Did everyone enjoy a great Independence Day? We did. Homemade ice cream, and the enthusiasm for fireworks that only kids can lend to the day. They got especially excited when the neighbors shot off some really great ones, up close and personal. I’m always afraid those will scare the kiddos, but they whooped and clapped along with the rest of us.
Now. I spent part of last week toying with a new website design. And since that took up the time I should have spent reading, I have no book to discuss with y’all this week (oops), so I figured I’d talk about this instead. 😉
So, step #1. Go Here.
Step #2. Look around, keeping in mind that full content is nowhere near up yet. I’m just working on overall design before sinking time into transferring my Companion Guides.
~ On the homepage, I’m planning on having one of those little feed preview-of-latest-blog thingies under the welcome. (Anyone know how to do that with a WordPress site, when the blog’s on Blogger??)
~ In the left sidebar, there will be a page for links (like to ACFW, my Colonial Blog, Go Teen Writers, Christian Review of Books) and then quick links to my books’ pages, maybe an Events page . . . anything else you’d like to see there? Or on the top menu?
~ The picture of the book on the homepage will change as new books come out to feature the latest. So soon you’ll see the Annapolis cover there. =) Which has some purple in the sky, so it’ll perfectly coordinate with the site, LOL. Yes, I did that on purpose.
Step #3. Come back here and tell me what you think.
~ I’d like some feedback on how the colors work for you, especially in relation to visibility and readability for those whose eyes are sensitive to these things. (Let’s keep in mind that I like purple, so just saying ‘I don’t like purple’ isn’t going to change my mind 😉 Saying it hurts your eyes, however, may.)
~ I’d also love your feedback on what else you’d like to see on the site. A newsletter subscription, maybe (which would mean I’d have to start a newsletter)? Should I put up a digital version of my marketing workshop, after I’ve done it (Spirit-Led Marketing, by the way)? Something else I’m totally forgetting?
Thanks! I look forward to your feedback. =)
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
Good feedback, Joanne! I want to put a different pic there, just hadn't gotten one ready so cheated. 😉 I'll definitely put a different one on there before it goes live! Thanks!!
Also love the lavender – the color is calming and beautiful and all that.
One thing that kinda hit me as….um….I dunno was that the picture on your header and the picture at the top of your bio page are the same – though reversed. It felt, oh, I dunno – weird? Could you use a different picture on your bio page? Or put it lower, so they're not both on my screen at the same time? This may be TOTALLY off, and completely irrelevant – but I wanted to at least say something.
Hey Roseanna, I like the "lavender." And I think the background color works. Love the new header with you pic at the top too. I'm really terrible at this website stuff and trying to feel my way around for my own site, so I'm probably the last person who should be giving you an opinion. But I like it anyway (for whatever that's worth).
I like the purple, and the delicate swirly design is nice too. Makes me feel calm and like i could stay for awhile and browse.
Great job!!
Love the colors, the new picture, and the banner. The main purple field with the info is striking me as a bit plain. Will there be more than one field like you have on this one? Sounded like there would be. I think it's just very wide right now and needs some stuff on the sides.
Just came back from your website, Roseanna. LOVE it!! I am fond of the color purple, and your whole color scheme and design really goes well together. Very nice!!
Can't wait to see the cover for your LFY book!! 😀
Or the gray might be better if you don't want it to look too feminine. When you get a chance go to my Simply Favorites photo album on FB and check out my guestroom that I redid in purples…I forgot all about that. Carrie saw it when she was here and I think she liked it. There are some grays and plum in the comforter. I wouldn't want it in the master bedroom, but my guests all say it's very pacifying. Well, with the exception of my nephew who is in the Navy. It wouldn't have been manly for him to say he liked the new purple guestroom. LOL Now that I'm worn out from redecorating your blog…I need some sustenance. Bacon and eggs would be nice, but a bowl of grits is probably what I'll get.:-(
Unfortunately, the background would clash and it IS so pretty.:-( Pink roses or some kind of pink flower would look nice with the purple.
You always make me grin, Diana. =) Glad you approve the purple/lavender!
There's no subscribe feature on that site yet, though there's one here on the blog. Which I'll probably give an identical makeover too, so they match. I hate to lose the love-letter background here, but uniformity has been recommended, so it'll probably go purple too!
If you'll notice what I'm wearing in this pic for Google you may already know what I'm going to say.:-) I love purple! Actually, the color you are asking about is more of a lavender color…sorry, I've been married to a painter for 38 years. And it's gorgeous! Purple is the color of royalty, and since we are all daughters (and sons)of the King, what could be more appropriate?
I have a very Godly sis-in-law who wears purple hats, blouses, skirts; she has a purple cover on her Bible, her flowers in the yard are different shades of purple, and this tops them all—the walls in her house are a soft shade of lavender. Almost all of them.:-) I started wearing more purple this past winter, foregoing my usual blacks and grays. Much more attractive…
The only thing I would add (you asked:)) is a place for people like me to subscribe by email. Then we wouldn't miss one single post. Or maybe that was on there and I missed it, but anyway, I said all that to say this…the PURPLE HAS MY VOTE!