Tag Archives: audiobooks

6 Home Remedies for Bug Bites by @Donna_Fasano

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Help! I’ve been bitten by a mosquito. Twice! And the red bumps that were left behind itch like the dickens! What to do? Here are some quick and easy home remedies for bug bites.

Remedies for Bug Bites

  1. Baking soda – Mix a bit of baking soda with water and coat the bite. Sodium bicarbonate will relieve itching. (I smeared some on my bites.)
  2. Toothpaste – Yes, toothpaste! Most brands of toothpaste contain menthol which alleviates itch and swelling. Toothpaste also contains astringent ingredients that draw out fluid from beneath the skin which helps with swelling.
  3. Basil – Mince up some fresh basil and rub it on the mosquito bites. Basil contains eugenol which relieves itchy skin. Don’t have fresh basil? Simmer some dried basil in water (as if you were making tea). Let the basil water cool, and then dip a cloth in the water and apply to the bites.
  4. Ice – Apply ice to the bites to help relieve itching and swelling. Only apply ice for about 10 minutes at a time. And never fall asleep with ice on your skin.
  5. Garlic – There are compounds in garlic that relieve itching and swelling. Place a slice of garlic and put it on the bite. This might not be the best remedy to use with children as garlic can sting.
  6. Aloe – Keep a bottle of aloe vera gel in your fridge. The gel will cool and help heal red, itchy skin.

Did you know you can make your own mosquito repellent? It’s easy to keep the bug bites at bay.

Homemade Insect Repellent

  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoon rubbing alcohol
  • 2 Tablespoon water
  • 25 drops citronella oil
  • 25 drops eucalyptus oil
  • 40 drops peppermint oil

Pour all ingredients into a small spray bottle and then shake. Make sure you shake before each application.

What are your best home remedies for bug bites?

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Did you know that Authors’ Billboard Authors have a wide selection of audiobooks available? Click here to learn more!

Listening to Audiobooks is Easier than You Think! By @MimiBarbour

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

Love the idea of listening to audiobooks? If you’ve never listened to a novel before, perhaps you find yourself wondering, hmmm… What device do I need? As it turns out, you already have it:

Why Listen to Audiobooks?

If you spend a lot of time driving on long trips, or even sitting around the fireplace, you can imagine what a great companion audiobooks can be to spin away the hours. Great narrators make books come alive. Being so close to you, breathing words into your ear, they make the experience both intimate and heightened, with every nuance in the story becoming fully expressed.

I recently released two audiobooks from my most popular Undercover FBI series and am thrilled at the way they turned out. The narrators are both NY stage actors and take a great pride in their work … it shows.

Listening to Audiobooks

Special Agent Francesca – A woman who isn’t afraid of anything. She flies her own plane, drives like a maniac, and is working undercover to take down the Vegas mob. Only one thing scares her silly – Dr. Sean Collins. (Narrated by Meg Persichetti – with a voice like warm molasses)

Audio sample – https://soundcloud.com/user-767730127/chapter-1

Special Agent Finnegan Audio

Special Agent Finnegan – Going undercover to find New York’s suicide killers ensures constant conflicts. Humor, romance, and an emotional tie between Finnegan and his old dad makes this an adventure you don’t want to miss. (Narrated by Tom Taverna – with a voice that draws you into his magic)

Audio sample – https://www.dropbox.com/s/bt3z3rbs0mpszpf/FinneganCHAPT1.mp3?dl=0

*** I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the treasure of audio books available from many of our authors. Just scroll up for the link… 😊

 

Listening to your favorite book

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

If you are like me, then you never have enough time to sit and read all the books that you want to read. Or, it’s hard to read because you are getting older and your eyes are not what they once were. I fall into both those categories.

That’s why I started working on publishing all of my books into audio. It’s a long process since I have over sixty books published, but I am slowly getting more and more on audio. I have about half of them in audio now, and I love it. One of my favorite things is listening to my narrator after they are done to make sure there are no major mistakes. I find myself sucked back into my book, and sometimes even forget that I’m the one that wrote it as I laugh and cry with my characters. I did that recently as I listened to the final audio of Second Shield II: The Return which will be available for sale soon.

I can’t remember the last time that I physically read a book that wasn’t mine, but I have a nice collection of audiobooks that I can listen to while I’m cleaning or cooking. Sometimes I even listen in my car. It’s a great way to be entertained, without the wear and tear to my eyes, and while I get other things done.

Do you listen to audio? Are you new to audio?

Want to win an audiobook? Fill out my survey, and you could win one of my audiobooks!

Take a survey to win an entry for a free Audiobook!

If you are an avid Audiobook fan, make sure to check out our sister site, Audiobook Love with the Authors’ Billboard Audiobooks!

Hear ye, hear ye: FANTASTIC NEWS!

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

How to listen to just about any Amazon ebook (even when it’s not on Audible)

How to listen to just about any Amazon ebook (even when it’s not on Audible)
How to listen to just about any Amazon ebook (even when it’s not on Audible)

I have found several ways to listen to an Amazon ebook (that’s not on Audible). I believe the best #FREE way is to listen to your book on an Echo device.

Say, “Alexa, read my book.” That’s it. If you are already reading an ebook, she’ll select that one. ‘Resuming your most recent book, Aye, I am a Fairy.’

If you want to switch stories, say, “Alexa, read my book, One Arctic Summer,” (or whatever title you want). She’ll reply, ‘Getting your book from your Kindle Library.’

Note: my favorite part of listening with this method is I can tell her to go forward or back if I missed something or want to skip forward. ‘Alexa, go back ten seconds’ or ‘Alexa, go forward thirty minutes.’

This method works on my Echo Dot, Echo Show, Kindle Fire, the Alexa app on my phone, and my come-with-me-everywhere buddy, my Echo Owl frames. Oh, and Alexa picks up from where she left off, synching with whichever device I was using. I don’t have to touch anything to get it to start, pause, or stop reading, either. That’s particularly handy when pulling weeds with muddy gloves (wearing Echo Owl sunglasses with built-in speakers) or answering the door when the Echo device is across the room.

Here’s the word direct from Amazon on How to with Kindle Fire

Here’s the word on how to listen to a book on your Fire, right from Amazon.

How to listen to a book on your PC

You can use the free Kindle App on your computer to hear a non-Audible Amazon eBook. 1) Open the Kindle App. It’s free to download if you don’t already have it.

2) Go to Library and search for your book title. Open it. From the Tools Folder, select ‘Start Text-to-Speech’ or use the shortcut Ctrl+T. This way of listening is like hearing a male robot. I don’t like the guy’s voice on the Kindle Text to Speech as well as Alexa’s.

Give it a try!

If you already have the books in your library, give it a try. If not, search ABB Chill Out on Amazon and see loads of The Authors’ Billboard titles. Now you can LISTEN or read!