Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing: Marva Dasef's Tips on Producing Audio Books, Giveaway

Hello and welcome to our series, Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing. Our "tipster" author today is multi-genre writer Marva Dasef.  She's giving away the winner's choice of one of her audible books. Take a peek at the books she has available at Audible .com 

Please leave a comment to be eligible for the drawing on Sunday at 9 p.m. 

Listen to an audio sample of Missing, Assumed Dead at the end of the page.

Marva, you have entered the audible book market big time. Audible books add another dimension to a book bringing the story alive to the listener. Thanks so much for sharing great tips on the process of producing an audio book.

The winner of the drawing can choose one of Marva's audio books.

Thanks, J.Q. I decided to ignore all of your excellent questions on the writing process, marketing and publishing books so I can talk a little about the process of producing an audio book.

Audio Rights

First, make sure you have the audio rights to your book. This seems a no-brainer, but when’s the last time you read your contract? If you’re an independent author, then you’ve obviously got your audio rights even if you’ve published your book through Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, etc. (if an ebook) and anywhere you might have used if you have a print book as well. I use CreateSpace myself and it’s been functioning well for me for several years.

Production Companies

I searched around for audio production companies and saw several vanity press types.  No way.

I’ve been spoiled by Kindle (plus those other guys) and CreateSpace. I never pay a penny upfront. I do a lot of the work, then the distributor takes their cut when a copy sells.

Pondering all this took me to ACX. Ta da! Wouldn’t you know it. Amazon also has an audio book production company. Why am I not surprised?

I checked it out and found it’s kind of like a dating site. You, the author, auditions narrators/producers. Pretty easy to do. Check the rather huge number of producers and start paring it down. What’s your genre? Do you want a male or female narrator? What age sound do you want your narrator? Accent? And other potential criteria.

You should also check what terms the producer will accept. I selected split royalties since that costs me nothing up front (my favorite mode of operation).
Distribution of Audio Books
To split royalties, you’ll also need to give up a bit of autonomy, that is, you need to assign exclusive distribution to ACX. But that’s not so bad a deal. Your audio book will appear on Amazon (click to buy directs you to Audible.com), on Audible, and on iTunes. That covers a huge bunch of the audio market.

After pondering the complexities of distribution contracts, you need to create a parking place for your audio book. ACX makes it easy by linking your audio book to your print or ebook Amazon page. Add a few other pieces of information, then upload (a Word file is fine) a couple of pages of your book for audition material. While you might have found the perfect voice, you really want to know how the narrator sounds doing your material.

Why is this? Well, once you’ve uploaded your book info, the people who want the job  are looking for good matches to what they offer.

My producer did just that. He courted me. Aw, gee, gosh. The dating game is afoot. I’m easy and my producer was good, so we paired up. The rest, as they say, is history. I now have five audio books released, plus one more on the way.

Here are the main points to consider:

• What kind of contract can you live with? Pay a fixed rate per finished hour (that’s the other method) and you get to keep all the royalties OR split the royalties and both you and the producer take the risk and share the rewards.
• Think hard about who your narrator is. I know you’ve got a voice in your mind when you write, even when writing in 3^rd person, you’ll most likely have it close 3^rd and want a voice to match your main character.

Now, read the rest of the articles on J.Q.’s featured posts on book marketing. That’s a topic I know nothing about.

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WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A FREE AUDIO BOOK? Comment here to win your choice of any of Marva's audio books. Do you listen to audio books? Have you produced an audio book? Find all of her books at Audible .com

Find out more about Marva on the Marva Dasef blog and Marva's website.

Enjoy listening to a sample of Marva's romance/mystery e-book, Missing, Assumed Dead.

Author Marva Dasef Visits Today

A big round of applause for my friend and author, Marva Dasef! Today she is sharing two of her paperback books with you. I bet there is someone on your Christmas list who would appreciate a good read. Write a comment on this post to win a free paperback copy of either of these books. 

Welcome, Marva, to the J.Q. Rose blog. Tell us about your books.

