Tansy Bloom: Monster Hunter Press Release

 EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:01 ON THURSDAY 27 JUNE 2024

AUDIBLE RELEASES NEW ORIGINAL, TANSY BLOOM, MONSTER HUNTER, BY DEBUT AUTHOR L.J. WELLER

NARRATED BY TANYA REYNOLDS

Launching exclusively on Audible 27^th June 2024

27 June 2024, London. Audible, a leading provider of spoken word entertainment, has announced Sex Education star Tanya Reynolds will narrate a new and exciting Audible Original title from debut novelist L.J. Weller. 

 

Three months ago, twenty-eight-year-old Tansy Bloom quit monster hunting. Since then, she’s been trying to live a normal life (whatever that means), but ending up single, unemployed, and living on a boat outside her godfather’s pub definitely wasn’t part of the plan. So, when Tansy’s ex-husband – fellow monster hunter Rex Barclay – turns up like a bad penny and asks for her help with his latest investigation, Tansy reluctantly agrees.

 

At first, the job appears to be a straightforward monster hunt – following a spate of large creature sightings, Rex believes a werewolf is on the loose in Norfolk, and he intends to capture it. But Tansy’s not convinced. For one thing, the mysterious black dog Rex is hunting is able to vanish into thin air. For another, everyone who’s encountered the black dog is dying in a series of freak accidents.

 

Bad news for Tansy, who’s just come face-to-face with the creature herself.

 

L.J. Weller, author of Tansy Bloom, Monster Hunter, said: “I’m thrilled to be working with Audible to bring my debut novel to life. From day one, Audible has championed this book with enthusiasm and excitement, and collaborating with the team has been a wonderful experience. I hope everyone enjoys listening to Tansy Bloom, Monster Hunter as much as I enjoyed writing it!”

 

Tanya Reynolds, narrator and actor, said: “Recording audiobooks can be quite challenging, but when you can totally lose yourself in the world that you're reading, it is such a joy, and this was indeed a joy. All the characters were so vibrant on the page and so fun to read, and the story itself is a joyful journey into mythical folklore with a wicked sense of humour. I had so much fun recording this.”

 

Tanya Reynolds landed her first major role as a series regular on the Sky 1 comedy-drama Delicious. She is also well known for playing Lily Iglehart in the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education where she was a part of the main cast in the first three seasons. Other credits include Outlanders, Death in Paradise, Emma, Dodger, The Baby, I Hate You and The Decameron.

 

Tansy Bloom, Monster Hunter will be available exclusively on Audible from 27^th June and out now from Audible at http://www.audible.co.uk.

 

Alongside Tansy Bloom: Monster Hunter, Audible has released an array of incredible titles this year including The Shouts Beneath by Paige Cowan-Hall, The River Man by R.B. Croft and Iris is More than Okay by Natalie Cooper. Audible Original list has spawned several bestsellers in the fantasy genre recently, including Morgan is My Name by Sophie Keetch and Slayers: A Buffyverse Story by Christopher Golden and Amber Benson.

About L.J. Weller

L. J. Weller is an author of quirky, contemporary fantasy fiction. Originally from London, she now lives in Norfolk with her family and an ever-growing collection of books and jigsaw puzzles. When she’s not busy writing, she can be found attending pub quizzes or feeding the local wildlife (including a cheeky grey heron named Herbert).​

Her debut novel, Tansy Bloom, Monster Hunter, is a Norfolk-set supernatural mystery inspired by her lifelong interest in folktales, ghost stories and urban legends. An Audible Original, it will be released exclusively on Audible and Amazon from 27th June 2024. Find out more at www.ljweller.com.

Audiobook Blog Tour - We Play Games

My first blog tour of 2024! Feels like I’ve not done one of these in a while, and we start with a domestic thriller with a twist. 

Title and Author: We Play Games by Sarah A Denzil

Publisher: Audible

Bought, Gifted or Borrowed: Gifted by Midas Campaigns on behalf of Audible for review in exchange for an honest review/reaction. 

