As a media executive in magazines, broadcast, the Internet and beyond, Deborah Barrow has seen it all. Now, working development for a regional NPR affiliate network, she finds herself on the road a lot, where audiobooks come in handy. Though she's relatively new to the medium, Deborah shares some apt thoughts about her experience as a listener.

Question: How long have you been listening to audiobooks?

Deborah Barrow: Just since this summer.

Q: What made you start listening?

DB: A recommendation from a friend; we were discussing our latest reads over lunch.

Q: When and where do you listen?

DB: I drive a lot for work, and I listen in the car on a mobile device playing through the car radio. I also listen when going to bed at night.

Q: What kind of books do you like to listen to best?

DB: I like fiction and history.

Q: What do you use to listen to audiobooks?

DB: I listen to my Audible account on my iPad, but they just released a cloud version, which means I can now use my iPhone without having to download a huge file.

Q: Are the books that you listen to different from the kinds of print and eBooks you read?

DB: I'm a lifelong reader, and the house is still filled with physical books. I still read books in print, yet I find that since the Internet revolution, I read far fewer. And I am more easily distracted when I do. The beauty of an audiobook is that I can experience a book at times when I can't be online (in the car).

Regarding eBooks --- I've tried them a couple of times, but they don't do much for me.

Q: Where do you buy/borrow audiobooks from?

DB:  Audible.

Q: Do you share your audiobooks with anyone?

DB: I would if the Audible interface made it easier to figure out how.

Q: Do you listen with anyone else, or is it a solo experience?

MC: Solo.

Q: What percentage of your reading is done via audiobooks?

DB: About 60 percent of my book reading is done via audiobooks.  

Q: Do you have favorite narrators? If so, tell us about them.

DB: Not yet!

Q: What are some of the most memorable books that you've listened to and why?

DB: I'm such a newbie, I've only downloaded seven books. One was actually one of the Great Courses.

Q: What is the last audiobook you listened to? Tell us about it.

DB: I am listening right now to Anna Quindlen's STILL LIFE WITH BREAD CRUMBS, which is read by Carrington MacDuffie. and it's the best thing I've "heard" yet. How many heroines are 60? It's a life stage rarely explored, and she paints a very insightful picture. I love Rebecca, the quirky artist at the heart of the book. I already know that I'm going to listen to it again once I'm done because it is so rich with subtleties and innuendo. I'll probably also look for others of her books. 

Q: Is there anything about the format of audiobooks that you don't like or would like to see changed or improved? 

DB: The digital Audible format is the only format that I know of, and it’s clearly a business still in the developmental phase. I can't believe that I can't download from the app, and have to haul over to the website for the "business" part of the experience. I wish the in-book navigation was more developed because it's a little clunky still.