Audio Book Month 2026 - Live Interviews all this Week
Audiobook Month 2026 is coming to EveryLibrary Live! from June 15 - 17 with three nights of conversations celebrating storytelling, narration, performance, and the growing cultural impact of audiobooks.
Featured guests include Ash Perez, John Kenney, Jane Hamilton, Helen Laser, Kelsey Impicciche, Natalie Naudus, and Soman Chainani, along with audiobook producers and special guests from leading publishing houses and audio studios, including Anne Fonteneau (Blackstone) and the Choose Your Own Adventure Audio team.
Audiobook Month 2026 is made possible through the support and participation of major publishing and audiobook partners, including Simon & Schuster, Zibby Media, HarperCollins, Blackstone Publishing, Penguin Random House, and the team behind the iconic Choose Your Own Adventure audiobooks.
Each evening will be guest-hosted by Gigi Howard from the hit podcast "Drinks in the Library" and Becky Spratford of RA for All and author of the recently released "Why I Love Horror". Together, they bring deep readers’ advisory expertise, energy, and a passion for connecting audiences with books, authors, and audio storytelling.
Event Schedule
Monday, June 15
5:00 PM EDT — Speak Now: Love, Loss, and Second Chances in Full Cast Audio
Ash Perez joins guest host Becky Spratford to discuss the queer romance novel "Speak Now" and its immersive full-cast audiobook production featuring performers including Jena Malone and Bahni Turpin. Sponsored by Simon & Schuster.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/2864922230529583
and YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHNIxNWgiPM
7:00 PM EDT — Finding Your Way: Humor, Heart, and Reinvention, Read and Heard
A conversation hosted by Gigi Howard with John Kenney and Jane Hamilton about storytelling, reinvention, and the audiobook experience. Sponsored by Zibby Media.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/4353910668205786
Watch on YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFcyVE7ULCA
Tuesday, June 16
5:00 PM EDT — Choose Your Own Adventure Audio Experience
Guest host Becky Spratford takes an interactive look at how the beloved Choose Your Own Adventure books became immersive audiobook adventures, preserving the spirit of reader choice in audio form. Sponsored by Listening Library/Penguin Random House.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/744635622068132
Watch on YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOV_JU-UpsA
7:00 PM EDT — Behind the Mic: The Art of Audiobook Narration with Helen Laser
Award-winning narrator Helen Laser shares insights with guest host Gigi Howard into performance, character development, and the emotional craft of narration. Sponsored by HarperCollins and audiobook publishing partners.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/1632178114511160
Watch on YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72fVfIeIgM4
9:00 PM EDT - The Future of Listening and the Enduring Role of CDs: A Conversation with Anne Fonteneau
Blackstone CSO Anne Fonteneau will discuss the continued growth of digital listening as well as the enduring role of CDs in libraries and communities.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/1304145298099560
Watch on YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xndmf53VDo
Wednesday, June 17
5:00 PM EDT — From Screen to Sea with Kelsey Impicciche and Natalie Naudus
Kelsey Impicciche and Natalie Naudus join guest host Becky Spratform to discuss Voice of the Ocean, romantasy storytelling, online creator culture, and bringing fantasy worlds to life through audio. Sponsored by Blackstone Publishing.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/2512256032614240
or YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwGoW8V5vrE
7:00 PM EDT — Power, Youth, and Revolution: Soman Chainani on Young World
Join bestselling author Soman Chainani and Zeno Robinson, the lead narrator of the audiobook, join guest host Gigi Howard to discuss the immersive full-cast adaptation of "Young World", sponsored by Penguin Random House.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/1535063424724809
Watch on YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL8slsgrQtw
9:00 PM EDT - Still Listening: Why Audiobook CDs Matter in Today's Libraries
We will share a conversation with Cindy Fehmel, Collection Development Librarian/AV for the St. Louis County (MO) Library, one of the nation's largest purchasers of audiobook CDs. Cindy will share insights on patron listening habits, audiobook collection development, and why CDs continue to play an important role in library service even as digital audiobook use continues to grow.
Watch on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/events/1488769179117227
Watch on YouTube Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1naBPujJBc
Libraries are one of the most important pathways to audiobook discovery and access in the United States. Audiobook Month 2026 celebrates not only the creators and performers behind these works but also the public, school, and academic libraries that ensure stories remain free, inclusive, and accessible to everyone.