Armchair BEA – More Than Just Words

Welcome to Day 2 of Armchair BEA

For those of us who are unable to attend Book Expo America in New York this week, there is Armchair BEA, an online networking event for bloggers worldwide.

Yesterday’s BEA topic was an introductory post where participants provided a little information about themselves and their blog. I was busy most of yesterday and only got to visit a few of the many blogs, so I will be doing more of that today.

More Than Just Words

Today’s topic: Mediums that feature more than just words to enhance a story and a discussion of books that stand out in these different formats.

Illustrated Books

As a child, (many years ago), I remember having interactive pop-up and picture books, but once I learned how to read on my own, interaction didn’t seem necessary. The story itself came alive in my mind and transported me away.

Illustrations do go without saying in young children’s books, but I am also fond of whimsical illustration in adult books. Rather than use photos, The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener includes plenty of cute drawings to highlight her organic gardening process.

Little Known and Seldom Seen Birds of North America, a humorous (and fictitious) bird guide, is filled with color illustrations to accompany the text.

I have stumbled across some good cookbooks that have used illustrations rather than photos, but I’m not a big fan of that practice. I’m not an inexperienced cook, but I still find a photo of the finished dish helps me more than a drawing of an ingredient, no matter how cute it may be.

Graphic Novels

I’ve only read a couple of graphic novels. This is a format I have yet to embrace. They remind me a little too much of comic books. If anyone has any fantastic suggestions, I would like to try a few more.

Audiobooks

I love audiobooks! Many times they are mostly words, but sometimes the production can be so much more. An excellent narrator can make all the difference (Hint: Anything narrated by Cassandra Campbell, John Lee or Neil Gaiman – even reading the phone book!).

Multiple Narrators

Multiple narrators are another way to enhance the production. When there are changing points of view it is much better to have more than one narrator rather than a single narrator trying to do both male and female voices. That rarely works and can quickly drive me crazy. Shotgun Lovesongs used five narrators and the result was a beautifully narrated audiobook that was both easy to follow and enjoyable to listen to.

Fortunately for listeners, audio productions are getting better and better, with more emotion, drama and passion in the narration. You only have to listen to a book from the previous decade – and the difference is stunning – to realize that previously books were just words being read.

Sound Effects

Some audio productions are now including sound effects and background noise. There is a fine line in being able to pull that one off, and too many times all the sounds get annoying. Recently I listened to a book that got it right. It was fantastic – better than the print version – and that book is William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back: Light sabers buzzing, R2D2 whistling, Chewbacca’s roar and Darth Vader’s booming voice and heavy breathing, plus a narrator giving stage direction all combined to create an entertaining production.

How about you? Which formats do you enjoy?

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