You know your story: Do you know your voice? - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T20:20:32Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/you-know-your-story-do-you?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A294091&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks. Very helpful.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-09:537324:Comment:2940912011-06-09T18:16:08.824ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
Thanks. Very helpful.
Thanks. Very helpful. Is Booksmart user friendly,
…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-09:537324:Comment:2940892011-06-09T17:18:33.498ZCaroline Trippehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CarolineTrippe
<p><strong>Is Booksmart user friendly,</strong></p>
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<p>Yes, I find it to be so. I sort of learned by doing, but it comes with online tutorials. You just drag in images from iPhoto or anywhere else on your computer where you store them, type in your own text, chose page ornaments, etc. Blurb continues to make improvements, so it gets easier all the time. A lot of photographers use it---it was designed primarily with photographers in mind, but other artists use it as well. It costs…</p>
<p><strong>Is Booksmart user friendly,</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, I find it to be so. I sort of learned by doing, but it comes with online tutorials. You just drag in images from iPhoto or anywhere else on your computer where you store them, type in your own text, chose page ornaments, etc. Blurb continues to make improvements, so it gets easier all the time. A lot of photographers use it---it was designed primarily with photographers in mind, but other artists use it as well. It costs nothing to use, unlike Lulu---you only pay when you upload and order your book.</p>
<p>I set up my books so you could preview several illustrations in each one, not just the covers. So you can see how text and image work together. They do have a "trade" format too. But I don't think ir would really be cost-effective for something like a novel.</p> Is Booksmart user friendly, C…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-08:537324:Comment:2939172011-06-08T19:37:40.825ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
<p>Is Booksmart user friendly, Caroline? Curious.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I get it that you're an artist first, writer after that. I wish I could even draw stick figures! But I cannot, so I'm gonna stick with writing, which is my passion. I just love your illustrations on your book covers, which is why I asked. Maybe they're "unclassifiable," as you say because, well, darn it, kids aren't as well read as they used to be. I know one thing: I'd want my kid to read them. </p>
<p>Is Booksmart user friendly, Caroline? Curious.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I get it that you're an artist first, writer after that. I wish I could even draw stick figures! But I cannot, so I'm gonna stick with writing, which is my passion. I just love your illustrations on your book covers, which is why I asked. Maybe they're "unclassifiable," as you say because, well, darn it, kids aren't as well read as they used to be. I know one thing: I'd want my kid to read them. </p> speaking of mysteries, can yo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-07:537324:Comment:2937202011-06-07T10:51:31.799ZCaroline Trippehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CarolineTrippe
<p><strong>speaking of mysteries, can you--are you interested in translating any of your material--into a mystery novel</strong></p>
<p> Hm, that's a novel idea, Mary---but really not at all something I would consider. My books are not novels, actually, but brief illustrated stories---none of the books exceed 40 pages, including both text and pictures---and it's the paintings that are primary, that guide my choice of narratives, because I'm a painter first, writer second. I base my books on…</p>
<p><strong>speaking of mysteries, can you--are you interested in translating any of your material--into a mystery novel</strong></p>
<p> Hm, that's a novel idea, Mary---but really not at all something I would consider. My books are not novels, actually, but brief illustrated stories---none of the books exceed 40 pages, including both text and pictures---and it's the paintings that are primary, that guide my choice of narratives, because I'm a painter first, writer second. I base my books on tales from Greek mythology, so I don't have to invent plots---something I am not good at. They do not fall squarely into the children's market because I don't create them with children in mind. As for markets being flooded---I suppose the mystery market is too. I will just be content for now with doing my books as "print on demand." They are not selling, but I don't think it's necessarily the venue, but the fact that they are sort of "unclassifiable." But thanks for your comments! If I could write a "real" mystery, I probably would have tried long ago :) Meanwhile, I'm a painter, and the books are a sort of sideline, because they were fun to do, and because with that fantastic Booksmart software, I could do all the entire design myself. </p>
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<p> </p> Caroline, sorry to reply here…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-06:537324:Comment:2936802011-06-06T20:41:02.140ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
<p>Caroline, sorry to reply here, but CS won't let me reply in the correct spot, which is where you posted your like to your children's novels. I agree with I.J. The cover art is just breathtaking. And so, speaking of mysteries, can you--are you interested in translating any of your material--into a mystery novel, seeing as how the children's book market is flooded, as you say? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I see tons of possibility for a mystery series based on your content, and I hope that you do,…</p>
<p>Caroline, sorry to reply here, but CS won't let me reply in the correct spot, which is where you posted your like to your children's novels. I agree with I.J. The cover art is just breathtaking. And so, speaking of mysteries, can you--are you interested in translating any of your material--into a mystery novel, seeing as how the children's book market is flooded, as you say? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I see tons of possibility for a mystery series based on your content, and I hope that you do, too. Any thoughts? </p> I.J., I agree. Caroline's bo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-06:537324:Comment:2936922011-06-06T20:37:47.804ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
I.J., I agree. Caroline's books are beautiful. The cover art is exquisite.
