It was only fitting that when the Audie Awards returned to New York
City the Friday of BEA, one of the industry's most honored contributors served as
Master of Ceremonies. Jim Dale's mantlepiece holds Grammy, Oscar, Tony
and numerous Audie Awards. Moreover, his work on the Harry Potter
audiobooks helped him earn a place on the Honors list: he is now Jim
Dale, M.B.E. (Member of the British Empire.) After the elegant evening at the Rainbow Room, he could add
another honor: charming, witty and agile host. (He also won an
award--solo narration, male--for Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave
Barry and Ridley Pearson, from Brilliance Audio.)
The subjects of the night's first award were, fittingly, also M.B.E.s. Alfred Molina's narration of The Beatles by Robert Spitz won the Non-Fiction, Abridged Award for Simon & Schuster Audio. This marked the beginning of a kind of second British Invasion: several British narrated and/or produced audiobooks took home the crystal award.
One of two new awards this year was Spanish language, created to recognize the many audiobooks for Spanish speakers. Fonolibro had three nominees; its translation of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, read by Raul Amundaray, won.
The other new award reflected further divisions in the children's category, with a prize for Children's Titles for Ages 8-11, won by Recorded Books' production of Gloria Whelan's Listening for Lions, read by Bianca Amato, and Children's Titles for Ages 12+, won by Full Cast Audio's Airborn by Kenneth Oppel. Director Dan Bostick proudly noted Full Cast's age-appropriate casting: David Kelly, the narrator of Airborn, is 14, making him the youngest narrator in the history of the awards.
A Special Achievement Award and a portrait by Peter Max went to Audible founder and CEO Don Katz on the occasion of the company's 10th anniversary. (On average, Max listens to seven hours of Audible audiobooks every day as he paints.) Mary Beth Roche, chair of this year's event and former longtime Audio Publishers Association president, praised Katz's innovation and determination.
Classics are always popular in the audio format; this year's honoree was also a nominee for Audiobook of the Year. HarperAudio publisher Ana Maria Alessi recounted the encouragement she received from the audiobook world as she brought Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird out in an audio edition. When a clip aired of narrator Sissy Spacek articulating the book's memorable opening lines about her brother's broken arm, the audience, lost in Scout's world, sighed.
An astonished Bruce Coville accepted the Achievement in Production award--one of the most prestigious categories--for his Full Cast Audio production of Shannon Hale's The Goose Girl, narrated by Cynthia Bishop. The Package Design award winner, this year one of the easiest to predict, was Listening Library for the innovative packaging for the 10th anniversary edition of The Golden Compass. (Booksellers should note that this would be an excellent audiobook to feature because the film is now being teased in theaters.)
The most heartfelt moment of the evening was a tribute to Kate Fleming. Producer, award-winning narrator and audio advocate, Fleming died tragically as she tried to save her work from floodwaters in Seattle last December. Scott Brick recalled presenting an Audie with Fleming, also known as Anna Fields, three years ago. That same evening she won an award. With it in hand, he recalled, Fleming told the audiobook community, "I love my job!" with a depth of sincerity that touched everyone. (Fleming's sentiment became the mantra of the evening: several winners affirmed their love for their work, too.) Fleming's partner and mother were presented with a replacement for the earlier award that was swept away, and the pair--and Fleming--received a standing ovation.
The Audiobook of the Year honored the extraordinary effort in marketing, production, packaging and more that was put into Inspired by . . . The Bible Experience: New Testament (Zondervan). The recipients said that they wished their entire team could be with them but they were back home working on the Old Testament. Two astounding facts: the production began with a cast of 30, including such celebrated actors as Angela Bassett, Denzel Washington and Cuba Gooding, Jr., and eventually grew to over 300. Some 48 engineers worked on the production.
