AudioGO - Trade

Doctor Who Stars Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill Read New Audio Adventures

bbcaadmin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:07:00 GMT

Audio Originals Read by Matt Smith and Arthur Darvill

Two New Adventures Starring The 11^th Doctor Played By Matt Smith in the Hit Series Now on BBC America

This brand-new audio original compilation features the newest Time Lord, the star of the eleventh Doctor Who series, Matt Smith. Along with his feisty companion Amy Pond, the Doctor embarks on a series of thrilling new adventures.

In "The Runaway Train," written by Oli Smith and read by Matt Smith, the Doctor and Amy arrive on Earth in 1864 and must get a posse together to help them retrieve an alien artifact. The duo are chased across the Wild West by the alien race, their only hope of escape is catching the 3:25 train to Arizona.

"The Ring of Steel," written by Stephen Cole and read by Arthur Darvill, who plays fan favorite Rory Williams, is set on Orkney in the near future, as the construction of dozens of new electricity pylons is met with local resistance. Just as the Doctor and Amy arrive, the protestors are terrified to see the pylons come to life and begin to walk...

Classic Doctor Who TV Episodes--Only on Audio!

bbcaadmin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:49:00 GMT

DOCTOR WHO

THE LOST TV EPISODES

COLLECTION ONE: 1964-1965
Original Audio Soundtracks Starring William Hartnell

Enjoy These Classic Doctor Who Programs in the Only Way Possible—On Audio!

Dozens of Doctor Who TV episodes are lost as visual film recordings—but they survive as audio soundtracks, digitally remastered with additional linking narration by members of the original cast. This handsome box set collects five adventures which are either wholly or partially lost from the TV archives, but which can be enjoyed in their entirety on audio. Presented in chronological order of transmission, the stories in this collection are Marco Polo, The Reign of Terror, The Crusade, Galaxy 4, and The Myth Makers, all starring William Hartnell as the original Doctor. The set is presented in jewel cases with full liner notes, and packaged in a handsome slipcase.

Sizzling Summer Sale! Reduced prices on great listening

bbcaadmin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:43:00 GMT

Sizzling Summer Sale

We've slashed prices for summer, reducing several of our popular backlist titles to the affordable value price of $14.95. Stock up now for road trips & poolside listening!

The Air We Breathe		Hard Times
The Calling		The Infidelity Pact
Chasers		The Keep
The Crime Writer		Landsman
Doctored Evidence		Leap of Faith
Dog Soldiers		Life Class
The Fourth Order		Life's a Beach
A Free Life		Midnight Rambler
A Game as Old as Empire		Patriot Acts

BBCAA Wants You to Listen Green!

bbcaadmin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:00:00 GMT

BBC AUdiobooks America Launches Listen green WITH NEW RECYCLED PACKAGING AND WEEKLY CONTESTS

North Kingstown, RI, April 22, 2010—BBC Audiobooks America is proud to celebrate Earth Day by announcing its first-ever environmentally focused initiative, Listen Green. This special campaign includes a variety of energy-saving solutions and practices, including the ReNew Box. This improved packaging, which will be used on all of our library edition CD audiobooks beginning in September, incorporates an optimum twenty-five percent of recyclable material, a handy push-to-open latch, and a no-spill, injection-molded clamshell casing for longer-lasting circulation.

In addition, BBC Audiobooks America has improved retail packaging, using recycled blended board with a minimum of thirty percent post consumer waste content (fiber from products previously used in the marketplace) in both outer carton and inner wallets. The company has also adopted more than thirty new energy-saving initiatives and practices, including the use of more energy-efficient computers and other electronic equipment, a new recycling program that reduces paper waste, plus virtual sales calls, conferencing and technical support systems to reduce vehicle emissions and pollution.

BBC Audiobooks America continues to strive to provide the best, goods and services for our customer as well as our planet. Got a great tip for how to easily and affordably live a greener life? Then we want to hear it! Sound off on our blog throughout the month of May 2010 for our Listen Green America contest. Every week, we will pick our favorite suggestions and send a free audiobook prize package to those creative and winning contributors.

Charitable Anthology to Benefit Haiti

bbcaadmin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:06:00 GMT

New Digital Audio collection of short stories

benefits Haiti Relief efforts

North Kingstown, RI--BBC Audiobooks America is proud to announce the publication of a special audio collection, Stories for Haiti, featuring unabridged digital selections from the charitable anthology 100 Stories for Haiti, released previously this spring as an e-book from Smashwords and a print paperback by Bridge House Publishing.

This remarkable project was organized by British author Greg McQueen, who put a call out on the social networking site Twitter.com to authors across the world to lend their literary talents to help alleviate some of the destruction and devastation caused by the earthquakes in Haiti. McQueen received more than 400 submissions and bestselling author Nick Harkaway (The Gone Away World) both contributed a story and penned a moving introduction to the volume.

For this audio release, twenty of these short literary tales have been recorded at Deyan Audio Services, a full production state-of-the-art recording facility in Tarzana, California. “We have been amazed at the outpouring of generosity, love and enthusiasm for this project,” says producer Bob Deyan.

