Know how you sometimes like to change up the hair or try some funky new styles?That’s what’s going on here, I guess. See, this really good friend of mine came for a visit. Now, I’ve known Harry for about as long as I’ve known my husband (they kind of came as this package deal). Seeing as how I’ll be celebrating my thirtieth wedding anniversary this coming September–and the hubby and I hung around with each other for three years before that–well, that’s a lot of years. We’ve all aged together, mostly gracefully.
Now Harry has zero inhibitions when it comes to honesty. Eventually, the talk drifted to my writing, only instead of Harry telling me how brilliant I am and stuff like that, he decided to tear me a new one about the site. He did it nicely enough; we’re talking relatively speaking. He didn’t say the website sucks, but he came close: Too cluttered; too complicated; I can’t find anything. And the real kicker: All those colors . . . I kept clicking on stuff and nothing happened and then I got mad.
Whoa. Mad? That finally got my attention. (Sometimes when Harry starts in, I tune out.) But making people mad is the last thing I want.
This is not to say that I didn’t argue. I got impatient. I bristled. I . . . all right, I yelled: Are you nuts? I’ve got no time! I’m under deadline! Do you realize how time-consuming this all is?
Eventually, we kissed; we made up; we ate chocolate-covered cherries and who can be upset doing that? Harry was just being Harry. That’s what I told myself.
But I was restless all night. Couldn’t sleep. Kept alternating between thinking about the site, the new book, the site, the new book. Ran outside to watch the Perseids–and I was still thinking about the site.
So, first thing this morning, I did this massive strip-down redesign. Found a nice, new, much simpler theme that I liked. Took out a bunch of crap. Got rid of all the colors.
And, damn it, if Harry wasn’t right. I think the site’s a lot cleaner, more user-friendly. Kind of tranquil and Zen, actually.
I’ve still got tinkering to do. For example, I can’t figure out how to embed the right code so clicking on, say, the MONSTERS cover will take you a dedicated MONSTERS page with advance press, buy options and all that. You know, something I can make as a page that won’t show up on the header menu bar. Right now, the only options anyone has to click through to get a copy of something is to use the handy-dandy Amazon Widget at the bottom. I’d like to give equal opportunity to places like IndieBound and such, or just let you know about some of the nice things people have said/are saying about a specific book. So if someone knows how to do that, tell me; I’m not proud. Ditto any thoughts you’ve got about the redesign, presuming you ever came here before. If not and you’re dropping by for the first time, let me know what you think.
Now if I can only get that blasted Goodreads Giveaway Widget to cooperate…
Anyway, thanks, Harry. You can come back and visit any time.
I love the new look! It’s clean and light and I really love that background image. Yay for changes! (And yay for Harry forcing you to make changes, haha!)
Heh. Thanks; yeah, and isn’t that background lovely? It’s a bay off the coast of New Zealand, and I’ve always loved that particular picture.
But I might not tell Harry you approve of his methods. The guy is a nag, and I just HATE when he’s right 😉
Love the new website layout, it is incredibly simple and easy to work.
Thanks, Paige. I’m pretty pleased myself. Waited too darned long. That old inertia thing: the idea of change was . . . daunting. Like who has the time? Eight hours later, I can say that it was worth it. Even I feel better looking at this thing. 😉
When I first saw the new layout, I was like: Am I on the right site? Then I saw I was right.
At first I didn’t like it. I think it was, because I was adjusted to the old layout. And I liked the old one. But I notice, that I get used to this new layout. And it’s brighter and … yeah, it’s kinda “happier”. I feel happier when I look at a layout like this. All light.
I like the new layout.
Thanks, Ayla. Yeah, it’s a big change, isn’t it? I feel kind of happier, too, when I noodle around there–and Lord knows, the world is dark enough, right? We all need a dose of “happy.” 😉