sound fx

#1.

As a kid I always had a sweet tooth and I especially loved Hot Fudge Sundaes and to complete the sundae it was important that a bright red cherry be placed at the top. I still have that sweet tooth for a Sundae and I have added to it a "sweet tooth" for story telling magic. In his new book Sound FX, Ed Solomon has given us twenty stories that make for wonderful story telling magic. He tops each story with a "sound" that brings out a special feeling in the reader (just like the cherry on the sundae).

It may be that the hair on the back of your neck raises up, a tear comes to your eye or a laugh to your lips. The book like his other two books recently published "Egyptian Magic" and "Strange Offerings" are a delight for every magician who is interested in story telling magick. In fact it should be in every magician's library of magic reference books. I recently spent an evening reading through each story (illustrated with photos showing the props) and I found it thoroughly enjoyable as I am sure you will too.

And there is more. If in making the sundae you first put in a dollop of hot fudge this surprise is like the book's Foreword written in wonderful prose by Larry White Magic Editor of M-U-M. Magazine. Larry, in his own inimitable style tells you why you will enjoy the book so much. If this delicious description of Ed's new book makes you want to purchase your copy I suggest you contact Ed Solomon.

Bob Parmacek.

#2.

I would like to add my unconditional recommendation to Bob Parmacek's regarding Ed Solomon's newest publication "SOUND FX Presentations For The Storyteller." Ed invited me to write the Foreword for this fine publication and I was very happy to do so because I KNOW the effect/affect an unexpected sound, that happens within the context of an emotional story, can have on the listeners. But I wrote the Foreword without having seen the entire book. Ed was in the process of writing the material when he invited me to do the Foreword so he sent me only a couple of samples to show me where he was going with the book. These two samples were enough. I KNEW the book would be fabulous and fill a niche in an often neglected area of storytelling magic. When you read my Foreword you will appreciate the enthusiasm I had for what Ed was doing.

The finished book MORE than met my expectations. Within its 77 soft-bound pages are 20 stories of great variety. Simply reading the stories will touch ALL of your emotions because Ed has covered the gamut. "Children's Laughter" will flood you with memories. "Grandma's Garden" will leave you in awe. "Hell's Bells" will make you ponder. In "Spirit Of The Night" a talking skull will make you laugh. "The Bird Cage" will bring a tear to your eyes. And "Voices From Beyond" will send chills up your spine. The variety of stories from the combined minds of Solomon and DeNomolos are truly amazing and when the sounds "happen" in each an audience WILL react.

As in his other publications Ed has included high quality color photos. The photos show the various sound-producing devices Ed uses as well as photos of the actual props. Those who know Solomon's work will also know of his skill at turning "ordinary things" into marvelously detailed "odd things." The photos add enormously to understanding the text and the purchaser should realize that the relatively high price of the book is due to a limited printing and the expense of including the precious color pages.

If you are a good storyteller and can set a mood you MUST have this book. You WILL use the stories here. Each, in fact, could be told just as a captivating tale without the sound effect, but by adding a sound in the way Ed suggests you will raise your stories to a new dimension and touch the audience's sense of hearing in a way spoken words cannot.

Thank you Ed Solomon and Dnomolos for sharing your years of developing these marvelous tales with us. You have not only given us marvelous ready-to-go magical stories but you have encouraged us to add the magic of sounds to our own tales.

Larry White, Magic Editor of M-U-M. Magazine.

#3 [extract from the August 2003 edition of the Linking Ring]

Ed Solomon's name should be becoming familiar to regular readers, his Egyptian Magic book was reviewed here in the March, 2003, issue and his Strange Offerings, Presentations for the Story Teller was reviewed in the April, 2003, issue. Here's yet another in the same format, again sure to be a collector's item.

Here are 20 story presentations all of which use a magical, surprise sound to add mystery and emotional impact. Ed Solomon is a retired music teacher, so sound and recording devices are very much in his tool box. The sound of children's laughter, a voice from a long-ago past, a heart beat, the tinkle of wind chimes in a darkened, wind-free room, the sound of a bo'sun's pipe, the sound of a nightingale. Any one of these added to an emotion-packed story...well, you can imagine the impact.

These are tales of life and death, of happiness and sadness, of spirits roaming the darkened room, etc. Excellent examples of how to add emotional impact to stories or magic presentations. I like this a lot and find it quite inspirational. I believe you will, too. But, don't delay, these won't last long.

Phil Wilmarth, Linking Ring