“As producers, we were challenged by the need for actors from countries around the globe to correctly cast the stories. It was our pleasure to find actors, some whom we did not originally know, to fill these parts, and we were delighted to discover that they were equally as interested in donating their time for this cause. It has been a wonderful experience for us and all those who participated.”

The impressive cast of narrators includes Simon Vance, Gerard Doyle, Sarah Drew, Rosalyn Landor, Cassandra Campbell, John Lee, and Deanna Hurst, plus many more talented artists, all of whom have generously donated their time and energy to the project.

Priced at $9.99, Stories for Haiti will be available for download May 1 at iTunes, Audible, Amazon, BN.com and other online retailers. All proceeds are being donated to the Red Cross.

Great Listening Picks for Black History Month

bbcaadmin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:48:00 GMT

Celebrate the achievements and explore the history of African-Americans with a variety of compelling fiction and nonfiction audiobook titles.

Another Country by James Baldwin

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Roots (Unabridged) by Alex Haley

Roots (Abridged) by Alex Haley

Seen it All and Done the Rest by Pearl Cleage

It's All Love: Black Writers on Soul Mates, Family and Friends by Various Authors, edited by Marita Golden (digital download)

Love & Lies by Kimberla Lawson Roby (digital download)

Sin No More by Kimberla Lawson Roby (digital download)

Five Lucky US Libraries Get the Gift of Listening!

bbcaadmin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:44:00 GMT

Five US Libraries win Free AudioBOOK collections in BBC Audiobooks america Facebook HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY

January 6, 2009, North Kingstown, RI—Five libraries will soon be ringing in the New Year with a brand-new audiobook collection thanks to the friendly efforts of some audiophiles. Hundreds entered BBC Audiobooks America’s Facebook Holiday Giveaway by becoming a new fan during the month of December for the chance to give the gift of listening.

The randomly selected sweepstakes winners each chose their favorite US library to receive a diverse prize package of 100 audiobooks (with a retail value of more than $8500), including titles by bestselling and classic authors such as Mark Twain, Joyce Carol Oates, Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Lethem, Pat Barker, Thomas Friedman, and more.

Robert Cornelison chose the Madison County Public Library in Richmond, KY
Karen Fiant chose the Moffat County Libraries in Craig, CO
Jocelyn Gibbons, chose the Nashville Public Library in Nashville, TN
Angela Kerrigan chose the Crystal Lake Public Library in Crystal Lake, IL
Kristine Springer chose the St. Joseph County Public Library in South Bend, IN

“We are thrilled to be a winning library and I know our patrons will enjoy the prize package of 100 audiobooks.”

Kathryn I. Martens

Library Director

Crystal Lake Public Library

Stay tuned to our Facebook Fan page for more special sweepstakes and promotional opportunities.

Watch & Listen: Classics on Audio, Now Airing on PBS

bbcaadmin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:55:00 GMT

Early 2010 sees the premiere of three brand-new and several encore programs of great adaptations of classic literature airing on PBS's Masterpiece Classics (aired on PBS affilliates nationwide). Listen to the related audiobooks and tune in for the TV versions featuring talented actors from the stage and screen.

January 10-17, 2010, 9pm
Return to Cranford
(Two 90-minute episodes)
The construction of a new railroad line is at once thrilling and threatening to the residents of Cranford. This sequel stars Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton and Julia McKenzie. New faces include Jonathan Pryce and Tim Curry.
Listen to the prequel on audio: Cranford

January 24-February 7, 2010, 9pm
Emma
Three episodes (Episode one 120 minutes; episodes two and three 60 minutes)
A new adaptation of Jane Austen's comic tale of a headstrong young woman's failed matchmaking schemes. Starring Romola Garai, Michael Gambon and Jonny Lee Miller.
Listen to the audiobook: Emma

February 14, 2010, 9pm
Northanger Abbey
(Encore Presentation; 90 minutes)
In a medieval house that appeals to her most lurid fantasies, romance addict Catherine Moreland (Felicity Jones) begins a relationship with the younger son of the estate in this adaptation of the Jane Austen novel.
Listen to the audiobook: Northanger Abbey

February 21, 2010, 9pm
Persuasion
(Encore Presentation; 90 minutes)
Sally Hawkins plays Jane Austen's Anne Elliot, a woman destined for spinsterhood after refusing a proposal eight years earlier. Then her spurned suitor reappears.
Listen to the audiobook: Persuasion

February 28, 2010, 9pm
The 39 Steps
(One 90-minute episode)
Secret agent Richard Hannay battles German spies on the eve of World War I in a riveting and romantic new version of the thriller by John Buchan. Rupert-Penry Jones (Persuasion)
stars as Hannay.
Listen to the audiobook: The 39 Steps

More Best of British Audio for US Audiences!

bbcaadmin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:33:00 GMT

BBC Audiobooks America Brings the Best of British Audiobooks to American Audiences

Anglophiles are in for a treat this New Year with 50-plus new UK titles to savor, including Tom Baker’s celebrated return to Doctor Who!

