I have great news to share! This week, Son of a Preacher Man was released on several audiobook platforms. The book of my heart is now out on audio, transformed by the fabulous narration of Blake Lockheart into a whole new story experience. It was a project literally years in the making, and I am extremely proud and happy that this finally happened.
As of this writing, Son of a Preacher Man in audio is available at Google Play, Chirp, Apple, Libro, Scribd, Authors Direct, and Kobo/Walmart.
It will eventually be distributed to over 40 audiobook platforms, such as Audible/Amazon, Nook, Audiobooks.com, Audiobooks Now, AudiobooksNZ, Binge Books, Storytel, and more. It will also be available to libraries through platforms such as Baker & Taylor, Overdrive, Hoopla, Bibliotheca, and Follett.
Although Amazon and Audible have the biggest market share of book sales at the current time and are popular with listeners (I have Kindle Unlimited and Audible subscriptions myself,) I have decided to release my audiobooks “wide” rather than exclusive to Amazon/Audible (except for I Could Write a Book, which is under contract to Audible/Amazon exclusively – at least for now.)
This wasn’t an easy decision to make. Amazon’s platform makes many things easy on authors; it’s simpler to have everything in one place. And there are perks for being exclusive with Amazon—the ability for listeners to preorder, timely release dates, and a set of free audiobook codes to give to reviewers (at least those in the US and UK) are some of those perks. It’s not easy for a creator to leave those benefits on the table of the biggest retailer on the planet.
But there have been some heavy tolls Amazon/Audible authors and narrators pay for this access and convenience. One of these you may have read about: AudibleGate. This was the Audible policy that allowed listeners to return audible books at any time. The end result, maybe even unanticipated by Audible, was that some listeners treated Audible as more of a lending library than a retailer. The issue for authors and narrators was that the returns were deducted from their compensation, without disclosing the numbers of returns to the creators. It made it impossible to accurately assess your royalties and sales, or whether your marketing was successful or not. (If you would like to read more about #AudibleGate, here is a reliable article from the Alliance of Independent Authors on the subject.) Many author groups across genres banded together to address this issue with Audible. Since that time, Audible has modified its return policy and reporting practices, although it is still not a perfect system for authors/narrators.
To be clear, I am not anti-Amazon or Audible, but monopolies in an area of commerce are generally not advantageous for the little guy, and I’m a little guy 🙂 Also, many authors rely on book sales for their livelihood and must make the most expedient decision for their particular situation; exclusivity with Amazon may be the best decision for them, and I respect that. Because I have the dreaded “day job” I have the luxury (?) of choosing how I put my work out into the world.
After careful consideration, I decided to publish “wide.” This gives me the most control over my work. It means I can reach a more diverse audience around the world, and it gives me more flexibility with pricing, promotional sales, etc. I still get free audiobook codes for reviewers (more of them, in fact, that can be used in more countries) but they are distributed through the Authors Direct platform instead of Audible’s. However, publishing wide also means that Audible/Amazon appears to be pushing my new releases to the back burner. The Undeceived audiobook was uploaded on 4/7/2021, with a release date of 4/15/2021. Audible released it on 5/10/2021. The official release date for Son of a Preacher Man was 9/15/2021. I don’t look for the audio version to be up on Audible until at least mid-October.
It is Amazon/Audible’s right to prioritize their exclusive titles for release. When you’re the biggest boy in the sandbox, you have a lot of power over how playtime is spent. I completely get that, but it chafes a little guy like me, so I decided not to play the exclusive game. I’m happier wide, so I’m staying wide.
So when listeners ask “Is Son of a Preacher Man going to be on Audible?” I smile and say (or type) “Yes! Um…Eventually.”
I just wanted my readers/listeners to know why.
UPDATE 9/26/2021: Son of a Preacher Man became available on Audible and Amazon on 9/24/2021 – 9 days after the release date. Given my experience with Undeceived earlier in the year, I call that a win! 😀
