Two New Websites for Listening to Audio Books

Today, two new Internet radio websites were launched to cater to those who love books. The first site, ListenToBooks.com (www.ListenToBooks.com), will air a combination of new, classic and original material, which will be available free 24 hours a day. A second site, ListenToChristianBooks.com (www.ListenToChristianBooks.com), will air audio, also free to listeners, geared to Christian book lovers on a 24-hour basis.

All books and stories will air in streaming audio on a published schedule. However, both sites also possess a "listen now" feature to allow listening to any part of a book or feature that has aired during the prior 7 days. There is a nominal $15 a year charge for this ability on the ListenToBooks site, but no charge on ListenToChristianBooks.com.

In addition to new audio appearing daily, ListenToBooks.com will feature short stories, poems, daily quotations, and a book blog. It will also allow anyone to comment on blogs and post their own blogs. Original Satire will appear every day, including a mock advice column.

The Christian site will feature a daily blog, Bible readings, and the ability for anyone to comment on blogs and post their own blogs as members of the community.

The president of Listen To Books Online, which is the parent company of the two websites, is Stuart Anderson, who initially will provide much of the commentary and satire on the sites. An avid reader, for the past three years Anderson has read, on average, more than a book a day.

"I love to read and hope that enthusiasm translates into websites that are fun and interesting for others," said Anderson. "These are the first Internet radio stations in the U.S. playing audio books for book lovers and I think we will find a good audience. The websites fill a niche in the marketplace and should become good vehicles for publishers and others to reach people who enjoy reading and listening to books."

To provide much of the audio content on the websites, Listen To Books Online has partnered with Sound Room Publishers, a division of Findaway World. Listen To Books Online is also teaming with Trident Internet Systems, an Arlington, VA-based company that develops and operates Internet radio stations.