Blog - Karen A. Chase

Throwing Back the (Book) Covers

August 24, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Confession: I have not read any of the Fifty Shades books. Part of my hesitation is because I have judged those books by the covers. To me, those sleek, modern covers quite simply lack thoughtful or artful design.

The all-grey palette and the simplified layout work for the small icons we see online. However, too much space at the top isn’t balanced with the space at the bottom, so the “#1 Bestseller” line lies too close to the edge of the book. The dull and forgetful Courier-esque type is squeezed tightly against images that hog the layout and are rendered with some of the worst drop shadows in history.

Take a look at those handcuffs (an image in contrast with the word “freed” in the title). How does light coming from the right cast a shadow to the right? It should be on the left. The shadow is also so wide the heavy metal cuffs are actually floating. Look at any object on your desk to see what I mean.

What does design say before you read? Poor layout = poor writing. Thoughtful layout = thoughtful read. Maybe I’m wrong and the covers have drawn in readers, but I suspect sales aren’t handcuffed to the design. I think sales are up because people historically like a scandalous tale, and they are seeing their married friends come into work with smiles on their faces.

Based on the below book covers, I think I’ll pass on the shades and pick up an old copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover instead.

LadyCover — This cover design balances white space, highlights the title, and the color in the Signet logo matches the woman’s hair so the eye is drawn down across the book title and author’s name.

LadyLucyMcLauchlan — Book covers were once considered art. Lucy McClaughlan did this illustrated design. Her other work is in private collections and the Victoria and Albert Museum, she’s rendered murals on buildings, and was listed in “The 100 Leading Figures in Urban Art.” (I wonder what Doris Lessing would think of dear James?)

Word-sticklers

August 10, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Last week I was having dinner with my friends Kelly and Sundra, two women who are well-educated, well-read and excellent writers with blogs of their own (click on their names to find them). Odd then, how we all openly admitted to incorrectly spelling some of the simplest words, or as I call them, word-sticklers.

For me, the words are necessity and surprise. Even now, I waited while typing for spell check to correct me. Is there one ‘s’? Is there a second ‘r’ in surprise, because when I type it all I can hear in my head is Gomer Pyle, and I think it looks stupid.

In a letter last week I was texting the sentence: “We will have to asses the situation.” Woa. That’s not the correct spelling for assess. So I did what I call a Porky Pig. I said to myself, “Is it asses, asess, assess? Oh just type evaluate.”

My friends were kind and admitted they too had issues. For Kelly it was the word whether. When she types it, sometimes she doesn’t know whether to use that version, or weather to use this version. For Sundra, it was the word restaurant.

“I always stick that ‘u’ in the wrong place?” she said. I’m sure you weren’t the only one dining out that night who does, Sundra.

I was so happy they admitted it, for it makes it easier now when I do find a word that flabbergasts me. I know I’ll encounter them again. Surprise, surprise, surprise!

Do you have word-sticklers in your life?

Wine — Misspellings make me want a glass of wine. Check out this lovely photograph taken by Ms. Kelly herself for her new blog Austen Hill. (Chronicling the adventures of a 19th century girl living in a modern world…)

First Friday: London Olympic Art

August 3, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

Graffiti_UK — Graffiti artists abound in London. Here, an image taken on the South bank of the Thames in an area where graffiti is allowed, was done for the wedding of Prince William and Kate.

London likes to dress up for special occasions. In honor of the 2012 Summer Olympics, my First Friday is dedicated to some of the artistic endeavors inspired by the games. (I will not give praise to the disastrous 2012 logo and mascots only McDonald’s could love.)

Dress
Could the styles of uniforms for the athletes be any more vogue? Stella McCartney designed the stunning UK team’s Adidas gear, making me wish I biked for Britain. (Meanwhile, Ralph Lauren designed the clothes for the USA team… but they were made in China. Doh!)

Hat
Londoners love hats, so the Mayor dressed up a few of the city’s iconic statues with designer creations that play homage to the flag and even to SPAM (Spam, Eggs, Spam and Spam).

Olympic Park Art
Aside from the stadium which transformed the historically grubby east end of London, the Olympic Park is home to one-of-a-kind art installations commissioned for the park, including a giant mirrored display of the word RUN. See more in the official Art in the Park brochure.

Graffiti
London is among the best in the world for beautiful street art, and its graffiti artists have stepped it up for the Olympics, like this perfect placement high-jumper by Banksey. Sadly, the International Olympic Committee and the British Transport Police (BTP) have been fiercely removing graffiti they feel doesn’t fit the Olympic brand or is too close to the venues. Banskey’s work is fighting to stay.

See more in this photo gallery of Olympic inspired art installations in London.

Where Do You Research?