Beginning January 1, 2010, BBC Audiobooks America adds a large range of titles, many of which were previously only available for sale in the United Kingdom. From classics like J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land and Four Quartets, to popular television shows Blackadder, Doctor Who, and Torchwood, BBC Audiobooks America offers the best of the BBC’s 85-year tradition of quality listening to American audiences.

The beloved Tom Baker returns to take on the title role in the original five-disc radio drama Doctor Who: Hornet’s Nest. Journey the world with travel enthusiast Michael Palin as he goes from Pole to Pole, Himalaya, Sahara, and Full Circle. Diverse content and stellar production values make these selections must-haves for any audiobook collector.

These exceptional dramatized recordings feature top British talent including Rowan Atkinson, Alan Bennett, John Barrowman, Derek Jacobi, David Tennant, and more.


America, Empire of Liberty: Volume Three			Himalaya
At Bertram's Hotel			I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
The Best of 'Round the Horne			The Invention of Childhood
Blackadder II			The Midwich Cuckoos
Bleak Expectations			Moonfleet
Chocky			Mrs. McGinty's Dead
D-Day Dispatches			Peril at End House
Doctor Who and the Cybermen			Peter Pan
Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars			Poetry Please
Doctor Who: The Day of the Troll			Pole to Pole
Doctor Who: The Forever Trap			R.U.R.
Doctor Who: The Mind Robber			The Railway Children
Doctor Who: Prisoner of the Daleks			Sahara
Doctor Who Hornets' Nest: Circus of Doom			The Silver Pigs
Doctor Who Hornets' Nest: The Dead Shoes			The Slide Solaris
Doctor Who Hornets' Nest: Hive of Horror			Spine Chillers
Doctor Who Hornets' Nest: Sting in the Tale			A Taste for Death The Time Machine
Doctor Who Hornets' Nest: The Stuff of Nightmares			They Do It with Mirrors Torchwood: Another Life
Dumb Witness			Torchwood: Border Princes
Elephants Can Remember			Torchwood: Everyone Says Hello
The Essential Letters from America: 1960s			Torchwood: Hidden
Full Circle			Torchwood: In the Shadows
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes The Goon Show Hancock's Half Hour			Torchwood: The Sin Eaters Triple Bill The Waste Land and Four Quartets

BBCAA Holiday Giveaway 2009

bbcaadmin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:21:00 GMT

BBC Audiobooks America Holiday Giveaway 2009

Do something good for a library over the holidays! Enter the BBC Audiobooks America Holiday Giveaway 2009 and win an opportunity to select a library that shall receive a donation of 100 various audiobooks from BBC Audiobooks America!

Become a fan member on BBCAA’s Facebook webpage during the entry period from December 3, 2009 through and including December 31, 2009, and you will instantly be entered into our Giveaway.

From the eligible entries, BBCAA will randomly select five Facebook fan members, as winners. The prize for each winning fan is the opportunity to select a qualified library that shall receive a donation one hundred various audiobooks from BBCAA. On January 5^th, 2010, BBCAA will announce the five winning fans.

To enter the giveaway, visit

http://www.facebook.com/pages/BBC-Audiobooks-America/25327608401

Please review all contest rules and related notices carefully before entering the Giveaway. Any failure to comply could disqualify a winner and/or any library they’ve selected to receive a donation from BBCAA.

By joining BBCAA’s Facebook webpage between December 3, 2009 and December 31, 2009, you will instantly be entered into this Giveaway.

Don’t want to participate in the Giveaway but still want to be our Facebook fan? Just become a fan and then, via Facebook, simply send us a private message including the words “OPT OUT” in the subject line of that message and we’ll remove your name from the Giveaway’s list of eligible contestants.

The winning fans will be notified via their Facebook inbox that they have won. Prior to donating an audiobooks prize package to any library, BBCAA will contact the directors of the selected libraries by telephone. Eligible libraries are any public library located in the United States or District of Columbia and selected by a winner. An audiobooks prize shall only be donated to libraries that meet the qualification requirements under the official rules of the Giveaway: http://bbcaudiobooksamerica.com/TradeHome/ContestEntryRules/
tabid/109/Default.aspx.

Please also be advised that via our BBC Audiobooks America Facebook account, BBCAA will send out status updates to our Facebook fans linking to our Eblast promotion page.

WHO CAN ENTER?

The Giveaway is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including the District of Columbia) who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Facebook, BBC Audiobooks America, and its promotional partners of either company, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. The Giveaway is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law. No purchase is necessary to win or participate.

Internet access, a Facebook account, and eligible BBCAA Facebook fan membership are required to enter. Therefore in order to become a contestant you must either sign up for a Facebook account or already have a Facebook account, and, become a BBCAA fan member during the entry period. All entries must be received by BBCAA’s Facebook page no later than 11:59:59 EST on December 31, 2009.

For the official rules of the Giveaway, please visit http://bbcaudiobooksamerica.com/TradeHome/ContestEntryRules/
tabid/109/Default.aspx.

