Kevin R. Free has narrated 118 audiobooks on Listento.it by 107 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.7★ across 3,191 ratings. The most-rated is The Sun Does Shine.
Outlining Your Novel
Summary
Let outlines help you write a better book! Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal. Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success will: Help you choose the right type of outline for you Guide you in brainstorming plot ideas Aid you in discovering your characters Show you how to structure your scenes Explain how to format your finished outline Instruct you in how to use your outline Reveal the benefits: Ensures cohesion and balance Prevents dead-end ideas Provides foreshadowing Offers assurance and motivation Dispel misconceptions: Requires formal formatting Limits creativity Robs the joy of discovery Takes too much time
©2011 K. M. Weiland (P)2014 K. M. Weiland
Something Like Autumn
Summary
Love can appear unexpectedly: a chance meeting at a friend's wedding, the arrival of a handsome new co-worker...or while being robbed at a convenience store. For some, love seems an impossible dream. Growing up gay in small-town Missouri, Jace Holden thought his chance would never come. When he meets Victor - a wild soul and fellow outsider - his chances of finding love go from bleak to a very uncertain, maybe. Bracing his heart, Jace chases after his desire, hoping for a warm hand to hold his tight. Something Like Autumn tells the story of Jace's life before the events of Something Like Summer, while also revisiting his time with Benjamin Bentley. The Seasons Series: Book 1: Something like Summer, Book 2: Something like Winter, Book 3: Something like Autumn, Book 4: Something like Spring.
©2013 Jay Bell (P)2014 Jay Bell
Real Life
Summary
A Finalist for the 2020 Booker Prize And the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize A New York Times Editors' Choice “A blistering coming of age story” (O: The Oprah Magazine) Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, New York Public Library, Vanity Fair, Elle, NPR, The Guardian, The Paris Review, Harper's Bazaar, Financial Times, Huffington Post, BBC, Shondaland, Barnes & Noble, Vulture, Thrillist, VICE, SELF, Electric Literature, and Shelf Awareness A novel of startling intimacy, violence, and mercy among friends in a Midwestern university town, from an electric new voice. Almost everything about Wallace is at odds with the Midwestern university town where he is working uneasily toward a biochem degree. An introverted young man from Alabama, Black and queer, he has left behind his family without escaping the long shadows of his childhood. For reasons of self-preservation, Wallace has enforced a wary distance even within his own circle of friends - some dating each other, some dating women, some feigning straightness. But over the course of a late-summer weekend, a series of confrontations with colleagues, and an unexpected encounter with an ostensibly straight, White classmate, conspire to fracture his defenses while exposing long-hidden currents of hostility and desire within their community. Real Life is a novel of profound and lacerating power, a story that asks if it’s ever really possible to overcome our private wounds, and at what cost.
©2020 Brandon Taylor (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Something Like Spring
Summary
Nothing in this world is permanent. Friends, lovers, even family can all disappear in the blink of an eye. Without these anchors, it's all too easy to find oneself drifting. Jason Grant doesn't have much, aside from a beat-up old guitar and knack for getting kicked out of foster homes. His latest placement is set to be just another in a long line of failures. Then he meets Caesar Hubbard, a handsome guy who lives down the hall. For the first time in his life, Jason wants to stay, which means learning to be part of a family, and not letting his feelings - or his actions - ruin his first real chance of falling in love. Something Like Spring introduces a new character to the Seasons story, one with a troubled past and an equally turbulent future. Jason must traverse a winding road fraught with emotional conflicts and tough decisions - a road that might just lead to a certain couple in Austin.
©2014 Jay Bell (P)2015 Jay Bell
Something Like Forever
Summary
Love, like everything in the universe, cannot be destroyed. But over time it can change. The hot Texas nights were lonely for Ben before he met Tim Wyman, the man he would one day marry. Now, 20 years later, everything is perfect. Isn't it? As Ben struggles with guiding his adopted son toward happiness, he begins to question his own path in life. Tim is little help, pulled away by artistic success and faced with temptation, but true love should be able to overcome such obstacles...if only their struggles ended there. Something Like Forever is a love story spanning a lifetime and beyond, as two men discover what it means to be friends, lovers, and so much more. The Something Like... series: 1. Something Like Summer 2. Something Like Autumn 3. Something Like Winter 4. Something Like Spring 5. Something Like Lightning 6. Something Like Thunder 7. Something Like Stories - Volume One 8. Something Like Hail 9. Something Like Rain 10. Something Like Stories - Volume Two 11. Something Like Forever
©2017 Jay Bell (P)2018 Jay Bell
Locking Up Our Own
Summary
Pulitzer Prize Winner, Nonfiction, 2018 An original and consequential argument about race, crime, and the law. Today, Americans are debating our criminal justice system with new urgency. Mass incarceration and aggressive police tactics - and their impact on people of color - are feeding outrage and a consensus that something must be done. But what if we only know half the story? In Locking Up Our Own, the Yale legal scholar and former public defender James Forman Jr. weighs the tragic role that some African Americans themselves played in escalating the war on crime. As Forman shows, the first substantial cohort of black mayors, judges, and police chiefs took office around the country amid a surge in crime. Many came to believe that tough measures - such as stringent drug and gun laws and "pretext traffic stops" in poor African American neighborhoods - were needed to secure a stable future for black communities. Some politicians and activists saw criminals as a "cancer" that had to be cut away from the rest of black America. Others supported harsh measures more reluctantly, believing they had no other choice in the face of a public safety emergency. Drawing on his experience as a public defender and focusing on Washington, DC, Forman writes with compassion for individuals trapped in terrible dilemmas - from the young men and women he defended to officials struggling to cope with an impossible situation. The result is an original view of our justice system as well as a moving portrait of the human beings caught in its coils.