Books for Both Old and Young 
by Marva Dasef

When we give Christmas presents, it’s nice to have an actual wrapped present under the tree. Ebooks are great, but many older folks, especially in their 80’s don’t have ebook readers. My mom (age 89) has her laptop, but she doesn’t want to read a book on it! The computer is for email and checking her bank balance.

But kids all have ereaders and computers, right? Well, not necessarily, and certainly not if their families don’t have much money. A brand-new book to give to a needy child is much better than a toy.

I’m offering two books for Christmas good for both old and young. I’ll be putting them on a special price through Amazon via my magical powers as an Amazon vendor. If you buy from Texas Boy Publications, you’ll get a brand-new book signed by the author. Can’t beat that deal. Or you can take advantage of free shipping and the Buy 3, Get 1 Free offers on Amazon. If you do buy from Amazon, I’ll send you a signed bookplate you can stick on the title page. Just like a real signing.

Here are my books. I hope one or both looks like a nice present for somebody you know.

Tales of a Texas Boy

How do you handle a crazy jackass? Eddie knows. If you ask Eddie, he'll tell you pigs can fly and show you where to find real mammoth bones. Take his word for it when he tells you always to bet on the bear. These are things he learned while dreaming of becoming a cowboy in West Texas during the Depression. Through Eddie, the hero of "Tales of a Texas Boy," we find that growing up is less about maturity and more about roping your dreams. Hold on tight. It's a bumpy ride. A wonderful read for anyone who enjoys books like "Little House on the Prairie" or "Tom Sawyer."

Buy Links:

LARGE PRINT Tales of a Texas Boy (look at Other Sellers to buy from Texas Boy Publications):

Smashwords Ebook in multiple formats: 

Eagle Quest

Fiona, Hap, Billy, and Mitch make an odd set of friends, as different from the usual junior high school crowd as they are from each other. When Mitch, a half-breed Indian, decides to check out Bear Valley as a site for his Vision Quest, the other three accompany him. It turns out to be more than an overnight camping trip as the friends encounter a bear, an old man, and poachers.

Buy Links:

Amazon Paperback (look for Other Sellers to buy from Texas Boy Publications)

Smashwords Ebook in multiple formats

Write a comment on this post to win a free paperback copy of either of these books. See, part of your Christmas shopping could be finished.

About Marva:

Marva Dasef lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a fat white cat. Retired from thirty-five years in the software industry, she has now turned her energies to writing fiction and finds it a much more satisfying occupation. Marva has published more than forty stories in a number of on-line and print magazines, with several included in Best of anthologies. She has several previously published books. Her latest pride and joy is the Witches of Galdorheim Series from her super duper publisher, MuseItUp.

Find Marva at:

Marva Dasef's Website

Marva's Blog 

Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/MarvaDasef

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/?tab=wX#107073845875601488093/posts

Twitter Handle: @Gurina

Story from Tales of a Texas Boy

Out of the Chicken Coop

Most animals on the farm were there for a purpose, rarely as pets. 

That meant that animals were not allowed in the house like they are today. 

If they got in, however, it wasn't always easy to get them out again.

When I was just a little kid, no more'n seven if I remember rightly, I was down in the chicken yard tossin' grain like I was tol'. This one little red hen started followin' me around instead of peckin' up the grain like the other chickens. I thought it strange, but just went about my business.

When I opened up the gate to leave, the red hen just whooshed right through 'fore I could get it closed. I tol' her, "Now you get back in there," and opened the gate just a bit for her. She didn't pay any mind to the invite, but just headed on across the yard as fast as two feet could take her.

I latched up the gate and took off after her. I thought I'd better grab her before she got up to the porch. Ma doesn't like chickens on the porch 'cause of the mess they make. So, I was runnin' after the hen and she was makin' a bee-line for the house.

Well, she was faster 'n me, so she beat me handy and up on the porch she went. The kitchen door was open to let the heat out since Ma was bakin' pies. That hen just traipsed right in like she'd come to visit.

I caught up with her finally and she and me went round the kitchen table a time or two. I was glad Ma wasn't there 'cause I know that hen wouldn't of lasted two seconds if that were the case. I figured I'd better catch the chicken 'fore Ma turned her into supper.

