I have had a website for a ridiculously long time. Even before I was a published author, I had a website. Why?
I’d learned a bit about HTML coding (I know, SO last century), and I wanted to try it out.
Since then I’ve been through three (now four) hosting services and a multitude of designs.
I moved to Word Press maybe ten years ago? It’s not something I’ve actually kept track of.
Up to now, my favorite theme was Author Cats. I loved it (and still do, actually), but Author Cats themselves were moving on to Nrdly, so just before Christmas I took the plunge.
I’m not gonna lie. It was a bumpy transition. While I was floating along in Author Cats, Word Press world was changing into blocks content. I’d try to explain but do you really want to know? Not sure I understand it either. Haha
Anyway, with help from tech support, my new site is live! There are still a few things to be worked out (mostly how my books show up and my newsletter signup), but other than some minor issues, I’m happy with the way it looks.
I really wanted:
- To consolidate into one site (I was maintaining two sites for my variety of genres)
- Have my website reflect who I am as an author and what kind of books I write.
Why? Because when I visit an author’s site, these are the two main things I want to know.
I say this a lot. Reading is a profoundly personal experience and unique to each person. How we choose what to read is also personal, but I believe it begins with what we see.
If you’re in a bookstore, a cover catches your eye. In an online bookstore, it is probably the same process, though how those views are delivered is a little different (algos instead of feet). But when we’re browsing the web, it might be a book, a face, even a color that attracts your eyes.
I’m not a scientist. Haha But I do know that for me, there is just a vibe I’m looking for. I want to connect with the book, and then with the author (if they have more books!). I really want to find books I like to read.
And this website is here because I believe my books are worth finding and reading.
It’s pretty much that simple.
It wasn’t easy to distill my vibe down into the main design. I’m all over the place with the genres I write, but I do remain true to my core vibe. My books are:
- Perilously Fun
- Romantic
- Blush Free
At the core of these three things are a passion for writing what I like to read: Books that are thrilling, adventurous, sigh-worthy, with good old-fashioned violence when needed—violence that is never gratuitous.
As for my policy on the romance, not explicit there either. I’m writing stories, not sex manuals. 🙄
Need to know more? Well, I like my guys to be heroic, to be the good guys who do the hard things. And I like my gals to be brave and smart enough to know what they can manage on their own and when to bring in backup.
I like them to be like the people I know, respect, and love. People who step up and do the right thing because it is the right thing. And people who love their country (seriously, who doesn’t love their own country??).
And lastly, my books are a place to escape to when the world just gets to be too much.
I hope you’ll browse around and let me know what you think! And please share what you love to read and how you find books!