Spilled Blood, narrated by Joe Barrett, is available on audio at all major bookstores, digital download sites, and from our website. Find this, as well as our complete selection of Brian Freeman’s titles and much more at www.BlackstoneAudio.com.

About the Author:
Brian Freeman is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author of psychological suspense novels, including Immoral, Stripped, and Stalked. His books have been sold in forty-six countries and nineteen languages and have appeared as main selections in the Literary Guild and the Book of the Month Club. For more information about the author, please visit his website at www.BFreemanBooks.com.

About the Interviewer: Grover Gardner is an award-winning narrator with over seven hundred titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he won the prestigious Audie^® Award in 2009, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than twenty Earphones Awards.

This interview was recorded in April 2012.

New Releases for May 2012

Blackstone’s new fiction titles for May include three recommendations that are also good examples of how carefully our narrators are selected to convey the most effective listening experience: The Cranes Dance by Meg Howrey, The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N. Murari, and Trapeze by Simon Mawer.

The Cranes Dance pulls back the curtain on the private lives of dancers and explores the complicated bond between sisters as Kate Crane, soloist in a celebrated New York City ballet company, struggles to keep her place in a demanding world. Justine Eyre, a classically trained actress and Audie® Award–winning narrator who has appeared on stage and in film, is our choice for this audio.

The Taliban Cricket Club tells of a spirited young journalist in Kabul, Rukhsana, who is summoned to an interview with the government minister because she is the only person in the country who knows how to play cricket and because the government wants to pretend to embrace the game. It’s ludicrous, but soon Rukhsana sees a chance to use the tournament for an audacious plan for freedom. The story is perfectly narrated by AudioFile Earphones Award winner Sneha Mathan, who was born in India and now lives in Seattle, and who has been a two-time Audie® Award finalist.

In Trapeze, a fascinating blend of fact and fiction, Marian Sutro is doing her bit for Britain in World War II. As a native French speaker, she attracts the attention of the Special Operations Executive, which trains agents to operate in occupied Europe. Soon Marian is parachuting into France—but her mission is hijacked by another secret organization. This propulsive novel of espionage is handled expertly by Kate Reading, who is an Audie® Award–winning narrator and a theater actor in Washington, DC.

Leading from fiction to fact, among Blackstone’s nonfiction offerings this month is a standout in the history category. Jack Hurst puts forth a unique view of the Civil War with Born to Battle: Grant and Forrest: Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga; the Campaigns That Doomed the Confederacy. The author reveals the role of class and merit in one of the most formative wars in the nation’s history. The more inclusive, meritocratic Union allowed Grant to enter into the military’s halls of decision, whereas the proudly aristocratic Confederate high command barred Forrest from contributing his input. As Hurst vividly demonstrates, that disparity affected, and possibly dictated, the war’s outcome. Precisely rendering this narrative is talented reader Joe Barrett, who has appeared both on and off Broadway as well as in hundreds of radio and television commercials and has earned multiple Earphones Awards.

Politics is, of course, in the news everywhere. This month Blackstone adds two titles to its repertoire of political audiobooks: The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House and The Tyranny of Clichés: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas.

In The Amateur, read by John McLain, author Edward Klein describes President Obama as a leader whose ignorance, arrogance, and incompetence are sabotaging his presidency and running the nation off its rails. Klein reveals details never before published about the Obama administration’s political inner workings, as well as the Obamas’ personal lives.

In The Tyranny of Clichés, Jonah Goldberg argues that liberals use clichés to camouflage their true beliefs. Narrating his own book, the author discusses how today’s “objective” journalists and academics and “moderate” politicians hide their radical arguments in homespun aphorisms such as “Violence never solved anything.” Goldberg exposes many such clichés, which he reveals to be Trojan horses.

Speaking of a repertoire, musician Buddy Guy has added a new piece to his “song” catalog, the memoir When I Left Home: My Story. Guy, considered the greatest blues guitarist of all, has been a major influence on many well-known musicians. Guy left Louisiana for Chicago in the 1950s just as urban blues were electrifying America, and here he describes the exploding, evolving culture of music that happened all around him. His memoir is narrated by Earphones Award winner Mirron Willis, who has worked extensively in film and television.

And on the topic of leaders in their field, Dr. Sanjiv Chopra has produced a book titled Leadership by Example: The Ten Key Principles of All Great Leaders. He says that few people set out to become leaders but rather see a need and find a way of dealing with it. Chopra draws on his experience as a dean at Harvard Medical School, as well as from the writings and lives of great leaders throughout history. Narrator Alan Sklar makes this easy-to-read, inspiring book an easy listen as well. 