©2017 James Forman, Jr. (P)2017 Recorded Books
Something Like Lightning
Summary
Never stop running. No matter how often life trips you up or how many times your enemies knock you down, just get up and keep on moving until you find where you belong. Kelly Phillips has been out and proud since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he's never been short on friends or lovers. But when you have almost everything, it's hard not to focus on what's just out of reach: a best friend who would be Mr. Right if he wasn't already Mr. Straight. Or that handsome athlete at school who would be easier to wrangle if not for his angel wings. And then there's the guy who might be a perfect fit, maybe even a soul mate...if only he wasn't convinced he didn't need anyone. Kelly has always been good at running. Now he must learn to chase, which will test not only his endurance but the durability of his heart as well. Something Like Lightning is a new beginning in the Something Like... saga, shifting the focus to a different set of characters while also revisiting a familiar face or two. The Something Like... series: Something Like Summer Something Like Winter Something Like Autumn Something Like Spring Something Like Lightning Something Like Thunder
©2014 Jay Bell (P)2015 Jay Bell
All She Wrote
Summary
A murderous fall down icy stairs is nearly the death of Anna Hitchcock, the much-beloved "American Agatha Christie" and Christopher Holmes' former mentor. Anna's plea for him to host her annual winter writing retreat touches all Kit's sore spots - traveling, teaching writing classes, and separation from his new lover, J. X. Moriarity. For J. X., Kit's cancellation of yet another romantic weekend is the death knell of a relationship that has been limping along for months. But that's just as well, right? Kit isn't ready for anything serious and besides, Kit owes Anna far too much to refuse. Faster than you can say "Miss Marple wears boxer shorts", Kit is snooping around Anna's elegant, snowbound mansion in the Berkshires for clues as to who's trying to kill her. A tough task with six amateur sleuths underfoot. Six budding writers with a tangled web of dark undercurrents running among them. Slowly, Kit gets the uneasy feeling that the secret may lie between the pages of someone's fictional past. Unfortunately, a clever killer is one step ahead. And it may be too late for J. X. to ride to the rescue. Warning: Contains one irascible, 40-year-old mystery writer who desperately needs to get laid, one exasperated 30-something ex-cop only too happy to oblige, an isolated country manor that needs the thermostat cranked up, various assorted aspiring and perspiring authors, and a merciless killer who may have read one too many mystery novels.
©2011 Samhain Publishing (P)2013 Josh Lanyon
From the Kane Chronicles: Brooklyn House Magician's Manual
Summary
Calling all young magicians of Egypt! If the blood of the pharaohs runs in your veins, you can't afford to be without this guide to Ancient Egyptian deities and creatures, and Carter and Sadie Kane's world of magic.
Greetings, initiate! Carter Kane, here. Congratulations on reaching Brooklyn House in one piece. This accomplishment signals that you're descended from Ancient Egyptian royalty, and you have magic powers. But what good is power without knowing how to use it? That's where this training manual comes in. Packed with quizzes, stories, and insights about Ancient Egyptian deities, creatures (the friendly and the deadly), the mysterious Duat, and more, this primer will prime those with the blood of the pharaohs to take their first steps down the path of the gods. You'll hear from me, other magicians (including my sister, Sadie), and even a few of the gods themselves. But beware of tricks and surprises: anything can happen in the world of Egyptian magic.
