Can you imagine being an avid reader but being denied access to almost every new book released? Sadly, that’s the reality for those who need their reading matter in the form of audiobooks. That translates to a huge number of people, including many with visual impairments, who are compelled to stay behind the curve when it comes to reading.
PRLog - Sep 12, 2013 - ELSTRONWICK, U.K. -- Could you sit back and relax while your SatNav read you the latest in crime or science fiction?
Can you imagine being an avid reader but being denied access to almost every new book released? Sadly, that’s the reality for those who need their reading matter in the form of audiobooks. That translates to a huge number of people, including many with visual impairments, who are compelled to stay behind the curve when it comes to reading.
A lot of people find this unacceptable in the 21st century and a small East Yorkshire company has put together an international project to address it.
Fantastic Books Publishing has teamed up with professional sound engineering company, Living Audio, a group of professional actors including Penelope McDonald and James Cull, Irish composer Callan McHugh, world class professional designer, Paula Ann Murphy from Chicago, creative wizard Sam Taylor and a worldwide network of marketers and promoters.
The team has joined forces to use the crowd funding platform Indiegogo to kick start Fantastic Books Audio, a division of the publishing house that will produce high quality audio not only of all the books published by Fantastic Books Publishing, but other titles to which they acquire the rights.
CEO, Dan Grubb, says, ‘Only about 1-7 per cent of all new releases are turned into audiobooks. That leaves those who can’t read traditional books at a real disadvantage. It’s simply unfair and in the 21st century, it shouldn’t happen.’
But don’t modern ebooks now come with an automatic audio facility? ‘Yes,’ says Dan. ‘To an extent that’s true and it’s a form of audiobook that has its place, but automatic translation to the spoken word is nowhere near good enough to give people a really good reading experience. Just imagine having your SatNav read a book to you!’
Dan goes on to sing the praises of Living Audio, the sound studio he has teamed up with. ‘Their MD and chief sound engineer, Matt Brown, has been blind since birth. He knows first-hand about the deficit of reading material available to the visually impaired community and has worked tirelessly to make his sound recordings the best possible experience for the listener. His studio contains the most cutting edge recording technology in the world.’
Should the project succeed, one outcome will be free unlimited access to these books for the blind. ‘This is just the first step,’ Dan tells me. ‘I can foresee a time where we release audiobooks simultaneously with ebooks or paperbacks giving everyone equal access to our new releases.’
It’s an ambitious project and will rely on support from both the corporate world and the reading public. But in return for support at this early stage, Fantastic Books Audio has lined up a series of pledge gifts that range from individual books to Kindle HD Fires and MP3 players preloaded with ebooks and audiobooks. Also on offer is original artwork from the company’s world class designer, and tailored editorial comment from the professional editorial team.
To find out more visit the indiegogo site at http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/fantastic-books-audio
Further info
Fantastic Books Audio: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/fantastic-books-audio
Fantastic Books Publishing: www.fantasticbookspublishing.com
Living Audio: http://livingaudio.co.uk/
Learn more about
· Penelope McDonald at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/penelope-mcdonald/40/13/91b
· James Cull at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/james-cull/69/93/ba4
· Callan McHugh at https://www.facebook.com/callan.mchugh
· Paula Ann Murphy at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/paula-ann-murphy/7/a36/45a
· Sam Taylor’s work at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyDnLvEObqs
Contact details (not for publication)
Dan Grubb – +44 1964 671 997
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Could you sit back and relax while your SatNav read you the latest in crime or science fiction?
September 12, 2013 at 05:37 AM EDT
