Audiobooks are the new growth market for publishers, increasing sales between 20-30 percent each year. On top of that, indy-published e-books accounted for just north of 35 percent in Q4 in 2016, while e-books published by “small and medium presses” made up another 18 percent.
Meaning half of all e-books sold in Q4 were of the independent variety, be it self-published books or titles produced by small or medium-sized presses.
Asheville-based Talking Book, “The Independent Audiobook Publisher,” hopes to provide independent publishers, including those who self-publish, a way to produce audiobooks of their work and distribute them through more than sixteen different channels, including “Audible, Scribd, and more.” Founded by Ben Matchar, Talking Book  wants to produce stories that are “gutsy and innovative.”
Talking Book allows authors to record their own work or hire professional voice actors and they give authors up to 75 percent of royalties.
Their catalog includes biography and memoir; fiction of all stripes including Romance and Mystery & Thriller; books for children; and poetry.
To learn more, visit their website here or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.