Blog - Karen A. Chase

Declaration for a New Year

December 21, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Please forgive my slightly longer word-count on my last blog before the New Year… I must share a thought or two…

Many of my readers, friends and family know I’ve been working on a new novel about the Declaration of Independence. Through my research, I’ve come to learn about two of the lesser-known, yet great founding fathers: George Wythe of Virginia, and Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut. Both of them voted for revolution and signed the document. Before the signing, and throughout the war, they played very different roles, pouring their talents, connections, hearts and minds into very different vessels for “the Cause.”

Oliver Wolcott, in an ironic story, watched as rebel soldiers in New York pulled down a massive iron statue of King George III. He had it carted back to Connecticut, and with the help of family and neighbors, they melted down the king and poured him into molds to make over 40,000 musket balls. All of those cartridges went on to be fired by the Continental Army upon the British during the war.

In Virginia, George Wythe, a professor at William & Mary, taught the man who wrote the Declaration. Thomas Jefferson studied under Wythe in Williamsburg, as did James Monroe, Henry Clay, and our longest-serving Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Marshall. Everything that Wythe had learned of Greek history, of Euripides, of Francis Bacon and of John Locke’s beliefs about life and liberty was poured into his students. After signing the Declaration himself, Wythe fought for the abolishment of slavery, designed the Virginia state seal, and more. But it was through Jefferson as his pen, that Wythe gave America the Declaration in 1776.

As many know, that one piece of parchment not only helped free America from oppression, our Declaration became the gold standard from which dozens of declarations for freedom have sprung. France used sections for their Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens (1784), as did Haiti (1804), Chili (1818), New Zealand (1835), Texas (1836), Czechoslovakia (1918), and even Vietnam (1945), among others.

Very few people besides historians (and my DAR ladies) seem to know much about George Wythe, and even fewer have heard of Oliver Wolcott, with only a small handful ever having heard the King George statue story. The world knows about Thomas Jefferson, and his statue keeps watch over our nation’s capitol. Each year, over two million people visit the National Archives in D.C. to see the original Declaration of Independence. Seldom has anyone given thought to the musket balls, except long-dead relatives who mourned the lives of those British soldiers who never returned home. So, what can we learn from our own history?

We have choice in life. Into which vessel will we pour ourselves? Will it be into a musket ball or an education? History has shown us that while weapons can help a country win a battle, an education will absolutely free the world. This truth, is self-evident.

My heart mourns for the students and teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary and their families. Sadly, those little ones were not yet of the age to have learned about the Declaration. However, the education being shared in that classroom and others before the tragedy took place… that is the firepower that will make America proud, strong and free. That is the weapon in which we should invest the most if we are to secure our future.

I hope you’ll forward this on until we all learn that rights are best freed with our minds. Not might.

I wish you a peaceful, thoughtful, and loving holiday. See you in the New Year.

A painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris of the drafting of the Declaration of Independence featuring Thomas Jefferson (right), Benjamin Franklin (left), and John Adams (center). The painting is currently located at the Virginia Historical Society here in Richmond. — “The pen is mightier than the sword,” said Edward Bulwer-Lytton. The above painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris is of the drafting of the Declaration of Independence featuring Thomas Jefferson (right), Benjamin Franklin (left), and John Adams (center). The painting is currently located at the Virginia Historical Society here in Richmond.

Bonjour 40 – Le livre est arrivé!

December 14, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel Log, the print version, is now available on Amazon!! Oh la la!

So many readers asked for it and it’s finally here. After the success of the eBook and receiving an eLit award, I went out to find an agent and a traditional publisher. But then I got to wondering what kind of book they would make. What would it look like? What would the design feel like compared to my trip? I’m a professional designer, and we like things just so. After some searching and a lot of encouragement, I eventually gave in… no, stepped up, and said, “Karen, you can do this.”

So I combed through the thousands of photos from the trip, and added in some new text. Then I went at it. Now it is 132 full-color pages, 8.5×8.5, with over 100 images. It feels more like a photo journal and a pictorial journey through Paris, but it still has my stories about a strange pillow and Bandit the dog.

If you loved the eBook, I hope the print version will be on your gift list–for yourself and others. Joyeux Noël.

