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Gandhinagar: In a strategic partnership highlighting the growing audiobook market, American podcast network Lemonada Media has partnered with publisher Simon & Schuster to launch “Your Next Listen,” a weekly podcast featuring chapter previews from upcoming audiobooks— new thrillers, bestselling celebrity memoirs, romance novels, and more.
The new initiative, launched November 11, introduces listeners to works from notable authors and personalities including former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, food writer Stanley Tucci, and novelist Laura Dave. The podcast will serve as a discovery platform for audiobook enthusiasts.
“We are so excited to launch this project as the first collaboration in our overall development work with Simon & Schuster and love this opportunity for Lemonada listeners to get lost in an audiobook and find their next great listen. This is the first of many exciting projects we’ll be partnering on over the coming years, and we can’t wait to bring it into your ears,” shared Lemonada CEO Jessica Cordova Kramer.
The inaugural episodes spotlight “The Night We Lost Him” by Laura Dave and “The Third Gilmore Girl” by Kelly Bishop, with host Jackie Danziger guiding listeners through carefully curated chapter selections.
“We are thrilled to work with Lemonada to expand the audience for our audiobooks and our authors,” said Chris Lynch, President & Publisher, Simon & Schuster Audio. “We are confident that by introducing these compelling audio excerpts to new listeners in a weekly podcast, we will drive fans to finish what they’ve started.”
The collaboration extends beyond podcasting, with Lemonada establishing a publishing division under Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books imprint. This strategic expansion includes plans to convert successful podcasts like “Fail Better” and “Last Day” into books. The podcast is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Lemonada Media, founded in 2019 by Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs, is an award-winning, independent podcast network. Known for its hit original series like “Wiser Than Me” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and “Blind Plea,” Lemonada has topped Apple Podcast charts. The company has also pioneered the audio reality™ podcast genre with BEING Studios and launched ‘The Lemonada Book Club’ in partnership with Apple Books.
Simon & Schuster Audio is a publisher of audiobooks, offering a wide range of genres including bestselling fiction, nonfiction, and children’s titles. Their impressive roster includes authors like Colleen Hoover, Stephen King, and Walter Isaacson. Simon & Schuster Audio has earned nine Grammy Awards and forty-one nominations since 1989, showcasing their excellence in audiobook production. The company reaches readers in over 200 countries and territories.
