Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Trailer That Makes Me Want To Buy The Book

Betsy's Video Sundays at Fuse #8/SLJ frequently include trailers for books. Today is the first time where, after watching one, I then ordered the book before finishing up her post.

It's for David Small's new graphic novel memoir, Stitches: A Memoir. The author's voice, remembering childhood, and slowly teasing us with what the book is about -- trauma, secrets, lies, a throat stitched together with the silent promise that this will be a book about a life stitched together -- made me want to reach into the computer screen and pull out the book and start reading now.

Not only does the trailer work well as what it should do -- get someone to want to read the book -- but it does something else, also. Shows how pictures are often more valuable than words. I love the written word; but sometimes a story doesn't need words. Sometimes it's stronger without words, or with an interplay between text and picture. Personally, I also think that decoding pictures (whether it's in picture books, graphic novels, comic books, movies, or TV) is just as important a skill as decoding words.

Anyway. Click over to her post and watch the trailer.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

5 comments:

Fuse #8 said...

Hat tip to the link. I've wanted this one for a while but it wasn't until I saw the trailer that I realized how well-suited Small is to the graphic format. Not all artists commit when they start writing comics. He seems to understand exactly what it can do and how it can be used.

Anonymous said...

I have a friend who's an avid reader, who swears that "Inside Awake" a book by Rome Sims is going to be the next big thing on the Sci-Fi scene. Before I purchased his book, I took a look at his trailer. Here's the link on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br7_DbGgQ00

It can also be view at http://www.InsideAwake.com

Anyways, I've seen a lot of trailers, but none like his. It definitely made me purchase the book

Carol H Rasco said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carol H Rasco said...

Liz, earlier this morning I could not move for a bit after watching it; when I regained my composure, I also immediately ordered the book before proceeding with the remainder of her post.

Paige Y. said...

You were right -- the trailer completely sold me on the book. I can't wait to read it.