Listen from (Non-Affiliate): Audible 

Ben and Effie have moved to the beautiful yet exclusive Ivy Oaks and they look like there are the perfect couple. Beautiful, wealthy, friendly. But behind the smiles, both Ben and Effie are dark hearted and like to play games. Games that will hurt other people and rip communities apart. And Ivy Oaks seems like the perfect place to do one of their games. 

The couple has two rules: no lies, no ties. But Ben has broken these rules and Effie is beginning to realise that. Soon, not only are the pair scheme and manipulate the people around them, but they are doing it to each other. 

For this game is their final. Losing isn’t an option for either of them. Let the games begin…

Blog Tour - The Patient Man

A blog tour review alert! And yes, I know. I am breaking my own rule of getting involved in blog tours and using a review as my stop. I have this fear of reading/listening to a story and then going “Oh no!” over not liking and then having to backtrack. So the fact that this post is here must show you guys that this is a good story, yes? 

Right, let me give you some info to this audiobook and get back to you! 

• Title And Author: The Patient Man by Joy Ellis
• Publisher: Audible Studios
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Audiobook
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Gifted by Midas PR for Audible in exchange for an honest review/reaction for blog tour
• Length: 10 Hours 14 Minutes

So, ok, The Patient Man. My first outing with Jackman and Evans series but the sixth in the series. I’ve wanted to try this series for quite some time but never sure when/how to get in. So, when asked if I wanted to be involved in this tour, I said yes and hoped I wasn’t going to get lost. 

Serial killer Alistair Ashcroft is back on the scene, ready to finish his unfinished business with Detective Inspector Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans. But for all his taunts and mind games, where is he? 

But normal Police work must continue while searching for this dangerous individual. Separate thefts of six pigs, a thoroughbred stallion, guns and red diesel leads the police to the Lorimer family. And the thief of guns from gun-club owner Kenneth Harcourt gets complicated when the man long held responsible for killing Harcourt’s daughter in a hit and run is shot dead - by a sniper. A new killer is on the loose. 

But are these three very different cases - the sniper, the Lorimer family and Ashcroft - all separate? Or is there a more sinister connection between the three? And will Jackman and Evans finally caught Ashcroft or has he got one more trick up his sleeve?

Counterplots Can Be Dangerous

This is going to be my last post of 2019! And what a nice post to have as this is part of the blog tour for Dai George's The Counterplot, an Audible Original!

The Counterplot follows Ben Johnson, a contemporary to Shakespeare in London 1603. But Ben has fallen on hard times and in desperation, writes a satirical play. Only for it to backfire hugely and he finds himself in prison with his reputation in ruins.

When he finally leaves jail, he decides to return to his estranged wife, Anna. But Anna isn't the same woman Ben left when he went out to seek his fortune. His absence and the deaths of their three children has led Anna to become friends with some very passionate Roman Catholics. Scared for his wife, Ben becomes entangled with these people and their dangerous plan to overthrow the King. The Gunpowder Plot is brewing...

If you want more details about this audiobook, check it out on (of course) Audible, but I am thrilled to welcome the author, Dai George on the Pewter Wolf with a small Q&A. No spoilers, but hopefully, these questions and answers will wet your appetite!

Before I hand you over to our Q&A, want to thank Dai for finding time to answer these (this time of year is insane!) and a small thank you to Anna at Midas PR for asking if I wanted to be involved in this tour. Now, if you want to say hi to Dai, check him out on Twitter at @dai_r_george!

Now, ONTO THE QUESTIONS!!!

Audiobook Review - A is for Arsenic

• Title And Author: A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie by Kathryn Harkup
• Publisher: Bloomsbury 
• Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Audiobook
• Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought
• Length: 320 Pages or 9 hours and 50 minutes 

As you might be have noticed over the past few months on here and on my social media (mainly my Twitter), I have slowly reading some more crime/thriller novels. I use to say this is a guilty pleasure of mine as my reading jam is usually fantasy, but not saying that now. I enjoy reading crime. What set this off was me reading/audiobooking Agatha Christie and making an effect to read some of her work this year (I am planning to read more next year as part of a reading challenge for The Pewter Wolf). But what intrigued me the most was how Agatha Christie did the killing in her works - poisonings.