It were a standoff. I'd go right around the table, and the hen'd go left. I'd go left, and she'd go right. When I stopped, she stopped. Mostly, chickens don't have much sense, which is why people don't take to them much. Except for eatin' and eggs, of course. But, I was beginnin' to think this was one smart chicken.

I'd left the kitchen door open so's I could chase the chicken out, but that just perked up Ol' Spot's curiosity as he come in to see what was up. Of course, Ma don't allow no dogs in the kitchen, neither, so I'd two strikes again' me already.

The hen didn't care for Spot bein' in the kitchen, neither. That's one thing Ma and the hen would agree on. So, she gave out a couple of clucks and jumped up on a chair, which was shoved under the table. I got down on my hands and knees and crawled under the table. Spot thought this was a good idea, so he come under, too.

The hen spied Spot and Spot spied the hen and there was a lot less room under there after that. Spot jumped at the hen and she jumped over to another chair and Spot just followed her under the table. He'd pretty much forgot I was there, too, so he scrunched his way right over the top of me, pushin' me flat to the floor. The hen's jumpin' from one chair to the next and Spot was runnin' around in circles trying to catch her.

Cluck, cluck, bark, bark. I was surprised Ma hadn't already showed up.

I decided there weren't enough room for me, Spot, and the chicken, so I started to crawl out. But, that didn't work so well, as Spot lunged at the chicken just as I was pushin' out from under the table.

Now, Spot wasn't a real big dog, but he weighed in about thirty pounds and was plenty strong. When he jumped up to catch the chicken, he knocked me over and I rolled up against the leg of the table. Yep, that's the same leg needing fixin' for the last month and Pa hadn't got to it. It's not surprisin' the leg pushed away when I rolled up against it. That end of the table fell on my back and all the pies slid off on the floor. It was pretty startlin', so I'll admit I yelped some. Course, Spot was barkin' and the hen was a-cluckin' so it was gettin' right noisy in there.

When the side of the table fell, I could see the hen kind of squirt out the other side and make for the door. Spot scrabbled out and hit the floor runnin' after her. I'd just crawled out from under the table and, wouldn't you know, Ma showed up and was standin' there like she does with her fists balled up on her hips. She'd got that look, I'm sorry to say. I 'spect you know the one I'm talkin' about. Her eyes were kind of narrowed down and her mouth wasn't smilin' at all.

I stood there in front of her tryin' to think of what to say, but nothin' good was comin' to mind. So, I just tol' the truth.

"Ma, it was the chicken. And Spot, he was chasin' the chicken. It weren't my fault."

"I don't see no chicken and I don't see no Spot, neither."

I looked around at the table all cockeyed and the door opened, and she was right. Spot and the hen headed for other parts, leavin' me with the blame. Even at the tender age of seven, I knew the next step was a trip to the woodshed and a switchin'.

Ma took hold of my suspenders and walked me out the door.

"But, Ma . . ." I thought maybe whinin' might help, but it didn't.

I thought I was doomed for sure, but then I saw Spot standin' by the chicken house barkin' to beat all. Ma noticed too, and her hand eased up on my suspenders just a bit.

"That red hen got outta the coop and went to the kitchen. I was just tryin' to get her out an' Spot come in and he made the table fall down."

Ma let go of my suspenders and stopped in the middle of the yard. She looked at Spot by the chicken coop and she spotted the red hen stuck between the coop and the pig pen.

"All right, you're let off this time, but don't you go chasin' the chickens into my kitchen no more," she said. She turned about and went back to the house. I headed to the chicken coop and pulled Spot's collar 'til he backed off. I opened the coop gate and the little red hen, waitin' for her chance, ran like a house afire back into the pen. I slammed the gate behind her. I guessed she'd had enough fun for one day.

"You don't be comin' outta the pen no more," I told her stern-like. It didn't do no good, though. The next week she got out again. And the week after that. I don't think there was any keepin' that little hen in the coop once she'd been to the house. Finally, Ma just let her stay since it was just too much trouble tryin' to keep her out.

I guess that's the way of any critter. They like to run around as they please. I could understand it, as that's what I liked, too.