

Audiobook Café
Accessible Media Inc.
Jacob Shymnaski shares the latest audiobook and literary news, and features in-depth conversations with authors, narrators and industry experts.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 5, 2025 • 28min
AI in Storytelling: In Conversation with Tim Boucher
Tim Boucher has been defending his use of generative AI to write books. Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Tim about his “AI Lore Books” collection and learns how he is incorporating AI’s flaws into his storytelling. This episode was produced by Jacob Shymanski and Andrika De Lanerolle. To learn more about Tim Boucher, visit his website at TimBoucher.ca
Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oct 4, 2025 • 32min
Remembering John Candy: In Conversation with Author Paul Myers
Paul Myer’s highly anticipated biography about the late comedian John Candy comes out this month! Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Paul about the making of “John Candy: A Life in Comedy.” This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle. The print and e-book book comes out on October 7. The audiobook is set to release on November 4 via Audible with narration by David Bendena. Follow Paul on Instagram @PulMyEars
Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 28, 2025 • 28min
Wayback Playback: In Conversation with Author Waubgeshig Rice
Waubgeshig Rice’s 2018 post-apocalyptic novel “Moon of the Crusted Snow” is still going strong. It is one of the bestselling Canadian titles of 2025, based on sales at independent bookstores.Host Jacob Shymanski chats with Waubgeshig about the significance of the book and its themes of Indigenous identity, colonialism, survival and resilience. “Moon of the Crusted Snow” is available as an audiobook on Audible! Books mentioned in this episode include: "The Lesser Blessed" by Richard Van Camp“Monkey Beach” by Eden Robinson “Keeper'n Me” by Richard Wagamese 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 Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 27, 2025 • 28min
Unseen: In Conversation with Author Molly Burke
Molly Burke’s highly anticipated memoir “Unseen: How I Lost My Vision but Found My Voice” is set to hit bookstore shelves this October 14!Host Jacob Shymanski discusses the memoir in a special preview interview with Molly. She reflects on her success, challenges and personal growth as a social media influencer and public speaker who is blind. You don’t want to miss this vulnerable, honest and darkly humorous memoir! 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 Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 21, 2025 • 28min
Review of “Bury Your Gays” & Valerie D. Maidment’s Memoir
The USA Today bestseller “Bury Your Gays” by Chuck Tingle explores what it takes to succeed in a world that wants you dead. Jacob Shymanski and Aamer Khan review the book and explore its themes, its variety of writing styles and its potential to become adapted into a movie. In the latter portion of the show, Jacob chats with first-time author Valerie D. Maidment about her 2024 memoir “From Daylight to Dark: Finding Work in an Inaccessible World.” 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 Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 20, 2025 • 28min
Rosy Retrospection: The Cultural Impact of Literature
What makes a book a classic? Does a bestselling book mean that it will stand the test of time? Are bestselling books as good as we remember them to be? Jacob Shymanski and Red Széll explore these questions and discuss the phenomenon of rosy retrospection as they look back on a list of books that were popular one hundred years ago. Books mentioned in this episode include: “Soundings” by A. Hamilton Gibbs“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald“Mrs. Dalloway” Virginia Woolf“Manhattan Transfer” by John Dos Passos“The Keeper of the Bees” by Gene Stratton-Porter“The Constant Nymph” by Margaret Kennedy“Glorious Apollo” by E. Barrington“The Green Hat” by Michael Arlen“Arrowsmith” by Sinclair Lewis“The Perennial Bachelor” by Anne Parrish“The Carolinian” by Rafael Sabatini“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee“Anne of Green Gables” by Lucy Maud Montgomery“Harry Potter” Series by J.K. RowlingThis 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 Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 14, 2025 • 28min
Eerie Page Turners: Horror Settings in Books
How does the setting of a book add to your perception of the story? Jacob Shymanski and Red Széll chat about the importance of story settings in horror books. They also discuss the philosophy of horror and explore why readers are so enthralled with the genre.Books mentioned:“Bury Your Gays” by Chuck Tingle“We Live Here Now” by Sarah Pinborough“The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson“The Shining” by Stephen King“The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James“Horror Movie” by Paul Tremblay“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe“The Greatcoat” by Helen Dunmore“The Shepherd” by Frederick ForsythThis 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 Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 13, 2025 • 28min
The Art of Narration: In Conversation with Simon Mattacks
Can you tell the difference between real voices and AI narration? What differentiates a bad narrator from a good one? Jacob Shymanski explores these questions with Simon Mattacks, a British voice artist best known for his extensive work as an audiobook narrator. 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 Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 7, 2025 • 28min
Rejecting Perfectionism in Parenting: In Conversation with Jessica Slice
Jacob Shymanski chats with author Jessica Slice about her 2025 non-fiction book “Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World.” They discuss the exclusionary myths around parents with disabilities and parenting standards overall. This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle. To learn more about Jessica, visit her website here: https://www.jessicaslice.com/
Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 6, 2025 • 28min
Fair Pay, Fair Play: Royalty Issues at Audible
Author advocate Robin Sullivan and YouTuber Daniel Greene discuss the issues surrounding Audible’s new royalty model for authors, as well as the petition started by Robin.This episode was produced by Andrika De Lanerolle. Follow Daniel’s YouTube channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw--xPGVVxYzRsWyV1nFqgg And to sign Robin’s petition, visit here. https://www.change.org/p/convince-audible-to-revise-its-new-royalty-model
Audiobook Café is broadcast on AMI-audio in Canada and publishes two new podcast episodes a week on Saturdays and Sundays.Follow Audiobook Café on Instagram @AMIAudiobookCafe We want your feedback!Be that comments, suggestions, hot-takes, audiobook recommendations or reviews of your own… hit us up! Our email address is: AudiobookCafe@ami.ca About AMIAMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+Learn more at AMI.caConnect with Accessible Media Inc. online:X /Twitter @AccessibleMediaInstagram @AccessibleMediaInc / @AMI-audioFacebook at @AccessibleMediaIncTikTok @AccessibleMediaInc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.