For the last couple of years, I’ve been building branded platform tools––websites, social media, and more––for authors through my 224Design business. It was time for this author to cobble better shoes for herself. Now, from your own comfy chair, you can gad about, Chasing Histories with me.
Why build a New Author Website?
Soon I’ll have a new book! Summer of 2019, my Revolutionary War novel will at long last (whew!) be published. This website is a place for book clubs and other venues to connect with me about talks and presentations. On my Giving page, I’m thrilled to share the two organizations––for preservation and education––I’ve designated to receive a portion of the proceeds from my upcoming novel. (If you just can’t wait until summer, you can read an excerpt of CARRYING INDEPENDENCE now.)
A Newsletter and Blog
My website now has both. The newsletter, CHASING HISTORIES, will let readers, friends, and fans in on details about my author-related events nearest your zip code. You’ll also receive travel tips, history-related photos, book ideas, and little tidbits of history I’ve discovered during my travels for words. I hope you’ll subscribe. (If you subscribed to my past blog, your subscription will transition here.)
The blog, COMPOSITIONS, is now a space for American history-enthusiasts like me. Brief posts of about 200 words will highlight other American history-related events, places, historians, authors, and artists. Guest posts are encouraged. Please contact me if you’d like to contribute, or sign-up on the blog page.
Collaboration and Thanks
An author brand never comes together without a crew, and thankfully a merry band of amazing women-entrepreneurs crafted it with me.
Christina Reeser of i.o.Studio is the website developer who wrote that beautiful code. Stephanie Caruso of Paste Creative is managing my newsletter and more. The lovely folks at BluChic crafted the WordPress theme.
Kim Frost was the photographer behind the camera, with the vision to capture my time-traveling, NSDAR, French-inspired, author within. Stefanie Rae coiffed those unruly curls, and Kara at Avenue 42 met me at 6AM for makeup.
The locations for those photos included Richmond’s very own, CanCan Brasserie, and the Kent-Valentine House, an historic 19th century home now headquarters of the Garden Club of Virginia.
To all the above, I owe immense thanks. Because of them, we can all pack a virtual bag, grab a great hat, and go travel with adventure together.
– Karen