I suppose you think we’ve been quiet lately. You’d be excused for thinking so, even if you’d be sadly mistaken. We’ve been churning away at producing some of our most ambitious projects to-date, including our first massive-narrator anthology of crime fiction, a couple of literary fiction pearls, and enough science fiction and fantasy selections to send you to other worlds, alternate universes, or altered states.  Enjoy!

CRIME FICTION

Las Vegas Noir by Jarret Keene and Todd James Pierce (Editors). Narrated by Darla Middlebrook, Arielle Lipshaw, Mike Vendetti, Charles Bice, Lee Ann Howlett, Diane Havens, Denice Stradling, and Kenneth Campbell.  Published in print by Akashic Books.
“…this anthology does a fine job of illuminating the dark underbelly of Sin City.” — Publishers Weekly

SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY

A Book of Tongues by Gemma Files. Narrated by Gordon Mackenzie.  Published in print by ChiZine.
“(A) boundary-busting horror-fantasy debut . . . Files smoothly weaves an unusual magic system, Aztec mythology, and a raunchily explicit gay love story into a classic western tale of outlaws and revenge . . . this promising debut fully delivers both sizzling passions and dark chills.” — Publishers Weekly

A Rope of Thorns by Gemma Files. Narrated by Gordon Mackenzie.  Published in print by ChiZine.
“This sequel to A Book of Tongues paints a stark, vivid, and gory picture of the ‘wild west’ in the years following the Civil War. . . . Filled with antiheroes, sacrificial victims, and supernatural beings, Files’s latest is not for the squeamish but should delight fans of gothic Western fantasy and Central American myths.” — Library Journal

The Other by Matthew Hughes. Narrated by Edward Willett.  Published in print by Underland Press.
“Hughes serves up equal measures of wit, intrigue, and seat-of-the-pants action and even dabbles a little in Jungian psychology.” — Booklist

The Silence of Trees by Valya Dudycz Lupescu. Narrated by Xe Sands.  Published in print by Wolfsword Press.
“Few book reviews start with a foot rub but, really, more should. In one of the most thrilling scenes in Valya Dudycz Lupescu’s first novel—exciting for its unabashed passion and feminism, and most important for the new story it promises to start even thirty pages from the book’s end…” — Kristin Thiel, The Nervous Breakdown

LITERARY FICTION
Trash Sex Magic by Jennifer Stevenson. Narrated by Arielle Lipshaw. Published in print by Small Beer Press.
“This just absolutely rocks. It’s lyrical, it’s weird and it’s sexy in a very funky way. Trash Sex Magic is full of people you would maybe be afraid to meet in real life, but once you’ve met them fictionally you are damn sorry you can’t at least have a beer with them.” — Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveler’s Wife

Saving Angelfish by Michele Matheson. Narrated by Xe Sands. Published in print by Tin House Books.
“This is a flawlessly executed study of a life that’s fully dissolved.” — Los Angeles Times

Audiobook reviewers, book bloggers, and Iambik ambassadors: as always, email Miette for review copies of any title.

We’ve gotten lucky lately with some lovely reviews from around the web, and thought we’d share a couple of our recent favourites with you.  Since we turn all kinds of red from gushing at kind words, to restore our humility, we’re offering a chance to win up to 3 titles of your choice (between now and February 10, 2012).  Read to the bottom of the post for details.  And to those who’ve taken the time to listen and review our titles, thank you.  If you’re a blogger, Goodreads member, or reviewer, feel free to contact Miette for review copies of any Iambik title.

LITERARY FICTION: From Dark Places by E.J. Newman

Audiobook listeners who heard E.J. Newman’s recent reading of Graham Storrs’ Timesplash will no doubt be well aware of her ability to draw the listener in to the narrative of a well-written tale.

A further release, a collection of 25 short stories entitled From Dark Places not only gives the author another platform to display her capabilities as an excellent storyteller and but also as a writer.

