Contributing/Guest Blogs - Karen A. Chase

Guest Post: Mary Chris Escobar

September 5, 2014 By Karen A. Chase

Today, my fair readers, I am happy to introduce Mary Chris Escobar. A friend and author, Mary Chris and I frequently dish about books, writing and well… dishes. We discuss what we eat. Where we eat. We’ve even cooked together. She graciously drops by the blog today to offer her take on Books and Food:

BOOKS & FOOD by Mary Chris Escobar

My books make people hungry. Not metaphorically hungry as in, “I can’t wait to devour the next novel”; physically hungry as in, “She has an amazing ability to make ME hungry when her characters are enjoying nachos.” Really, that is an actual quote from a review. At least one review for each of my books indicates that it made the reader want to eat something.

The strange thing is, I have no idea how this happens. In all my stories there are scenes where food is mentioned, but not described with the sort of detail I would assume is required to make someone hungry. For example, here is a line about making lasagna from my most recent novel, How to be Alive: “My whole apartment smelled like tomatoes and garlic.” The scene continues with the characters catching up over dinner, but no additional details are given about the lasagna.

My characters frequently meet in restaurants or over home-cooked meals. It’s a natural place for conversation and connection. Perhaps my readers get hungry because they feel drawn into the scene and want to share food with the characters. Perhaps they are hungry when they sit down to read, and just don’t realize it until I mention nachos.

No matter the reason, it is the highest compliment for a writer to know that their words have affected the reader in some way. Therefore, I feel honored to know that I can make my readers’ stomachs growl.

(Just in case you want lasagna after reading this, here is one of my favorite recipes.)

Mary Chris writes women’s fiction. Her second novel, How to be Alive, came out in late June. She lives in Richmond, Virginia in a renovated parking garage with her husband, and you can find her just about anywhere with good coffee or craft beer. Find her at marychrisescobar.com. She also hangs out on Twitter @marychris_e

Bonjour Self-Publishing

April 12, 2013 By Karen A. Chase

Where can you learn about self-publishing? How about the library?

Friends of the Richmond Public Library have invited me to host their May author event to chat about all things self-publishing.

Friday, May 3 ~ 7:00 p.m.
Main Library ~ 101 East Franklin Street
Davenport Special Collections Room

When I first launched Bonjour 40, the blog, I had not intended to write a book based on it. However, once the publishing notion came along, I thought perhaps I would use this book, my first, as an experiment. By navigating self-publishing for both the e-book and print versions, I’ve learned a few things. I wish I had someone over a year ago who knew what I know now.

You can. We’ll chat about:

• Tips for blogging
• Going from blog to book
• E-book versus print
• Amazon, online retailers, and bookstores
• Self versus traditional publishing
• Self-promotion for self-publishers

I hope you’ll join us. Reward? Self-publishing know-how from a been-there, done-that author. Plus, two attendees receive a free signed copy of the book, and one of my Paris photographs.

Guest Post: Kelly Watts

March 15, 2013 By Karen A. Chase

My American Revolution manuscript has returned from my editor and I’ll be giving it some attention in the coming weeks. While my blog posts may be a little less frequent, I hope you’ll find them filled with more compelling information. This week, author Kelly Watts helps me out with a great guest post.

Kelly Watts moved to Australia a little over a year ago and just recently published her first book, “Sailing to Jessica,” the true story of her four-year sailing adventure with her husband that took them nearly around the world…that is until they met their daughter on a remote Pacific Island. Kelly…

A Book Trailer: Worth the Effort?

“Where does that fit in your project plan?” my husband demanded when I announced that I wanted to make a book trailer. Paul is a project manager by profession and I had begged him to help me plan my work because I was overwhelmed. Just as the composition of a book includes many elements, so does a book marketing plan. I needed to create a website; put together my social media, as well as format and upload print- and electronic- versions of my book. Before Christmas. That gave me two months. Make a book trailer too? No wonder Paul thought I was mental! But I had just seen my first book trailer, and it was COOL.