Holiday Gifts for Every Audiophile

bbcaadmin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:18:00 GMT

If you're looking for the perfect gift for the audiobook lovers in your life this holiday season, we've got extraordinary recordings and special collections to appeal to every listener on your shopping list.

Sci-fi fans will flip for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy box set (including the Audiobook of the Year Award-winning third volume). For fellowship fanatics, The J.R.R. Tolkien Collection offers the ultimate set of Middle-Earth magnificence with The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Tales from the Perilous Realm, as well as bonus features like a hand-drawn map.

Mystery lovers will delight in the classic chills of The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection or The Essential Agatha Christie Stories. For more clever sleuthing, check out Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries, most of which are available for the first time on CD, exclusively from BBC Audiobooks America.

History buffs will want to own The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, brilliantly voiced by veteran actors Richard Dreyfuss and David Straitharn. From the past to the future, usher in a healthy new year with Anti-Cancer, which offers a new lifestyle for better living.

Pop culture junkies will want their own audio copy of Slumdog Millionaire, the year's top Academy-Award winning smash film, or the beloved blockbuster Jaws. Got a friend who won't put down the remote control? Try tempting the TV lover with audio tie-ins for Torchwood, The Mighty Boosh or Monty Python.

Classic lit lovers will be swept away by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Little Dorrit, and The Canterbury Tales (an unabridged collection translated by the renowned Burton Raffel). But if you really want to impress a loved one with lush listening, try the massive Complete Arkangel Shakespeare set of dramatizations of all 38 of the bard's tragedy, history and comedy plays. It's enough to keep anyone's ears happy until the next holiday season!

Digipalooza with Paul Tremblay and Stephen Thorne

bbcaadmin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:22:00 GMT

On Monday, September 21, 2009, BBC Audiobooks America celebrated Ocean State Libraries at Overdrive.com’s Digipalooza, featuring the nationally touring high-tech Digital Bookmobile.

Local author Paul Tremblay and narrator Stephen Thorne were on hand to sign and read from the debut mystery, The Little Sleep, at the Cranston Public Library in Cranston, RI. They also hosted a short Q&A session for readers about the impetus for this original story about a narcoleptic private eye and the narration and recording process.

Narrator Stephen Thorne (L.) and Author Paul Tremblay autographs and greet fans at the Ocean State Libraries Digipalooza.

Readers of all ages engaged in digital downloading through interactive demonstrations in Overdrive’s state-of-the-art Digital Bookmobile and experienced the library's audiobook, eBook, music, and video download service at this free event. The Digital Bookmobile is housed inside an 18-wheel tractor-trailer. This 74-foot community outreach vehicle is a high-tech update of the traditional bookmobile that has served communities for decades.

BBCAA's Northeast Sales Rep. Bruce Draeger samples a
download on the Digimobile.

The vehicle is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players, all of which help visitors explore the library's download service. Interactive learning stations gave visitors an opportunity to search the library’s digital media collection, use supported mobile devices, and sample eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video.

Lord of the Rings in Concert at Radio City Music Hall

bbcaadmin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:50:00 GMT

HOWARD SHORE'S AWARD-WINNING SCORE PERFORMED BY 300 MUSICIANS LIVE TO FILM AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, OCTOBER 9 & 10

This fall, a once-in-a-lifetime experience comes to New York as Howard Shore's Grammy® and Academy Award®-winning score for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring comes to life at the world-famous Radio City Music Hall for two performances only, on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th. Beneath an immense 60-foot screen, Mr. Shore's complete original score will be performed live to Peter Jackson's award-winning epic.

The music of Middle-earth will be brought to life by more than 300 musicians: Switzerland's 21st Century Symphony Orchestra, the internationally-acclaimed The Collegiate Chorale, the Grammy Award®-winning Brooklyn Youth Chorus and renowned soprano Kaitlyn Lusk, all under the direction of celebrated Maestro Ludwig Wicki.

Doug Adams, musicologist and author of the soon-to-be-released book The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films said "Howard Shore's music for The Lord of the Rings stands proudly as one of the most intricate and moving efforts in the history of the medium. The score-to-film performances create a fully immersive experience -- a night of dramatic theater, cinematic spectacle and symphonic grandeur that honor the incomparable imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien. Radio City Music Hall, with its opulence and history, is the perfect venue for The Fellowship of the Ring. This will be a weekend like none other."

Visit www.TheRadioCityLOTRConcert.com

The Best of British Audio--Now Available for US Listeners!

bbcaadmin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:45:00 GMT

BBC Audiobooks America Brings Beloved British Audiobooks, Voiced by the UK’s Top Talent, Directly to American Audiences

Sick of paying special shipping fees and waiting for overseas packages? Now purchasing Agatha Christie’s classic mysteries and original Doctor Who radio dramas is easy and convenient.

From classics like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, to popular television shows Are You Being Served? and Doctor Who, BBC Audiobooks America offers the best of the BBC’s 85-year tradition of quality listening to American audiences for the first time.