E.J. Newman’s approach as a writer is captivating, far from taking a one-dimensional stance, she approaches her subject by thinking outside the box and making each tale in the collection different.

Andy Howells on From Dark Places by E.J. Newman, read by E.J. Newman

ROMANCE: Trencarrow Street by Anita Davison

The interpretation by Ruth Golding captivated my attention from the get go. Ms. Golding’s seasoned voice and accurate interpretations of the characters lend the perfect ambiance to the novel. The distinctive male voices are impressive as well as the different tones she applies to give the novel the authenticity that nicely brings the story to life.

Ms. Golding is a new- to me narrator, but one I’m not planning to shy away from in the future.

Hot Listens (Romance Audiobooks) on Trencarrow Secret by Anita Davison, read by Ruth Golding

Trencarrow Secret could be described as Gothic, but it doesn’t take place in the traditional Gothic setting. Trencarrow is an open and airy mansion filled with the Harts’ friends and relations all congregating for Isabel’s twenty-first birthday. The Gothic moodiness is in Isabel’s mind, where her fears cast a shadow over everything and everyone…

Ruth Golding does a fabulous job. Her older-sounding voice lends a feel of nostalgia to the story, as if Isabel is thinking back to her time in Trencarrow.

Nerfreader on Trencarrow Secret by Anita Davison, read by Ruth Golding

CRIME: Death of a Nationalist by Rebecca Pawel

My point is: Death of a Nationalist has all the strength and authenticity of a novel written in the 1930′s. The writing style, historical details and psychology of the narrative reminded me so much of Nada by Carmen Laforet that I completely mistook Pawel for a contemporary. There is an immediacy to the events and opinions, an absence of hindsight, that I thought would be hard to create so long after the fact.

Elizabeth Klett, who narrates Death of a Nationalist, does a great job. Her character voices are nuanced, each is imbued with subtle individuality. I’ll definitely be listening to more of her work.

BookSexy Review on Death of a Nationalist by Rebecca Pawel, read by Elizabeth Klett

SCIENCE FICTION: Fall from Earth by Matthew Johnson

I read, er, listened to this book over the past day. This was my first ever audio book and it was life changing. The book itself was incredible. Matthew Johnson creates a world full of wonder and and excitement. And the world is very vivid.

Now review time. Shi Jin, and a group of convicts, are sent to a world to terraform and colonize it. However, as Shi Jin soon discovers that not is all that it seems to be. After the appearance of some mysterious creatures Shi Jin and the other convicts enter into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, but who is the cat and mouse? Wait, is that a dog? Now they are playing Dog-Cat-Mouse. Now things have gotten complicated. Who will prevail?

I listened to this book as read by Emma Newman and let me just say that she did an amazing job. Emma has change my opinion on audio books. She has an amazing voice for reading these kinds of books.

The Pirate’s Bounty on Fall from Earth by Matthew Johnson, narrated by E.J. Newman

Sounds good, right? So how about trying to win a few? Enter using the widget below to win your choice of Iambik titles. We have one grand prize of three books of your choice, and two second prizes worth 1 audiobook each. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Our newest literary fiction collection is sure to provide your ears with a much-needed break from the endless throes of holiday jingles they’ve been exposed to lately. Enjoy a tale of two sisters involved in an imaginative new style of performance art; a classic exploration of sexual politics; a hilarious story of self-discovery by way of an orange couch; the first in a thrilling series chronicling a hundred years of Canada’s history; and a biting, heartfelt commentary on the nature of the workplace. As always, these audio gems can be yours for $6.99 each, or you can pick up the entire collection for only $24.99.

