A Message To My Fellow Audible/Amazon Platinum Listeners

Hello any fellow Audible/Amazon Platinum Membership subscribers who manage to find this message. We are a tribe of dedicated audiobook listeners, marginalized by the greater reading public, willing to give Audible/Amazon $229.50 upfront to receive 24 credits all at once. We join this plan because the cost of a single book works out to $9.56 - by far the most cost effective method to purchase audiobooks. We join this plan because we love Audible. We join this plan because audiobooks have changed our lives.

Since Audible/Amazon has not seen fit to get us together, to provide any method to connect and network with our fellow Platinum listeners on Audible.com, we must find alternate methods to meet.

My brother and sister Audible Platinum members, I'd like to get to know you. We share so much in common:

Do you suffer from family and friends holding up finger air quotes every time they ask you what you are "reading"? Do you despair, as I do, when a book you passionately want to read fails to be released in audio format?

When do you accomplish most of your reading? While driving, doing dishes, exercising, watching your daughter play soccer, or lying in bed at night?

Does your partner also get annoyed at you for always having those earbuds attached to your ears?

Have you lobbied your librarian friends to offer more audiobook choices, and become frustrated that Audible does not have a library program?

Do you wish that Amazon provided a link that read "Tell the Publisher! I'd like to read this book by listening" as they do for non-Kindle available books?

Have you also suffered the poor navigation, weak recommendation engine, and slow response of the Audible.com site - wishing that Amazon would finally make a true Audible site on Amazon.com, (just as they have done for Kindle books)?

I'm sure if us Audible Platinum listeners could connect with each other that we'd quickly bond. If we could share our reading lists I have no doubt that we'd order more books. If we could provide each other recommendations we'd order better books.

As a group, one demeaned by all those paper and e-book readers who claim that "listening is not reading", we'd be able to provide each sympathy and support. We'd buy t-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers and calendars proudly proclaiming ourselves "Platinum Audiobook Freaks". We'd travel to audiobook conventions to meet our favorite narrators. Maybe we'd take audiobook themed cruises. I'm sure some Platinum marriages would emerge if we ever connected with each other.

We are already Audible's most vocal evangelists, telling everyone we meet about how audiobooks will change their lives. About how the ability to do something else while reading, like driving or walking around campus or mowing the lawn, opens up the potential to read far more books. About how listening to a book is a different experience than reading a book on the page - but one to be equally savored. Imagine how much better we could spread this gospel if we were together, a tribe and a team of Platinum listeners. An army of audiobook readers!

When did you first become a Platinum listener? (Me - 2005).

Who convinced you to join the Platinum plan? (Me - I think Leo Laporte)

What audiobooks are in your collection? (My collection is here).

Audible/Amazon - any plans to bring your Platinum listeners together?