If you like listening to audiobooks, check out Podiobooks.com. This site is so named because it offers audiobooks that you can download as podcasts. The books are presented in serial fashion – with each chapter or group of chapters in its own file. When you “subscribe” to a book, you decide how often you want to receive a new chapter,with choices ranging from once a month to once a day. A podcast feed is created, and you add that feed to your podcatching program. (You can also download book files directly from the site.) Some books are still being recorded, while others are complete. If you’re reading a complete book and decide you want more chapters before they’re scheduled to be delivered, you can either change the schedule so new chapters are delivered sooner or use the Release All button to make all chapters available now. If you don’t like a book, you can cancel your subscription at any time.
All books are free, but there is a Donate button on the subscription page for each book. Half of any money you donate goes to the author, and the other half goes to site maintenance. Donations are the only compensation authors get for putting their work on the site.
There is quite a variety of books available, including detective drama, fantasy, science fiction, public domain books, and children’s literature. Most books are read by their authors. Each book is described, those which are particularly appropriate or inappropriate for children are labeled as such, and many have been rated by listeners. It’s also possible to leave and view comments about the books.
If you’re interested in publishing work you have written on this site, you can find detailed information about submission guidelines and tips for getting started on the >You, too, can create a Podiobook page.
Thanks to Merrill Louise for reminding me of this site. I read an excellent book from there called The Pocket and the Pendant a year ago, but had forgotten about it. The site has grown tremendously since then.
NBP Book Updates 