Hachette Audio Wins Three Audie Awards
New York, NY – March 23, 2021 The annual Audie Awards®, recognized as the most prestigious award in the spoken word art form, were announced last night in a virtual gala ceremony hosted by the Audio Publishers Association (APA) and emceed by actor, playwright, and comedian John Leguizamo.
N.K. Jemisin’s THE CITY WE BECAME, read by Robin Miles, took top honor in both its nominated categories – Fantasy and Best Female Narration. The latter prize is considered one of the “top four” categories, as it celebrates in particular the artistry of the voice actor’s interpretation of the work. Three-time Hugo Award winner N. K. Jemisin said of these additions to the long list of accolades for her work: “I’m honored by these awards, and honored to once again work with the phenomenal Robin Miles, who more than deserves them. Big congratulations to her and the Hachette Audio team!”
“Golden Voice” Robin Miles (AudioFile Magazine) gave an impassioned acceptance speech live on camera during the gala ceremony. Miles later noted that “Being a part of this creative team of women (Nora/Elece/Michelle/Robin) felt powerful and complete in a way I haven’t felt before. Ideas flowed, there was such respect for each other’s contributions, and egos were left at the door. It set a new standard for collaboration and excellence for me. And I’m so grateful that I got to be a part of it!” Producer/Director Elece Green said “I’m FIERCELY proud of this production and the incredible creative team behind it. From my inspired studio sessions with the incomparable Robin Miles, captured by audio dynamo Michelle Figueroa, to the meticulous magic of editing and sound design with postproduction wizard Gabino Reyes, it was a collaboration of the highest order. This wonderful recognition is a tribute to those efforts.”
“Getting to work on a story like this comes once in a career,” added Recording Engineer Michelle Figueroa, speaking about Jemisin’s creation; “You get this whole world you’re allowed to play in but also one that you already know which helps you bring it to life. Growing up in Brooklyn these characters are familiar to me. They are my friends and family and neighbors. They are home. So to be able to help bring that perspective, that feeling of intimate familiarity into a scene was very rewarding. And to be able to do that with this extraordinary team of women, Robin Miles and Elece Green, was such an honor.”
Michael Connelly’s FAIR WARNING, narrated by Peter Giles and Zach Villa, won the Audie for best Mystery audiobook. Connelly, perhaps best known for his Bosch books, which have been made into an eponymous tv series, said “This is great news. I knew that the way Hachette Audio was handling this story with different voices was going to deliver a really good thrill ride. That’s where the credit goes. The voices and the production.” Executive Producer Michele McGonigle said “Producer Dennis Kao, longtime Hachette Audio partner, his team, and the talents of Peter Giles and Zach Villa – coupled with Michael Connelly’s incredible writing – made Fair Warning a shoo-in.”
Anthony Goff, SVP and Publisher of Hachette Audio, had this to say of the multiple wins: “I’m thrilled for all of Hachette Audio’s nominated & winning productions, humbled by the amazing work of our authors and the trust of imprints that bring us books to interpret, thankful for the judges and staff that make the Audies possible, and so very proud of our skilled production team and the whole Hachette Audio family.”
Audies winners were selected to recognize achievement from among over 1500 entries this year. The public was invited to join the virtual ceremony as guests for the first time in 2021, alongside the usual high-profile attendees: authors; narrators; publishers; reviewers; and distinguished judges, which included Hachette Audio’s David Sedaris, whose CALYPSO was an Audiobook of the Year Finalist, as well as a GRAMMY® Nominee, in 2019.
Hachette Audio’s illustrious Finalists included:
Narration by the Author ACID FOR THE CHILDREN written and read by Flea
Narration by the Author LITTLE WEIRDS written and read by Jenny Slate
Best Female Narration THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin, read by Robin Miles
Faith-Based Nonfiction THE POWER OF FAVOR written and read by Joel Osteen
Fantasy THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin, read by Robin Miles
Fantasy THE LAST SMILE IN SUNDER CITY written and read by Luke Arnold
History DEEP DELTA JUSTICE by Matthew Van Meter, read by Brad Sanders
Humor THE NEW ONE written and read by Mike Birbiglia with J. Hope Stein
Mystery FAIR WARNING by Michael Connelly, read by Peter Giles & Zach Villa
Mystery TROUBLE IS WHAT I DO by Walter Mosely, read by Dion Graham
Read more about the Audies Competition here.
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Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre (a Lagardère company), the third-largest trade and educational publisher in the world.
Hachette Audio is a publisher of a variety of popular genres in audio form, which matches HBG material with talented actors, composers, and producers to find its fullest expression. Their audiobooks are primarily based on material published in print and ebook by Grand Central Publishing, Little, Brown & Company, Hachette Nashville, Orbit, Hachette Books, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Perseus Books, and have been recognized for the highest quality of content and production with numerous GRAMMY, Audie, Listen Up! And Earphone awards. Unabridged and abridged titles are available on CD and as digital downloads.