Find these and many more May new releases on our website.

Janelle Davidson, Editor

Upcoming Author Events

Check out these great author events in May! Find the authors of some of Blackstone’s bestselling titles at a talk, signing, or other event near you.

Please note: these events are not sponsored by Blackstone, so be sure to check with the venues or authors’ websites for complete details.

Marie Bostwick, Ties That Bind

May 1, 2012
Joint event with the Prairie Shop Quilt and Batavia Public Library
Talk and book signing, with reception to follow at Prairie Shop Quilts
Batavia Public Library, 10:00 a.m.
Batavia, IL

> See more Marie Bostwick events

Christopher Farnsworth, Red, White and Blood

May 1, 2012
Tattered Cover Book Store, 7:30 p.m.
Denver, CO

> See more Christopher Farnsworth events

Commander Kirk S. Lippold, USN (Ret.), Front Burner

May 1, 2012
Talk & signing
Marines’ Memorial Association with the World Affairs Council of Northern California and Books Inc.
Marines’ Memorial Club, 6:00 p.m.
San Francisco, CA

May 3, 2012
Dinner event & signing
Los Angeles World Affairs Council
The Intercontinental Hotel, 7:30 p.m.
Los Angeles, CA

May 26, 2012
Talk & signing
Barnes & Noble, 2:00 p.m.
MacArthur Center, Level 3 in the café
Norfolk, VA

Wiley Cash, A Land More Kind Than Home

May 1, 2012
Junior League of Richmond Book & Author Dinner
Greater Richmond Convention Center, 7:00 p.m.
Richmond, VA

> See more Wiley Cash events

Jen Calonita, Belles

May 2, 2012
With Jackson Pearce
Booksellers at Laurelwood, 6:00 p.m.
Memphis, TN

> See more Jen Calonita events

Brian Freeman, Spilled Blood

May 2, 2012
Kick-off event for Spilled Blood
Barnes & Noble, 7:00- 8:30 p.m.
Dallas, TX

> See more Brian Freeman events

Jill Smolinski, Objects of My Affection

May 3, 2012
Launch Party
Mysterious Galaxy Book Store, 7:30 p.m.
Redondo Beach, CA

> See more Jill Smolinski events

Susan Woodring, Goliath

May 5, 2012
Book signing
Literary Bookpost, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Salisbury, NC

> See more Susan Woodring events

Betty Webb, Desert Wind

May 5, 2012
Poisoned Pen’s “CozyCon”
Burton Barr Central Library, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phoenix, AZ

> See more Betty Webb events

Carole DeSanti, The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R.

May 5–6, 2012
“The Muse and the Marketplace” Conference
Boston Park Plaza Hotel
Boston, MA

> See more Carole DeSanti Events

Clea Simon, Cats Can’t Shoot

May 9, 2012
“Stealing from the Dead,” a Sisters in Crime panel discussion
Canton Public Library, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Canton, MA

> See more Clea Simon events

Bernadette Pajer, Fatal Induction

May 12, 2012
Book launch event for Fatal Induction
UPPERCASE BOOKSHOP
Snohomish, WA

> See more Bernadette Pajer events

William Landay, Defending Jacob

May 15, 2012
Reading & discussion
Scituate Town Library, 7:00 p.m.
Scituate, MA

> See more William Landay events

Tina Whittle, The Dangerous Edge of Things

May 19, 2012
Book Signing at WomenSpirit
The Mountain
Highland, NC

> See more Tina Whittle events

Varley O’Connor, The Master’s Muse

May 19, 2012
Talk, reading, and book signing
Gaithersburg Book Festival
Gaithersburg, MD

 > See more Varley O’Connor events

David Freed, Flat Spin

May 26, 2012
Book Carnival, 2:00 pm
Orange, CA

> See more David Freed events

• Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention

• George F. Kennan: An American Life

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable is the winner in the History category. Blackstone’s audio edition, which is a Library Exclusive title in partnership with Penguin Audio, is narrated by G. Valmont Thomas. In addition to the Pulitzer, the book has garnered an impressive list of other awards, including many specific to the audio production.

The Washington Post says, “It will be difficult for anyone to better this book. It goes deeper and richer than a mere homage to Malcolm X. It is a work of art, a feast that combines genres skillfully: biography, true-crime, political commentary. It gives us Malcolm X in full gallop, a man who died for his belief in freedom, a man whom Marable calls the ‘fountainhead’ of the black power movement in America.”

