Wall Street Journal and free via MSN: “During what has been a challenging year for publishers, audiobooks remain a relative bright spot. In some cases, the success of the audio version is about audiences getting to hear the story straight from its celebrity author. In others, it is about the drama and suspense of a well-told tale, or riveting sound effects. Print book sales through Dec. 6 were down 1% to 679 million from the same period last year, according to book tracker Circana BookScan. Publishers are increasingly competing with streaming services, podcasts and other media for readers’ attention. Digital audiobook sales have been on a tear in recent years, and jumped by nearly 24% in 2024, to $1.1 billion, according to the Association of American Publishers. Their growth slowed this year, with a 1% increase through October, to nearly $888 million. “It’s the natural roller coaster of any product that does well,” said veteran audiobook narrator Rich Miller. “I don’t think the run is over.”