Canadian Audiobook Musical Producer Creates Production Template

COURTENAY COMOX, British Columbia - July 24, 2025 - PRLog -- An internet search shows "audiobook musicals" are uncommon. According to author and songwriter James Allan Krause, PhD, it is because they are "challenging and costly to produce." To offset this, he created a template for production and shared this with others.

It became known as "The Weme Weaver of Audiobook Musical Production Project." Through a process of trial and error, the template developed over a span of three years. Periodic updates showing progress were shared with over 6,000 fellow alumni from three different universities, two US based, one in Canada. By the sixth update, the content tested was meeting professional standards, explained later.

An unconverted audiobook musical served as the test model. This included the print version of Wetion from 2012, along with the accompanying songs in MP3 format. Back then, technology was not advanced enough to combine these into a cost-effective digital version. The outlay had to be practical enough to allow a small company to distribute works to dispersed niche markets. Creators also needed to be able to confidently explain to consumers what an audiobook musical actually offered. The concept was still novel. Wetion was comprised of a full length book with 19 chapters and this was interconnected to a 10 scene play featuring original songs. Although the multimedia features were designed to enhance the storytelling, there were few examples to point to.

Furthermore, the test project would have to meet the Audiobook Creation Exchange's exacting standards. ACX's approval was needed before distribution through the market leaders, Apple Books, Amazon and Audible was possible. Adding to the challenge, audiobooks with original music were relatively rare.

To celebrate its 45th year of business, CC Sotel Publishing Ltd made plans to get its first audiobook musical distributed. Since 1980, the company had maintained operations producing and distributing destination books, special projects and artwork. In 2008, the company branched out and decided to create a trilogy of audiobook musicals. The series would connect stories from the past, present and future. The first phase was reached when Wetion - Historical Fiction based on Fact (2nd edn) launched in April.

Currently, Wetion is distributed by around 50 well-known booksellers internationally.

Wetion is an entrant in the 2026 Audie Awards for Best Product & Sound Design.

The company respectfully acknowledges the land on which the audiobook musical was completed is the Unceded Traditional Territory of the K'ómoks First Nation, traditional keepers of the place.

For access to "The Weme Weaver of Audiobook Musical Production Project" template visit: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7348...