So, when I saw this book a few months back, which looks at the poisons used in her novels, I became intrigued and wanted to read it. But no bookshop I went into had it on the shelf nor my library. Plus, I didn’t want to ask if anyone could order it for me - what if they thought I was plotting to kill my Other Half? So, when I saw this on Audible, I was in two minds for a good few minutes as I wasn’t sure if audiobooking this was a good idea, plus I wasn’t sure I would get on with the narrator, and it’s non-fiction (a genre I struggle in). But in the end, I went “What’s the worse that could happen?”

Agatha Christie was a chemist throughout both World Wars so her knowledge of poisons was extensive. A is for Arsenic looks into the poisons Agatha Christie used in well-known novels, such as Mysterious Affairs at Styles, Crooked House, Sparkling Cyanide and 4.50 from Paddington among others novels, and look at how the chemicals interact with the body to cause death, to cure the poison, real life cases and look at how the murder was committed in the novels. 

Audiobook #re3 - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

As you guys probably know if you have been reading the blog for a while, I have actually read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland not once, but twice. The first was back in 2010 and was an abridged version of the book (I know, there are abridged versions of books!) and the second was in 2013 and that was full of grammar mistakes. Oh, so many grammar mistakes/errors!

So when Leanne from Midas PR emailed me if I wanted to listen to Scarlett Johansson's reading of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, I said I would once I caught up with my audiobooks. And now that I have, I have downloaded, listened and am going to talk about the story and Scarlett's reading of this tale.

I think we all know the story of Alice in Wonderland. Alice falls down a rabbit hole chasing a White Rabbit. She falls into a world where she has tea with the March Hare and the Mad Hatter, playing croquet with the Queen of Hearts, meeting the Caterpillar and talking to (my fave character!) the Cheshire Cat.

As you guys are probably aware, i have very mixed feelings on this. If I had read this as a child, I would be obsessed with this story and the world (hence my love for Disney and any other version I can watch). But as an adult... well, it's really surreal. There's not much plot - but that's the point. This is a story of a young girl have a dream of a world that makes no sense. Dream logic and all.

So, Scarlett Johansson's reading of this tale. I have two feelings on this. Once I found my footing with Scarlett's voice and got use to how she read, I found myself enjoying it. It flowed and Scarlett has a voice I could listen to.

However, there were times I found her reading jarring. There were a few times Scarlett reading made me feel like she was a school governess. It was so strict and straight-laced. And I wonder at times, if it's because Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is such a British story and Scarlett is American that maybe this was the wrong story for her to narrate. I can't help but wonder if The Wonderful Wizard of Oz would have been a better choice (and if she does, I would very happily devour that! I believe Anna Hathaway has done an audiobook version of this so I will be investigating that!)...

It was a lovely reading and am intrigued over who Scarlett reads next...

Press Release - Scarlett Johansson Reads Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

I have a press release for you guys. Now, don't groan. I think you might like this. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is getting a new audiobook. Read by Scarlett Johansson. Yes, THAT Scarlett Johansson.

Audible has been very busy in the past few months, have they? Because of this, and I am quite curious over this, I'm going to just pop this press release here (thank you Midas for the press release!).

SCARLETT JOHANSSON PERFORMS ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND FOR AUDIBLE

VANESSA JOHANSSON DIRECTS HER SISTER IN A NEW RECORDING, NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT AUDIBLE.CO.UK

February 24, 2016 – Audible Studios, a production arm of Audible.co.uk, today announced the release of Golden Globe nominee and Tony Award-Winning actress Scarlett Johansson’s audio interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This vivacious performance of the famously fanciful tale by the star of Lost in Translation, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Girl with a Pearl Earring is now available for download at http://www.audible.co.uk/alice

Scarlett Johansson was joined in the recording studio by her sister, actress and accomplished audiobook narrator Vanessa Johansson, who served as director of this production. Vanessa has narrated dozens of audiobooks in her own right, and brought her own experience and unique perspective on the art form to the recording process.

