Tag: metaSFFaudio

Another Editor Comes Forth…

SFFaudio News

Society of Audio AddictsYou know, when you admit you have an addiction, in a normal universe it means you can start to take the steps to beat it. I’m finding an audio addiction works a little differently in my universe. It all began with a simple blog yammering on about what I love- audio cinema. Now it covers not only audio cinema, but podcasting, as well as audio hardware and software. Before you can say “psy-jack”, I’m contributing to my absolute favorite audio cinema show Sonic Society with a podcast review, writing stories for Podcast Pickle News, and even contributing on SFFaudio now and then with a review. All of this in addition to my very own podcast, Truth Seekers. So when Jesse approached me about becoming a contributing editor, I fell off my chair, half-laughing hysterically, half-crying.
I’m sure you will understand that I read with great glee Rick’s introduction as a contributing editor, thinking to myself, “Ha-ha! He found another sucker! I’m off the hook!”

Then I got the flowers. And the chocolate. And the big-ass star on my door.

In all seriousness, I’m honored and very excited to be a member of such a great team, and a truly outstanding website. I hope that as a fellow contributing editor I continue to do y’all proud! Please feel free to send any science-fiction or fantasy audio and suggestions my way at [email protected]. This is an addiction I’d rather continue to feed than conquer.

Okay, okay… honestly? It only took chocolate. However, that star looks really nice on my door…

posted by Dani Cutler

The Time Traveler becomes CONTRIBUTING EDITOR for SFFaudio

SFFaudio News

The Time Traveler Stop the Time Machine! I’m getting off. That could be taken more than one way, but we won’t go there (vibrations and all that).

Jesse Willis has asked me to join SFFaudio.com as a contributing editor. Obviously he thinks since I’m a time traveler, I’m a master of time. Also obviously, he’s insane. Because after I told him I had a day job, a family with little ones, a podcast TimeTravelerShow.com, a business WonderAudio.com, and already a reviewer for SFFaudio.com, he still wanted me on board. Since time travel obviously addles the mind, I said in my dopiest voice “Okay!” Jesse suggested to try it on a trial basis to the first of the year. But unless the time patrol catches up to me, I’ll be around for a lot longer. Since Scott Danielson, co-creator of SFFaudio decided to depart this site, and Jesse hasn’t learned how to clone himself, yet; I’m here to step up and lend a hand.

Actually, I’m thrilled! This has been my home on the net for awhile now, and it just gets better and better, don’t you think? My first task as an editor is the receiver of review materials. Yes, I get to get the audiobooks to distribute to our legion of reviewers (well several anyways). If you have materials to be reviewed please contact me at [email protected]. Jesse and I are discussing some really exciting future content for this site. We hope you check back often, encourage you to use the RSS news feed, and find the best listens in Science Fiction and Fantasy audio.

Oh yeah! Since the time patrol is breathing down my back, I’ve created a shtick that I’m just as chronologically challenged as the rest of you. Some of you might think this as a shtick within a shtick, which is like a time paradox wrapped in an enigma. Anyways, under this new alias, you can call me Rick.

posted by The Time Traveler (aka Rick)

Scott D.

SFFaudio News

Scott D. DanielsonHello, all! Scott here.

I’m posting to let all who care know that I am stepping down as co-editor of SFFaudio. I trust that Jesse Willis and crew will keep everyone informed of what’s happening in the world of science fiction and fantasy audio. I wish them the very best – the creation of and writing for SFFaudio has been wonderful. Thanks to everyone who makes the audio, from the publishers to the narrators to the podcasters. I have met an unbelievable number of excellent folks here.

For me, it’s time to move on. I’ve been covering the science fiction and fantasy audio industry for 5 years now – 4 years here at SFFaudio, and another year before that at SFSite. It’s time to see what’s next for me. Hopefully, “what’s next” includes building on my first story sale, and the expansion of Deuce Audio.

I’d like to thank all the reviewers and everyone else who has helped in any way to make SFFaudio such a success. I’d like to publicly thank Jesse Willis – a better partner and friend could never be found.

I leave at a very interesting time for the audio industry. A tidal wave of podcasts has dominated the audio landscape for anyone who is online. That podcasts are changing the industry is certain – what form things will take in the end remains unknown. Audible and iTunes continue to be pretty much the only real option out there for downloadable commercial audiobooks – surely that will change soon. Hardcopy audio publishers chug right along, some of them providing MP3-CDs at your local bookstore. To think – when I started doing this, only 5 years ago, finding an audiobook on CD was rare.

If only I could have convinced audio publishers to produce more Hard SF! :) The fight continues…

All my very best, and thanks for reading SFFaudio! The future never sounded so good, and SFFaudio has become and will remain THE place on the internet to find out about it.

posted by Scott D. Danielson

Commentary: Podcast Audio Drama vs. Professional Radio Drama

Meta SFFaudioI like a good podcast as much as the next guy. Heck, maybe even a little more than the next guy. BUT… SFFaudio lately has become an endless parade of posts about podcasts. Great podcasts, excellent podcasts, check-this-out-it’s way-cool podcasts.

In a recent post, Jesse said that one of the podcast audio drama series is one of his two favorite audio dramas. And that gave me pause. Wait a second here, I thought. Time out. Seriously? And the door opened to all kinds of issues. The main one being this:

There seems to have developed a dual standard of excellence on SFFaudio. First, there’s the FREE standard of excellence. Meaning, if it’s free, the standard for excellence appears to be lower. I couldn’t possibly call the audio drama I’ve heard via podcasting “excellent” if I compare it with almost any professional audio drama.

In reviews and commentary, I think we should be comparing audio dramas to audio dramas. The finest audio dramas ever produced – THOSE are the gold standard. People like Dirk Maggs, Roger Gregg, and Yuri Rasovsky continue to produce first-rate audio drama, and 99% of the amateur stuff is… well, it’s amateur stuff.

I’m all for letting folks know what’s out there – that’s really SFFaudio’s mission. But, in reviews and commentary, a reviewer needs a single standard of excellence, not two. If a piece of amateur audio drama garners a great review, it ought to compare favorably with a professional piece of audio drama that also got a great review. The same goes for podcast novels.

posted by Scott D. Danielson

SFFaudio RSS-only Readers Take Note

News

Meta SFFaudioThe RSS-only readers of SFFaudio might not be aware that we are more than just a daily news and reviews source. So for your edu-musement we present…

The Top 5 Things SFFaudio’s RSS-only Subscribers Miss:

1. Review Archives – We archive reviews for all-time. Just because it didn’t come out last week doesn’t mean it isn’t worth reading about today.

2. Features Section – Read archived interviews, publisher information and author profiles, and other features. One particularily useful feature is to browse audio editions of Hugo award winning fiction.

3. Online Audio Page – Check out our page of easily navigable links to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror related podcasts, online radio shows, podcast novels, and more online audio goodness.

4. Browse Archived News – SFFaudio has posted more than 500 entires since 2003!

5. Post Comments – Every post we make is commentable. Got any snappy comebacks? Think we’re off our rockers? Let us know.

Check out the site for yourself right HERE.

posted by Jesse