Creating the Book Trailer for MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL

Watching the book trailer for MRS. LIEUTENANT –- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpjo-hv7fII – brings back the memories of those turbulent times at the end of the ‘60s and the start of the ‘70s. Theresa Chaze did such a terrific job of capturing that time that I asked her to write a guest post describing how she chose the elements for the trailer. (FYI – She graduated from Michigan State University a little over a decade after I did.)

MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL offered special challenges for me when I produced the book trailer. It is not always easy to find good graphics that will adequately represent the spirit and content of a historically correct book even if it is a fictionalized account. Since the novel is based around real events, I had to find images that would not only embody the era but the changes in the four women’s lives as they became officers’ wives.

Searching the net for the appropriate pictures, I found myself remembering the newscast of the protest marches, the riots and the Vietnam War. I was 12 in 1970. As a child, I simply didn’t understand the violence and the bigotry.

After one of the riots (it could have been Kent State but I’m not certain) I asked my mother what would happen if someone accidentally was caught up in the middle – if they were going to class or to work and took a wrong turn. She told me that everyone who was there deserved what they got. She believed protesting the government was wrong. To this day, I simply don’t understand how she could possibly say and mean it.

Writing the text was nearly as challenging. Even though Phyllis gave me a good start with her synopsis, I had to write copy that would be intriguing yet didn’t give too much of the story away.

It is a delicate balance of storytelling and marketing. You need to hook the reader in the beginning with the plot while carrying the interest through to the end where the goal is to sell books. Reviews need to be short and concise to meet the restrictions of the video medium.

In addition, where the book can be found and bought is also important. However, giving long website addresses will only frustrate the viewer who is trying to write down the information. Individual websites are best listed in the description of the video, where the URLs can easily be cut and pasted in the browser.

The music under the voiceover ties all the elements together into a complete package. In order to prevent emotional baggage, I wanted to totally avoid popular music. Well-liked songs always dredge up an individual’s old memories, which would distract from the message I was sending. Instead, I went with a simple piece that flowed with the images, connecting the story to the sales pitch at the end.

My resume includes a B.A. in English and Video Production with a minor in Theatre. I have over six years experience in broadcast TV as a producer, director and all-around tech. I have two novels in print, with a third due out this fall. In addition, I am an award-winning screenwriter. Nearly two years ago I decided to combine my experience by producing digital videos.

I work with authors, publishers, and PR representatives of all genres. The only books that I will not work with are those that promote hatred and bigotry. To see examples of what I can do for you, go to http://www.youtube. com/user/ Tirgana. I blog at http://theresachaze.blogspot.com, and you can learn about my Dragon Clan Trilogy at www.theresachaze.com. Contact me at tirgana@yahoo.com.

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The Aftermath of the Kent State University Shootings on May 4, 1970

Following the killing of four and the wounding of nine students at Kent State University by Ohio National Guard on May 4, 1970, numerous pro-war and anti-war activities happened. To give you a feeling of these activities, here are news items from “Day by Day: The Seventies,” Volume 1, 1970-1975, by Thomas Leonard, Cynthia Crippen and Marc Aronson:

• May 4 -- President Nixon describes Kent State shootings as unfortunate and calls for protection of the right to peaceful dissent.

• May 4 -- Presidents of 37 colleges and universities warn Nixon that the nation’s youth are being alienated by war policies.

• May 5 -- Students at Stanford and University of Maryland begin strikes to protest Nixon’s war policies.

• May 5 -- At a White House meeting, President Nixon tells 28 senators and 72 representatives that U.S. troops will be pulled out of Cambodia in three to seven weeks.

• May 5 -- Princeton University faculty vote for a two-week recess prior to the November elections to permit students to work for antiwar congressional candidates.

• May 6 -- California Governor Ronald Reagan orders 27 state colleges and universities closed until May 10 in an effort to cool student tempers.

Just yesterday in yoga class a fellow student said to me, “People think the 60s were turbulent. But it’s really what happened right after the 60s that was turbulent.”

My fellow yoga student was right. The 60s get all the “claim to fame,” but the Vietnam War did not end on December 31, 1969. And what had been started by anti-war protesters in the 60s spilled over into the early years of the 70s.

The anti-war protest at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August 1968 was one such event that led toward the Kent State shootings. If you haven’t ever seen the 1969 movie MEDIUM COOL about the violence at the convention, consider adding this title to your Netflix list. The film will give you a window into the divisive feelings of this period in U.S. history.

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