George F. Kennan: An American Life by John Lewis Gaddis is the winner in the Biography category. This landmark biography from Yale historian Gaddis was thirty years in the making. Blackstone’s audio edition is narrated by Malcolm Hillgartner.

The New Yorker says, “[A] first-rate biography…Kennan’s life maps right onto twentieth-century political history, and no one is better qualified than Gaddis to lead the way through it…Gaddis has written with care and elegance, and he has produced a biography whose fineness is worthy of its subject.”

You can find a complete list of Pulitzer Prize–winning titles and authors on our website.

April 2012 Earphones Award Winners!

Congratulations to our Earphones Award winners for this month! AudioFile magazine presents these awards for excellence in audio. Heft, by Liz Moore, is a heartwarming and original new novel about improbable heroes and second chances. Earthseed, the first book in Pamela Sargent’s classic Seed Trilogy, has made it onto many “best book” lists since its original publication.

Heft by Liz Moore, read by Kirby Heyborne and Keith Szarabajka (reviewed April, 2012) “This multilayered novel is deepened by two first-person narrations, which are expertly voiced by Keith Szarabajka and Kirby Heyborne. Szarabajka’s command of tone provides an authentic portrayal of Arthur, a former college professor who—rejected by his father, his peers, and his love-interest, Charlene—becomes an obese recluse. Heyborne’s appealing, well-crafted performance brings out the adolescent angst of Kel, son of the alcoholic Charlene.”

Read the full review on AudioFile’s website.

Earthseed by Pamela Sargent, read by by Amy Rubinate (reviewed March, 2012) “Twenty-nine years after the original publication in print, Amy Rubinate’s performance of Earthseed justifies the wait… Rubinate imbues each character with a personality that enhances the dynamic and carefully crafted interpersonal conflicts of the characters.”

Read the full review on AudioFile’s website.

Imagine being pressured to quit your job as a teacher because you visited a brewery while on vacation. Imagine being called into the principal’s office for suspected drug use when all you actually consumed was candy. Imagine receiving a punishingly poor credit rating based on your online activity.

You don’t have to imagine because these things really happened, and continue to happen.

Georgia teacher Ashley Payne was urged to resign from her teaching post after a parent allegedly complained that the picture she posted of herself on Facebook holding a glass of Guinness while visiting the Irish brewery was inappropriate. Yet, her Facebook page was supposedly only viewable by her friends and family.

Fifteen-year-old Blake Robbins was called into the vice principal’s office to address his “drug” problem. What caused the suspicion? Pictures taken from his school-issued MacBook—in his bedroom—without his knowledge. And as for the “drugs” he was taking? Mike and Ike candy.

The subtitle of I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did makes it seem as though social networks are solely responsible for killing our privacy. The ever-changing privacy policies of sites like Facebook definitely do contribute to major infringements of our private lives, but it is the entire Internet that provides the platform most responsible for facilitating the death of our privacy.

Take the case of Spokeo. One of the most prevalent and insidious of all data aggregators, Spokeo uses pieces of code known as cookies to collect data about us and make assumptions based on that data. Anyone can pay to use Spokeo to gather information about prospective employees, those applying for credit, or even potential lovers—right down to a home address. Of course, collecting data on a person’s web surfing alone leads to false assumptions. After all, just because a person searched for bankruptcy assistance doesn’t mean the information was meant for that person’s own situation.

Everything you do online is creating a virtual version of your true self. Lori Andrews repeatedly refers to this as a person’s “second self.” And that second self, Andrews asserts, is distorting the image of our true self.

Through numerous real-life cases, Andrews provides example after example of how our privacy rights are tested continually via our online activity. She makes Facebook the main target of criticism, which makes sense, considering Facebook is the most prominent social network around, with a membership that would make it the third largest nation in the world.

For me, however, the Internet is still like the Wild West. This is most evident by the fast and loose way that those who run Internet sites or software operate. Many are forever skirting the laws to achieve maximum monetary gain. Let’s face it—these online purveyors can get away with it because laws are not in place to adequately protect our privacy.

What’s that you say? What about the constitutional rights that were created exactly to protect our right to privacy. Well, social networks aren’t the only parties to play fast and loose with privacy rights. Andrews shares several case studies of judges, lawyers, cops, school administrators, and employers who are just as guilty of being cavalier with our privacy rights as Facebook.

