Think the Oscars or Grammies for audio books. [Ed. (a.k.a. Gwen): Phil Gigante's luscious voice is nominated!  Read on...]

From the APA website:

“APA ANNOUNCES THE AUDIES® FINALISTS IN 29 CATEGORIES – Winners to be Announced at Audies Gala in Los Angeles

The Audio Publishers Association (APA) will host The Audies®, awards for excellence in audiobooks, on May 30, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. The winners will be announced at a gala celebration held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

As the only awards program in the United States devoted entirely to honoring spoken word entertainment, The Audies® gala brings together performers, authors, producers, publishers and media to celebrate the best of the 2007 audiobook publishing year.

Categories for judges’ consideration included Fiction, Non-Fiction, Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction, Multi-Voiced Performance, Romance, Science Fiction, Spanish Language and much more, including a newly created Achievement in Abridgement category.”

Some nominations that might be of particular interest to TGTBTU fans (to see a pdf of all the nominees, click here):

Children’s Titles, Ages 12 +

• Bloody Jack by L.M. Meyer, narrated by Katherine Kellgren, published by Listen & Live Audio
• InterWorld by Neil Gaiman, narrated by Christopher Evan Welch, published by HarperAudio
• A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass, narrated by Danielle Ferland, published by Recorded Books
• M Is for Magic by Neil Gaiman, narrated by Neil Gaiman, published by HarperAudio
• Slam by Nick Hornby, narrated by Nicholas Hoult, published by Penguin Audio

Romance

• Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning, narrated by Phil Gigante, published by Brilliance Audio
• Consequences by Penelope Lively, narrated by Josephine Bailey, published by Tantor Media, Inc.
• Everlasting by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, narrated by Xanthe Elbrick, published by HarperAudio
• On Tall Pine Lake by Dorothy Garlock, narrated by Anna Fields, published by BBC Audiobooks America
• Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, narrated by Anna Fields, published by HarperAudio
• Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas, narrated by Jeannie Stith, published by Brilliance Audio

Science Fiction

• The Draco Tavern by Larry Niven, narrated by Tom Weiner, published by Blackstone Audio Inc.
• Dune by Frank Herbert, narrated by Scott Brick, Simon Vance and a full cast, published by Macmillan Audio
• The Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney, narrated by Kristoffer Tabori, published by Blackstone Audio Inc.
• Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Ravens of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson, narrated by Lorna Raver, published by Tantor Media, Inc.
• Selections from Dreamsongs 1: Fan Fiction and Sci-Fi from Martin’s Early Years: Unabridged Selections by George R.R. Martin, narrated by Claudia Black, Mark Bramhall, Scott Brick, Roy Dotrice, Kim Mai Guest, Kirby Heyborne, and Adrian Paul, published by Random House Audio

Thriller/Suspense

• Daddy’s Girl by Lisa Scottoline, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat, published by HarperAudio
• Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill, narrated by Stephen Lang, published by HarperAudio
• The Judas Strain by James Rollins, narrated by Peter Jay Fernandez, published by HarperAudio
• No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay, narrated by Christopher Lane, published by Brilliance Audio
• The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva, narrated by Phil Gigante, published by Brilliance Audio
• What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman, narrated by Linda Emond, published by HarperAudio

And yes, for those of you that did not notice, narrator Phil Gigante IS nominated in two different categories… cuz he’s just that freakin’ good. Of course, I think he was robbed and ALL his KMM Highlander’s audio books should have been nominated. *sniff*

…er… I mean… Congratulations and Good Luck to ALL the nominees!

BTW, I’m listening to Phil right now in KMM’s Kiss of the Highlander and let me tell you, it’s the best yet! Kiss better sweep the Audies NEXT year or I might send Gwen over to have a talk with those APA folks!