©2018 Rick Riordan (P)2018 Listening Library
Something Like Thunder
Summary
This isn't a coming out story. Nor is it the tale of a lonely heart-seeking companionship. This is about how I learned to fight. My name is Nathaniel Courtney, and I m a survivor. I didn't let the cruelty of others wear me down, and I've weathered the more subtle hardships of the heart. Love is a Trojan horse, slipping past your guard and leaving you ransacked and vulnerable. I emerged from that war not unscathed but as a new man. The only mistake I ever made was letting the right guy get away. Now I've got one more chance. This is the final battle, because if I fail now...I won't. You'll see. Just listen to my story, Kelly Phillips, and when I'm done, please don t walk away. Take this weary soldier into your arms so we can find peace together. Something Like Thunder is the sixth book in the ongoing Something Like... series, shedding light on past events while leading the listener toward an exciting new future. The Something Like... series: 1. Something Like Summer 2. Something Like Winter 3. Something Like Autumn 4. Something Like Spring 5. Something Like Lightning 6. Something Like Thunder
©2015 Jay Bell (P)2015 Jay Bell
The Book of Pride
Summary
The Book of Pride captures the true story of the gay rights movement from the 1960s to the present, through richly detailed, stunning interviews with the leaders, activists, and ordinary people who witnessed the movement and made it happen. These individuals fought battles both personal and political, often without the support of family or friends, frequently under the threat of violence and persecution. By shining a light on these remarkable stories of bravery and determination, The Book of Pride not only honors an important chapter in American history, but also empowers young people today (both LGBTQ and straight) to discover their own courage in order to create positive change. Furthermore, it serves a critically important role in ensuring the history of the LGBTQ movement can never be erased, inspiring us to resist all forms of oppression with ferocity, community, and most importantly, pride.
©2019 Mason Funk (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers
Glasshouse
Summary
Hugo Award-winning author Charles Stross delivers “credible and bold SF” (Science Fiction Weekly) that continually pushes the boundaries of the genre. With Glasshouse, Stross pens a Kafkaesque tale set in a 27th-century of teleport gates and mind-attacking network worms. After Robin awakes in a clinic, he struggles to summon details of his life, but too many of his memories have been wiped clean. More troubling is the stark awareness of immediate danger: someone is trying to kill him. On the run, Robin makes a desperate gamble and volunteers for what he hopes is the sanctuary of an unusual study at the Glasshouse. Once there, however, he realizes the true terror has only begun. Stross pulls out all the stops in a searing adventure that will keep listeners’ hearts racing. Propelled by Kevin R. Free’s riveting narration, Glasshouse is a novel SF fans will not soon forget.
©2006 Charles Stross (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC
Something Like Hail
Summary
When life closes each door and the world has taken away every opportunity, sometimes, it's up to us to make our own luck - and to give ourselves a second chance. Noah Westwood is tired of life on the streets, so he turns to Marcello Maltese, a man who owns a small media empire...and a few covert businesses, such as an escort service. Noah volunteers for this, but he's playing a dangerous game. A secret from his past could turn his new friends into enemies, and he isn't sure he can perform the duties he signed up for, especially when he's more interested in falling in love than hopping into the beds of his clients. This is complicated further when his hunky coworker, Harold Franklin, seems to be interested. Or is he? Noah is off the streets, but he'll have to travel down many roads on his quest to find his happily ever after. Something Like Hail introduces a new character to the Something Like... series, one whose life is intertwined with the previous stories in unexpected ways.
©2017 Jay Bell (P)2018 Jay Bell
Something Like Stories
Summary
Benjamin Bentley and many other beloved characters from the Something Like...series make their triumphant return in this collection of short stories and bonus material. "Something Like Yesterday" travels to the past where Eric Conroy attempts to find love against a backdrop of intolerance and political upheaval. In "Something Like Fall", Ben meets Jace's family and tries to cope with many changes in the years that follow. Allison Cross finally gets her dues in "Something Like Tonight", examining the relationships in her life during a girls' night out. "Something Like Eternity" takes the series where it has never gone before as Victor Hemingway seeks out his ultimate destiny. Also included is a character guide and a timeline of key events thus far. Laughter and tears await you in this very special anthology!
©2015 Jay Bell (P)2016 Jay Bell
Something Like Rain
Summary
Nice guys finish last, but that doesn't mean they give up the fight. Sometimes it's necessary to keep trudging through the rain in the hopes of finding a break in the clouds. William Townson is a good person. He's kind, considerate, and the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt anyone. Accidents happen though, and when they do, all that can be done is to pick up the pieces. For William, this means trying to hold together a stagnant relationship while resisting the temptation of Jason Grant, a young man with eyes just as intense as his love. Only the future can promise redemption for mistakes of the past, forcing William to choose between the Coast Guard and the needs of his heart. Can he find his way through the downpour to somewhere warm and dry?
