Years ago I learned the magic formula for successful long distance drives with an SUV full of kids. The novice will pack the vehicle with snacks, dinosaurs, ponies, sticker and coloring books only to find crumbs in every crevice, dinosaur shaped bruises on the back of one's head, ponies swirling around by their tails like sling shots, and stickers and crayon marks on the once pristine surface of the leather upholstery. Finally desperation and divine intervention may lead them to find a fabulous Book on Tape. Imagine my shock when I discovered that it kept the attention of my four children riveted for hours at a time. The miles disappeared like magic.
I know, I know, I can hear you sneering right through my computer. Books on Tape are "Old School", you say. We have DVDs, iPads, game systems, etc. etc. None of these aforementioned gizmos hold a candle to a captivating book narrated by a brilliant storyteller.
One happy day when I was driving my little brood from South Carolina to Texas (1,176.4 miles, but whose counting) I happened upon a Mary Higgins Clark book on tape.
We listened as our innocent heroine became entangled in a terrible plot through South Carolina and well into Georgia. The plot thickened all the way through Alabama and Mississippi and Louisiana, and she only escaped doom by the skin of her teeth when we arrived in Texas! This was when I became enslaved to "Audio Book Magic!" This travel remedy saved many a trip.
Now, instead of traveling with the children, these same children are my destination. Somehow I still have to travel hundreds of miles, so I have become somewhat of an expert on audio books for travel. Let me clue you in on one important fact: all books are not equal. I can save you some serious aggravation on your next journey. I once heard a sappy romance novel that induced me to ridicule my CD player out loud, sneering and scoffing at the absurdity of the characters.(the book is NOT pictured) This resulted in arriving at my loved-ones house in a state of irritation. Yes, the selection of books is paramount!
You also don't want to be a blubbering idiot, sobbing like you've lost your last friend because the story your hearing wrings out all of your emotions (That may or may not have happened once...thank you Karen Kingsbury) Beware of extremely emotional novels while driving. I'm pretty sure this will be a law some day.
No, for me the best solution for passing the miles quickly is a well-written suspense novel. I can actually become so immersed in the story that I become unaware of certain details.
I no longer take it personally when a rude driver cuts me off, or construction slows everyone down to a crawl. Even little things like veering off of Interstate 20 onto Interstate 59 and driving 87 miles off course in Mississippi become insignificant compared to the fear and danger faced by my new best friends luring me into their story.
That little blooper didn't seem so bad when you consider that the unabridged story was 11 hours and with my two and a half hour detour, I was able to hear the entire book on my journey!
I hope this will encourage you to select a fabulous book for your next long drive. Just remember to avoid sappy romance, avoid emotional carnage, and do select an intricate suspense story that will make the miles fly (hopefully in the right direction).