July 27, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

This week I was asked where I’ve been conducting research for my novel about the American Revolution. My response was, “would you like that alphabetically or chronologically?” Certainly, I’ve worked with the traditional sources like libraries and archives. However, historical fiction isn’t like non-fiction where you must always go in search of proof. Sometimes it’s in search of opportunities for fiction.

Conflicting viewpoints are one way to find it. Wikipedia. Blogs. Historians. Those resources are filled with proofs and facts, but also opinions, theories and undocumented sources. Where two ideas collide gives me the opportunity to draw out what would happen if one of those two ideas was correct.

I also search for holes. Historical documents, textbooks (especially elementary and high school versions), and websites by historic hobbyists don’t always provide the same level of facts. Where I find a repeated dearth of details with regard to a place, event or time, is a hole I can fill with… well… stuff I make up.

I also research for the senses. I rarely find those in a book, so I travel to actual locations. I want to hear a place, smell it, touch trees, or look at the view – even if they’ve changed. There’s often a nearby museum, and there’s always some historic-ranger-docent guy who loves the place or whose grandpa told stories. I love them. After all, that’s what I do. Tell stories.

How do you conduct historical research for fiction?

Below are my photos from Stratford Hall, about an hour north of Richmond. It was home to the Lee family, who contributed two signers to the Declaration of Independence, and the general of the south, Robert E. Lee.

Author Websites

July 20, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

If you’re a new author or a self-published author, you need one. Even JK Rowling and Wilbur Smith have them. But what makes for a good author site?

Above all, the site must provide details about your book(s) and also contain links to retailers for purchasing. However, it’s also to help readers connect with you. The website URL should be YourAuthorName.com and not YourBookTitle.com (unless of course you plan on being a one-hit wonder). Assuming you’re not, the website is your library and forum, so set it up as such.

Websites for authors don’t have to, and probably shouldn’t be, large. You want to write books, not update websites. Navigation tabs at minimum should include:
About – Books – Contact

The optional stuff is where your readers get to interact with you, and that’s crucial in gaining a following. So additional navigation can include things like:
Book Trailers/Video – Press/News – Blog – Photo Gallery – Twitter Feed

Contact info is tricky. Many authors work from home, so listing a phone number and address can feel creepy, especially for the gals. So provide a contact form for readers. Links under your “contact” navigation can include all the social media accounts you have, so readers can connect with you there as well:
E-mail – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – RSS Feeds, etc

What other content do you think author sites should have?
Please share examples of author websites with great features or functionality.

KACSite — When building my author site, I designed it so the Eiffel Tower background behind the middle section can change as new books are released, giving the site a fresh feel and PR functionality, while content stays the same.

Bookmaking Part Two: Early Editing

July 13, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

DeerForest — A visual representation of how I felt after receiving early editing comments from my editor. Oh deer, oh dear, oh deer.

In Bookmaking Part One I mentioned working with editors early on to prevent major manuscript overhauls. That post received several comments, so I’ll share a story about how early editing helps with revisions.

I’m writing an historical fiction piece. It’s filled with facts as well as fictional and non-fictional characters. I built character profiles, outlined the fairly complicated plot, and wrote the first chapter. Upon working with the editor who specializes in historical fiction, she sent back concerns and positive comments (as a nice editor will), and announced I was building a great YA novel. What?! Oh no. Adult historical fiction was my intent.

I’ve made my part of my living as an advertising copywriter where I must compress pages of information into smaller bite-sized pieces. So now I wasn’t giving nearly enough weight to details that historic fiction readers truly love. And the POV I had chosen, first-person, would limit the descriptions I could include of the 1776 time-period. Thank heavens I had only twenty pages. Can you imagine trying to go back through three hundred pages to make those kinds of changes?

While some writers like to finish the manuscript before it is edited, it’s important to find a freelance editor who works with your style. Not every editor wants to work with bits and pieces, but if they do, they’ll see the trees before you enter the forest, and can outfit you with the right gear to come out the other side.

First Friday: Matt Flowers’ Landscapes

July 6, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

MAIN_OpeningImage — A Matt Flowers Landscape

Imagine a mountain top. Way up high. With old craggy rocks springing forth with glorious evergreens reaching for the sun. The above artwork is part of a collection by Richmond artist, Matt Flowers. But all is not as it appears. It is not a photo of place. It’s a place created by Matt that and your interaction with it makes you feel huge while at the same shrinking you in an Alice in Wonderland kind of way.

Using driftwood, rocks, moss, enamel, paint and detailed hand work that is surely going to give him early-onset crows-feet, Matt is a sculptor of landscapes that are driven by his photographic eye. In taking pictures of Matt’s work for this post, I quickly realized I was not capturing one of the most essential and remarkable elements of his sculptures. Scale. So I included a frame of reference to help you comprehend the size through a series of images.

