New Fiction.Com:
The Site
Audio Books by NewFiction
Home of The iSoap
Through a LinkedIn connection with Tom Lopilato, I learned about New Fiction.Com, a site that both writers and readers will not want to miss! As I am prone to do when a site sounds interesting, I promptly went to visit! Immediately my eyes were assaulted with some really fantastic artwork—much better than older graphic novels! After clicking for various books, I realized that the graphics are obviously created to support the particular book being considered. So, not only do you get a beautiful “front cover” but, when you purchase a book, you will find complementary art spotted throughout!
Spying the word murder, I chose to click on my favorite mystery genre and brought up the book, The Venus de Milo Murders by Dennis Manuel. After subscribing, I opened up the book—a perfect blend of options were available. I chose to have text as well as audio; so after a gory, funky graphic or two, a deep-voice narrator started reading! Dialogue was “played” by other characters. My very first flash was of the Dragnet show, where Jack Webb acts as the narrator overlaying the storyline. Anyway, you get the idea, I am sure!
As I listened to this invisible voice, my mind wandered back to hearing “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?” Even many years later, I can remember that “voice,” though I can’t remember whether it was from radio or early television. With a smile on my face, I decided to do a little online reading about The Shadow, who became a “character” in 1937 due to his popularity. But did you know that “The Shadow” was initially hired in July, 1930, as a “mysterious narrator of mystery tales taken from the pages of Strut and Smith’s Detective Story Magazine—he was hired to read a mystery story over the radio!
This was exactly what I was now doing, except nearly 80 years had passed and I was on a personal computer, listening online on the Internet, watching corresponding graphics and reading the text as well! How cool is that!
The subscriber can get the entire story for free, with each episode being provided every day (16 hours between episodes). Just to take that a little further, NewFiction provides a chance to “experience” the first five chapters of a book. Then you can also decide to purchase a pdf file with graphics, or a version for use on your iPod or cell phone. The stories can even come to you in installments via email! The paid version, of course, allows readers to listen at their own pace.
I must say—I was impressed! And excited! Because as I further explored the site, I realized that the creators are also using new authors and giving those writers a chance to have their books enhanced and shared around the world. Readers can check out and own ”much more than an e-book” for just $5! Note that author testimonials are included—it was heartwarming to read of the writer-publisher relationship being established by New Fiction!
Many of you will remember that manufacturers of soap products funded many early programs. Thus the “soap” opera analogy evolved. While lending a nostalgia touch of old radio shows during radio’s Golden Age when The Lone Ranger, Boston Blackie, Amos and Andy, or “Calling All Cars” found many running to the radio to hear the next installment of a wonderful drama or comedy, NewFiction gives us “the flavor” and thrill of those days, but has fully taken advantage of the technological advantages that makes their fiction NEW in every sense of the word! Bravo!
NewFiction.Com – Take a look and you’ll find yourself subscribing as quickly as I did! Me, I’m heading back to read Chapter 3 of The Venus de Milo Murders! Enjoy!
G. A. Bixler
IP Book Reviewer
Books, Reviews, Short Stories, Authors, Publicity, a little poetry, music to complement...and other stuff including politics, about life... "Books, Cats: Life is Sweet..."
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