diff --git a/client/src/App.tsx b/client/src/App.tsx
index 224e3f7..3e8937d 100644
--- a/client/src/App.tsx
+++ b/client/src/App.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import Authors from "@/pages/authors/Authors";
 import WorkReading from "@/pages/works/WorkReading";
 import WorkCompare from "@/pages/works/WorkCompare";
 import Collections from "@/pages/collections/Collections";
+import CreateCollection from "@/pages/collections/CreateCollection";
 import Profile from "@/pages/user/Profile";
 import Submit from "@/pages/Submit";
 
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ function Router() {
       <Route path="/works/:slug" component={WorkReading} />
       <Route path="/works/:slug/compare/:translationId" component={WorkCompare} />
       <Route path="/collections" component={Collections} />
+      <Route path="/collections/create" component={CreateCollection} />
       <Route path="/profile" component={Profile} />
       <Route path="/submit" component={Submit} />
       <Route component={NotFound} />
diff --git a/client/src/components/common/AuthorChip.tsx b/client/src/components/common/AuthorChip.tsx
index 29eb0f8..747f84c 100644
--- a/client/src/components/common/AuthorChip.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/common/AuthorChip.tsx
@@ -3,39 +3,58 @@ import { Author } from "@shared/schema";
 import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
 
 interface AuthorChipProps {
-  author: Author;
+  author?: Author;
   size?: 'sm' | 'md' | 'lg';
   withLifeDates?: boolean;
   className?: string;
 }
 
 export function AuthorChip({ author, size = 'md', withLifeDates = false, className = '' }: AuthorChipProps) {
-  const getAvatarSize = () => {
+  // Helper function to get avatar size class
+  function getAvatarSize() {
     switch (size) {
       case 'sm': return 'w-8 h-8';
       case 'lg': return 'w-12 h-12';
       default: return 'w-10 h-10';
     }
-  };
+  }
 
-  const getTextSize = () => {
+  // Helper function to get text size class
+  function getTextSize() {
     switch (size) {
       case 'sm': return 'text-sm';
       case 'lg': return 'text-lg';
       default: return 'text-base';
     }
-  };
+  }
 
   // Get initials for avatar fallback
-  const getInitials = (name: string) => {
+  function getInitials(name: string) {
     return name
       .split(' ')
       .map(part => part.charAt(0))
       .join('')
       .toUpperCase()
       .slice(0, 2);
-  };
+  }
 
