How much does it really cost to produce a romance audiobook and why has duet narration become so popular?
In Season 3, Episode 7 of Talk Spicy to Me, bestselling authors Giana Darling and Kandi Steiner are joined by New York Times bestselling romance author Amy Daws to talk all things audiobooks. From dual vs. duet narration and $10K+ production costs to narrator casting, audiobook rights, royalties, and marketing, they're pulling back the curtain on a side of publishing readers rarely see.
Amy also shares how she built her audiobook audience, why she was working with duet narration before it became the norm, and the virtual narrator event her publisher didn't think would work… that ended up selling 450 tickets.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Welcome to Talk Spicy to Me
00:56 - Life updates & summer vacations
07:55 - Meet Amy Daws
09:49 - Amy hits the New York Times bestseller list
14:28 - The Spice Report
14:51 - Book-to-screen adaptations
23:18 - Let's talk audiobooks
24:41 - Amy's audiobook journey
27:26 - Dual vs. duet narration explained
28:24 - The real cost of producing audiobooks
31:45 - Why audiobook readers can read more
32:33 - Problematic narrators & author responsibility
35:55 - Why audiobooks have exploded in popularity
40:14 - How Amy marketed her audiobooks
44:39 - The Wild West of indie publishing
47:12 - The narrator event her publisher didn't want
52:51 - Affordable audiobook options for indie authors
54:55 - Should you sell your audiobook rights?
57:45 - Audiobooks as passive income
1:01:06 - Amy's #1 tip for your first audiobook
1:09:22 - Red Flag or Green Flag
1:11:23 - Special edition preorder campaigns
1:20:01 - After Dark gets VERY spicy
💬 QUESTION OF THE EPISODE: Do you prefer dual or duet narration in your romance audiobooks? FOLLOW AMY DAWS: Website: https://amydawsauthor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amydawsauthor/?hl=en SPONSORS: This season of Talk Spicy to Me is brought to you by Lauren Blakely and Kat Singleton! Lauren Blakely is the bestselling author of sexy, funny, feel-good romance, including Just Playing for Keeps, a grumpy-sunshine hockey romance with fake dating, viral heartbreak, and a broody tattooed hockey hero. Follow Lauren Blakely: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenblakelybooks/ Website: https://laurenblakely.com/ Kat Singleton is the author of In Good Company, a forbidden billionaire romance featuring an ex's brother, private chef, age gap tension, and a dreamy Hamptons setting. Follow Kat Singleton: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatsingleton/?hl=en Website: https://authorkatsingleton.com BOOK CLUB: We're reading The Hot Shot by Piper Rayne! Join us for the September 9th episode when Giana and Kandi break it all down. AFTER DARK (Patreon Exclusive) Want the extended, unfiltered conversation? Each week's After Dark mini-episode dives deeper into topics we don't cover on the main feed. Join the Patreon for early access and bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TalkSpicytoMePodcast #TalkSpicyToMe #AmyDaws #RomanceAudiobooks #Audiobooks #RomanceBooks #RomanceAuthors #BookPodcast #IndieAuthor