Take an in-depth look into The Making of Music and get swept away by novels from Britain’s best-loved authors like Maeve Binchy and M. C. Beaton. The variety of content and stellar production values offered by these titles make for fantastic additions to any audiobook collection.

These exceptional dramatized recordings feature top British talent including Rowan Atkinson, Alan Bennett, Brenda Blethyn, Richard Burton, Stephen Fry, Sir Laurence Olivier, Michelle Ryan, and David Tennant.

Agatha Raisin: The Curious Curate & The Buried Treasure	Dirk Gently: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul	Noël Coward: An Audio Biography	The Inspector McLevy Mysteries
Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death & the Vicious Vet	Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius	Paul Temple and the Madison Mystery	The Jungle Book
Agatha Raisin: The Wizard of Evesham & The Murderous Marriage	Doctor Who and the Creature from the Pit	Philip Marlowe: Farewell My Lovely	The Kraken Wakes
America, Empire of Liberty: Volume One	Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion	Pollyanna	The Lady in the Van
America, Empire of Liberty: Volume Two	Doctor Who: Pest Control	Robinson Crusoe	The Madness of George III
Are You Being Served?: Camping In	Doctor Who: The Nemonite Invasion	Round the Horne: Very Best Episodes	The Making of Modern Medicine
Blake's 7: Cygnus Alpha	Doctor Who: The Rising Night	Shadows in Bronze	The Making of Music
Blake's 7: The Way Back	Firefly Summer	Single Spies	The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Chelsea Dreaming	Five Little Pigs	Talking Heads	The Unopened Casebook of Sherlock Holmes
Churchill's Greatest Speeches	Frankenstein	The Black Adder	The War of the Worlds
Crooked House	Fry's English Delight	The Complete Barchester Chronicles	The Wizard of Oz
Dad's Army: Very Best Episodes	Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes	The Day of the Triffids	Treasure Island
Death on the Nile	Heidi	The Essential Letters from America	Under Milk Wood
Dick Barton: Special Agent!	Letters from America: The Elections	The Homecoming & Other Stories	Witness

Five Fantastic Audios to Finish Your Summer

bbcaadmin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:37:00 GMT

Summer’s final days are nearly upon us, but don’t let the summertime blues get you down! Instead, pick up one of these breezy blockbusters, perfect for lazy listening days, and keep cool.

	Life’s a Beach by Claire Cook; Narrated by Kymberly Dakin This former Good Morning America summer book pick (by the author of Must Love Dogs) offers a laugh-filled look at life in your 40s. When her second-grader lands a small role in a Hollywood film that’s shooting locally, Geri discovers that romance can be found when you least expect it in the most unlikeliest of places (like a horror movie set)!

	Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie; Narrated by David Suchet Even Hercule Poirot needs a holiday now and then. But his idyllic vacation at the secluded Jolly Roger Hotel in Devon is cut short when a beautiful and flirtatious actress is murdered. The woman had her fair share of admirers and Poirot must use his powers of detection to figure out if this is really a crime of passion—or revenge.

	The Golden Valkyrie by Iris Johansen; Narrated by Angela Brazil You know you’re in for a good time when the hero’s nickname is “Lusty Lance.” This classic romp from one of Romance’s top authors tells a time-honored tale of opposites attracting. PI Honey Winston is hired to steal letters from the visiting Prince Rubinoff, but once she gets to know the debonair playboy, she loses her heart in the process.

	Midnight Rambler by Jame s Swain; Narrated by Peter Jay Fernandez Nothing says summer like a pulse-pounding thriller! South Florida cop Jack Carpenter finds and old case coming back to haunt him when several young women go missing. Can the dangerous predator with the penchant for playing the Rolling Stones’ Midnight Rambler really be loose again? Or is this the case of a deadly copycat killer? Only Jack can get to the bottom of it.

	The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Complete Series by Douglas Adams; Narrated by a Full Cast For out-of-this-world storytelling, nothing beats Adams’ classic sci-fi series. This complete set of his five Hitchhiker’s novels are vibrant recordings originally broadcast for radio by a full cast of talented British actors (Americans Christian Slater and Jackie Mason also guest star). And when you’re done with the series, two bonus programs about the making-of are included to help keep your ears happy all the way ’til Fall.

An Audiobook Club with Bite

bbcaadmin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 18:22:00 GMT

Join our audiobook club discussion of Jaws now in progress!

When you think of a book club, what do you envision? Ladies sipping tea and discussing Jane Austen? Cofee houses and books iwth little Oprah-approved symbols on them? iPhones and Facebook? Wait! What?

BBC Audiobooks America is kicking off a brand new style of book chats, by taking our discussion, with begins with Peter Benchley's hit novel Jaws, to your iPod and Facebook.

This virtual audiobook club is open to anyone in the United States and Canada. Simply grab your copy via our online widget and then join our group on Facebook and start chatting. We'll be posting discussion prompts and questions daily from August 5th through the 9th.

Narrated by Erik Steele, Jaws is the summer classic that was first a hit novel then a blockbuster film directed by Stephen Spielberg. This timeless story of man versus beast is now available for the first time ever as an audiobook.

