tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post5981530243411433993..comments2024-03-22T05:18:29.555-04:00Comments on Romance Bandits: A Site for Sore EyesLoucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-29413857776273640902010-10-12T23:26:41.071-04:002010-10-12T23:26:41.071-04:00I really like Julie Garwood's site because it ...I really like Julie Garwood's site because it is interactive and "fun" hanging out in. I also like it cuts to the chase and if you are looking for her back list you can find it right away. Blogs are fun and I enjoy reading them, but sometimes you just don't have time to visit for very long.LilMissMollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05847160970054624743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-78582426899998808302010-10-12T07:16:34.747-04:002010-10-12T07:16:34.747-04:00Elaine, I think both Eloisa and Candice do a wonde...Elaine, I think both Eloisa and Candice do a wonderful job of providing extra content that their readers are interested in. Candice's collections are truly amazing. She brought some of her pieces to the Beau Monde conference one year and I'm sure she was lucky to escape being mugged by all of the green-eyed Regency writers that surrounded her. Thanks for commenting!Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-70257947688139354012010-10-11T23:36:39.786-04:002010-10-11T23:36:39.786-04:00I love Eloisa James' site, too. There's al...I love Eloisa James' site, too. There's all the little pop-ups and special things for regular readers. I feel good after I've been on a visit there. She has fun contests - not that I felt creative enough to design a Georgian dress or find a spectacular shoe, but I love viewing the results. It's an "upper".elainechttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15928117213512619683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-76494040706145416822010-10-11T23:29:40.936-04:002010-10-11T23:29:40.936-04:00Hi. One of my favorite websites is Candice Hern...Hi. One of my favorite websites is Candice Hern's. She has so many links to Regency information and fashion. Purses, netted purses, her own collection of hanging perfume bottles, famous people, famous buildings - it's a treasure trove. It's the kind of site I go to periodically to read for a while and see the pictures. I'd need days to do it justice. I can take it in a little at a time much better.<br />If you haven't been there, do it soon - as a present to yourself.elainechttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15928117213512619683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-62630610693668202742010-10-11T22:37:50.525-04:002010-10-11T22:37:50.525-04:00Hi Danielle! Great to see you here. I'm so thr...Hi Danielle! Great to see you here. I'm so thrilled you enjoy Romance Bandits (sorry, I wasn't fishing for compliments there, I actually meant to ask what you liked about your *favourite* site, but hey, we soak up compliments like happy little sponges, so thank you for that!)<br /><br />Oh, I really love Alice Hoffman's site, too. If you're going to have your photo as the focus it helps if you're as pretty as Alice, doesn't it? But I like the way the home page looks like a magazine page. Very professional, uncluttered and easy to navigate. Thanks for showing us that one!Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-3745905912601586202010-10-11T21:37:58.054-04:002010-10-11T21:37:58.054-04:00I'm a fan of Jenny Crusie's website as wel...I'm a fan of Jenny Crusie's website as well and also love Alice Hoffman's website. <br /><br />What I love about this website, apart from the great blog posts is the wealth of information about upcoming books, discovering new authors (debut and new to me) and the camaraderie you all have developed.Danielle Birchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11796467053451208102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-69388555405403297682010-10-11T20:36:08.064-04:002010-10-11T20:36:08.064-04:00Cassondra, those are all great points and particul...Cassondra, those are all great points and particularly the one about forcing people to join facebook or other social media to participate. I've never done a contest like that but it hadn't occurred to me that readers might get upset about it if they're not on facebook or whatever. However, I listened to Jayne Ann Krentz's workshop from Orlando and she said that what she does is offer the same thing to everyone, but you get to enter once for every medium you enter by. So that's encouraging readers to join your fb page if they want to, but they don't miss out completely if they don't want to be on fb.<br /><br />Thanks for your input! I know you have a lot of experience in this area:)Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-51902524714518270042010-10-11T20:31:29.354-04:002010-10-11T20:31:29.354-04:00Louisa, I love reading Joanna's musings on wri...Louisa, I love reading Joanna's musings on writing, too. They're entertaining in their own right.<br /><br />Kandy has a lovely thing going with the pet pics, doesn't she? Love her books and the covers are to die for!<br /><br />Oh, and Candice Hern--I am soooo jealous of all her wonderful collections! Her site is a great resource for writers and Regency enthusiasts. <br /><br />Must go and check out your site!Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-85155319647498016962010-10-11T20:28:58.876-04:002010-10-11T20:28:58.876-04:00Hi Anna, yes, wasn't that lovely of Eloisa? Sh...Hi Anna, yes, wasn't that lovely of Eloisa? She's so generous to other writers. I was overwhelmed, getting that review.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-45380040678864564822010-10-11T20:16:08.795-04:002010-10-11T20:16:08.795-04:00Wow Christine, what a great question!
