For the past few years, on November 11th, we’ve offered the following challenge to SFFaudio readers:
“We’ll give you an audiobook if you make one for everyone else.”
Sweet deal huh?
And, we’re offering the same deal this year. We’ll give you a BRAND NEW audiobook if you make make an audiobook out of one of the eTexts we provide you links to. All you’ll need to do is claim a title (by email), record the audiobook using your own voice, and follow the rules (see the first comment of this post for the rules).
Still feeling a little unclear on how it all works? Then have a look at our past SFFaudio CHALLENGES:
|OUR FIRST CHALLENGE|
|OUR SECOND CHALLENGE|
|OUR THIRD CHALLENGE|
This year we’ve got 20 ebooks that need turning into audiobooks and we’ve got 20 BRAND NEW audiobooks to give away as prizes! No matter where you are on the planet Earth, if you finish and release your claimed audiobook, we will ship you your prize!
Interested?
If so, THE FIRST THING you need to do is PICK ONE OF THESE ebooks…
Challenge Titles:
***[CLAIMED BY Krisztina Hidasi on NOV. 29, 2009]
Star Dragon*
By Mike Brotherton
A 2003 novel.
*This novel is released under a Creative Commons license. I recommend confirming the audiobook version being okay with Mike Brotherton before claiming this title.
|MIKE BROTHERON’S WEBSITE|
***
***[CLAIMED BY Jerry Pyle on NOV. 13, 2009] COMPLETED
D-99*
By H.B. Fyfe
A 1962 Novel.
*This novel comes courtesy of WONDER AUDIO |HTML|PDF|***
***[CLAIMED BY Mike Hagerty on NOV. 15, 2009]
The Inheritors (An Extravagant Story)
By Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Ford
A 1901 novel.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|
|WIKIPEDIA ENTRY|***
***[CLAIMED BY Scott Hall on NOV. 13, 2009]
The Planet Strappers
By Raymond Z. Gallun
A 1961 novel.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Julie Davis on NOV. 12, 2009]
Breaking Point
By James E. Gunn
A novelette.
From Space Science Fiction, March, 1953
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|******[CLAIMED BY Evan Wade on NOV. 12, 2009]
The Night Of The Long Knives
By Fritz Leiber
A novella.
From Amazing Science Fiction Stories January 1960.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|******[CLAIMED BY Kevin Jackson on NOV. 13, 2009]
Pariah Planet
By Murray Leinster
A novella (34,000 words) – but advertised as a novel.
From Amazing Stories, July 1961.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Matt Soar on NOV. 13, 2009]
The Iron Heel
By Jack London
A 1908 novel.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|
|WIKIPEDIA ENTRY|***
***[CLAIMED BY David Sobkowiak on NOV. 12, 2009]
Empire
By Clifford D. Simak
A 1951 novel.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Danielle Blake on NOV. 15, 2009]
Pagan Passions
By Randall Garrett and Larry M. Harris
A 1959 novel.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Kelly Fann on NOV. 13, 2009]
Ministry Of Disturbance
By H. Beam Piper
A novelette.
From Astounding Science Fiction, December 1958.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Chris Johnson on NOV. 13, 2009]
A Slave is a Slave
By H. Beam Piper
A novella.
From Analog Science Fact—Science Fiction April 1962.
PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Ross Smith on NOV. 13, 2009]
Sweet Their Blood And Sticky
By Albert R. Teichner
A short story.
From “Worlds of If” November 1961.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Ted Puffer on NOV. 18, 2009]
The Impossibles (Book 2 in the Psi-Powers series)
By Randall Garrett and Laurence M. Janifer (writing as Mark Phillips)
A 1963 novel.
Published in Analog as “Out Like a Light. This is the sequel to Brain Twister.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Bruce M Campbell on NOV. 13, 2009]
Cubs Of The Wolf
By Raymond F. Jones
A novelette.
From Astounding Science Fiction November 1955.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Karen Savage on NOV. 13, 2009]
Ultima Thule
By Mack Reynolds
A novella.
From Analog Science Fact & Fiction March 1961.