I had to have one.

What material could I use for my book trailer? While I had taken tons of photos on our sailing trip, I only had a handful of videos. Friends suggested holding up placards in front of the video camera, or having someone interview Paul and I. Ultimately I used variations on both ideas. I studied the movie trailer templates in Apple’s iMovie as a guide. I purchased a single-purpose license for the music online. I whittled down my 289-page book into 50 compelling words and created my trailer. I tried not to spoil the story while setting the reader’s expectations–a tough balance for a book that includes two very different reading genres, sailing and adoption.

Was it worth the effort? You decide. On December 16th, I posted my Sailing to Jessica YouTube trailer on my personal Facebook profile to my 200 friends and so did Paul. It was subsequently mentioned on two other blogs. As of February 14th, the video has had 835 views and brought 1137 visits–935 unique visitors–to my website. I am new to this marketing game, but that seems pretty worthwhile to me…

. . . . . . . .

Today is also the last day of Kelly’s Goodreads Book Giveaway. Enter to win a free copy of Sailing to Jessica and drift away with an inspiring story.

Prior to writing her book, Kelly has produced and/or written articles for magazines such as Blue Water Sailing and Better Homes and Gardens. She also had a weekly food column in a couple of Midwest newspapers for several years. This is the first book trailer she has made. “After writing and editing words on a computer screen for so many years, it was fun to combine photos, videos and music to create a visual story,” she said. Her trailer will be a key component in her upcoming marketing efforts.

The Other Stephen King Interview

February 20, 2013 By Karen A. Chase

While I often have guest writers on my blog, this week I was lucky enough to land my own guest spot with the “Other Stephen King.” Stephen is a local Richmond writer, and James River Writer member who chats with other authors about their work, their writing, and even their favorite dessert:

Come visit with me on the Other Stephen King on Writing.

Guest Post: Steena Holmes

February 15, 2013 By Karen A. Chase

My guest writer today is Steena Holmes, author of Finding Emma and the soon to be released Emma’s Secret. (She also lives in my hometown of Calgary.) Steena has long been a self-published author, and thanks to having her book featured by Amazon, has recently found herself with a traditional publishing deal, and a full-time writing life. She’s come by to chat about what’s changed–for better and worse. Welcome, Steena…

I’m sitting here with a mug full of homemade mocha (ok, it’s my second mug) and thinking about how my life has changed in the past 6-12 months. When I started my writing journey as an indie author, I never imagined that I would be in the spot I am today so soon.

How has my life changed since I now have a traditional contract? The first answer would be I no longer have time. This surprised me more than I could ever imagine. I’ve always been one who enjoys the PR aspect that comes with writing–I love interacting with readers, being on social media and and going through Pinterest. My normal schedule is:
8–11am, social media/PR/fun stuff
1–4pm, writing
7–10pm, writing, fun stuff, family things

I was (am happy) with the balance…except when it comes to deadlines. I’m realizing my life as an indie author is no more. Yes, I’m still self publishing… but that schedule now has to work around my traditional schedule. And I’m planning my year around my traditional deadlines. For instance, I have two big trips planned. One in April when I travel London Book Fair as a speak and then attempt to follow Karen’s footsteps in Paris (although I only have 3 days, not 40), and then in July for a conference. Those two months are officially deemed my ‘off months’. My goal is to relax, slow down and read. Pure bliss!

But you know what? I’m happy with the change. How could I not? I have a wonderful life and a dream opportunity sitting at my doorstep. Along with a stash of mini chocolate bars and flavored cocoa mix!

You can read more about her process and her books (she’s written a few erotica books, too) by following Steena on her oh-so-sweet blog, on Facebook and on Twitter @steenaholmes.