"It was a great pleasure to work alongside my sister, Vanessa, to read aloud the great works of Lewis Carroll,” said Scarlett, who won a Tony Award in 2010 for her performance in A View from the Bridge on Broadway. “Having grown up loving the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and reading many books aloud with Vanessa, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to share my love for Alice with an audience. I hope that this recording is enjoyed by not only those who are existing fans of the material, but also by new and curious readers, who may just be discovering Carroll’s work for the first time.”

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is such a deliciously whimsical and curious story,” added Vanessa, whose audiobook credits span a variety of categories including children’s books, history, fantasy, biography, fiction, self-development and more. “We had such a blast dialoguing during the recording process, thinking about the characters, and creating an audio world for this book. I hope the joy that we experienced together comes across to listeners.”

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a delightfully peculiar story that really comes alive when performed,” said Audible EVP and Publisher Beth Anderson. “We knew that Scarlett’s distinctive voice and exuberant characterization combined with the vision for the performance she shared with her sister Vanessa would create a recording of surpassing artistry, as befits this magical story. This is a delectable treat for listeners of all ages.”

In addition to Johansson, among the acclaimed performers who have narrated works of literature for Audible are Rosamund Pike, Dan Stevens, James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet and Tim Robbins. In 2013, Audible Studios won its first Grammy Award, for its production of Janis Ian’s memoir Society’s Child, and also won the Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year, for Colin Firth’s performance of Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair. 

Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content, invented and commercialized the first digital audio player in 1997, and has since been at the forefront of the explosively growing audiobook download segment. In 2015, listeners around the world downloaded 1.6 billion hours of audio from Audible; Audible members downloaded an average of more than 17 books over the course of the year. Two thirds of new Audible members are first-time audiobook buyers.

Audiobook Review - Pride and Prejudice

Have I ever told you I'm not a fan of classic? Am sure we've had this discussion. But, in case we haven't, I'm not the biggest fan of classics. Not because I hate any book that is over a certain of years old. It's just they worry me. These books are "Classics", which means they are going to be not accessible to me reading them. They are going to be hard work. 

But, here's the thing. I don't want to be. I want to try new things. That's the plan for this year - be braver in my reading habits and if I want to read/audiobook a book that's a little outside of my comfort zone, do it! 

So, when Audible announced they were going to be releasing a new audiobook of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, read by Rosamund Pike, I thought "This is it!". I mean, I have watched The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Emma Approved, two web series based on Austen's work and I really enjoyed watching them so I wanted to read Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Just wasn't sure when. But this audiobook came out and I thought "Sod it! Am buying this and am going to listen to it!"

Now, we all must know the plot to Pride and Prejudice. If not, I'm not sure I can do the book justice, but am going to try. In the 19th century, Mr and Mrs Bennet have five unmarried daughters. When Mr Bingley and his friend, Mr Darcey, move into neighbourhood, Mrs Bennet thinks they would be perfect for her daughters. While Mr Bingley takes a liking to the eldest, Jane, it is her sister, Elizabeth, who we follow as she and Mr Darcy clash with each other while trying to adapt to society.  

That's the vaguest I think I can write it. I know there is a hell of a lot more - pride, prejudice, first impressions, second impressions, that immortal first sentence ("It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" - I somehow doubt that if Austen was alive today, she wouldn't have used that sentence...).

So, reactions. I am surprised by how much I enjoyed myself while listening to this. My biggest fear with this was going to be hard or near impossible for me to get my head round. Like I said earlier on, I had a huge worry that this was going to be inaccessible and I was going to have to watch Lizzie Bennet so I can get my head round what was happening. But, I didn't. It was so easy to get into the story and to keep up. I didn't have any moments when etiquette from the time period made me go "Wait, what?" - I understood and sniggered a little on how relevant it still is today, even though this book was written how many years ago? 

This book was, also, quite subtle. I found that very surprising. Yes, I know the basic plot with Elizabeth and Mr Darcy - I knew how it ended - but it was still a surprise over how subtlety their story unfolded and how both characters grew because of the events happening around them. 