For those who want to know how I produced the book, my process included:

~ InDesign for the page layout of the interior and cover.
~ Photoshop to crop, resize and color correct all 109 images.
~ Worked with April Michelle Davis to edit the copy in the new layout.
~ Opened an account through Createspace (Amazon’s print self-publishing).
~ Submitted a PDF of my files and they sent me a physical proof.
~ Based on the size and page numbers, Createspace helped me set pricing.
~ Approve it all, and wait 5-7 days for it to hit Amazon.

A few of the inside pages are below. To see more, you can “Look inside” on Amazon.

Bonjour 40 on Amazon

December 7, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

I’ve done it. You probably have, too. I’ve Google searched my own name to see what comes up. This week, I searched Amazon under Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel log. Typing in various words and phrases from the title, I wanted to see what other items might come up. I found a plethora of fun things from teapots to paintings. So, I gathered of few of them to share.

In just a few days, there will also be one more item. A print version of Bonjour 40! Readers who bought the e-book containing nearly 40 images, begged for more. Fans without e-readers begged for print. Those who love to armchair travel holding something tangible, asked when they could get their hands on it. So, here’s the gift I’ve personally designed to bring to all of you.

With over 100 photos, plus a few extra tid-bits, this new expanded version, is an 8.5×8.5, full-color, paperback walk through the streets, markets and delights of Paris. It still has all the content and stories of the original travel log, but now, so much more.

I’m reviewing the proofs now, so stay tuned for the big launch just in time for the holidays! In the meantime, you can click on the image above and find other ways to hold Paris in your hands (my favorite is the My Duckie Paris, black bathtub rubber duckie.)

Bonjour40Proof — My proofing copy of Bonjour 40. It’s 132 pages of over 100 full-color photos, journal entries and more! Coming soon to Amazon!

Guest Post: Austen Hill

December 5, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

This week I have the pleasure of being a guest blogger on my dear friend Kelly’s website, Austen Hill. In the spirit of the gift-giving season, it’s not only time to give to others, but a time to plan a bit for yourself for the new year. Where would you like to go? What would you like to accomplish? Have you ever considered traveling alone? A few tips and a few pics – read my guest post on Austen Hill.

I hope you’ll stay to explore a few more of the posts on Kelly’s blog – a delightful collection of lifestyle, fashion, food and tips chronicling the adventures of an 19th century girl in a modern world.

Lucy Inside and Out

November 30, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

In branding I often speak with clients about perception. How they are seen by others is probably how they really are. So if they want to put out a certain type of image, then it’s important to be that image. Not become. Be.

However, clients, like people, aren’t just one thing. They’re complex. In fact, they’re like Lucille Ball. Lucy was a stunning movie star who was astute and said brilliant things. But then she could turn all ham and cheese and sometimes stuffed her mouth with the wildest things.

Lucy’s lesson is to be yourself. Who you are both inside and out. Because what you hope you are and what you probably are, are perceived by everyone. And perception is reality. For laughs, and as an example, I return to Lucille Ball. Using public domain images of Lucy, I’ve comprised a photo series of who I think I am, and how I think I’m perceived. So in a nutshell (my nutshell), I am both these things.

Me at work:

My relationship:

My friendships:

What I look like in costumes:

My confidence in new adventures:

If I were a superhero:

My movie star quality:

What’s on My Nightstand: Shelf Pleasure

November 26, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Today I’m a featured author on Shelf Pleasure, sharing the books on my nightstand. Come check out the picture, the list of books, and stay to peruse their website. It’s a charming “destination spot for women who love reading.” What’s On My Nightstand…

Leftovers

November 23, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

JamSession — An impromptu jam session popped up one year when snow hemmed us all in for the party. The accordion player was in from Argentina visiting one neighbor, and the bass player, Mark, lives across the street.

Each year, Ted and I host a “Leftovers Party” on Friday evening, the day after Thanksgiving. We held it the first year we moved to Richmond, because we didn’t want to cook a turkey just for ourselves, and figured someone would surely bring it. No one did.

However, what they did bring was exactly what the party is called: Leftovers. Friends and neighbors brought whatever half-eaten casserole, straggling pie slices or day-old stuffing remained in their fridge.

What they also brought to our house was a sense of community. Both Ted and I were starting over here in Richmond, in our first home together. We had no family here and only a few friends. We had no shared traditions yet for the holidays.

This will be our fourth Leftovers gathering, and we now have a place that feels even more like home each year. We begin the holiday season, decorating in time for the party. I love this event because it’s casual, we donate items to the Foodbank, and no one has to cook a thing. By sharing in our own plenty, we have plenty of reasons to be thankful for one more day.