Using the found elements and adding in tools like magnifying glasses and backlit screens, Matt engages the viewer to discover life-like imaginary worlds. Some of his pieces use antique lenses tucked into handcrafted boxes mounted on vintage tripods to create small dioramas that make the viewer feel as if they’ve dropped into an H.G. Wells-like world where nothing is as it appears. His tiny details create landscapes that upon closer inspection feel larger, giving the viewer a magical glimpse into another place both of this world and of Matt’s imagination.

This gallery of images of his sculptures better explains the work, and for more information visit Matt Flowers’ website.

Celebrate the Flag

June 29, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

CH_Flag — A properly hung American Flag in my neighborhood in Church Hill. Photo courtesy of Worthington Photography located here in Richmond. Worthington-photography.com

I’m a Daughter of the American Revolution (DAR), which means I’ve proven I have an ancestor who fought in the American Revolution. Today, the DAR helps share knowledge about our country’s history, including information about the American flag, which is very appropriate for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations. In case you don’t know, there is an official US Flag Code, and it may alter your July fourth party plans.

The flag should not be put on an article of clothing or anything disposable (paper plates, napkins, etc.). Should you really be wiping BBQ sauce off your face with the flag? It shouldn’t have anything beneath it or touch the ground, so no flag table cloths. If you do hang the flag (stripes down), it should be lit at night if it stays outside and come down during bad weather.

Can you burn a flag? Section 8k states: “When it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, [it] should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” The Girl Scouts is one of the organizations that performs official retirement ceremonies.

You can read the Flag Code in it entirety, or for a more fun review of wrongful uses go to the Flag Wall of Shame. It’s also a great what-not-to-wear guide.

An interesting note: Betsy Ross didn’t design this flag we have today. Our current flag with the 50 stars was designed by a 17-year old, Robert G. Heft, who in 1958 designed it for a school project. He got a B-minus. When it was chosen out of 1500 entries to be the flag, the teacher changed the grade to an A.

Writing the Declaration

June 22, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

PhillyStateHouse_KAC — During one of my research trips a couple years ago I visited the Philadelphia State House where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. (I was blonder then. I'm much smarter after all this research.)

For the last three years, whenever I could, I’ve been conducting research for an historical fiction novel I’m writing about the American Revolution. With the upcoming July fourth holiday we celebrate the Declaration of Independence, so I share some of what I learned about the drafting of the finished piece.

Thomas Jefferson, as most know, was the main writer. Most don’t know he wrote it in just two days. The Continental Congress agreed to the resolution for independence on July second, Jefferson presented his rough draft after a little editing help from Adams and Franklin (read Adams’ first-hand account here), the Congress cut off about another quarter of the text, and the formal finished piece was adopted on July fourth. That day, John Dunlap printed 200 copies to distribute throughout the colonies, twenty-four of which exist today, including one in nearby Jamestown Yorktown Victory Center.

The famous parchment version with all the signatures, now housed at the National Archives, had some editing issues. The word “unalienable” was misspelled. It should be “inalienable.” When the founding fathers went to sign it, it’s assumed Jefferson’s hand corrected a couple more. The word “representatives” was missing the “en” so that was penned in. The word “only” was also inserted about ten lines up from the bottom into “Our repeated Petitions have been answered only in repeated injury.” You can actually see the changes on the original parchment. They make me feel so much better about my own editing mistakes.

Writing a Brand Positioning Statement (BPS)

June 15, 2012 By Karen A. Chase

CokeBirds — Do you think taking the time to properly position your brand is for the birds? Before you hang out a shingle, or write a jingle, brand baby brand.

A couple weeks ago, I met with a group who was struggling over creating a mission statement. Corporate muckety-mucks love them but often I cringe at the cubicle-world, soul-crushing sound of them. I don’t think you can write a mission statement about where you are going without knowing who you are anyways, and that’s why I prefer building a BPS first when I create brands.

What a BPS is not:
• It’s not a tagline.
• It’s not a list of your products or services.
• It’s not long.
• It’s not manifesto for why the CEO is enslaving you.

So what is it? It’s a one-to-two sentence statement that basically sums up the following for your product or your service:
• What you do
• Target audience
• Why are you best/different
• What benefit is provided

Your finished statement has to be:
• Available
• Sustainable
• Defendable

My example is always Nike®. I’m sure their brand statement is not “Just Do It.” It’s probably (I’m guessing here) something like: We make superior quality athletic clothing and sporting equipment so professional and recreational athletes can keep their mind and body on what matters most to them about their game. We let the world play.

Words are chosen carefully. An adjective like “superior” adds a qualifier to “quality.” “Professional and recreational” defines the target audience. The benefit? Every player plays a sport for a different reason, so the “mind” and “body” of each athlete gets to just do it.