There were a few things I didn't like about the writing. My main is dialogue. I like dialogue, but there were times we had characters speaking, but we had no idea what they said because it was written in a paragraph (aka "They talked for quite some time about the weather"). While i get why this is the case,  there were one or two times I was "Can we not hear them speak?"

And the audiobook. How did I feel about Rosamund Pike's performance? For the most part, I enjoyed it. There were one or two characters who voices took me out of the story. For example, Rosamund Pike's take on Mr Collins's voice always threw me as it was very breathless. There was one or two times I was worried that he was on the verge of an asthma attack. 

Barring one or two things, I did enjoy myself with this. I'm not hugely in love with this book like I expected, but I enjoyed myself and am planning to read another Austen sometime in the future (am thinking either Emma or Persuasion). Or maybe risk PD James's crime "sequel" to Pride and Prejudice, Death Comes to Pemberley. But I am glad I finally read this and got why everyone either adores or hugely respects this book...

Press Release - Pride and Prejudice for Audible

Audible has been very busy lately, hasn't it? Got the audiobooks for Harry Potter (at last!), the third dramatisation of Sebastian Fitzek, Passenger 23, as well as a dramatisation of horror, Carmilla and Joe Hill's Locke and Key.

But now, to end the year, Audible is releasing a production of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Read by Rosamund Pike, who most of you will know from the movie Gone Girl, this excites me as I always wondered to read an Austin, but have been a bit scared as it's "An Austin. The Austin", so I will, hopefully, try this out in the coming few weeks.

Here's the press release (thank you Midas PR) and YouTube video of Rosamund talking Austin.

ROSAMUND PIKE PERFORMS JANE AUSTEN’S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE FOR AUDIBLE

NEW RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT AUDIBLE.CO.UK

London – 8^h December, 2015 – Audible Studios, a production arm of Audible, today announced the release of Rosamund Pike’s narration of Jane Austen’s beloved classic, Pride and Prejudice. This memorable performance by the Academy Award-nominated star of Gone Girl is now available for download at audible.co.uk/prideandprejudice.

“Pride and Prejudice will always resonate with people because Austen is dealing with a theme that is so universal: falling in love for the first time,” said Pike, whose artistic relationship with the novel dates back to the 2005 film adaptation, in which she played Jane Bennet. “I hope people enjoy what I’ve done with it, and find my characterizations convincing. While narrating this, I was constantly listening, and making recordings of people’s voices which I thought might have some qualities useful for a character – whether it be the person’s tone, intonation, pitch, or cadence of speech. Performing this audiobook has been extremely rewarding for me. It’s made me think afresh about familiar things, and made me again appreciate what a great heroine Austen has given us in Elizabeth Bennet.”

“Pride and Prejudice still captivates modern readers and listeners, and this new recording, makes it easy to see why,” said Audible UK Content Director Laurence Howell. “Austen’s timeless story of romance, family and social dynamics combined with Rosamund Pike’s beautiful performance make this a must-have for devotees of Austen’s novel, and it is a wonderful introduction to the book for a new generation of Austen fans.”

In addition to Pike, among the acclaimed performers who have narrated works of literature for Audible are Aiden Gillen, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet, Jesse Eisenberg, and Aidan Gillan. In 2013, Audible Studios won its first Grammy Award, for its production of Janis Ian’s memoir Society’s Child, and also won the Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year, for Colin Firth’s performance of Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair.

Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content, invented and commercialized the first digital audio player in 1997, and has since been at the forefront of the explosively growing audiobook download segment. In 2014, listeners around the world downloaded 1.2 billion hours of audio from Audible outlets; Audible members downloaded an average of more than 17 books over the course of the year. Two thirds of new Audible members are first-time audiobook buyers.

ABOUT AUDIBLE, LTD

Audible, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible’s mission is to establish literate listening as a core tool for anyone seeking to be more productive, better informed, or more thoughtfully entertained. Audible content includes more than 150,000 audio programmes from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Audible is also the preeminent provider of spoken-word audio products for Apple’s iTunes Store.