WhippedShortbread — A holiday favorite from when I was a kid, I made these whipped shortbread cookies and had them for the party. The recipe is from my mother, so some of my own holiday tradition is baked into ours.

Got Creative Milk?

November 16, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

What does a dairy farm have to do with the creative process? Nothing. And everything.

I recently toured the family farm of fellow designer, Candace Monaghan. Beaver Dam Farm has about 120 dairy cows. Naturally, there are boy cows who are also born, bred and sold, but the farm primarily produces milk. We wandered over her family’s property hearing stories about how Candace and her sister grew up crawling around inside of hay-lofts. They rose early along with the sun over rolling hills tinted with fall gold. They worked alongside animals and nature. It’s a magical American youth that is lost to most of us. There’s even a goat, Fred, who was simply dropped off on their property one night. He now happily follows workers around like the family dog.

While the tour was a social visit in many ways, my creative process is often enriched when I experience things that have nothing to do with what I do. I saw colors and a view I rarely see. I smelled things both beautiful (air, hay) and foul (manure) that educated my sense of smell. I saw how this life influenced Candace, and it explains why her photography is so stunning. Her eyes see things through unpolluted, beautiful air.

It’s important to step away from what we do, so we might find new stories and new perspectives. Or, as Monty Python says, “…and now for something completely different.” As for Fred, he just might make it into my book.

Guest Post: Suzanne Kamata

November 9, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

My guest today is Suzanne Kamata, a novelist and short story writer. She has come to chat about writing, and where the inspiration for her stories originates:

People often ask me how much of my writing is autobiographical. Although I would prefer that readers marvel at my fertile imagination, the honest answer would be that all of my writing is autobiographical, in that it reflects my interests and obsessions. Ideas for stories come from a variety of sources—my daily life in Japan, motherhood, folk tales from traditional cultures, newspaper headlines, travel, lives of the saints, and conversations with others. I keep a clip file of images and articles cut from magazines and newspapers for inspiration.

My story The Rain in Katoomba began with the title. My husband and I took a trip to the Blue Mountains of Eastern Australia several years ago. I was interested in this area because I knew that many artists had settled there. We’d heard that the Three Sisters, a rock formation in Katoomba, was a “must-see,” so we added it to our itinerary. Unfortunately, we had only a long weekend in Australia and the day of our outing was misty and rainy. We stood at the edge of a canyon and saw only fog. “The rain in Katoomba,” I muttered to myself. This ultimately led to a story about an elderly Japanese woman who goes for a walk in the rain and loses her way while absorbed in memories of her youth in Katoomba with her wannabe-artist father. I wove in an aboriginal tale about the formation of the Three Sisters, the rock formation that I never actually got to see in person.

I created a Pinterest inspiration board for my short story collection (which includes the story, The Rain in Katoomba), and I’ve created boards for my other books as well.

Suzanne was born and raised in Grand Haven, Michigan. She is most recently from Lexington, South Carolina, and now lives in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan with her husband and two children. Her short stories, essays, articles and book reviews have appeared in over 100 publications and her work has has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times. She is a two-time winner of the All Nippon Airways/Wingspan Fiction Contest.

First Friday: Sandy Fakes

November 2, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

At the beginning of this week, the world watched and waited for glimpses of what was happening as horrible Hurricane Sandy swept into New York. We had plenty of warning, and consequently, many designers with Photoshop had plenty of time on their hands. In light of what happened, they are silly now, but I wonder if perhaps some of these images didn’t help those of us who could do nothing but wait.

Did the fake photos allow you to feel compassion for what was happening by providing visuals that made you then search out real ones? Did some of them give you a silly moment in the face of worrying and concern. For me, yes, to both.

I give you a gallery of the Photoshop fakes. The best of which I believe is Chris Henson’s. A designer and copywriter in Virginia, he reworked an image he had posted earlier in the day–a trampoline stuck on wires. I think it’s the best because it was obviously far from reality, but it gave his friends a break we needed. Then we all went back to waiting.

After having now seen all the real images, they are in fact more dramatic than the fakes. We’re stunned. I hope you’ll be spurred into action. Our fellow humans need us. And so do many pets.

If you took the time to read this post or look at the pictures, I hope you’ll spend five minutes more to send help. NBC has posted this ‘How To Help After Sandy’ list.