Part of the “United Planets” series.
|GUTENBERG.ORG|***
***[CLAIMED BY Lee Huttner on NOV. 12, 2009]
Spring-Heeled Jack – The Terror of London
By anonymous
A 1840s penny dreadful novella.
|GUTENBERG AUSTRALIA|
***[CLAIMED BY David Drage on NOV. 12, 2009]
The Thing On The Roof
By Robert E. Howard
A short story.
First published in Weird Tales February 1932.
|GUTENBERG AUSTRALIA|***
***[CLAIMED BY Mary Casey Walsh on NOV. 13, 2009]
Pigeons From Hell
By Robert E. Howard
A novelette.
First published by Weird Tales in 1938.
|GUTENBERG AUSTRALIA|***
***[CLAIMED BY John Aho on NOV. 12, 2009]
The Air Ship Boys (or The Quest of the Aztec Treasure)
By H.L. Sayler
A 1909 novel.
|PROJECT GUTENBERG|***
SECONDLY, you’ll want to DEEPLY CONSIDER all that your project will entail. [THINK AHEAD, PLAN IT OUT]
After you’ve carefully thought it through you can write me an email, with the details of your plan.
Answer these questions:
1. How are you planning to release your audiobook? Via LibriVox? Podiobooks.com? In your own podcast? Through Audible.com? Somehow else?
2. How long do you expect it to take? When will you be finished? How many hours will it take to record it? Will you proof listen as you go?
Answer those questions in your email to me. Emails that show a lack of forethought WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. So, have a bit of a read of the ebook you’re interested in narrating. Consider the difficulty involved, and then, if you’re still excited about The 4th Annual SFFaudio Challenge, email me with your plan.
My email address is:
Make the subject line:
“The 4th Annual SFFaudio Challenge”
Once an email is received, showing the appropriate forethought required, I will stake your claim in this post.
LASTLY, here are the goodies available (provided by Simon And Schuster Audio, Brilliance Audio, Poe Audio and The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society)…
Prizes:
Swoon
By Nina Malkin; Read by Caitlin Greer
8 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: May 2009
ISBN: 0743582004
Star Trek (Movie Tie In)
By Alan Dean Foster; Based on the movie written by Roberto Orci and Alex Hurtzman; Read by Zachary Quinto
7 CDs – 8 Hours – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9780743598347
|READ OUR REVIEW|
The Dragon’s Eye (Book 1 in the Erec Rex series)
By Kaza Kingsley; Read by Simon Jones
8 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: April 2009
ISBN: 0743581393
The Monsters Of Otherness (Book 2 in the Erec Rex series)
By Kaza Kingsley; Read by Simon Jones
9 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: April 2009
ISBN: 0743581415
Search For Truth (Book 3 in the Erec Rex series)
By Kaza Kingsley; Read by Simon Jones
11 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: June 2009
ISBN: 0743583868
The House Of The Scorpion
By Nancy Farmer; Read by Raul Esparza
9 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: October 2008
ISBN: 0743572467
Leviathan
By Scott Westerfeld; Read by Alan Cumming
CD – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: October 2009
ISBN: 0743583884
The Mortal Instruments (includes City of Ashes, City of Bones, and City of Glass)
By Cassandra Clare; Read by Ari Graynor and Natalie Moore
MP3 3 CDs? – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: October 2009
ISBN: 1442303778
Hush, Hush
By Becca Fitzpatrick; Read by Caitlin Greer
8 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: October 2009
ISBN: 074359956X
The Search For The Red Dragon
By James A. Owen; Read by James Langton
8 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: January 2008
ISBN: 074356913X
Here There be Dragons
By James A. Owen; Read by James Langton
7 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: January 2008
ISBN: 0743569105
The Shadow Dragons
By James A. Owen; Read by James Langton
9 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: October 2009
ISBN: 0743583744
The Indigo King
By James A. Owen; Read by James Langton
8 CDs – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published: October 2008
ISBN: 0743574710
Earth Abides
By George R. Stewart; Read by Jonathan Davis
13 CDs – 15 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9781441806147
|Listen to an AUDIO SAMPLE|
H.P.Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror
Based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft; Performed by a full cast
1 CD – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: HPLHS / Dark Adventure Radio Theatre
Published: 2007
|READ OUR REVIEW|
