Author: Rick Bowers
Narrator: Eleanor Caudill
Length: 7 hours and 31 minutes
Released: Feb. 5, 2020
Publisher: Rick Bowers
Genre: Legal Thriller
Seeking a high profile case to jet-fuel her career and striving to strike a blow for justice, attorney Laura Tobias sets out to clear a man she believes was wrongfully imprisoned for murder, ten years before. The young lawyer, a rising star with the Council Against Wrongful Convictions, is the last hope for inmate Eddie Nash, serving life without parole at the infamous Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York. Attica, one of the last of the classic “big houses”, is still haunted by the 1971 inmate revolt and police siege that left dozens of prisoners and hostages dead. Appealing the cast in federal court and unraveling the facts, Laura uncovers evidence that Eddie was framed by the police for murder – the brutal hanging of a troubled young woman in the remote upstate town of Eden. Realizing that the real “hangman of Eden” may still be at large, Laura also finds herself being stalked. Are the police out to stop her from exposing their frame-up? Is the real killer seeking to keep her from reopening the investigation? Teaming up with noted innocence investigator Charles Steel, she gets a lead on evidence that could clear her client and point to the real killer. With a new trial moving forward, Laura must find the truth and prevail in court, without becoming the next victim.
Rick Bowers is an award-winning author and journalist specializing in the quest for social justice and equal rights. Rick has written three books, penned a PBS documentary and directed an oral history project that gathered thousands of first-hand accounts of the civil rights movement. Rick’s work has also been honored with the prestigious Peabody Award, Emmy Award and Webby Award.
Rick recently debuted as a fiction writer with the release Innocence on Trial — a legal thriller about an idealistic young lawyer seeking to exonerate a wrongfully convicted man. Finding that her client was framed by the police, attorney Laura Tobias also finds herself being stalked. Are the police seeking to keep her from exposing their frame-up? Or is the real killer trying to stop her from re-opening the case?
Bowers’ non-fiction book Spies of Mississippi (National Geographic, 2010) exposed the secret, state-run spy network dedicated to preserving segregation in 1950s and ’60s. Spies of Mississippi transported readers into a world of infiltrators and informants working to undercut civil rights organizations in the deep South at the height of the civil rights movement. The state spies framed civil rights leaders, jailed activists, threatened sympathizers and funded white supremacist organizations with tax dollars. Working with filmaker Dawn Porter, Bowers also penned the PBS/Independent Lens documentary version of Spies of Mississippi, which won numerous awards for its hard hitting treatment of the topic. Bowers’ book Superman vs. the Ku Klux Klan (National Geographic 2012) revealed how the Man of Steel exposed the men of hate to a generation of children. The book details how the producers of the Adventures of Superman radio serial pitted the iconic superhero against a thinly veiled version of the KKK to five million children radio listeners in 1946, winning widespread praise from civic leaders and the press and humiliating the actual Klan. Superman vs. the KKK is now in development as a feature film by Paper Chase Films in L.A.
In addition to writing books and making films, Bowers also conceptualized and directed “Voices of Civil Rights,” a ground-breaking oral-history project that collected thousands of first-hand accounts of the small acts of courage that powered the civil rights movement. This priceless treasure trove of 21,000 recollections, letters, essays, audio tracks, videos and photographs is now archived at the Library of Congress and the Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. A collaboration of AARP, the Library of Congress, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and History Channel, Voices produced best-selling books and award-winning documentaries. The Voices of Civil Rights documentary won the prestigious Emmy and Peabody awards.
He has also appeared on a wide range of media outlets, including PBS, NPR, CBS, the History Channel and Discovery Network.
Prior to working on books, films and multi-media projects, Bowers worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for more than 15 years, reporting for the “Patriot Ledger “of Quincy, Massachusetts, the “Miami Herald, “and “USA Today.” His articles have been published in many of the most prestigious publications in the country, including the “Washington Post,” “Chicago Tribune,” ” Philadelphia Inquirer,” and “TIME.” He also worked as a director/vice president of creative initiatives for AARP, conceptualizing and directing far-reaching projects on important social issues.
I am a voice over, theatre, and commercial actress. I have a strong and confident speaking voice and a penchant for identifying the subtleties and nuance within varying reading materials. I have a passion for reading and that passion is multiplied when sharing a story with others. It would be my honor to tell your story.
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Who Listens to Audiobooks?
By Author Rick Bowers
The slow-rolling drawl of a Southern sherif. The hardcore cockiness of a Boston thug. The guttural moan of an unsuspecting stabbing victim. The eerie squeal of a morgue drawer rolling open — slowly. These are just a few of the captivating voices and compelling sounds created by the talented narrators of audiobooks. These skilled performers voice more than 40,000 titles per year, including literary classics, fascinating biographies, perplexing mysteries, fast-paced thrillers and scorching romance novels. Across the genres, these gifted artists give us unforgettable characters, intense dialog, dramatic soliloquies and tell-tale background noises that make great stories even greater. Their storytelling prowess stimulates our audio sensations the same way our ancestors captured our imagination around the campfire eons ago. No wonder so many of us love listening to a great book. But the question remains. Who listens? The Audiobook Publishers Association conducts an annual survey to gauge the state of the industry. The most recent study tells the story of a booming industry, fueled by high listener satisfaction and soaring demand. “The research confirms that audio publishing continues its upward trajectory. Seven consecutive years of double-digit growth is truly extraordinary,” said Chris Lynch, co-chair of the APA’s Research Committee and President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster Audio. “More audiobooks are being produced and more people are listening than ever.” Highlights follow: Total units produced: 44,685. Up 5.8 percent. Total receipts: $940 million. Up 24 percent Listener ages: 55 percent were under 45. Where they listen: 74 percent listen in their cars. 68 percent listen at home. “The most popular audiobook genres sold in the U.S. are general fiction, mysteries/thrillers/suspense, and science fiction/fantasy. However, non-fiction sales are close behind these top categories and represented 32.7% of unit sales… General non-fiction, history/biography/memoir, and self-help posting the biggest numbers. Audiobooks for adults made up 91.2% of revenue, roughly unchanged from prior years. Sales of Adult and Young Adult titles each increased double digits… while titles targeted at children grew more moderately.” As for me, I love listening to a great audiobook on a long car trip. There’s nothing like getting lost in an intriguing mystery that keeps me guessing to the big reveal. I must confess: after hours of driving I often slow down to make sure I finish the book before reaching my destination. Like many of those surveyed, I also enjoy listening at home. I love to stretch out on the coach and close my eyes, listening to a great story unfold in my mind. Or to simply fade off to sleep with the voice of a great narrator sparking my dreams.
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