A pair of recent events nudged me to look back on my gig as a storyteller. Spoiler alert: if you’re seeking conflict or unhappiness, look somewhere else. I couldn’t be more pleased at how things have turned out so far.
Silver Award for Cry of the Kestrel
My work for Marla Himeda on the Bardic Isles series is probably the most significant achievement I have in narration. Both the first two books, Master of Music and Cry of the Kestrel, are multiple award winners. The most recent one, from the BookFest Awards, is
particularly dear to me because a) it’s silver (I am obsessed with grey as most friends know), but also b) you can easily read it, and c) it’s personally crafted. The BookFest Award is real, but they don’t send one out. So Marla’s husband Scott crafted two of them to her specifications, and My Lovely Wife actually located a retailer online who will send you exactly one ribbon to use it for.
When I pose with them all around my neck, Genna has to hurry and take the picture because my back won’t hold out. I’m in Mark Spitz territory… But the point here is, I’ve had the privilege to work with some splendid authors on stories of superior quality (the paper versions win awards too!).
Outliving Audible!
The other thing that’s happened recently is that some of my audiobook projects are starting to be RE-published. I received notice, first that the four-book bundle of Fantastica by M. R. Mathias was now “Approved for Publication”! And then the same message came in for Debbie Bishop’s War Eagles. I had finished those books back before Covid.
That’s when it hit me. Seven years. 
When a narrator contracts with an author on Audible for Royalty Share distribution (that’s the way I started out), the author doesn’t have to pay me a cent. Instead, when the book goes on sale, after the platform takes its cut, we split the remaining royalty 50-50. It’s a great way for Indy authors to get into audiobook without money up front, and it also served me well when I was first hanging out my shingle and trying to attract work. The term of that contract is seven years: after that, if the author does nothing, Audible auto-renews the contract for another year. Aha…
I wrote to Mr. Mathias and Ms. Bishop to remind them that NEXT year they have every right to cancel and take back any future royalties for themselves now. And I thanked them again for putting me on the path lo, those many moons before.
So, I started out about, hem, seven years ago (not counting my own tales), and I’ve had some accomplishments in that time.
Put those two together and you get Hahn’s Audio Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame Audiobook Awards through 2025
{More details to come on future social media posts}
Started Something Series Award: The Fire Islands by Gilbert M. Stack
Was Always Really a Movie: War Eagles by Debbie Bishop
Authorrator’s Choice: Fencing Reputation by William L. Hahn
Tag-Team for Terror: Crow Country by Emily Sullivan
Technical Artistry/Immersion Prize: Master of Music by Marla Himeda