Enjoy the story, then jump in to our discussion! The water's just fine...

Q&A with Jeanne Martinet

bbcaadmin — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:53:00 GMT

Bestselling author Jeanne Martinet is an expert on the ways of making friends and influencing people. Go in-depth with the author of Life is Friends and get her tips on how to navigate online networking, become the perfect party host, and get away with the artful dodge.

1. What do you mean by “Life is Friends”?

Most people spend their lives searching for meaning and trying to find happiness, often missing the secret that having good friends is more essential to our well-being than anything else. Real friends are more important than money or power -- even more important, sometimes, than family. The phenomenal popularity of social networking websites is proof that we are longing to connect with other people. But the fact is that life-long, authentic relationships cannot be forged online.

2. Was there a particular moment when you realized that many of us were substituting online relationships for real ones?

For the last year or two I have grown increasingly perturbed by the amount of people I encounter whose “friends” are people they have never seen in person. But I think it was when I walked into a Starbucks one day and saw about thirty people, mostly sitting alone -- all staring intently into their laptops or texting furiously -- that I realized how much things had changed. Everyone in the line for coffee was talking on a cell phone. It suddenly seemed so bizarre. The local coffee shop or bar has always been a place of community, where you can chat and meet people. And here were all these people together, not talking to each other.

3. Are you saying that we need to throw away our computers?

No. Obviously the internet is a fantastic people-connecting tool. The web has done for communication what the invention of the automobile did for travel. I am just suggesting we just “unplug” once in awhile, and that we not use the computer for everything. I’m saying you should resist choosing the internet or cell phone over the interesting, live person right in front of you! In LIFE IS FRIENDS, I offer very specific guidelines for when and how to use your communication technology so that it augments your social life but does not supplant it.

4. Can you offer a few specific tips on how to do this?

Use the internet for initial connection but then get offline as quickly as possible. For example, there are websites designed to help people connect in person, sites like Meetup.com, where you can search for people with your interests, people who regularly meet at a bar or cafe. I believe these sites are more conducive to real friendships than Facebook, where you may be in touch with a hundred new (or long-lost) friends with whom you will never socialize face to face. There are also many instances when you should opt for a phone conversation or a face-to-face conversation instead of email. Email is certainly invaluable as an efficient way to zero in on where and when you want to meet. But it is not for apologies, cancellations, condolences or conflict resolution. Also, in general I find that group emails and the “reply all” button are greatly overused. Most of us do not take the time to notice exactly who we are replying to, or to consider whether the message is really meant for all the recipients.

5. Do you think it is ironic that you are promoting a book like this online?

Not really. The Internet is, without a doubt, essential for all kinds of information exchange, business ventures, and marketing--as well as for personal communication. I am not a Luddite by any means. I love my computer. My point is that it should not replace, or take away from, face-to-face socializing.

6. What is the sound-bite social life?

A lot of us are living life in the Too-Fast-Lane; we have a twenty minute coffee date with a friend, a half hour lunch date, then a fifteen minute drink somewhere. And in between we are continually texting, or twittering away. We need to slow our relationships down, so that we are not skating along the surface as if we always had our finger on the channel-changer. Truly intimate personal bonds don’t happen all by themselves. They take attention. It’s a matter of quality versus quantity.

7. What are a few ways we can avoid the sound-bite social life?

Don’t rush through your get-togethers; plan enough time so that you can really enjoy the interaction. Don’t overbook. While you are with a friend, turn off your cell phone or Blackberry so you can really listen to and enjoy the other person. Don’t start an important conversation with someone on your cell phone when you know you only have two minutes to talk. Have small, leisurely dinner parties instead of larger, noisy gatherings. Don’t collect friends, make friends.

8. How do you say “I like you” to a potential friend without freaking her out?

When you meet someone at a party or other social gathering and feel she may be a kindred spirit, sometimes it’s best to “test the waters” before asking if she wants to get together. For example, you might say, “I hear the new Peruvian restaurant on Broadway is fantastic.” The response you get will often indicate whether or not this new person may be interested in pursuing a friendship (e.g. “I don’t eat Peruvian food,” or “I’ve always wanted to try that place!”)

9. What are your thoughts on the artful dodge?

As sneaky as it sounds, artful dodging -- not just plain old insensitive dodging -- is an important part of modern civilization. It’s really about rejecting people without hurting their feelings. Whether you use the “Missing Business Card” (where you pretend you have forgotten or run out of cards in order to avoid having to give one to the pushy woman you meet at the cocktail party), the “Duck and Cover” (a technique that involves a delaying tactic followed by a carefully-crafted excuse) or “Passing the Dodge,” (blaming your spouse or roommate for not being able to come to the party) a well-executed white lie is an important part of your social tool kit.

10. Why it is so important to invite people into your home?

Having people over is an important a step in friendship. It says to a friend, “I want to share important parts of my life with you; I trust you.” When we are little kids we go to each other’s houses the minute we meet a new friend. This is part of the reason kids become intimate friends so quickly.