Is your wallet still closed?  Okay.  Through the end of January 2012, enter listen-more at checkout for an extra 25% off all orders.  Here’s what’s for grabs:

The Bee-Loud Glade by Steve Himmer. Narrated by Mark F. Smith.  Published in print by Atticus Books.
“An allegorical novel that seems eerily contemporary. Thoreau meets Ballard, meets Huysmans and many more.” — Tom McCarthy, author of Remainder and C

Couch by Benjamin Parzybok. Narrated by Gregg Margarite.  Published in print by Small Beer Press.
“Delightfully lighthearted writing… Occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, the enthusiastic prose carries readers through sporadic dark moments… Parzybok’s quirky humor recalls the flaws and successes of early Douglas Adams.” — Publishers Weekly

The Deserter by Paul Almond. Narrated by Paul Almond. Published in print by McArthur and Company.
“The Deserter is the kind of book you need to give to anyone in your life who can’t stand reading. In fact, every school should have a stack of these in the library. This is history with a beating heart — not to mention a man o’war, redcoats, native people, lumberjacks and more than a few bears.” – Carole’s Book Talk

The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy. Narrated by Tadhg Hynes.
“This is the quality Hardy shares with the great writers…this setting behind the small action the terrific action of unfathomed nature.” — D.H. Lawrence

Sleight by Kirsten Kaschock. Narrated by Adam Verner.  Published in print by Coffee House Press.
“Kaschock’s work stands out for the originality of its concepts, narrative structure, and, particularly, language, as the author redefines words in relation to her art and boldly breaks from traditional grammatical constructions. Kaschock’s intimate knowledge of dance is an asset, helping her bring the sleight performers vividly to life. . . . Sleight is to the traditional fiction narrative what alternative music is to mainstream pop. Readers who enjoy the challenge of an innovative, unconventional style will take pleasure in this selection.” — Library Journal

The days are rapidly approaching the shortest of the year in our part of the world, and our newest releases fit well with the long cold nights.  With a classic brooding exploration of sexual politics, a haunting military science fiction novel and two equally bleak sci-fi novellas, and a handful of terrifying crime titles, you can be sure to make it through the endless nights.  Although we can’t say you’ll get through them unaffected.  Here’s what’s new this week:

LITERARY FICTION
Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy. Narrated by Tadhg Hynes.
“… the representation of place itself as an agent of change; metaphors (and actualities) of vision and blindness; character self-awareness and self-ignorance; accidents of circumstance: I really do find this novel astonishingly satisfying, even with (because of?) all the tragedies large and small that develop through its pages.” — BookAddiction

CRIME FICTION

People Still Live in Cashtown Corners by Tony Burgess. Narrated by Phil Chenevert.  Published in print by ChiZine.
“‘People Still Live in Cashtown Corners’ is the product of a literary mind that regularly licks at 12 volt batteries charged with pure insanity.” — Aaron Allen, Horror in the Hammer

South by South Bronx by Abraham Rodriguez. Narrated by Abraham Rodriguez.  Published in print by Akashic Books.
“In prose entirely his own (and don’t I wish I could steal it and run off with it!), Abraham Rodriguez gives us a crime story, a love story, and one of the best portraits of the creative process I’ve ever seen. Every page is a joy and every character–including the South Bronx itself-is alive and surprising. This book is something special.” — S.J. Rozan, Edgar Award-winning author of In This Rain

Who By Fire, Who By Blood by Jonathan Papernick. Narrated by John Greenman.  Published in print by Exile Editions.
“A frighteningly realistic world in which the protagonist faces judgments both internal and external at every turn… As with all good thrillers, Who by Fire, Who by Blood works by keeping you guessing and turning the pages.” — Dan Friedman, The Forward

SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY

Endogamy Blues by Mark Shainblum. Narrated by Elizabeth Klett.  Published in print by Véhicule.
“Mark Shainblum does military SF intelligently and gracefully in ‘Endogamy Blues’.” — Paul Di Filippo, Asimov’s Science Fiction

When Darkness Loves Us by Elizabeth Engstrom. Narrated by Linette Geisel.  Published in print by Apex Book Company.
“Finding the light when swamped in darkness is never an easy thing.When Darkness Loves Us is a collection of two novellas from Elizabeth Engstrom. One story follows a young farm girl as she is engulfed by an underworld and yearns to escape, and an old woman who is facing the monsters of her past. Two engaging stories makeWhen Darkness Loves Us quite a pick.” — Midwest Book Review

Audiobook reviewers, book bloggers, and Iambik ambassadors: as always, email Miette for review copies of any title.

