in Norway during World War II. Espionage, spies, romance, and betrayals!

    You can find The Jossing Affair and The Quisling Factor narrated by Chris Humphreys available on the following audiobook-selling platforms:

  • A Valentine’s Writing Contest – 560 words MAX -Win Cash Prizes and Promotion – Tellables

    A Valentine’s Writing Contest – 560 words MAX -Win Cash Prizes and Promotion – Tellables

    When you’re in the chocolate business—even if it digital chocolates—it’s never too early to start planning for Valentine’s Day. So, Tellables is ready to announce their Valentine’s Writing Contest. They are looking for double chocolates stories that tell a tale of romance, love, or affection and that come in two delicious parts.

    As with Tellables  Holiday Writing Contest, they’re looking for stories they can publish in their  “My Box of Chocolates” voice / audio experience on Amazon Alexa. And they are  offering cash prizes! No entry fees! 

    They’re looking for delicious double chocolate stories to include in our special Valentine’s assortment. Double chocolates are two-part stories, each part a maximum of 280 words, with conversational elements sprinkled in to engage the listener.

    Selected stories will be featured in Tellables My Box of Chocolates voice app on Amazon Alexa. Check out this link for details and official rules on our Valentines Writing Contest.

    Amazon Alexa – Is It Really For Authors?

    We often hear authors say they don’t have a smart speaker and they don’t trust them. We understand. But smart speakers and voice assistants are growing tremendously popular. Now’s the time to begin experimenting with the possibilities.

    You might have access to an Alexa-enabled device and not even know it. Alexa isn’t only available on an Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Show. You can access the Alexa voice assistant from most newer model Kindle Fire tablets, from your Fire TV, and from the Amazon Alexa or Amazon Shopping mobile app. The common requirement is that you need to be logged in with an Amazon account.

    If you do have access to Alexa,  try out our “My Box of Chocolates” voice app. Ask Alexa to “open My Box of Chocolates.” If that doesn’t work as expected, try saying “Alexa, enable My Box of Chocolates” first.

    Note from Kiffer:  This is a great way to experiment with engaging readers with Voice-Driven Devices. Also, the Head of Amazon’s Alexa Code Labs (more than 100 million Alexa devices are in use), Paul Cutsinger, will present at the Chanticleer Authors Conference in April.

    The My Box of Chocolates Voice App – Stories on Alexa

    You can find out everything you need to know about Tellables’ conversational storytelling voice app experience by reading through our Author Tips page and the blog post on Writing a “Transformational” Story for the “My Box of Chocolates” Voice App.   

    The Valentine’s “Double Chocolate” Writing Contest

    The individual chocolate stories we publish in our voice app are “bite-size,” with a maximum of 280 words. Sometimes we publish stories in two parts. Part 1 and Part 2 are each represented in our virtual chocolate assortment by two pieces of the same type of candy. The listener needs to hear both candies in order to get the full story.

    Visit this link for more information and to submit your stories:  https://tellables.com/2019/12/writing-contest-valentines-double-chocolate-stories/

    Here are links to previous Tellables winners: 

    https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/12/13/and-the-winners-are-chanticleerians-take-home-the-tellables-holiday-box-of-chocolates-stories-contest/

    https://www.chantireviews.com/2019/10/30/tellables-voice-driven-stories-selects-4-chanticleerian-authors-for-spooky-halloween-micro-stories/

    Please feel free to forward this to any authors you know. Amy Stapleton is happy to answer any questions you might have. Just email her directly.

    Thanks and good luck!
    Amy Stapleton
    amy@tellables.com
    Tellables

  • And the Winners are…Chanticleerians take home the Tellables Holiday Box of Chocolates Stories Contest

    And the Winners are…Chanticleerians take home the Tellables Holiday Box of Chocolates Stories Contest

    You can say that I am as proud as a Mother Hen of these Chanticleerians* who won the Tellables Holiday Box of Chocolate Stories  Writing Contest!

    And these stories are available to listen to at your convenience and just in time for the Holidays. And they are FREE to enjoy! 

    Perfect to listen to while wrapping presents, baking cookies, and preparing for the Holidays!

    This Tellable Box of Chocolates writing contest challenged authors to write a “double chocolate” story for the Holidays using the Tellables voice app on Amazon Alexa.

    A double chocolate story is a bite-sized 2-part tale, with each part represented by a piece of delicious (virtual) chocolate.

    The authors were also asked to write in the voice of a virtual chocolatier and add “conversational elements” to their story. After all, the whole point of these chocolate stories is to engage listeners as they interact with an Amazon Alexa smart speaker (or other Alexa-enabled device). 

    They are pleased to announce the winning authors and their Holiday Box of Chocolate stories.

    Holiday Double Chocolate Stories

    It’s finally here! A delicious box of a dozen virtual candies with matching double chocolate stories! In case you missed the big news, here are the winners of our Holiday Writing Contest. All of their delicious 2-part stories are featured in this holiday assortment.

    Michelle Rene – First Prize for White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

    A young boy keeps returning to the chocolate shop in search of a treat for a very picky Santa. But what’s really going on?

    He said he didn’t think Santa liked the last candy either. Maybe he’s allergic.

    Michelle Rene is a multi-award-winning author of historical and speculative fiction. Her novel, Hour Glass, was named Chanticleer Review’s Overall Grand Prize for Best Book of the Year.