4 Weeks of Summer - Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book - The Mowgli Stories

I don't know why, but lately, I seem to be having a bit of bad luck when it comes to audiobooks. I'm not sure why. I have a blogpost about this coming up in the next 7 days or so - keep eyes peeled for that.

So, when Felicity from Midas PR asked if I wanted to listen to this, an full cast dramatisation of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book - The Mowgli Stories, I decided just to go for it. With the stars involved in this - Bill Bailey, Richard E Grant, Celia Imrie, Colin Salmon, Martin Shaw, Bernald Cribbin and Meera Syal to name by a few. Plus, this was created to raise funds for the Zoological Society of London to raise awareness that animals that inspired The Jungle Book are under threat from extinction.

When the wolves discover a tiny man-cub, they take him in to save him from the man hating tiger, Shere Khan. As the man-cub, Mowgli, grows and is taught by Baloo, the bear, and hunts with Bagheera, the panther, he learns the ways of the jungle. But Shere Khan is cunning and will buy his time...

I have to admit this, I thoroughly enjoyed myself listening to this. I had my doubts when I started listening (it took me a while to get use the Martin Shaw and Richard E Grant doing the voices of Shere Khan and Kaa), but once I found my stride, I sped through this. It only took me three days to listen to it from start to finish. And there were a few times I relistened to sections, just because...

The production was this was very good and though, while there were times the background effects and the noise of the large group of man felt odd to me, it wasn't that much of a distraction from the story. If anything, it helped to show that Mowgli has grown up in the jungle and knows little about the world of man.

What I found surprising was how different this was to Disney's The Jungle Book. While we had the same characters, the story was completely different and the character's interaction was completely different as well. In Disney's Jungle Book, Kaa was, up to a point, an villain and helped (up to a point) Shere Khan. And yet, in this version, Kaa had no interaction with Shere Khan. He taught Mowgli in the same way Bagheera and Baloo did. It was a very interesting learning curve.

But I think people will like this version of The Jungle Book. I can't wait to see what's next for Audible London...

Press Release - Jungle Book

I have a press release for you guys - you can blame Felicity from Midas PR for me posting this. But, Audible is releasing their fourth original programme - and it is a retelling of The Jungle Book!

It has a wonderful cast to this (see below) and for a limited time, it's free! FREE!!! Plus, with it being free, Audible is donating 25p of each download to the ZSL to raise awareness for endangered species that are the inspiration behind this story!

You can download it now and my review of this will be up on Friday. But now, off to show the press release!

Bill Bailey, Richard E Grant, Colin Salmon and Celia Imrie join host of talent in new audio adaptation of The Jungle Book

Audible.co.uk to donate 25p per free download of new all-star audio adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book- The Mowgli Stories to ZSL

UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 00:00 26 August 2015: Audible.co.uk has produced a new full-cast dramatisation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book – The Mowgli Stories, in association with charity partner the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book - The Mowgli Stories is out on 26 August and available for free at:www.audible.co.uk/jungle. 25p from every download goes to help ZSL build a future for wildlife. 

The magical story-telling and unforgettable characters in Bev Doyle and Richard Kurti’s audio adaptation of this children’s classic have been brought to life by many well-known voices from British film, TV, radio and comedy, including Bill Bailey as Baloo, Richard E Grant as Kaa and Martin Shaw as Shere Khan.

The partnership between Audible.co.uk and ZSL will help highlight the plight of many of the animals who featured in The Jungle Book and are under threat in the wild, such as the Bengal tiger (Shere Khan). The creation of India’s tiger reserves in the 1970s helped to stabilise numbers, but poaching to meet a growing demand from Asia in recent years has once again put the Bengal tiger at risk. The sloth bear (represented by Baloo), which could once be found throughout India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, is now threatened by hunting and habitat loss. Sloth bear numbers continue to decline and it is now listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Sandra Crewe, Head of Corporate Partnerships for international conservation charity, the Zoological Society of London said: “It’s a sad fact that many of the animals that inspired the characters of The Jungle Book are today battling against unprecedented threats in the wild, with some, like the tiger and elephant, facing the terrifying prospect of extinction. We are delighted to be the official charity partner of Audible’s production of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book – The Mowgli Stories. This fantastic new adaptation is an opportunity to raise awareness of this issue and raise funds to support our worldwide conservation of wildlife and their habitats.”

