Hello everyone and welcome to the Audie Awards post.  I so hope I did not keep you waiting to long but what is an event like this if you do not have to wait for it to happen.  Creates buzz I think 😉

Last Wednesday May 11th, I was lucky enough to be the plus one to the Audie Awards in Chicago at the Planetarium.  I was the guest of our very own Candace, Beth Fish Reads, who won the Audio Book Blogger Of The Year.  WOOT!!!!  *Oops that wasn’t very lady like…. I mean *polite clap muffled by silk gloves to my elbow*

All kidding aside, this was quite an honor.  This is a $700 ticketed invite only event and we were there!  So let’s go in shall we?

 

We arrived at 5:30 pm per instructions for Candace to have a chance to go over what she would be saying when she gave out the awards.  I was an observer at this point but it was pretty cool to watch. Everyone was incredibly nice.  I even had a chance to go and look at the cool Audie Awards that would be handed out to the winners when the event began.  I looked.  I did not touch.  I wanted to touch.

And then, before we knew it, we were being ushered upstairs to the reception area.

The signature drink offered at the door was ummm….. I don’t know.  It was good, kind of a grapefruit flavor to it but not bitter.

Candace and I mingled with the Narrators and some of the big name narrating names.  It was really amazing and I think we were both a little shell shocked as waiters and waitresses encouraged us to take the delicious little appetizers that I soooo wish I had taken pictures of (but did not want to look too fan girlish 😉 ).

Can’t you just hear the mingling?  It was the sound of many narrators at once. 🙂

Then the big moment came and we were all sent back downstairs for the main event.

Paula Poundstone was the emcee and I have to say she was hilarious.  I do not belly laugh often, but this woman had me laughing until I cried.  Better yet, you do not even have to take my word for it, the whole thing is available on You Tube! (See Below)

One of the hilarious moments in the award ceremony was when Paula asked that the screen be backed up so she could get a closer look at one of the audio book covers.  Her question?  “Why do we not judge the covers?”  There is a pretty funny give and take on this one with the narrator who was in the audience.

Candace did a wonderful job of giving out the awards in four different categories.  I was the careful photographer behind the scenes trying to capture the moment.

It was a wonderful event and it went by so fast.  It was amazing to be one of the first to know what audio books won the award for best of the year.  I loved watching the audio books show up on the screen and then hearing which one won.  Many I have read… there are many more that were added to my “must listen” list.

 

When it was over Candace let me take one of the audio award envelopes that announced the winners.  TOTALLY EXCITED!!!!!!  This was pretty awesome…. and I picked…

 

After the awards we were back up stairs *should have worn a Fitbit* and into the hall again for dessert and champagne.  We had a wonderful time being able to talk with many of the narrators, and still looking at one another saying, “Yeah… that just happened.”

Thanks Candace for letting me be your plus one.  What an AMAZING experience!

 

 

 

Note that the show does not start for the first 30 minutes so forward this baby and get ready to laugh and see our very own Candace of Beth Fish Reads give away a few awards!