Dec. 30, Science Fiction Audiobooks

The very first audiobook was recorded in the 1950s – it was a book of poetry by Dylan Thomas. They took off in the 1980s, thanks to the longer format audio of cassette tapes and the popularity of the Sony Walkman. Today, audiobooks are the fastest growing format in publishing and that growth shows no signs of stopping. Audiobooks are predicted to become a $19 billion dollar industry by 2027.

This week on Route 51 we take a behind the scenes look at what it takes to create a successful audiobook with two multi-award-winning voice actors, January LaVoy and Robert Petkoff. Both have extensive experience on stage and screen, but now are highly sought after in the field of audiobooks having each recorded hundreds of them in many genres. Today we’ll concentrate on their work in science fiction, more specifically Star Wars and Star Trek. Here to help us navigate is award-winning writer from Central Wisconsin, John Jackson Miller. Many of his books just happen to have been recorded by LaVoy and Petkoff. It’s our annual trek into the final frontier to galaxies far, far away.