11. How do you create the perfect guest list?

I always encourage the inclusion of at least one or two guests no one has met before; new blood spices up the experience for everyone, and it’s an act of social generosity to introduce your friends to one another. My general rule is: combine people whose lifestyles, ages or geography may be different, but not their politics or their religion.

12. What’s the best kind of host? And the worst?

The best kind of host is able to put people at their ease and makes each guest feel wanted and special -- as if there were no one else on earth the host would rather have in his home at that moment. The best host knows how to smooth things over when things don’t go as planned. He knows how to keep the guests conversing with each other. The worst host does not offer his guest something to drink immediately upon arrival, makes the guest feel guilty or uncomfortable about being there, and talks about past or future parties to which people present were not invited.

13. What kind of friendship patterns do we need to break out of?

Not everyone needs to change their friendship patterns; however, some of us can get into ruts, and can end up having less-than-fulfilling social lives. For example, if you are someone who tends to go overboard when you first meet a new friend--emailing several times a day for two weeks, calling often--and the new friend tends to disappear, try proceeding more slowly next time. If you are always the person in the friendship who listens, try sharing your own thoughts a little more. If you are always a guest and never a host, throw a party!!

www.lifeisfriends.net

www.Jeannemartinet.com

JAWS - First Time on Audio

bbcaadmin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:40:00 GMT

THE CLASSIC THRILLER THAT INSPIRED STEVEN SPIELBERG’S HIT FILM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON AUDIO

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water… On April 7, 2009, BBC Audiobooks America will release the first-ever US audio recording of Peter Benchley’s classic novel Jaws, the basis for Steven Spielberg’s hit film and the original summer blockbuster. Benchley also co-wrote the screenplay for the film.

The suspense. The shocks. The shark. It’s all here in this unforgettable novel of death from the depths narrated by veteran actor Erik Steele. Jaws, nature’s most fearsome predator, fears nothing. It attacks anything, devours everything and the seaside community of Amity is at its mercy. A small-town police chief, a marine biologist, and a modern-day Ahab must try to stop it. But they are only three men, alone against the Great White Death.

Peter Benchley (1940–2006) also wrote The Deep and The Island, which were adapted for film. The Deep will be available as a digital download from BBC Audiobooks America later this year.

UNABRIDGED ON SALE APRIL 7, 2009
8 CDs 978-1-60283-583-2 $29.95
Digital Download 978-1-60283-584-9 $21.95

About BBC Audiobooks America
BBC Audiobooks America is a leading publisher of bestselling single-voice and full-cast dramatized audiobooks through its BBC Audio and BBC Radio imprints, and has a library of more than 3,000 audio titles under its Sound Library, BBC Radio Collection and Chivers Audio Books institutional imprints. The publisher has won multiple Audie Awards, including Audiobook of the Year in 2006 for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Tertiary Phase; in 2008, Roots captured an Audie Award and a Ben Franklin Award for nonfiction audiobook, in addition to being designated one of the top six audiobooks of the year for 2007 by Publishers Weekly. BBC Audiobooks America distributes product direct to libraries across North America and to consumers via Perseus Distribution. For more information, visit our website: BBCAudiobooksAmerica.com.

Required Listening for Obama's First 100 Days

bbcaadmin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:55:00 GMT

Buzz continues to swirl around similarities between our current state of the union and those that Abraham Lincoln faced in 1861 or Franklin Roosevelt in 1933.

Now there are two important audiobooks that will help you understand why that buzz exists and how the first 100 days of the new presidency might fit into our future history.

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

How similar was the message in Obama's acceptance speech on election night — "we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America" — to Lincoln's warning against "a house divided"?

(Read our News Release to learn more about The Lincoln-Douglas Debates.)

14 CDs — 16 hrs — $39.95

Buy Now:

The Defining Moment

Why is Obama reading this book during his transition period? Are we really in an FDR moment? Is our global position and domestic economic situation really that bad?

10 CDs — 10 hrs, 35 min — $19.95

Buy Now:

The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare

bbcaadmin — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:56:00 GMT

38 Unabridged Fully Dramatized Plays

Produced by Tom Treadwell & Bill Shepherd of Arkangel Productions
Directed by Clive Brill
Music composed by Dominique Le Gendre

98 CDs — ISBN: 1-932219-00-5 — $600.00

Buy now from:

The Complete Shakespeare for the 21st Century. All of Shakespeare's plays on CD in a single set, produced by one creative team with an extraordinary cast and the utmost attention to detail to guarantee a listening experience that's accessible, enjoyable and unprecedented.

Arkangel Productions brings together the best of academic and entertainment industry expertise. Tom Treadwell, a university professor who specialized in Elizabethan drama, and Bill Shepherd from the world of film and TV production, worked with Clive Brill, a former BBC director/producer, to make their vision a reality. Their goal: to produce Shakespeare for the 21st Century — the definitive, ultimate audio Shakespeare. This is it — they have achieved their goal.