Audible.co.uk head Tracey Markham said: “We are committed to producing new exciting audio content for our listeners and this adaptation is really something special. We are working with some of the most talented writers and actors around to make brilliant new audio entertainment. The charity partnership with ZSL is the first of its kind for us and we are really excited to be working with them to support wildlife conservation around the world.”

The cast of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book – The Mowgli Stories includes:

·         Bill Bailey (Black Books, Stand-Up Comic) as Baloo

·         Richard E Grant (Withnail & I, Downton Abbey) as Kaa

·         Colin Salmon (James Bond, 24: Live Another Day) as Bagheera

·         Sacha Dhawan (History Boys, Last Tango in Halifax) as Mowgli

·         Celia Imrie (Bridget Jones’s Diary, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Mother Wolf

·         Meera Syal (Broadchurch, Goodness Gracious Me) as Chil

·         Ralph Ineson (The Kingsman, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows) as Father Wolf

·         Martin Shaw (Inspector George Gently, Judge John Deed) as Shere Khan

·         Tim McInnerny (Blackadder, Notting Hill) as Kipling

·         Bernard Cribbins (The Wombles, Jackanory) as White Cobra

·         Russell Tovey (History Boys, Being Human) as Banderlog 1

Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book – The Mowgli Stories can be downloaded and enjoyed on a wide range of devices including Kindle Keyboard, Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire, the Audible apps for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 8, PC, Mac or an MP3 player. The production provides three hours of listening entertainment and it is most suitable for children aged 8 and over, as well as adults of all ages.

It is the fourth production from the original programming team of Audible.co.uk. Previous productions include The Child and AMOK, two full-cast adaptations of best-selling novels by Sebastian Fitzek, and Six Degrees of Assassination, an original thriller by Meadowlands and Silent Witness writer Matt J Arlidge.

AMOK - A Press Release

I was sent this from the lovely Felicity at Midas PR, asking if I could share the news on this with you guys. And I said yes. I liked The Child by Sebastian Fitzek last year and this is going to be in the same vein as that - audiobook coming out today and book later this year/early next year. So, I have apress release for you to read and I hope it wet your appetite!

RAFE SPALL, ADRIAN LESTER, NATASCHA MCELHONE AND ROBERT GLENISTER  STAR IN NEW ORIGINAL AUDIO DRAMA

PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

   AMOK

AVAILABLE FROM 8^th MAY 2015 ON AUDIBLE

A psychological thriller about an unsparing hostage situation at a radio station, as millions of listeners are drawn into one man’s vicious game…

Based on Sebastian Fitzek’s best-selling novel Amok Spiel, Amok stars Rafe Spall (Prometheus and Life of Pi), Adrian Lester (Hustleand Merlin) and Natasha McElhone (Californication and The Truman Show). The thriller follows an intense hostage situation unfolding at a radio station where a crazed psychopath, Jan May (Adrian Lester), initiates a morbid mind-game.  While the show is on air, he calls members of the public at random.  If they pick up the phone with a certain phrase, a hostage is set free.  If they don’t, a hostage is shot live on-air until the killer’s demands are met. 

Struggling with her own personal demons, renowned criminal psychologist, Ira Samin (Natasha McElhone) is called upon by her former fling Olivier Götz (Rafe Spall) - leader of a Special Operations Command troop – to assist in the harrowing circumstances.

A specialist in the field, Ira faces a seemingly futile negotiation, played out to millions of transfixed radio listeners.

Writer Sebastian Fitzek says of the new series: “The idea came to me whilst I was editor of the morning show at Berlin's most famous radio station 104.6 RTL.  One day a group of visitors passed through the station foregoing any identity and belonging checks – no safeguards whatsoever. If a hostage taker was posing as a visitor the effect would be horrifying because of the direct contact with the outside world. Each listener would be "live" and could communicate with the offender even.  This fascinating and terrifying idea never let go of me again and I had to write AMOK.”