From swinging Kansas City of the ’30s to the grit of today’s Glasgow, the heroes and heroines of our newest Crime Fiction take you to the dirtier side of histories real and imagined. In this collection, redemption takes all shapes, from the south of France to a bottle of bourbon. Enjoy any of these titles for $6.99, or pick up the entire collection, over 46 hours of great listening, for only $24.99.

One O’Clock Jump by Lise McClendon. Narrated by Mark Douglas Nelson.  Published in print by Thalia Press.
“Segueing neatly from the ski slopes of contemporary Wyoming (1999’s Nordic Nights) to the Kansas City of Count Basie and FDR’s fireside chats, McClendon debuts an excellent historical series, with evocative period dialogue and a story line full of surprises. Iris Jackson is a woman with a secret, but not for long. PI Dorie Lennox, hired to tail the meatpacker’s “bar girl,” thinks her first solo job is over when Iris jumps into the Missouri River, but this is just the beginning. […] With little to go on, Dorie follows what leads she has straight into a web of false identities, cover-ups and fraud.” — Publishers Weekly

Sweet and Lowdown by Lise McClendon. Narrated by Mark Douglas Nelson.  Published in print by Thalia Press.
“McClendon lightly handles all the threads, using a taut, staccato style that perfectly complements her edgy, skittish heroine. (“She lighted a Lucky and leaned against the wall by the ladies’ lounge. She’d seen the inside of too many nightclubs. In the dark, where anything can happen, and usually did.”) The author masterfully evokes the period, from details of dress to a rally for Wendell Willkie. This is a book to be savored read it too fast and you might miss something.” — Publishers Weekly

The Stone Gallows by C. David Ingram. Narrated by Mark F. Smith. Published in print by Myrmidon.
“In this first book by C David Ingram, we have a new detective who can operate outside the constraints the police force need to observe. Ingram has said in interviews and in the acknowledgements that he is writing further stories featuring Cameron Stone. This great first book makes me want to read the next installment – Ingram having promised some interesting times ahead for Cameron Stone.” – Eurocrime

Wild Turkey by Michael Hemmingson. Narrated by Robert Keiper. Published in print by Tor Forge.
“Within Hemmingson’s fiction is an oddly twisted brand of sin and redemption. His characters are over-whelmed by their sins and bring out justice upon themselves, or other characters enact the karma for them.” — American Book Review

Blackbird Fly by Lise McClendon. Narrated by Denice Stradling.  Published in print by Thalia Press.
“This is a book that . . . one might class as a literary suspense novel. A great deal goes into character growth and change, and McClendon’s obvious love for the French countryside is evident in her description of land and people. If one is looking for a slam-bang action yarn, look elsewhere; BLACKBIRD FLY is a rewarding read for the discerning.” — TheGenReview.com

We have quite an exciting bag of tricks for the earbuds this week, including our third Lise McClendon release, the start of a new series, and a title by the Bram Stoker Award-nominated Nicholas Kaufmann.  Maybe you need them all?  I don’t blame you.  This should help: enter the code november-listening at checkout through November 12, 2011 for a 20% discount on all orders.  Here’s what’s new:

CRIME FICTION
Blackbird Fly by Lise McClendon. Narrated by Denice Stradling.  Published in print by Thalia Press.
“This is a book that . . . one might class as a literary suspense novel. A great deal goes into character growth and change, and McClendon’s obvious love for the French countryside is evident in her description of land and people. If one is looking for a slam-bang action yarn, look elsewhere; BLACKBIRD FLY is a rewarding read for the discerning.” — The GenReview

SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY

Collapse of the Veil by Alison Lohans. Narrated by Arielle Lipshaw.  Published in print by Bundoran Press.
“A tenderly urgent journey through time, love, apocalypse and unexpected hope. Readers will emerge with new insights for our world’s problems and possibilities.” — Sharon Plumb, author of Draco’s Child

Chasing the Dragon by Nicholas Kaufmann. Narrated by Alex Foster.  Published in print by ChiZine.
“(D)elivers gore, mayhem, and the occasional explosion . . . fast paced and technically well crafted.” — Publishers’ Weekly

Audiobook reviewers, book bloggers, and Iambik ambassadors: as always, email Miette for review copies of any title.