I.J., I agree. Caroline's books are beautiful. The cover art is exquisite. Thank you I.J. I appreciate…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-02:537324:Comment:2930862011-06-02T21:26:29.968ZCaroline Trippehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CarolineTrippe
<p>Thank you I.J. I appreciate that very much indeed. </p>
<p> However, I'm afraid publishers won't be knocking on my door---it's not likely they're ever even going to see these books. The children's/juvenile book market, from what I gather, having done a bit of "research," is pretty much glutted, and the competition is "fierce." Publishers don't have to look for new talent---apparently it floods their gates. I looked into this not long ago, just to see what the lay of the land…</p>
<p>Thank you I.J. I appreciate that very much indeed. </p>
<p> However, I'm afraid publishers won't be knocking on my door---it's not likely they're ever even going to see these books. The children's/juvenile book market, from what I gather, having done a bit of "research," is pretty much glutted, and the competition is "fierce." Publishers don't have to look for new talent---apparently it floods their gates. I looked into this not long ago, just to see what the lay of the land was, and if I could uncover a "niche," and there are very, very few publishers now who will accept any unsolicited mss, even those written and illustrated by the same person--those used to be considered in a different way---but most publishers have their own stables of artists that they like to call on. And now we have the new era of digital artists---and they have some pretty phenomenal skills , though a lot of it seems to be directed at the "fantasy" market. </p>
<p>I don't fit in there. In fact, I've no idea where I would fit in.</p>
<p>I have done what my skills permit--I am not "dissing" myself, I hope, but I'm not a "trained" illustrator--not a professional anyway--- and am well aware of my limitations. :) I have seen what the very best illustrators can do. And the resources they have to have. Also, and this is kind of a problem, I think, ---my books are actually not targeted for any specific age---they would be "suitable" for young people, but the only people who've bought them (either online or at my studio) are adults, and there have been precious few of them , at that. I was just pleased to find a way to combine painting and narratives in a new form. It's just one aspect of my work.</p>
<p>Anyway---didn't mean to go on, as I'm really on this forum to talk about mysteries. But I do thank you. It is always nice to be appreciated.</p>
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<p> </p> Oh, wow! These are beautiful…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-02:537324:Comment:2930122011-06-02T14:26:39.505ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Oh, wow! These are beautiful, Caroline. You should have publishers knocking on your door! They are for young people, right?
Oh, wow! These are beautiful, Caroline. You should have publishers knocking on your door! They are for young people, right? The link below will take you…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-02:537324:Comment:2930112011-06-02T12:47:32.770ZCaroline Trippehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CarolineTrippe
<p>The link below will take you to the Blurb website, where you can "preview" my illustrated books. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.blurb.com/search/site_search?search=Caroline+Trippe&filter=bookstore&commit=Search" target="_blank">http://www.blurb.com/search/site_search?search=Caroline+Trippe&filter=bookstore&commit=Search</a></p>
<p>I have quite a few older paintings on Flickr, but haven't added any new ones in a long time. But the books will give you some idea,…</p>
<p>The link below will take you to the Blurb website, where you can "preview" my illustrated books. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.blurb.com/search/site_search?search=Caroline+Trippe&filter=bookstore&commit=Search" target="_blank">http://www.blurb.com/search/site_search?search=Caroline+Trippe&filter=bookstore&commit=Search</a></p>
<p>I have quite a few older paintings on Flickr, but haven't added any new ones in a long time. But the books will give you some idea, especially the three most recent.</p> Argh! It's hair pulling tryi…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-06-01:537324:Comment:2929292011-06-01T20:24:29.045ZMary McFarlandhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MaryMcFarland
<p>Argh! It's hair pulling trying to make the darn Web site work, Caroline. It's really a limited medium, don't you think? Just trying to make it have the voice :-))) we want it to. I like minimal. I'm working on WordPress right now with something that I hope is minimal, although the amount of sweat I'm putting into it certainly isn't. </p>
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<p>Yep, I cannot abide the pretentious statement types! </p>
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<p>We're here to help each other, that's for sure. When you get your…</p>
<p>Argh! It's hair pulling trying to make the darn Web site work, Caroline. It's really a limited medium, don't you think? Just trying to make it have the voice :-))) we want it to. I like minimal. I'm working on WordPress right now with something that I hope is minimal, although the amount of sweat I'm putting into it certainly isn't. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yep, I cannot abide the pretentious statement types! </p>
<p> </p>
<p>We're here to help each other, that's for sure. When you get your site working the way you want, please post a link. I'd love to see it. Meantime, is there any place where I can see your paintings? </p>