I like extr...Wow Christine, what a great question!<br /><br />I like extra content, as well. I like excerpts from EVERY book, not just the one coming out or the latest one. Because I can get a feel of the voice that way, and I can make a decision about which book to start with if I haven't read any and there isn't a definite reading order.<br /><br />I particularly like extra content about characters, and follow up content about characters I already know--ones from older books I've loved. It makes the world seem as though it's actually real, and keeps me wanting to return. Of course, this sort of hinges upon it being a series or connected books--so there's more than one story per world already. The connected books or series books are the ones which create this world I want to return to. <br /><br />I like it clean and obvious. I don't like to have to hunt for stuff--like the newsletter sign up. If I go looking for something, I want it to be clear where it is from the homepage. I don't want to have to hunt through a bunch of other menus to get to whatever it was I came there for. If there's a contest, I want a button for it right on the home page. So I don't have to hunt it down.<br /><br /><br />What I don't like?<br /><br />Sites which are never updated. If I've heard that the author has a new book coming out in February, but I go to his/her site and that book is not on the site yet, I get very frustrated. I honestly don't care if it's there with "cover coming soon" as long as it's THERE. So I know it's on the way. <br /><br />Sites where the font in the headers is so fancy it's hard to read.<br /><br />Sites which have so much animation that they take forever to load, or stall the computer and make it buffer before it moves ahead. I don't have time for that.<br /><br />Sites which have music which begins without my asking. If I want music, I'll ask for it. <br /><br />Sites which assume I'm on facebook or other social media. And which attempt to force me to join that to participate in whatever it is they're doing. (gggrrrrrrrrr--that's how mad this one makes me)<br /><br />Gosh, I'm a hard case, aren't I? :0/ <br /><br />This is a wonderful subject. I hear authors angsting about their sites all the time, wondering what to do or not do.Cassondrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07420982030156788059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-56716330467286602402010-10-11T20:13:36.053-04:002010-10-11T20:13:36.053-04:00Good on you, Barb. Maybe he can run around the blo...Good on you, Barb. Maybe he can run around the block a few times before he stops at your place!<br /><br />Christine, great post! I probably won't update my website until I sell, but I am definitely taking notes from all of these great suggestions. My website is quite simple and basic. A dear friend put it up for me and I think she captured me pretty well. <br /><br />Joanna Bourne's site has some great extras, especially if you are a writer. Her writer's tips are worth their weight in gold. And the site is easy to navigate as well. <br /><br />I too agree - No blasting music and please don't make it so complicated it takes a week to load over my dial-up connection. (Yes, I am so far out in the country I can only get dial up!)<br /><br />Give me a look that tells me immediately what you write. And don't make it too dark (color scheme-wise) or too cluttered. <br /><br />I love Kandy Shepherd's site mostly because she includes photos of writers' and readers' pets. It is a neat little draw, especially as her books always include dogs as matchmakers!<br /><br />I love Candice Hern's site but then again it IS a Regency writer's dream site for research.Louisa Cornellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12971924594129471055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-22335923568241632902010-10-11T20:13:35.053-04:002010-10-11T20:13:35.053-04:00Hey, Christine, I was poking around Eloisa's s...Hey, Christine, I was poking around Eloisa's site and found your Dangerous Duke featured as books that Eloisa loves. Congratulations! http://eloisajames.com/pillow/index.php/page/4/Anna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-76748620401974787982010-10-11T20:06:20.439-04:002010-10-11T20:06:20.439-04:00Woooot Barb!