Andrews explains how many judges do not consider Facebook a private venue, even if the defendant has tight privacy settings. She also tells how police routinely use sites like Craigslist and social networks to patrol for illegal activity, circumventing the legal process for obtaining a search warrant, and how lawyers use postings to make the case for which parent is the more capable provider and caretaker in a child custody dispute. Andrews shares how even employers use their employees’ rants about their jobs as justification to terminate their employment.

At times this book comes off as far too alarmist for me. However, Andrews deftly peppers it with points about the benefits of social networks, especially in times of political and environmental crisis. Another positive aspect of social networks and sites like YouTube and Vimeo is that they provide people with the opportunity to freely share their talents, often times garnering recognition that otherwise would not have been found. The drawback, Andrews posits, is that we could be trading our privacy for recognition. Andrews is also very careful to use the word “might” in describing the potential outcomes of what seems like otherwise harmless online activity.

Overall, I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did is a call to action that is reminiscent of the one trumpeted by the Founders of the United States of America. Just as the Founders did, Lori Andrews offers what I personally find to be an excellent proposition to secure our online privacy rights: The Social Network Constitution. We are standing at the threshold of the future of our online privacy rights, and Lori Andrews is one of the strongest and most articulate voices for protecting rights and freedom.

About the Reviewer:
Kyle Stich joined the Blackstone Audio team of in-house audio proofers in the fall of 2010. For the better part of a decade, he has provided freelance writing, editing, and web content consultation. He has written in nearly every genre, but blogging about movies, music, and books remains his passion. An Alaskan transplant to the Rogue Valley, Kyle lives in the lush mountain town of Ashland, Oregon, with his wife and two teenage sons.

Audiobooks for Mom: Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Celebrate mothers, motherhood, and the diverse lives of women with these wonderful audiobooks! We’ve put together a selection of new releases, classics, and staff favorites that would make great gifts for the mom in your life.

And for a limited time, save 20% on a gift for Mom or treat yourself to something special! To receive the discount, enter code MOM2012 in the coupon box during online checkout. Valid on web orders only; not valid on sale items or purchases of apps. Limit one per customer; one discount per order. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Offer expires May 16, 2012.

Fiction

The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R. by Carole DeSanti, read by Kate Reading. Does Mom like unique romance stories? This sweeping debut by DeSanti, a well-known editor and champion of women’s fiction, is the story of a young woman finding her way in the lush world of 1800s Paris.

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau, read by Nicola Barber. If Mom likes historical novels, this is a winner! The first in a new series, this thriller follows Joanna Stafford, a nun in the time of King Henry VIII in England.

1222 by Anne Holt, read by Kate Reading. Scandinavian crime fiction! What else needs to be said? This mystery from Norway’s #1 bestselling crime writer is a finalist for the 2012 Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Yankee Doodle Dixie by Lisa Patton, read by Marguerite Gavin. This sweet story from the author of Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter is sure to make Mom smile.

The Sisters by Nancy Jensen, read by Cassandra Campbell. This celebration of strong women follows the lives of two sisters and was one of Kirkus Reviews “Best Books of 2011: Fiction about Love and Family”.

This Beautiful Life by Helen Schulman, read by Hillary Huber. This gripping story centers on a family in crisis and the role of privacy in a digital world. A sure bet if Mom is a fan of modern fiction.

Deep Down True by Juliette Fay, read by Robynn Rodriguez. Library Journal says, “Highly recommended for fans of women’s fiction featuring resilient heroines.” From the author of Shelter Me.

Before Versailles by Karleen Koen, read by Grover Gardner. Another fabulous historical novel, this one set in the French court of Louis XIV.

The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson, read by Cassandra Campbell. This New York Times bestseller was also an Oprah Summer Reading List Pick. This epic novel chronicles the ups and downs of a typical American family.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, read by Carolyn Seymour. This beloved classic is a favorite of moms young and old.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, read by Nadia May. With its truly original heroine, this story belongs in any collection celebrating women.

Nonfiction

Crossing the Borders of Time, written and read by Leslie Maitlan. This incredible true story chronicles how award-winning reporter Maitland used her investigative training to research her family history and help her mother find a happily-ever-after. Full of hope and true love, this story is a sure bet if Mom likes happy endings.

Mighty Be Our Powers by Leymah Gbowee with Carol Mithers, read by Kimberly Scott. This amazing and inspiring memoir by one of the three women awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize is truly a celebration of the power of women.

