Diagnosed with a reading and writing disability, I was late to start reading chapter books. That didn’t mean I wasn’t interested in stories. I’ve been a reader throughout my life. Of the kids in my family, I always had a book around.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to accept my reading limitation and find ways around it. Audiobooks have been a lifesaver. I voraciously consume audiobooks. I’m unsure how many years I’ve had an audible account, but I have over 300 titles in my library. I’ve listened to many of the titles more than once.

I’m a big fan of mystery and detective stories. My favorite series is the Longmire series by Craig Johnson, but I’ve also listened to everything from Vince Flynn, C.J. Box, and Lee Childs. I’ve listened to the Tier One series. I’ve listened to all available Game of Thrones books (each one is over 33 hours long) and some Brandon Sanderson.

I get caught up in these books. I listen to them when I drive. I listen to them when I go to sleep, and if there is an ending coming up, I will even start my day trying to finish the end of a book from the night before.

I’ve grown to understand and appreciate my favorite narrators, from George Guidall to Dick Hill. There are also narrators that I avoid and will stop books early because I can’t handle their presentation.

This is really just a thank you to those who produce audiobooks. Finding them has allowed me to read at a level I never would have thought possible before. It has helped me become much more literate without the trouble of reading.