Beginning in September 2026, I’m ‘opening’ the First Chapter Cafe, an initiative where I work with authors to bring the first chapter of their books into audio via a live read on Instagram. Each week, I’ll narrate the first chapter of a book that an author has submitted, with the edited audio released shortly afterward as part of the First Chapter Cafe podcast.
I’m looking for first chapters of science fiction and fantasy stories, either standalones or those that are part of series. My recent catalogue includes hopepunk, sapphic themes, cozy paranormal, and midlife adventures with snarky talking animals, but all subgenres of science fiction and fantasy are welcome!
Guidelines
- Chapters should be no longer than 3000 words – between 20 and 25 minutes.
- The book cannot be in audio already or in production, and you must have the audio rights.
- We champion human voices, human writers, and human artists; AI writing and covers need not apply.
Acceptance, scheduling, and performance of the work does not constitute any commitment to your hiring me to narrate your work. I’m doing this for the joy of narration and the ability to help others discover more authors and stories.