Congrats on the rooster!Woooot Barb!<br /><br />Congrats on the rooster!Cassondrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07420982030156788059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-29882786421869342722010-10-11T20:03:42.696-04:002010-10-11T20:03:42.696-04:00Hi Nancy! Congrats on finishing your ms, that'...Hi Nancy! Congrats on finishing your ms, that's fantastic!<br /><br />Yes, I think we are all impatient of things that aren't instant on the internet so that we need to be invested in something before we'll go to extra trouble to find it. But if you don't care too much, one extra click or waiting a few extra seconds for something to load can turn you off completely.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-8918765117675452052010-10-11T20:00:42.120-04:002010-10-11T20:00:42.120-04:00Pat, Eloisa's is a gorgeous site, isn't it...Pat, Eloisa's is a gorgeous site, isn't it. It has a *lot* of content because she is wonderful about adding new things constantly but it doesn't feel too cluttered or overwhelming. Thanks for mentioning that one. Oh, and I love the background design, too.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-20552184791037672092010-10-11T19:59:28.995-04:002010-10-11T19:59:28.995-04:00Well, as you said, Anna, you're my inspiration...Well, as you said, Anna, you're my inspiration! LOL I'm getting a lot out of this discussion, too.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-91924990693127137812010-10-11T19:58:48.683-04:002010-10-11T19:58:48.683-04:00Anna, from what I've seen, your site is shapin...Anna, from what I've seen, your site is shaping up to be fantastic!<br /><br />Looks like ease of navigation is turning out to be the number one priority for most people. Interesting!Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-4771650529468239032010-10-11T19:57:36.670-04:002010-10-11T19:57:36.670-04:00Hi Dianna, I can't wait to see your new site. ...Hi Dianna, I can't wait to see your new site. I know it's going to be awesome!<br /><br />You wrote: <i>Let me at least get on the site "then" give me the option of animation and such.</i><br /><br />I think that's so true. My aim is going to be to give all the necessary information that a non-fan would want up front, and then maybe put some fun stuff on a password only page for readers who want some bells and whistles. Page loading quickly is vital, IMO.<br /><br />Thanks for the compliment on my site. There are some things I want to do differently, but it's going to take time. My designer is a busy woman! I hope you get a lot of good information here today.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-58704787549008760082010-10-11T19:54:26.555-04:002010-10-11T19:54:26.555-04:00Must say, the author photo thing always gives me p...Must say, the author photo thing always gives me pause. Should it be on the home page? Or should the home page focus on the books? Thoughts? I think I like to see the author, personally. Maybe in the banner?Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-26474645627164403942010-10-11T19:53:17.813-04:002010-10-11T19:53:17.813-04:00Suz, how did I know you would have opinions on thi...Suz, how did I know you would have opinions on this?LOL <br /><br />You are so savvy, if you weren't such a great writer, I'd beg you to be my publicist:)<br /><br />Print these comments out and keep them, people! Suz knows what she's talking about here.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-35310215166009530082010-10-11T19:51:58.748-04:002010-10-11T19:51:58.748-04:00Hi Julia, how lovely to see you here!
Thanks for ...Hi Julia, how lovely to see you here!<br /><br />Thanks for your list of favourites. I actually like the way Shelley Munro has just her book covers and links to more on her site. I think that gives her home page a really uncluttered look that has a lot of impact. Love the edgy banner on Pam's site. I used to critique with Pam way back when. Thanks, I'll check out the others, too. My internet seems to be very slow today for some reason and it's getting frustrating!Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-75404493273586740952010-10-11T19:44:37.515-04:002010-10-11T19:44:37.515-04:00Inara (sorry I called you Kirsten before), love yo...Inara (sorry I called you Kirsten before), love your site and I know what you mean. It's not full of bubblegum colours and so on. It's for the sophisticated teen.<br /><br />Thanks for the good luck and the hugs! I love Susan's site, too:) And yeah, I know you're not doing this deliberately. You're like Siamese twins separated at birth or something!Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-41930367417786799732010-10-11T19:42:19.922-04:002010-10-11T19:42:19.922-04:00Hi Minna, thanks for your suggestions!
I think y...Hi Minna, thanks for your suggestions! <br /><br />I think you're right that everyone wants it to be easy to navigate. When you're building a website, sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees on that. YOu think what you're building is easy in theory but maybe it doesn't work so well in practice.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-27780371972209327002010-10-11T19:40:45.265-04:002010-10-11T19:40:45.265-04:00Jo, you're so right about the excerpts. I won&...Jo, you're so right about the excerpts. I won't buy a book unless I've read and liked and excerpt.Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-89700005148687624492010-10-11T19:40:06.736-04:002010-10-11T19:40:06.736-04:00Susan and Kirsten, you certainly do love one anoth...Susan and Kirsten, you certainly do love one another, don't you? Actually, I love both your sites because they're very clean, lots of white space, with not too much going on so that my eye is jumping around all over the place. Great work!<br /><br />Oh, I love Wendy Wax's site, too! Thanks for pointing it out. <br /><br />Thanks for the good luck too. I'll be spruiking it when it's done:)Christine Wellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.com