Challenge
Mr Brown wrote a book New Roman Times, based on the album by Camper Van Beethoven, a concept-album set in a surreal alternative universe in which the United States is split up into separate, hostile countries.
Solution
Since the base of the story lies in the civil war between Texas and California, and a commentary on the red state/blue state political division that exists in the United States, its represented as a game of tic-tac-toe in a stalemate.
Additionally, wild posters in New York and Los Angeles teased the new book. Photos were posted on Camper Van Beethovens own site.
Result
The tic-tac-toe with states communicates the book's civil war idea even to potential readers who have not heard the album.