Holy Ghost Girl by Donna M. Johnson, read by Carrington MacDuffie. This fascinating memoir tells the story of the author’s childhood as part of tent revivalist David Terrell’s inner circle.

Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure with Darlene Schacht, read by the author. In this motivational book, Candace Cameron Bure—a mother, actor, and former child star of the hit television show Full House—offers a biblical perspective on appetite and self-control to encourage women to take control of their health.

The Secret Lives of Wives by Iris Krasnow, read by Bernadette Dunne. New York Times bestselling author Krasnow interviewed over two hundred wives for this examination of what it takes to have a successful marriage and also has uncensored creative, sometimes clandestine, strategies for staying married.

 Mother Warriors by Jenny McCarthy, read by Tavia Gilbert. One of a series of books by McCarthy exploring the effects of autism on families, Mother Warriors focuses on the experience of parents.

Poser by Claire Dederer, read by Christine Williams. This funny memoir about the author’s eye-opening journey into yoga practice isn’t your average yoga book and might just inspire Mom to start posing!

The Heroine’s Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore, read by Tavia Gilbert. This overview of women in literature highlights favorite characters from Anne Shirley to Scarlett O’Hara as well as the authors who brought them to life.

Every Mother Is a Daughter by Perri Klass and Sheila Solomon Klass, read by Anna Fields and Carrington MacDuffie. A touching look at the mother-daughter relationship from both perspectives. An AudioFile Earphones Award winner!

Spa Healing in a Box by Made for Success, featuring Crystal Dwyer. Invite Mom to relax this holiday with this set of rejuvenating CDs.

Amanda Casserly, Marketing Specialist

No one sends chills down my spine quite like Edgar Allan Poe. Whether it’s “The Raven’s” infamous “nevermore” or the vulture eye in “The Tell-Tale Heart,” I will never tire of reading his stories and hearing them come to life in audio.

As Poe, the inventor of gothic horror himself said, “I would define, in brief, the poetry of words as the rhythmical creation of beauty.” Amidst the darkness and sense of loss I have come to expect from his work, there is always profound beauty in his words and hearing them spoken always inspires a fresh sense of horror and suspense. As expected, Stefan Rudnicki and Bronson Pinchot’s reading of Poe’s The Raven and Selected Short Stories successfully revived my love for the author, drawing me into each story and reminding me why I fell in love with his words when I was just a teen.

Set to hit theaters this month, The Raven, starring John Cusack, will attempt to pay homage to the great author and poet in a new and creative way. Not to be mistaken for a biopic, this thriller will blend Poe’s stories and life together in an entertaining and literate way, giving us the best of both worlds—the man behind the work and the work itself. And because it wouldn’t be a proper tribute to Poe without it, one should expect an element of horror sprinkled in.

Whether it be in a compilation of his stories or a tribute to his life on the big screen, it’s wonderful to see his transforming work live on in people’s hearts—and nightmares.

About the Reviewer:
Jessica Zigenis has been an executive assistant at Blackstone Audio since 2010. She was born and raised in southern Oregon and graduated from Southern Oregon University with a BA in English and writing. When she isn’t working, reading, or freelance writing, she’s spending time with her husband and their two giant puppies.

Sailor, narrated by Donald Corren, is available on audio at all major bookstores, digital download sites, and from our website. Find it and Tom Epperson’s The Kind One, narrated by Scott Brick, as well as our complete selection of audiobooks at www.BlackstoneAudio.com.

About the Author: Tom Epperson is the cowriter, with Billy Bob Thornton, of A Family Thing (starring Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones, nominated for the Humanitas Prize), One False Move (named as one of the year’s best films by a number of top critics), and The Gift (directed by Sam Raimi and starring Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, and Hilary Swank). Epperson’s first book, The Kind One, was nominated for an Edgar and a Barry Award in 2009. He lives in Los Angeles. For more information about the author, please visit his website at www.TomEpperson.com.

About the Interviewer: Grover Gardner is an award-winning narrator with over seven hundred titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he won the prestigious Audie^® Award in 2009, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than twenty Earphones Awards.

This interview was recorded in April 2012.

The Downside Ghosts series chronicles the adventures of Chess Putnam, a self-assured witch and ghost hunter, as she battles the undead in a future dystopia. Romantic Times describes the series as “an exciting world you’ll want to escape into again and again.”

Preorder Sacrificial Magic today and find our complete selection of audiobooks at www.BlackstoneAudio.com. Stay tuned to Blackstone’s blog, The Audiobook Insider, for all your audiobook news and information.