One of my great pleasures is reading before bed. Often after a day of working on my laptop writing, blogging, and checking e-mails my eyes are tired. I’d tried audiobooks years ago when they were first released. I tried “listening” to books as I raced along the treadmill, spun along on the stationary bike, and even while I attempted to get coordinated enough to use the elliptical machine. I simply could not get into the book.

            An author I admire very much, Mark Fine author of “The Zebra Affaire”, told me how great audible books are and recommended I try Audible. At the time Audible was offering the first thirty days free and the ability to cancel if I didn’t like them.

That was a few months ago. As part of my membership, I receive two books of my choice monthly free of charge. Not a bad deal. Which is why I never canceled although I still wasn’t listening. Until I saw “Pet Sematary”, one of my favorite Stephen King books, narrated by Michael C. Hall whose voice gave me delightful shivers as “Dexter”. Lo and behold I then saw “Carrie” narrated by Sissy Spacek. How could I resist?

I started with “Carrie”. As Spacek’s dulcet, slight Texas drawl led me through Carrie’s sad life and the horrors of her high school prom, I was hooked. My eyes could relax, and I could enjoy hearing the first King book I’d ever read many years earlier. As I listened, I began to “see” a new vision of Carrie. It was as though I was hearing the story for the first time.

After racing through “Carrie” I was prepared to dive into “Pet Sematary”. I love this book. I love Judd’s accent and Louis Creed’s matter of fact attitude. King’s ability to take what I call the Frankenstein effect of ‘man who would be God’ and make it more horrifying than any other book that follows the trail of the bold and brash attempt to control life and death is more tragically terrifying in the audible version. I lay in bed, lights out, my husband snoring unaware beside me and my heart raced, my mind screamed, and I cried. I truly shed tears.

If you haven’t tried audible books, stop resisting. They may not be for you. But I suggest you give them a try. Choose an old favorite of yours. It is an entirely new experience, somewhere between reading a book and watching a film. You will find yourself immersed in the tale. And the story will seem almost brand new.

Tonight I’m returning to Gilead as I listen to “The Testaments” by Margaret Atwood. No one could do Aunt Lydia like Ann Dowd and I am thrilled she has chosen to “speak” her part of this disturbing story.

Next on my list? Maybe another King or perhaps “To Kill a Mockingbird” my all-time favorite book. Or I might just take a leap and choose something I have never even heard of. Rest assured, I’ll keep you posted!