Need a soundtrack to days of falling leaves and nights of crackling fires?  We have a true potpourri of aural delicacies, with rich literary offerings, crackpot comedic pursuits, and brow-climbing crime fiction.   To further tempt you under the covers, how about a discount?  Enter the code november-listening at checkout through November 12, 2011 for a 20% discount on all orders.  Here’s what’s new:

LITERARY FICTION
The Bee-Loud Glade by Steve Himmer. Narrated by Mark F. Smith.  Published in print by Atticus Books.
“An allegorical novel that seems eerily contemporary. Thoreau meets Ballard, meets Huysmans and many more.” — Tom McCarthy, author of Remainder and C

Couch by Benjamin Parzybok. Narrated by Gregg Margarite.  Published in print by Small Beer Press.
“Delightfully lighthearted writing. . . . Occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, the enthusiastic prose carries readers through sporadic dark moments . . . Parzybok’s quirky humor recalls the flaws and successes of early Douglas Adams.” — Publisher’s Weekly

CRIME FICTION

Sweet & Lowdown by Lise McClendon. Narrated by Mark Douglas Nelson.  Published in print by Thalia Press.
“McClendon lightly handles all the threads, using a taut, staccato style that perfectly complements her edgy, skittish heroine. (“She lighted a Lucky and leaned against the wall by the ladies’ lounge. She’d seen the inside of too many nightclubs. In the dark, where anything can happen, and usually did.”) The author masterfully evokes the period, from details of dress to a rally for Wendell Willkie. This is a book to be savored read it too fast and you might miss something.” — Publisher’s Weekly

The Stone Gallows by C. David Ingram. Narrated by Mark F. Smith.  Published in print by Myrmidon.
“In this first book by C David Ingram, we have a new detective who can operate outside the constraints the police force need to observe. Ingram has said in interviews and in the acknowledgements that he is writing further stories featuring Cameron Stone. This great first book makes me want to read the next installment – Ingram having promised some interesting times ahead for Cameron Stone.” — Eurocrime

Wild Turkey by Michael Hemmingson. Narrated by Robert Keiper.  Published in print by Tor Forge.
“Within Hemmingson’s fiction is an oddly twisted brand of sin and redemption. His characters are over-whelmed by their sins and bring out justice upon themselves, or other characters enact the karma for them.” — American Book Review

Audiobook reviewers, book bloggers, and Iambik ambassadors: as always, email Miette for review copies of any title.

We received over 300 entries to our Birthday Giveaway, and we’re sharing our birthday presents with you all. All winners were selected by random.org. Congratulations to the winners below!

Grand Prize: 10 Audiobooks From Our Catalog: Kate McDonnell, whose earliest bookish memory, posted to our Facebook page, led to a projectile of coffee perfectly ejected from the nasal passage to its target of my computer monitor.

Second Prize: 5 Audiobooks From Our Catalog: Darlene from Darlene’s Book Nook. Hopefully some of her winnings turn up on the Book Nook soon. Congratulations!

Third Prize: 1 Audiobook From Our Catalog: the 5 winners are Casey Causley, Balázs Oroszlány, Michelle Austin, Josh Jasper, and Carol Wong.  Congratulations to all and may your ears be ever-smiling.

For the rest of you, thanks for your tweets, your Facebook friendships, and your bookish memories. We’ll share some of our favourites along with our own first-year reflections soon. In the meantime, as our birthday present to you, get 50% off any order through the end of the week (Saturday October 22, 2011) by entering the code one-year-old at checkout on Iambik.com.