You may now enter privately below here at AudioGals as well as Tantor Audio’s Facebook page and Twitter feed.
It’s Valentine’s Day and time to celebrate all things romance! Tantor Audio is joining with AudioGals for a very special Valentine’s Day event – a five-day contest asking you, the listener, to share with us:
Why I Listen to Romance Audiobooks
All entries will be judged by AudioGals with first, second, and third place winners. And we’re talking awesome prize packages:
Your selection of Tantor Audio titles – format of your choice (worth of audiobooks, list price)
First prize $100
Second prize $50
Third prize $25
Winners will be offered the opportunity to record their entries with Tantor. AudioGals will later share these recordings with the public.
Throughout the year, you may see your entry, regardless of winner status, quoted at AudioGals.
Once you have composed your Why I Listen to Romance Audiobooks entry, you may enter in one of the following three ways:
– AudioGals – Enter privately below
– Facebook – “Like” Tantor Audio’s Facebook page and post your entry on their page. Although we anticipate shorter entries (under 100 words), there is no word limit.
– Twitter – Follow Tantor Audio on Twitter and tweet @TantorAudio using hashtag #romance. Keep in mind that a tweet is limited to 140 characters. That could prove to be very interesting.
The contest is open until midnight EST, Monday, February 18th. AudioGals will announce the winners Monday, February 25th, 2013.
And to make this celebration even better, Tantor’s Romance Audiobooks are on sale for 50% off!
Now for the Inspiration
Let’s take a few minutes to talk about the ever-so-strong lure of romance audiobooks. What draws us to romance audio and keeps us returning for more? After writing about this audio genre for four years, I’ve seen listeners’ love (obsession) expressed in numerous ways. What are those I see frequently?
The Happy Endings – Although I listen to romance for a number of reasons, nothing is as important as that guarantee of a happy ending. Those who don’t read or listen to romance are often surprised to hear that if the book is categorized as romance, there will be a happy ending. Although it is often referred to as the “happily ever after”, others prefer to think of it as an optimistic ending. Regardless, the primary couple is together in the end (alive) with hope for their joint future.
The Heroes – Definitely high on the list of reasons for listening to romance are those stars of the genre – the heroes. We like our heroes strong, masculine, kind, menacing, giving, alpha, beta, angry, patient, removed, considerate, demanding, quiet, defiant, loving for the first time, recovering from a past love, successful in their chosen career – all to say, we love our heroes and love the fact that they come in many different flavors. Give us a narrator who understands that and we’re good to go.
The Narrators – You know, those narrators who can take an average print book and make it into an exceptional audiobook. Those who take the time to understand the nature of the story they are telling while assuring the listener can easily follow the progression of events without guessing who is talking or fretting over a missed characterization. Those narrators who transport our experience to a level unattainable simply with the written word, thereby making the romance all the greater.
The Versatility of Listening Over Reading – Listening to audiobooks is especially well suited for those who find themselves wanting to read but unable to find the time to sit still to do so. I can carry these romantic tales with me as I go about my day walking for exercise, driving the car, cleaning the kitchen, doing the laundry, or working in my garden. I’m reading my choice of adventure whenever I want with no waiting to see what happens next.
The Selection – If you have explored the romance genre, you know the books within vary widely with a large selection to choose from. Boredom isn’t an issue as romance sub-genres abound. Let’s start with the ever-so-familar European Historical romance. Now let’s add in Viking, Medieval, Renaissance, and American Historicals. Moving on to Paranormal Romance, you’ll find related sub-genres if you look closely – Fantasy/Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction, Alternate Reality, Shapeshifters, Steampunk, Vampire, Time Travel, and Futuristic Romance. Then there’s the impressive range of Contemporary Romance tales from the shorter category romances all the way to those longer single titles with intricate plot lines and multi-faceted characters. And Romantic Suspense runs the gamut with anything from a simple whodunit to the nail biting, I-don’t-want-to-see-what-comes-next experience with violence ranging from minimal to graphic.
Okay, are you recalling all the reasons you love romance audiobooks? By sharing your personal experience, you may influence someone else to try the world of romance audio. Don’t be shy – think, compose, and let us know why you listen to romance audiobooks!
Lea Hensley
Contest has ended.
Left a comment to Facebook Page. What a great idea! Thank you
Thanks gaele!
Can’t wait to see (and “hear”?) the responses!
I may be a bit of an oddity in that I only listen to audiobooks of books I’ve already read– so I don’t listen in lieu of reading & keeping my TBR queue manageable! I read romance for the connections between (and to) the characters, the pulse-pounding suspense, the HEAs, and the escape from the cerebral nature of science papers (my normal milieu). I listen to audiobooks to see how someone else visualises and conceptualises the author’s world, characters, and plot– when I read, I have my own idea of how each character sounds and his/her mannerisms & behaviour, but I love seeing (hearing?) them come alive in the hands of a skilled narrator. The characters and plot become so much more real, and I get a whole new level of enjoyment beyond that of print (or eInk). There have even been times when I’ve been ambivalent about a hero in print, and become an avid fangirl upon hearing his motivations, the nuances of his psyche, brought to life by an excellent narrator! And the level of emotion and heat injected into the love scenes… whew!
I listen to audiobooks all the time– running at the gym, doing experiments in lab, doing chores around the house, on flights, etc. If I’ve got my iPod on, it’s a good bet I’m listening to romance… and will undoubtedly have a grin on my face. I’ve also been known to chuckle aloud whilst doing experiments in response to particularly humorous scenes! I have the audio version of every romance novel I’ve read for which it’s available, and I’ve listened to many several times.
Fun contest! Can’t wait to read the winning responses!
Well rats – I am a day late spotting this. Guess I should check my FB page more often. Nice giveaway.