Rafe Spall says of the experience: “As an actor the challenge of being stripped of all tools other than your voice is daunting yet liberating – you only have the nuances of language, accent, intonation and tone in your voice to portray your character to the audience. Amok has a thrilling story line which I think will really draw listeners in and keep them on tenterhooks right to the very end.”

Amok is award-winning writer Sebastian Fitzek’s second title available on Audible.co.uk; his first, the original audio drama The Child, launched in August 2014 and remained in the top-selling position for three consecutive weeks. Fitzek’s first book Therapy (Die Therapie) knocked The Da Vinci Code off the number one spot in his native Germany, whilst Fitzek’s novel Splinter was included in the 2014 Sunday Times 50 Best Crime and Thriller Books.

Also starring in Amok is Robert Glenister (Spooks) as narrator, Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey) and Peter Firth (Spooks). 

Amok will be available on Audible.co.uk, as well as Kindle Keyboard, Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire, the Audible apps for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 8, PC, Mac and some MP3 players.

Sign up to Audible and download the 8-hour drama for free at www.audible.co.uk/AMOK (URL TBC)

GoodRead - The Art of War

When Felicity from Midas PR asked if I was interested in listening to this audiobook, I said yes after listening to the teaser on Audible.co.uk. This is outside my comfort zone - I admit this- but I want to be bolder with my reading/listening choices. Plus, I listened to the sampler of this and went "I want to listen to this.".

This 13 chapter book (which is REALLY short, by the way) talks about the art of warfare. How you win a war. This was written many years ago, but it still has strong themes today (just watch how politicians campaign for your vote at general election). Read by Aidan Gillen, who's character in Game of Thrones (Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish) could have well use this book, it shows you how to win a war or, if you are on the losing side, how to turn it round.

Now, I had to listen to this twice over the course of the Easter Weekend. The first time was because I was trying to get my head round what Sun Tzu was telling us (it didn't help that for a good 20 minutes, I was in a slight food coma). But the second time, I paid attention and made notes. I listened to what was being said and compared it to politics.

And I got it. I saw it happening around me. There's a political story that happened the past few days and I instantly thought "I heard that. I know what they're doing!". And as someone who is trying to understand the 2015 UK General Electons, having this on my iPhone made me see the tricks and go "Oh, ok. That makes me really wonder about your abilities if that is the 'trick' your using."

I admit that this isn't my normal book, so it's a bit of a culture shock. And, at times, I felt a little overwhelmed. There were moments where I felt that there wasn't enough time to understand what was being said. There wasn't any time in the audiobook to take a breath.

While this isn't my typical listening, I am glad I listened to it. I might need to do another relisten before 7th May of this year...

GoodRead - The Collectors

Late last year, Audible.co.uk announced that they were going to release an short audiobook to all their members for free as an early Christmas treat. As I wasn't a monthly member (I just buy audiobooks as and when I want an audiobook), I sadly didn't get this. However, after Christmas, the audiobook was released to everyone to buy for a small price of £1.99 and, only I discovered this, I got it and decided to blitz it one afternoon.

In the world of His Dark Materials (but not set in Lyra's world) and set around 50 odd years prior to the events of the His Dark Materials, it follows Horley and Grinstead who, in the Senior Common Room in an Oxford college one dark winter night. They talk about two pieces of art, both of which seem to be connected in mysterious ways.

Now, this is my first listen so this is my instant reaction. But I get the feeling that this might multiply listens.

But, if I am honest with you, I felt like I had read this before. It has the feel of The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill (my review for that book is here), and while it touches briefly on the worlds of His Dark Materials, it isn't important to have read the series.

I think I am a tad let down because I thought this would give us a greater insight over Mrs Coulter but it was only brushed upon.

While it was a nice story (I love Bill Nighty narrating the story), but I do feel like I have read it before with The Man In The Picture.

But like I said, this will need a few relistens. I shall come back to you on this one, I think...