+  // If author is undefined, return a placeholder
+  if (!author) {
+    return (
+      <div className={`flex items-center gap-2 ${className}`}>
+        <div className={`flex items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-navy/10 dark:bg-navy/20 overflow-hidden flex-shrink-0 ${getAvatarSize()}`}>
+          <span className="text-navy/60 dark:text-cream/60">?</span>
+        </div>
+        <div>
+          <h3 className={`${getTextSize()} text-navy/70 dark:text-cream/70 font-medium`}>
+            Unknown Author
+          </h3>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  // If author is defined, return the full component
   return (
     <Link href={`/authors/${author.slug}`}>
       <div className={`flex items-center gap-2 group ${className}`}>
diff --git a/client/src/pages/collections/CreateCollection.tsx b/client/src/pages/collections/CreateCollection.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..137f248
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/pages/collections/CreateCollection.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+import { useState } from 'react';
+import { useLocation } from 'wouter';
+import { useMutation } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { z } from 'zod';
+import { useForm } from 'react-hook-form';
+import { zodResolver } from '@hookform/resolvers/zod';
+import { queryClient, apiRequest } from '@/lib/queryClient';
+import { useToast } from '@/hooks/use-toast';
+import { PageLayout } from '@/components/layout/PageLayout';
+import { Form, FormControl, FormDescription, FormField, FormItem, FormLabel, FormMessage } from '@/components/ui/form';
+import { Input } from '@/components/ui/input';
+import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
+import { Switch } from '@/components/ui/switch';
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
+import { Loader2 } from 'lucide-react';
+
+// Form validation schema
+const createCollectionSchema = z.object({
+  name: z.string().min(3, { message: 'Collection name must be at least 3 characters' }).max(100),
+  description: z.string().max(500, { message: 'Description must not exceed 500 characters' }).optional(),
+  isPublic: z.boolean().default(true),
+});
+
+type FormValues = z.infer<typeof createCollectionSchema>;
+
+export default function CreateCollection() {
+  const [, navigate] = useLocation();
+  const { toast } = useToast();
+  
+  // Initialize form
+  const form = useForm<FormValues>({
+    resolver: zodResolver(createCollectionSchema),
+    defaultValues: {
+      name: '',
+      description: '',
+      isPublic: true,
+    },
+  });
+  
+  // Create collection mutation
+  const createMutation = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: async (values: FormValues) => {
+      return await apiRequest<{ id: number; slug: string }>('POST', '/api/collections', {
+        name: values.name,
+        description: values.description || '',
+        isPublic: values.isPublic,
+        userId: 1, // Using mock user ID for demo purposes
+      });
+    },
+    onSuccess: (data) => {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Collection created',
+        description: 'Your collection has been created successfully',
+      });
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['/api/collections'] });
+      navigate(`/collections`);
+    },
+    onError: (error) => {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Error',
+        description: `Failed to create collection: ${error.message}`,
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+    },
+  });
+  
+  const onSubmit = (values: FormValues) => {
+    createMutation.mutate(values);
+  };
+  
+  return (
+    <PageLayout>
+      <div className="max-w-3xl mx-auto py-8 px-4 md:px-6">
+        <div className="mb-8">
+          <h1 className="text-2xl md:text-3xl font-bold font-serif text-navy dark:text-cream mb-2">
+            Create a Collection
+          </h1>
+          <p className="text-navy/70 dark:text-cream/70">
+            Collections help you organize literary works into themed groups that you can share with others.
+          </p>
+        </div>
+        
+        <div className="bg-cream dark:bg-dark-surface p-6 rounded-lg shadow-sm border border-sage/10 dark:border-sage/5">
+          <Form {...form}>
+            <form onSubmit={form.handleSubmit(onSubmit)} className="space-y-6">
+              <FormField
+                control={form.control}
+                name="name"
+                render={({ field }) => (
+                  <FormItem>
+                    <FormLabel>Collection Name</FormLabel>
+                    <FormControl>
+                      <Input placeholder="Enter collection name" {...field} />
+                    </FormControl>
+                    <FormDescription>
+                      Choose a descriptive name for your collection
+                    </FormDescription>
+                    <FormMessage />
+                  </FormItem>
+                )}
+              />
+              
+              <FormField
+                control={form.control}
+                name="description"
+                render={({ field }) => (
+                  <FormItem>
+                    <FormLabel>Description</FormLabel>
+                    <FormControl>
+                      <Textarea 
+                        placeholder="Describe what this collection is about" 
+                        className="min-h-24 resize-y"
+                        {...field} 
+                      />
+                    </FormControl>
+                    <FormDescription>
+                      Provide a brief description of your collection (optional)
+                    </FormDescription>
+                    <FormMessage />
+                  </FormItem>
+                )}
+              />
+              
+              <FormField
+                control={form.control}
+                name="isPublic"
+                render={({ field }) => (
+                  <FormItem className="flex flex-row items-center justify-between rounded-lg border border-sage/10 dark:border-sage/5 p-4">
+                    <div className="space-y-0.5">
+                      <FormLabel className="text-base">Public Collection</FormLabel>
+                      <FormDescription>
+                        When enabled, your collection will be visible to all users.
+                        <br />
+                        Private collections are only visible to you.
+                      </FormDescription>
+                    </div>
+                    <FormControl>
+                      <Switch
+                        checked={field.value}
+                        onCheckedChange={field.onChange}
+                      />
+                    </FormControl>
+                  </FormItem>
+                )}
+              />
+              
+              <div className="flex justify-end gap-4 pt-4">
+                <Button
+                  type="button"
+                  variant="outline"
+                  onClick={() => navigate('/collections')}
+                >
+                  Cancel
+                </Button>
+                <Button 
+                  type="submit"
+                  disabled={createMutation.isPending}
+                >
+                  {createMutation.isPending && (
+                    <Loader2 className="mr-2 h-4 w-4 animate-spin" />
+                  )}
+                  Create Collection
+                </Button>
+              </div>
+            </form>
+          </Form>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </PageLayout>
+  );
+}
\ No newline at end of file