    Ellen Lyons – Second Prize  for Timely Mint Twist

    A last-minute holiday order, missing ingredients, and a roaming cat all combine to spell disaster for a frazzled chocolatier.

    “Haste makes waste is not just a rhyme, it’s a reality.”

    Ellen Lyons is a writer, poet, illustrator, and reader. She has previously published stories in the supernatural horror   False Key fantasy series She also writes in many different genres for both children and adults. [Editor’s Note: We don’t believe that Ellen Lyons is a Chanticleerian, but we welcome her.]*

    Kelly Abell – Third Prize  (Tied for 3rd Place) for  Peppermint Bonbon Miracle

    A candy maker faces a devastating loss of business one holiday season, all because two sisters are having a spat.

    “On Saturday, a week before Christmas, I stared out at the barren street.”

    Kelly Abell is the author of internationally best-selling romances and romantic suspense. Her characters are filled with passion, power, and purpose in predicaments that keep a reader turning the pages. Currently, her work The Gamble: Lost Treasures has been Shortlisted for the 2019 Laramie Book Awards for N.A. Western Fiction, a division of the Chanticleer Int’l Book Awards.

    PJ Devlin – Third Prize  (Tied for 3rd Place) for Snow Chocolate

    A chocolatier receives a strange visit to her shop shortly before Christmas, but the visit turns out to be especially auspicious.

    “Once outside I was greeted by an entire row of unsightly smudges, three-feet high, lining my shop window.”

    P.J. Devlin is an award-winning novelist and short-story writer. She lives in Northern Virginia, but her heart and stories are rooted in Philadelphia. Follow her on Facebook at PJ Devlin Author. She has won several Chanticleer Blue Ribbons!

    Chris Rasmussen – Judge’s “Originality Award” for Jingle Bell Bonbon

    A young ambitious chocolatier runs afoul with a local judge, but she perseveres in her attempt to win a holiday sweet stakes challenge.

    “I circled the date, rolled up my sleeves, and did my Thanksgiving homework.”

    Chris says he is doomed to scribble and that his loose vowels are heard daily, in Sweden, where he keeps his pencils. His work has been Shortlisted for the CYGNUS Book Awards for Science Fiction, a division of the CIBAs.

    Veronica Fisher – Honorable Mention for Snowball Delight

    Brandon steps out of his chocolate shop on a wintry night before Christmas and gets a surprise.

    “As I walked to the door to lock up for the holiday, I noticed a rustle in the small snowdrift outside my shop.”

    Veronica Fischer has a passion for telling stories. Living and working in Las Vegas in the world of fundraising, her storytelling skills are used to help spread the message about the importance of giving back to her community. In her spare time, she enjoys writing for younger audiences and published her debut children’s book, Oscar’s Christmas Wish, that took home a Chanticleer Blue Ribbon.

    How to Listen to these Stories on your Alex-enabled device?

    It’s easy peasy!

    To experience this box of conversational stories, make sure to enable the skill by saying “Alexa, enable My Box of Chocolates.

    After you enable the skill on your device, you can simply ask Alexa to “Open My Box of Chocolates” whenever you have time to relax and enjoy a bite-sized story.

    Any Alexa-enabled device will work, including Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, free Alexa App, Fire Tablet, and Fire TV. The stories are also great to share with friends and to listen to with the kids!

    What’s New at Tellables?

    In this assortment, Tellables is excited to present Alexa’s brand new storytelling voice. The team at Amazon has very recently released several new speaking “styles” for Alexa, and we’ve found the new “music / DJ” style to work very well for storytelling. Give the stories a listen and let us know what you think!  

    What’s New at Chanticleer? 

    Paul Cutsinger, Head of Amazon Alexa Code Labs, will present sessions and keynote at the 2020 Chanticleer Authors Conference. 

    • Why Voice Enabled Technology is Here to Stay 
    • The Publishing Industry and Voice Technology
    • StoryTelling and Voice Technology
    • Audiobooks and Voice

    Amazon Alexa and Voice Assistants – Why You May Want to Give It a Chance

    We often hear authors say they don’t have a smart speaker and they don’t trust them. We understand. But smart speakers and voice assistants are growing tremendously popular. Now’s the time to begin experimenting with the possibilities.
    You might have access to an Alexa-enabled device and not even know it. Alexa isn’t only available on an Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Show. You can access the Alexa voice assistant from most newer model Kindle Fire tablets, from your Fire TV, and from the Amazon Alexa or Amazon Shopping mobile app. The common requirement is that you need to be logged in with an Amazon account.

    There are more than 100 million Alexa devices in use and that number is growing daily.

    The future of publishing is in Voice-Enabled Technology! Voice-driven content is the New Media Publishing World.

    And Tellables will be joining us at CAC20 and teach sessions on voice-driven content! 

    And, yes, I am a proud Mother Hen! – Kiffer, Head Hen at Chanticleer Reviews & Media.

    The next Tellables’ Writing Contest will be announced after New Year’s Day on Chanticleer’s website as soon as we know the deadline and topic. So, stay tuned!

    This is a great and fun way to experiment and learn about this leading-edge technology – and win some cash-ola too! 

    As always, please contact us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com with any questions or concerns or, more importantly, suggestions. We would love to hear from you!