Lea’s at APAC!

Just what is APAC you ask? It’s the annual Audio Publishers Association Conference – location, New York City. I’ll go straight with the APA’s description of the event:

“APAC is the premier event in the audiobook industry designed to address industry trends and provide for networking opportunities for industry leaders. This event is designed to meet the varying needs of audiobook industry professionals.”

This past February, Tavia Gilbert asked me to participate in this year’s APAC as a panelist for a session discussing listeners’ reviews. I both wanted and needed to attend the conference – panelist or not – and the idea of finally meeting the many industry professionals we work with here at AudioGals and at Speaking of Audiobooks combined with the opportunity to discuss audiobooks with industry professionals made Tavia’s invitation irresistible. Now I’m in New York City, writing in my hotel room after an afternoon of walking around (in the rain) absorbing this lifestyle that is so different from my own in Oklahoma. And loving every minute of it.

Back to the APA for a description of our session, now named…

Listening Community Reviews
“With a flood of new titles hitting the market and a tidal wave of new narrators coming into the industry, good reviews are more important than ever. What titles get reviewed? What will NOT get reviewed? What are acceptable standards of performance and what will get slammed as bad performance? Can actors do anything to bring titles to the attention of reviewers, and what can actors do to ensure they’re turning in the best performance possible so that the review is as good as it can be? Join moderator Karen White and panelists Sue-Ellen Beauregard (Booklist), Adam Boretz (Publishers Weekly), Mary Burkey(Audiobooker), Lea Hensley (AudioGals), and Robin Whitten (AudioFile Magazine) as they discuss what it takes to get favorable reviews on your work.”

In addition to the conference and meeting online friends, there’s Tantor’s party tomorrow night – their Tantorious Event! I won’t be around for the Audie Awards on Thursday night but I’ll be following the awards closely on my way home. And then it will be time for June Is Audiobook Month!

Lea Hensley