H.P.Lovecraft’s The Shadow Out of Time
Based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft; Performed by a full cast
1 CD – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: HPLHS / Dark Adventure Radio Theatre
Published: 2008
H.P.Lovecraft’s Shadow Over Innsmouth
Based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft; Performed by a full cast
1 CD – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: HPLHS / Dark Adventure Radio Theatre
Published: 2008
Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 6-8: The Cask of Amontillado and Other Stories
By Edgar Allan Poe; Read by Christopher Aruffo
3 CDs – Approx. 3 Hours 30 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Poe Audio / Acoustic Learning
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9780980058147
Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 9: The Pioneers
By Edgar Allan Poe; Read by Christopher Aruffo
6 CDs – Approx. 7 Hours 32 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Poe Audio / Acoustic Learning
Published: 2009
ISBN: 9780980058154
Edgar Allan Poe Audiobook Collection 10: Deus et Machina
By Edgar Allan Poe; Read by Christopher Aruffo
4 CDs – Approx. 4 Hours 39 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: Poe Audio / Acoustic Learning
Published: September 2009
ISBN: 9780980058161
As claims are accepted they will be noted on the list. As prizes are shipped they will be noted on the list. Links to where the completed audiobooks can be found will be added to this post!
Get selecting folks!
[extra thanks to Gregg Margarite and Rick Jackson]
COMPLETED TITLES:
Ultima Thule
By Mack Reynolds; Read by Karen Savage
13 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 2 Hours 29 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: November 23, 2009
Ronny Bronston has dreamed all his life of getting a United Planets job that would take him off-world. He finally gets the opportunity when he is given a provisional assignment with Bureau of Investigation, Section G. But will he be able to complete his assignment and find the elusive Tommy Paine? First published in Analog Science Fact & Fiction March 1961.
Podcast feed:
http://librivox.org/rss/3735
iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|
D-99
By H.B. Fyfe; Read by Jerry Pyle
20 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 4 Hours 40 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: January 03, 2010
EARTHMEN IN TROUBLE Harris was caged in an underwater “zoo” by a pack of blue lobsters. Maria drew a five-year sentence on a puritanical planet for trying to buy a souvenir–and for being excessively feminine. Taranto and Meyers had committed the crime of being shipwrecked on a planet that didn’t like strangers. Gerson was simply kidnapped. And nobody had any idea why five citizens of Terra were being held on other worlds–and the ultra-secret Department 99 existed only to set them, and others like them, free. This tense novel is the story of one evening’s work for Department 99–their successes and failures–and of the strange crisis that almost wrecked D-99.
Podcast feed: http://librivox.org/rss/3755
iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|
The audiobook is also available in two etext formats |PDF | and |HTML| – in case you’d like to read along!
Posted by Jesse Willis
Release Rules
1. GENERAL RULES:
1a. In order TO CLAIM A TITLE you will need to contact me (Jesse Willis) AND explain which of the titles you’d like to narrate (and why).
1b. Please BE SURE TO set a tentative schedule for completion. Only when you do this will I then mark the entry as “claimed”.
1c. Only AFTER the claim has been made, can you receive your prize.
1d. Your recording must be NARRATED narrated by a single individual, be complete and unabridged. and available to the public, either for free and/or purchase.
1e. With regard to CLAIMS: A claimant must complete and release their first claimed title prior to making another claim.
2. COPYRIGHT: I cannot absolutely confirm that these titles will be out of copyright in your country. We believe them all (except any creative commons releases) to be in the public domain in all the major English speaking countries of Earth. Any audiobook produced and released in good faith will be eligible for a prize. If after completing a project you find evidence to the contrary, you are STILL ELIGIBLE to win a prize. In such cases, where a completed audiobook cannot be publicly released for such reasons, you will still need to prove to me that it was actually completed.