Audio Renaissance and Blackstone Audio won four Audies each, Recorded Books and S&S followed with three. Publishers with two awards were Zondervan, Full Cast Audio, Random House and HarperCollins. Isis, Hyperion, Tantor Media, BBC Audiobooks America, Weston Woods, Focus on the Family, Hachette, Brilliance and Soundwalk each took home an Audie. For a complete list of categories and their victors, visit the Audio Publishers Association website and remember that June is Audiobook Month!--Ellen Myrick
The subjects of the night's first award were, fittingly, also M.B.E.s. Alfred Molina's narration of The Beatles by Robert Spitz won the Non-Fiction, Abridged Award for Simon & Schuster Audio. This marked the beginning of a kind of second British Invasion: several British narrated and/or produced audiobooks took home the crystal award.
One of two new awards this year was Spanish language, created to recognize the many audiobooks for Spanish speakers. Fonolibro had three nominees; its translation of Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, read by Raul Amundaray, won.
The other new award reflected further divisions in the children's category, with a prize for Children's Titles for Ages 8-11, won by Recorded Books' production of Gloria Whelan's Listening for Lions, read by Bianca Amato, and Children's Titles for Ages 12+, won by Full Cast Audio's Airborn by Kenneth Oppel. Director Dan Bostick proudly noted Full Cast's age-appropriate casting: David Kelly, the narrator of Airborn, is 14, making him the youngest narrator in the history of the awards.
A Special Achievement Award and a portrait by Peter Max went to Audible founder and CEO Don Katz on the occasion of the company's 10th anniversary. (On average, Max listens to seven hours of Audible audiobooks every day as he paints.) Mary Beth Roche, chair of this year's event and former longtime Audio Publishers Association president, praised Katz's innovation and determination.
Classics are always popular in the audio format; this year's honoree was also a nominee for Audiobook of the Year. HarperAudio publisher Ana Maria Alessi recounted the encouragement she received from the audiobook world as she brought Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird out in an audio edition. When a clip aired of narrator Sissy Spacek articulating the book's memorable opening lines about her brother's broken arm, the audience, lost in Scout's world, sighed.
An astonished Bruce Coville accepted the Achievement in Production award--one of the most prestigious categories--for his Full Cast Audio production of Shannon Hale's The Goose Girl, narrated by Cynthia Bishop. The Package Design award winner, this year one of the easiest to predict, was Listening Library for the innovative packaging for the 10th anniversary edition of The Golden Compass. (Booksellers should note that this would be an excellent audiobook to feature because the film is now being teased in theaters.)
The most heartfelt moment of the evening was a tribute to Kate Fleming. Producer, award-winning narrator and audio advocate, Fleming died tragically as she tried to save her work from floodwaters in Seattle last December. Scott Brick recalled presenting an Audie with Fleming, also known as Anna Fields, three years ago. That same evening she won an award. With it in hand, he recalled, Fleming told the audiobook community, "I love my job!" with a depth of sincerity that touched everyone. (Fleming's sentiment became the mantra of the evening: several winners affirmed their love for their work, too.) Fleming's partner and mother were presented with a replacement for the earlier award that was swept away, and the pair--and Fleming--received a standing ovation.
The Audiobook of the Year honored the extraordinary effort in marketing, production, packaging and more that was put into Inspired by . . . The Bible Experience: New Testament (Zondervan). The recipients said that they wished their entire team could be with them but they were back home working on the Old Testament. Two astounding facts: the production began with a cast of 30, including such celebrated actors as Angela Bassett, Denzel Washington and Cuba Gooding, Jr., and eventually grew to over 300. Some 48 engineers worked on the production.
Audio Renaissance and Blackstone Audio won four Audies each, Recorded Books and S&S followed with three. Publishers with two awards were Zondervan, Full Cast Audio, Random House and HarperCollins. Isis, Hyperion, Tantor Media, BBC Audiobooks America, Weston Woods, Focus on the Family, Hachette, Brilliance and Soundwalk each took home an Audie. For a complete list of categories and their victors, visit the Audio Publishers Association website and remember that June is Audiobook Month!--Ellen Myrick