©2016 Jay Bell (P)2016 Jay Bell
Modern Love, Revised and Updated (Media Tie-In)
Summary
The most popular, provocative, and unforgettable essays from the past 15 years of the New York Times "Modern Love" column - including stories from the upcoming anthology series starring Tina Fey, Andy Garcia, Anne Hathaway, Catherine Keener, Dev Patel, and John Slattery A young woman goes through the five stages of ghosting grief. A man’s promising fourth date ends in the emergency room. A female lawyer with bipolar disorder experiences the highs and lows of dating. A widower hesitates about introducing his children to his new girlfriend. A divorcée in her 70s looks back at the beauty and rubble of past relationships. These are just a few of the people who tell their stories in Modern Love, Revised and Updated, featuring dozens of the most memorable essays to run in The New York Times "Modern Love" column since its debut in 2004. Some of the stories are unconventional, while others hit close to home. Some reveal the way technology has changed dating forever; others explore the timeless struggles experienced by anyone who has ever searched for love. But all of the stories are, above everything else, honest. Together, they tell the larger story of how relationships begin, often fail, and - when we’re lucky - endure. Edited by longtime "Modern Love" editor Daniel Jones and featuring a diverse selection of contributors - including Mindy Hung, Trey Ellis, Ann Hood, Deborah Copaken, Terri Cheney, and more - this is the perfect audiobook for anyone who’s loved, lost, stalked an ex on social media, or pined for true romance: In other words, anyone interested in the endlessly complicated workings of the human heart.
©2019 Daniel Jones, Andrew Rannells, Ayelet Waldman, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Veronica Chambers (P)2019 Random House Audio
Somebody Killed His Editor
Summary
Thanks to an elderly spinster sleuth and her ingenious cat, Christopher Holmes has enjoyed a celebrated career as a bestselling mystery writer. Until now. Sales are down and his new editor is allergic to geriatric gumshoes. On the advice of his agent, he reinvents his fortyish, frumpy, recently dumped self into the sleek, sexy image of a literary lion, and heads for a Northern California writers conference to try and resurrect his career. A career nearly as dead as the body he stumbles over in the woods. In a weirdly déjà vu replay of one of his own novels, he finds himself stranded in an isolated lodge full of frightened women?and not a lawman in sight. Except for J.X. Moriarity, former cop and bestselling novelist. The man with whom he shared a one-night stand - okay, maybe three - long ago. The man who wants to arrest him for murder. A ruthless, stalking killer, or a hot, handsome ex-lover. Which poses the greater danger? It's elementary, my dear Holmes! **this title contains gay erotic content**
©2009 - 2016 Samhain Publishing (P)2012 Josh Lanyon
How It Went Down
Summary
When 16-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar. Tariq was black. The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white. In the aftermath of Tariq's death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth. Tariq's friends, family, and community struggle to make sense of the tragedy, and to cope with the hole left behind when a life is cut short. In their own words, they grapple for a way to say with certainty: This is how it went down.
©2014 Kekla Magoon (P)2014 Recorded Books
The Boy with the Painful Tattoo
Summary
It's moving day at Chez Holmes. Somehow, against Kit's better instincts, he and J.X. are setting up house together. But while J.X. is off at a writing conference, Kit unpacks a crate that should contain either old books or new china. It doesn't. Within the mounds of Styrofoam popcorn is a dead body. A very dead body. There goes the neighborhood.
©2014 Josh Lanyon (P)2014 Josh Lanyon
A World Without Email
Summary
From New York Times best-selling author Cal Newport comes a bold vision for liberating workers from the tyranny of the inbox - and unleashing a new era of productivity. Modern knowledge workers communicate constantly. Their days are defined by a relentless barrage of incoming messages and back-and-forth digital conversations - a state of constant, anxious chatter in which nobody can disconnect, and so nobody has the cognitive bandwidth to perform substantive work. There was a time when tools like email felt cutting-edge, but a thorough review of current evidence reveals that the "hyperactive hive mind" workflow they helped create has become a productivity disaster, reducing profitability and perhaps even slowing overall economic growth. Equally worrisome, it makes us miserable. Humans are simply not wired for constant digital communication. We have become so used to an inbox-driven workday that it's hard to imagine alternatives. But they do exist. Drawing on years of investigative reporting, author and computer science Professor Cal Newport makes the case that our current approach to work is broken, then lays out a series of principles and concrete instructions for fixing it. In A World Without Email, he argues for a workplace in which clear processes - not haphazard messaging - define how tasks are identified, assigned, and reviewed. Each person works on fewer things (but does them better), and aggressive investment in support reduces the ever-increasing burden of administrative tasks. Above all else, important communication is streamlined, and inboxes and chat channels are no longer central to how work unfolds. The knowledge sector's evolution beyond the hyperactive hive mind is inevitable. The question is not whether a world without email is coming (it is), but whether you'll be ahead of this trend. If you're a CEO seeking a competitive edge, an entrepreneur convinced your productivity could be higher, or an employee exhausted by your inbox, A World Without Email will convince you that the time has come for bold changes and will walk you through exactly how to make them happen.
©2021 Cal Newport (P)2021 Penguin Audio