Audiobook Café

Patricia Finn’s debut novel “The Golden Boy” shares a story about family life, love, betrayal, mercy, and second chances.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with Finn to discuss the development of her books’ characters and to explore why she decided to take a step back from the audiobook’s production. She wants the art to speak for itself.   Finn also reflects on her previous experiences in televis...

Malcolm Kempt’s debut mystery novel follows a disgraced police investigator in the heart of the Arctic Circle, whose path to redemption is paved with blood and ice.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Kempt about the inspiration behind the book and reflects on his previous life as a criminal lawyer in the remote Arctic.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.   Audio excerpted with perm...

Recording artist and musician Lachi dropped a new book earlier this year entitled “I Identify as Blind: A Brazen Celebration of Disability Culture, Identity, and Power.”   Host Jacob Shymanksi catches up with Lachi to chat about her journey with disability culture, identity and accessibility.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.   Note: Audio excerpted with permission of Penguin Ra...

Host Jacob Shymanski and friend of the show Red Széll dive into their favourite titles for travel and adventure!   Books mentioned in this episode include:   • “An Account of the Voyages... in the Southern Hemisphere” by James Cook   • “A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World” by James Cook • “A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean” by James Cook   • “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and...

Audible’s full-cast audio editions of Harry Potter have been capturing audiences with a whole new sound.   The fourth installment “The Goblet of Fire” dropped earlier this month.   Friend of the show Ramya Amuthan joins host Jacob Shymanski for a candid review of the first four audiobooks by Audible.  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week...

What kind of work goes into producing an audiobook?   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Kathleen Jones about her role as an audiobook producer at Penguin Random House Canada.   She shares insight into the life of a producer and the art of adapting a print book into an audio format.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes...

There are many authors who have life stories that are just as interesting as their body of works. Who are you most intrigued by?   Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll share a list of authors, dead or alive, that they would love to have a one-on-one conversation with.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.   Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new...

The audiobook platform Libro.fm continues to grow worldwide as an ethical alternative to its competitor Audible.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with co-founder Mark Pearson to learn how the service is expanding while supporting local bookstores and curating human-generated book recommendations.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Can...

Could AI redefine our notions of love and relationships?   In this episode of Audiobook Café, host Jacob Shymanski chats with digital anthropologist Caia Hagel about her upcoming memoir “Anon.”   The book exhibits her experience during a trial of a new AI app that became her friend and companion.   ""Anon"" officially comes out on February 10 via Harper Collins and will be available in both audiob...

“Black Boys Like Me” is a collection of personal essays by Matthew R. Morris that explore his upbringing as a biracial, Black-Canadian man in Scarborough, Ontario.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with the author to reflect on his journey with race, belonging and identity from childhood to adulthood.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle. Note: This episode contains an excerpt from...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll from the “My Life in Books” podcast break down the differences between bad and quality non-fiction. They share the dos and don’ts when it comes to non-fiction writing.   Books mentioned in this episode include: • “Everything Is Tuberculosis” by John Green • “Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism” by Sarah Wynn-Williams   • “T...

From the author of the smash hit thriller “My Sister, the Serial Killer” comes “Cursed Daughters,” a fictional drama about a young woman trying to shake off a family curse.   Host Jacob Shymanski catches up with author Oyinkan Braithwaite to learn about the making of her book, her inspiration and why she still hasn’t listened to the audiobook herself.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lane...

Host Jacob Shymanski and guest Red Széll define quality prose in fiction novels. Together, they explore what it feels like to read well-written books.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. ET.  Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe&...

Sharon Bala’s new novel “Good Guys” challenges ideas of philanthropy and charity by telling the story of a fictional NGO that operates in Central America.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Sharon about the inspiration behind the book and the extensive research she did into developing its story.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada...

Author Uzma Jalaluddin’s mystery novel “Detective Aunty” was a Globe and Mail top 100 book of the year in 2025.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Uzma about the inspiration of the book’s main character and setting, as well as the choice behind her audiobook’s narrator.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.   Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new po...

Blind ice hockey player Craig Fitzpatrick dropped his brand-new audiobook this week, “Finding the Puck: Leadership Lessons from My Journey Through Blind Hockey.”   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Craig about his experience with vision loss, his discovery of the sport, and why he chose to release his audiobook before the print edition.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.   Audioboo...

What did you read over the holiday season?   Host Jacob Shymanski and Red Széll, from the “My Life in Books” podcast, reflect on some of the audiobooks on their must-read list that we were finally able to catch up on! Books mentioned in this episode include:     • “The Last Murder at the End of the World” by Stuart Turton   • Audible’s full-cast audio editions of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’...

Highly acclaimed narrator and author Julia Whelan is bridging the gap in audiobook royalties for narrators.  She tells you all about Audiobrary, an independent and audio-first publishing platform that she designed to correct industry inequities.  She also explores the stark differences of human narration to AI and explains why it’s important to protect human narration in the audiobook sphere.  The...

Thank you for listening this year! New episodes of Audiobook Café will resume on January 10, 2026. In the meantime, enjoy our extensive archive of episodes. Happy holidays and happy listening!  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. ET.  Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe  We wa...

In this year-end special, host Jacob Shymanski and Red Széll reflect on the best interviews of the show from the past year!   Past episodes mentioned in this program include:   Unseen: In Conversation with Author Molly Burke    Flesh: In Conversation with David Szalay Wayback Playback: In Conversation with Author Waubgeshig Rice Fair Pay, Fair Play: Royalty Issues at Audible According to Alina  Th...

In this year-end special, Jacob Shymanski hosts a roundtable discussion with three friends of the program: Ramya Amuthan, Aamer Khar and Sara Hillis.   Together, they reflect on their favourite audiobooks of the year. Plus, they share their favourite discovered titles in 2025!   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two...

“Local Heavens” is K.M. Fajardo’s reimagining of the classic novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The book was a readers’ favourite in the category of science fiction for 2025’s Goodreads Choice Award.   Host Jacob Shymanski chats with the author about how her reimagination relates to modern day and why she chose to use cyberpunk in the tone of the book.   This episode was produced by...

This episode was recorded on December 10, 2025, and is published early to address a recently proposed change in Bill C-15 which would repeal the free 'Literature for the Blind' service under the Canada Post Corporation Act. Host Jacob Shymanski explores the issues, the implications and the circumstances of the proposed change with Daniella Levy-Pinto, the manager of the National Network for Equita...

Host Jacob Shymanski and Red Széll, host of the My Life in Books podcast, continue their discussion on the dividing issues between fiction and nonfiction literature.   This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle.  Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Fridays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. ET.  Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AM...

Liann Zhang’s debut novel “Julie Chan is Dead” was an instant international bestseller.   The diabolical thriller follows a young woman who steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade. Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Liann about the making of her book and how her personal experiences as a former social media influencer inspire...