Audio in Color Website

Our Round 2 recipients have been chosen!

It’s so exciting to say this...

audio coming soon!

Congratulations to the grant recipients! Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who donated and contributed to our fundraising efforts and auction. We’re so excited for these audiobooks to be out in the world very soon.

Where we started...

The #BrownNippleChallenge

Every month, Nana Malone picks a book from a POC writing romance, and everyone participating in the challenge buys the book/audiobook, (thereby directly putting money in the pockets of the authors). The author is then invited onto her Instagram for a live Q&A with readers and participants.

Audiobook Production

Lyric Audiobooks is a boutique production company that specializes in converting best-selling romance novels into chart-topping audiobooks. Established in 2014 by renowned romance narrator Andi Arndt, the company offers turnkey audiobook production services to select indie authors primarily in the romance genre.

Nana Malone’s #brownnipplechallenge and Lyric Audiobooks joined together to create Audio in Color – a grant program to support BIPOC romance authors who have not yet released an indie audiobook.

We’re looking to expand opportunity for authors and narrators of color through funding authors’ first self-published audiobook project. It’s our hope that the proceeds from this grant-funded release will serve as seed money toward future indie audio releases. This is open to authors writing in any romance subgenres. We also encourage those writing LGBTQIA+ romance to apply.

We have a maximum budget of $5,000 USD per author allocated towards making your dream production happen! These funds are not an advance but rather a grant specifically for the production of the audiobook; they do not have to be paid back/will not be debited from any audiobook sales.

We have access to top-notch narrators and will work collaboratively with authors on the casting process and we won’t lump recipients together into one big project. Each author will be assigned a producer who works through the audiobook production process with you – she will get to know you and what your priorities are, plus be there for every step along the way.

But we aren’t just going to hand you a finished audiobook and leave you to it. You’ll have access to a webinar that goes over the entire audiobook publishing process from production to distribution to marketing and publicity. And we’ll be there on release day to help garner support for your first audiobook release!

Want to help support the grant Program?

DONATE HERE

Femme Like Her

By Fiona Zedde

Narrated by Mari

Make a Scene

By Mimi Grace

Narrated by Adenrele Ojo

and Emmanuel Ingram

Office Hours

By Katrina Jackson

Narrated by Wesleigh Siobhan

and Gomez Pugh

Cherishing the Goddess

By Lucy Eden

Narrated by Jacob Morgan and Mari

Magnolia: A Perfect Love

By Asia Monique

Narrated by Eboni Flowers

and Benjamin Charles

Crushing on You

By Jen Trinh

Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller

and James Chen

No Ordinary Love

By Ann Christopher

Narrated by Cami Darian

and John Hartley

Round 1 Winners

Below is a rundown of everything you’ll need to know about what we (and possibly you) will be doing:

STEP 1: Grant Application

A. Read through this document thoroughly.

Complete a straightforward application process by July 1st 2023.

STEP 2: Grant Decision

A. Applicants who meet the criteria will be reviewed by an impartial panel of judges. Judges will determine who the finalists and recipients are. Applicants will be notified via email of the status of their application by August 14th 2023.

GRANT FINALISTS RECEIVE:

Publicity as finalists
Webinar with our team to learn best practices in audiobook production for indie authors

B. Finalists will be notified of whether they are recipients by August 23rd 2023.

GRANT RECIPIENTS RECEIVE:

Up to $5,000 toward production of their first indie audio release.

Full audiobook production including casting, editing, and mastering with an assigned producer to guide the project
2 one-on-one consultations with Lyric’s executive producer, where you can strategize and ask any questions as needed
A Lyric Audiobooks author welcome packet that will serve as an extra resource for everything you may need
Free audiobook proofing through Pozotron
Merchandising and scheduled promotions from Libro.fm
Marketing and publicity support through assistance in audio-specific content creation + two additional webinars covering romance author events and audiobook promotional strategies

STEP 3: Production

A. Authors will have a pre-production meeting with a Lyric Audiobooks producer over Zoom to go over every step in production, ask any questions they may have and discuss preferred narrators.

Casting and scheduling of narrators will be organized by the producer.
The entire production from start to finish will be project-managed by the producer.
Upon completion of production, files will be delivered to the author for review/beta listen.
Any corrections received after beta listen will be made promptly.

STEP 4: Audiobook Distribution

A. The webinar for finalists will clarify this process.

Lyric Audiobooks will also provide guidance and help with any issues that arise during the uploading/distribution phases.
Strategizing for wide vs. exclusive release and setting prices.

STEP 5: Marketing and Promotions

A. Lyric Audiobooks – feature in the listener newsletter and on all social media channels upon release.

B. #Brownnipplechallenge – go live with Nana Malone upon release.

C. Access to a promo and ALC listener list.

D. Shout-outs in romance listener groups and support with outreach.

E. Social media templates in the Audio in Color branding will be available for use (optionable).

F. Audiograms will be created for each production for use across your social media channels.

G. More exciting possibilities to come that we can’t announce yet…

STEP 6: Release Date

Bask in the glory of self-publishing your first audiobook!

Hopefully sales from this initial production can help to fund your future project(s).

About the Process

Diligence

Upon being named a recipient, you shall provide the final manuscript in a diligent and timely manner. Frontlist titles that have not yet been completed will have a scheduled due date set by the author and the production of the audiobook shall depend upon that deadline being met.

Publicity

Upon being named a recipient, you agree to participate in targeted promotional activities including social media and one video for the #brownnipple challenge.

Limitation of Liability

Neither party shall be liable to the other for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special or exemplary damages, including, but not limited to, loss of profits, or loss of business opportunity, even if such damages are foreseeable and whether or not either party has been advised of the possibility thereof.

Credit

When your audiobook is published the end credits will include the line “This presentation was made possible in part by a grant from Audio in Color.”

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Project Budget

Each production is limited to $5,000 USD funding. If a production exceeds those costs, the author will incur the cost difference.

Confidentiality

Neither party shall, without permission, publicly share any trade secrets or confidential information including any information gathered or shared through the application process. All information will however be shared with Audio in Color’s panel of judges.

Right to Copy of Finished Work

The recipient shall remain the sole rights holder for all completed audiobooks. Producer may retain a digital copy of the finished project and agrees that Lyric Audiobooks® may use a portion of the copy on its website or in other ways for promotional purposes, subject to the Confidentiality clause above.

Total Recipients

The total number of recipients is based on our fundraising efforts; 1 production will be rewarded per $5,000 raised.

Selection Process

Each application is fully reviewed by a panel of judges made up of volunteers who are active in the romance and/or audio community. Each review includes reading the submitted manuscript and all information shared during the application process.

Want to help us spread the word?

Join our promo team here.