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It’s not news anymore that the audio book market is growing. I’m thrilled to know that and I hope it’s true for all aspects of audio publishing. The one area that is of interest me is audio fiction, and I have to say, I don’t see that the prices are being reduced. So who are audio books for, only the affluent? Only those that can shell out, on average, $25 to $55 dollars for an audio book purchase? Libraries are moving forward with their services these days and many of them provide downloads of audio books online. That’s great if computer access is available and the interested party is computer literate. There’s also numerous websites, some free, some with a minimal charge that provide classic stories in audio format.

For those that don’t have an interest or the patience to listen to an entire audio book that lasts for hours, here’s more. There are several sites that market audio story shorts and I mean short, from just a few minutes to maybe an hour; one that comes to mind is Sniplets. I have morphed the audiobook into an interesting variation, a story pitched as a 1-hour audio, called Mind Wings Audio. The story lasts about an hour and is a great listen. These short audios are perfect for anytime, even for lunch at work—not every day but when I need a change. They’re new, and the inventory is growing. The 1-hour audios may be referred to as an audio book but a book it is not. It is a short novelette, about an hour in length. For anyone that doesn’t have the patience or the bucks for an audio book, I highly recommend the 1-hour audio story, they’re definitely worth a try. Try them for yourself and share your thoughts.