The creative team designed a sophisticated layering of sound and music to provide a complete audio environment. Music was composed by Dominique Le Gendre, whose award-winning talents matched the art of the performers. All the plays were recorded at one of London's leading studios, The Sound House.

"A rhapsody of words, assembled for the ear. This venture marries scholarship and accessibility on an unmatched scale. The real strength lies in the astonishing intimacy offered by a sound recording." — The New York Times

The Cast

These productions are performed by a distinguished cast of nearly 400 actors, including Eileen Atkins, Jennifer Ehle, Joseph Fiennes, Sir Adrian Lester, John Gielgud, Alan Howard, Jane Lapotaire, Amanda Root, David Tennant, Sophie Thompson, Samuel West, Timothy West and Ciaran Hinds.

Key Roles are played by: Hamlet, Simon Russell Beale; Romeo, Joseph Fiennes; Juliet, Maria Miles; Julius Caesar, Michael Feast; Mark Antony, Adrian Lester; Macbeth, Hugh Ross; King Lear, Trevor Peacock; Antony, Ciaran Hinds; Cleopatra, Estelle Kohler; Propsero, Bob Peck; Bottom, Roy Hudd; Rosalind, Niamh Cusack; Gower in Pericles, Sir John Gielgud.

Most of the actors have trained with The Royal Shakespeare Company.

Creative Director

Clive Brill graduated from Oxford University and then joined the BBC where he worked for 12 years as director, producer, and commissioning editor. In 1996, he left the BBC to develop and direct the Arkangel Shakespeare project. He directed all 38 plays, which star many great British actors. Together with Tom Treadwell, he has produced the British film Before You Go, starring Julia Walters and Tom Wilkinson. They are co-directors of Pacificus Productions in London, which produces drama across all media.

Plays Included In the Collection

• All's Well That Ends Well
• Antony & Cleopatra
• As You Like It
• The Comedy of Errors
• Coriolanus
• Cymbeline
• Hamlet
• Henry IV Part One
• Henry IV Part Two
• Henry V
• Henry VI Part One
• Henry VI Part Two
• Henry VI Part Three
• Henry VIII
• Julius Caesar
• King John
• King Lear
• Love's Labor's Lost
• Macbeth
• Measure for Measure
• The Merchant of Venice
• The Merry Wives of Windsor
• A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Much Ado About Nothing
• Othello
• Pericles
• Richard II
• Richard III
• Romeo & Juliet
• The Taming of the Shrew
• The Tempest
• Timon of Athens
• Titus Andronicus
• Troilus & Cressida
• Twelfth Night
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona
• The Two Noble Kinsmen
• The Winter's Tale

Also included in the package: Liner notes for each play, including a summary of every scene, plus a character and cast list.

View ordering options for The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare ... or browse individual plays by visiting Comedies, Histories, Romances or Tragedies.

Two New Audiobook Releases For Today's Business Leaders

bbcaadmin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:24:00 GMT

More Than Money and Leadership from the Inside Out

The New York Times bestselling author of Making a Life, Making a Living and former Harvard Business School professor Mark Albion considers a new way of calculating fulfillment with his new book, More Than Money: Questions Every MBA Needs to Answer.

Dubbed "the savior of B-school souls" by BusinessWeek, Albion redefines the typical risk/reward equation, using his own life story and those of the many entrepreneurs, executives, and MBAs he has met as both cautionary and inspirational tales. He introduces a framework of four crucial questions to consider when thinking about career choices, as well as "lifelines" — principles that can help answer these questions.

About the Author

Mark Albion is a social entrepreneur who has co-founded seven organizations. He wrote the New York Times business bestseller Making a Life, Making a Living based on his monthly "Making" a Life e-newsletter, which is read in 87 countries.

MORE THAN MONEY UNABRIDGED — ON SALE OCTOBER 8, 2008 4 CDs — 978-1-60283-537-5 — $24.95 Digital Download — 978-1-60283-538-2 — $19.95

BBC Audio's Leadership from the Inside Out: Becoming a Leader for Life by Kevin Cashman is an unabridged recording of the revised print edition of this classic work on developing leaders. The book has sold over 110,000 copies and has been adopted as a core text in over 100 universities.

In this 10th Anniversary Edition, Cashman brings readers up to date and beyond. In this rapidly transforming age of 24/7 connectivity and globalization, by addressing seven enduring "mastery areas" of human development and life effectiveness, such as meshing personal authenticity with others through Interpersonal Mastery or building a capacity to weather career and marketplace issues via Resilience Mastery. In this edition, he expands his coaching model to provide equal emphasis on building awareness, building commitment, and building practice.

About the Author

Kevin Cashman is the founder and CEO of LeaderSource, an international leadership development and executive coaching consultancy based in Minneapolis. He is the author of four books on leadership development and career enhancement.

LEADERSHIP FROM THE INSIDE OUT UNABRIDGED — ON SALE SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 7 CDs — 978-1-60283-535-1 — $29.95 Digital Download — 978-1-60283-536-8 — $21.95

ABOUT BBC AUDIOBOOKS AMERICA

Press contact information