The audiobook standard of excellence in my opinion is undoubtedly the unabridged version of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series as told by narrator Davina Porter. Specifically, I am talking about the first four in the series: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn. Rarely have I been entertained to this degree for such a sustained period of time and that’s quite a statement given that these four books represent 159 hours of listening enjoyment with barely a boring moment.
Although I own all of these books in print, I have never actually read any one of the four. My immense satisfaction with this series comes solely from listening to the unabridged audiobooks. Now, I can’t imagine just settling for the printed word when I choose to revisit Frasers and company. It’s as though there is another whole dimension beyond the mere reading that totally captures my mind’s eye.
It goes without saying that Diana Gabaldon’s writing is the basis of the love herein. Without her exceptional storytelling, where would we be? However, when it comes to audiobooks, there is a second star in the wings who vividly brings these books to life and that is narrator Davina Porter. Much of today’s column is high praise of one sort or another for Ms. Porter’s ability to so completely engage my emotions while providing easily distinguished characterizations. Seldom did I need a “he said” or a “she said” once a character was introduced. Told in first person, the warmth or occasional smile in Porter’s voice further defined Claire’s character and her objective view of the world.
Personally, if only given one choice I’d far prefer a bad beginning to a bad ending. The beginning sets the stage and opens the book, but who are we kidding? We’re romance readers. The ending’s the clincher. The ending’s our couple’s future. It’s the reader’s conviction that everything we just read is legit. If I don’t believe in the happy ending, then the story is sunk.
When I saw Sarah Johnson’s giveaway over at 
Where to draw the line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy is hardly a new question. A number of articles and blog pieces have been written on the subject, including 
I’m currently under the influence of my very first book series addiction. I don’t like it. It’s what I think about constantly; just like an obsession. I wonder if it’s normal and if others experience this feeling. I actually know the publication date of the next book and I’m counting down the days. I really am beginning to question whether or not I can take the wait. There have been other series books I’ve enjoyed and continued, but never anticipated to this degree.
My first trip to the RWA conference felt like complete sensory overload, but in a good way. We kept the 