Guest Post: The Sweet Lindy Dale

January 25, 2013 By Karen A. Chase

My guest blogger today comes all the way from Australia! Lindy Dale is an author of Chick Lit and paranormal romance (wow). After writing books for ten years, she recently went through a brand redevelopment for her books and author platform. So grab some coffee or chocolate, curl up and read on…

When I first started out, I had a homemade cover and a book. No website, no blog, Facebook Page or Twitter accounts. It didn’t take long for me to realize that if I wanted to be noticed, I was going to have to do something more. If I wanted to be regarded as a professional I had to have a professional look– not some tacky thing that screamed “DIY”. That’s where branding came in.

The first step was to define myself. Okay. I’m a Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction (WF) author. My Chick Lit runs to the humorous side and my WF is often sadder. The common thread is love. Always love.

Next, I created a logo with a cute, fun caricature. You can see it on my Facebook page. It defines the type of book I write–fun, easy to read, happy endings. I carried this over to my website and blog. I also changed my pen name from L.A. Dale to Lindy Dale to strengthen the Chick Lit theme–you don’t hear of many CL authors using initials. It’s a more personal, friendly genre.

Then late last year, I engaged a cover designer to redesign my covers to give them a cohesive look. The font and style will be the same, though there will be differences between the Chick Lit and WF that will instantly tell the reader what type of book they’re going to read.

The last stage has been the blog and this is a work in progress. Instead of the hit and miss process I had before, it now has a structure with regular posts on topics chosen by my readers. It comes out weekly and is backed up by a newsletter of exclusive content only given to subscribers.

So what about you? Have you ever considered branding yourself?

You can find Lindy on her website, her Facebook and Twitter under @LA_DALE. Below is a screen snapshot of her oh so cute website redesign.

Will Travel For Words

January 16, 2013 By Karen A. Chase

I am thrilled to announce that beginning today, I will have a monthly column on the website Shelf Pleasure–a destination spot for women who love reading. My column is called Will Travel For Words. Once a month, I’ll share with you my travels and explorations in my quest for the best story and the best research. If I take a jaunt for anything book related, you can come along.

This month, I take readers up the road, and back in time, to George Wythe’s house for research on my novel about the Declaration of Indendence. We’ll venture into his study in Colonial Williamsburg. So, come on over, take a read, and travel with me to find just the right words. Click here, to go there.

Guest Post: Kelly of Austen Hill

January 11, 2013 By Karen A. Chase

Today’s fabulous guest is the lovely Kelly Fitzgerald, founder and creative voice behind the lifestyle blog Austen Hill, where she writes about fashion, design, travel, food and more. She created the site as an outlet to share things that inspire her, and she’s come to chat about how it all started. Kelly…

Take a Chance on Yourself
When I began Austen Hill I had no idea how hard it would be, but I had felt for some time that there was a burgeoning designer inside of me just waiting to get out. What did I want to design? I had no clue. I just knew I had all of this creative energy and I needed a way to channel it. Blogging seemed like a wonderful way to explore things that I loved, and also write a bit.

Step 1: What do I do well?
A lot of my friends have asked me to help them plan parties, re-decorate rooms, or pick out the perfect shade of gray. I soon realized I had a knack for designing, and I was never asked to run the final length of a relay race. So I can’t run very fast, but I can design the heck out of a tablescape.

Step 2: Find my style.
For those of you in the marketing world, you know brand is everything. Articulating my brand, or style, consistently ensures that my readers immediately identify Austen Hill. What is my style and why does it matter? I created my Pinterest Board to get started and I always come back to it for inspiration and continuity.

Step 3: Drink a lot of wine!
It can be scary putting yourself out there. What if people don’t like what I’m doing? Through this experience I’ve learned to trust my design instincts and go for it. I took a chance on being myself and I’m so happy I did.

Check out her blog, AustenHill! Or visit the blog’s Facebook Page. Starting Monday, 14th, AustenHill will be holding a week-long give-away in conjunction with moi! If you like Paris and free books, this contest will be for you.

For her day job, Kelly travels the country working on health policy issues, but calls Richmond’s historic Church Hill home, where she lives with her dog Miss Austen. Below are a couple of her lovely pics from her blog, including an appetizer set-up in her living room, and a mood board she put together inspired by Les Misérable.

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…

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.