3. ENTRIES ARE JUDGED only upon completion and release. If release is in the form of a serial posting via podcast the audiobook WILL NOT be deemed completed until the entire story, novella, novelette or novel has been posted.
3a. Completion time is judged by notification in my email showing where it can be immediately downloaded and or physical receipt of proof of completion (CDs, MP3-CD, etc.) along with evidence that it is available for purchase.
4. RELEASE may be through Audible.com, LibriVox, Podiobooks.com (or any other website), or via a podcast, AND/OR via commercially available CDs or an mp3-cd (or anywhere else available to the public). You can make your recording public domain, like many challengers have done, or release it commercially. We don’t care how you release it, we just care that it gets released.
5. IN ORDER TO QUALIFY for a Challenge Prize you’ll need to get me a copy of the audiobook and show its availability to others – in other words it must actually be released and be shown to be released. Prize winners are judged based on the time of release, not the time you get a copy to me. So, if you’re planning on releasing a complete novel, and you want to spread the podcast of it over six months, your entry will be eligible only after the final chapter is released. If you plan on selling it in a retail chain, or website, great, but until someone can actually buy it your audiobook is not considered “released.”
6. PRIZES are given out on a first released, first choice basis. Once our official prizes are exhausted we will probably not be able to furnish a challenger with a prize. But, we have lots of prizes! Prizes will be sent via mail to any address in the world.
7. CONFLICTS:
7a. CLAIM CONFLICT: Claims are made successfully being the first person to follow all the rules.
7b. PRIZE CONFLICTS: In the case of two or more Challengers releasing a project on the same day precedence will be determined by the timestamp on the email I receive. Prizes are chosen first come first serve.
7. MORE ABOUT COPYRIGHT: Here are some rules we used in compiling this Official Challenge Titles list: In Canada: Copyright expires 50 years after the author’s death (50 years ‘post mortem auctoris’). In the USA: All copyrights prior to 1923 have expired. Stories written between the years 1923-1963 may or may not be in the public domain. If copyright was renewed, works copyrighted between the years 1923-1963 are still under copyright for an additional 95 years. All works copyrighted between 1964-1977 are copyrighted for 95 years. All works copyrighted between the years 1978 and 2007 are copyrighted for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. Australia: Copyright expires 70 years after the author’s death or 50 years after the author’s death if that death occurred prior to 1955. The United Kingdom: Copyright expires 70 years after the author’s death.
8. CREATIVE COMMONS: The creative commons titles on this year’s list, unlike the others cannot be released as copyrighted audiobooks. A creative commons release is required. For more details on creative commons do a google search.
9. SFFaudio reserves the right to revise the rules and strike titles from the Challenge Titles list as appropriate.
10. Get recording!
A. Hyatt Verrill (1871-1954) wrote considerable SF in Amazing Stories. I have recaptured a lot of these stories and they are available on my website.
‘Into the Green Prism’ is one story I put on archive.org.
These are classic SF stories, we would be pleased if anyone made them into audio.
Doug
I know this isn’t the first year for this, so you’re experienced with the whole process and potential issues, but I have to say that I’m totally impressed with “Emails that show a lack of forethought WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.” Awesome.
No way I have the skills or the time for it this year. But what a great project.
Thanks R.M. I too think it’s fun. Not being a good narrator myself I get pleasure in helping out as I can.
I like to think that if I was alive during WWII I would have been working at Bletchley Park – not doing any of the math or codebreaking you understand, but rather serving the coffee and washing the dishes.
Doug!
Your blog looks very cool. I’d never heard of A. Hyatt Verrill.
I’m sending you an email.
As of November 29th 2009 all TWENTY titles have been claimed.
Great work people!
Now get to work!
I just finished a unique audio book. Title, Garden of Eden, Author, Eve Adams, perfect to go with name of the book.FUNNY
I was wondering: what about titles from earlier challenges which haven’t been claimed? I’ve made a mistake about choosing to record Project Mastodon (from the 3rd challenge) when I thought the 3rd challenge was still running. I’d still like to record it, I think it’s a cool story.
This brings me to another point: where can we download finished books?
Marco, here is my post answering your questions:
http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=16366
:)