Guest Blog: How Effective is Your Author Website?

I think we can all agree that having a website is probably one of the most effective online promotional tools that any author can have. It allows you to list your books, tell readers a little bit about yourself and encourage some sort of interaction either with a contact form, or via a Twitter/Facebook/newsletter link, or maybe even a special reader’s section with freebies or giveaways.

To be an effective website, however, it must encourage visitors to stay, read, explore and most importantly—return.

Today I’d like to share a few tips on how to create an inviting website that visitors will enjoy so much they’ll look forward to coming back over and over again.

1.) Avoid any immediate visitor turns-offs such as music that plays automatically. Think of those poor fans who may want to sneak a peek at your site during work hours. Ack! Now they’ve just been busted by their boss because music on your site woke up the whole office. You don’t want to get someone fired, do you? 🙂 If you must include music on your website, and I’m the first to say that it can give a site “atmosphere” when used properly, make it optional. Give visitors a clear “play” button so they have the choice of listening or not.

2.) Avoid Flash intros, if you can. Sure they look cool and make your website super spiffy, but how many times can you sit through an animation of a door opening or boxes of content sliding into place in some dramatic way before you say, “Oh, the heck with it. I’m going somewhere else?” You see it once, it’s a novelty. You see it a dozen times, it’s a distraction bordering on annoyance. Usability studies show that visitors like to get to information quickly. Anything that delays that, no matter how “cool,” will soon lose its appeal if visitors must slog through it every time they visit your site. If you must use a Flash intro, always (and I mean always), include a clearly marked “Skip Intro” button to allow visitors to bypass it. Remember, it’s not all about you and what you think looks cool. It’s about the visitors you’re trying to attract, and you should give those visitors options to access your content in a way that’s most convenient for them, if you want the visitors to keep coming back.

3.) Update your home page regularly so that when visitors return they don’t feel like they’re seeing the same thing over and over. This doesn’t mean you need to update the entire page all the time, but something on the page needs to change so it feels “fresh” when visitors stop by. Many writers achieve this by having a “Latest News” block at the top of the page, or a simple Twitter or Blog feed that updates regularly in a column on the side. After all, one of the reasons you have a website is to keep your fans informed about what you’re up to. Don’t leave them with the impression that you haven’t moved a muscle in the last six months. 🙂

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I have lots more to share! If you’re interested in learning how to make your website more effective for promoting you and your work, please join me for the next session of my 2-week online workshop “Principles of Good Website Design for Writers” May 5-17, 2013 at the FF&P RWA chapter (https://www.rwa.org/p/cm/ld/fid=749). I hope to see you there!

SHORT BIO:

Catherine Chant is a Golden Heart® finalist and the author of the young adult time travel romance WISHING YOU WERE HERE (Book 1, Soul Mates) available in print and e-book at Amazon.com. She teaches multiple online writing classes each year for RWA chapters and other writing organizations. You can learn more about Catherine at her website: https://www.catherinechant.com

WISHING YOU WERE HERE by Catherine Chant

Young Adult Time Travel Romance

https://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Were-Here-Mates-ebook/dp/B00AG15MJC/

She’s out of place…

He’s out of time…

In 1956, clever spin doctoring and a string of pre-fab hits turn Joseph Temporelli into Joey Tempo, the biggest sensation to hit Memphis since Elvis Presley. Within twelve months he’s gone—killed in a transatlantic plane crash.

55 years later, Callie Reinard diligently plans for college and a career in radio. When she discovers Joey Tempo’s iconic first album, her desire to change his fate opens a doorway to 1957.

She stops Joey from boarding the plane that will take his life, but then finds herself trapped in a world where equal rights are as foreign a concept as missions to the moon. The future she so tirelessly worked toward now seems out of reach, and her liberated attitude jeopardizes the second chance she envisioned for Joey.

Worst of all, if Callie can’t find a way back to her own time soon, she may lose more than a college education and the career she’s always wanted. She may lose her heart to a boy destined to marry someone else.

FOOD AND LOVE

Lately my Facebook posts seem to be mostly pictures of partially naked men, kittens, dogs, and food. In my newest book, MO’S HEART, I have everything but the dog. The hero owns a restaurant/bar with a karaoke stage in a small Wisconsin village. It’s called Mo’s Place, but the title refers to his love for the heroine. I wanted to say “pure” love, only there’s nothing pure about the way he feels for her.

And then there’s the food… There’s something sensual about food, and for me, Italian food is very sensual. Both my hero and heroine are of Italian ancestry, and olive oil, garlic, fresh basil and parsley and other spices are mentioned often in the book. I know that’s not a turn-on to everyone – especially garlic. But that’s the wonderful thing about food and men and women. We don’t all love the same thing. Not even the same books.

In my last book, MIRACLE PIE, my heroine was a pie baker. I’m trying to cut down on sugar, but I love pies. My advice to anyone on a diet is DON’T WRITE A BOOK WITH PIE IN THE TITLE IF YOU’RE TRYING TO EAT HEALTHIER.

What favorite foods would you like to read about in a book? You never know, I might put them in my next book. 🙂

The Mafia comes to Miracle, Wisconsin…

Mo Vincent, the owner of Mo’s Place, is in agony because his soon-to-be divorced sous-chef is dating – but not him. He has his reasons for not asking her out. He did the right thing back in New Jersey, and it cost him his son, his wife, his restaurant. Now he’s found a home in Miracle. The village has accepted him, and his new restaurant is doing well. He should be content with what he has…but his heart wants more.

Chef Rosa Fabrini’s divorce is one signature away when her cheating husband returns home and expects her to forgive him. Her lawyer is AWOL, and her youngest son is demanding she take his father back. Desperate to escape the turmoil, she asks Mo to let her move into the empty apartment above the restaurant…right next to his place.

Mo can’t say no. His mind knows she’s forbidden fruit, but his heart dares to hope. Until his past shows up, and he finds out sometimes it takes a village…

Mo’s Heart is available at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | Apple

For more information, visit edieramer.com and follow Edie on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Aloha from Hawaii! Mahalo to Delilah for inviting me back.

I’m on a long-awaited vacation to Maui with my husband. Sounds like we picked the right time to come—record low temps in Montana today. 17 degrees in April? Brrr!

85 degrees here on Maui today, with 90 % humidity. This creates warm, balmy air that feels like a kiss on your skin. Today we drove up to Kapalua Bay. Set up our beach chairs with trade winds blowing puffy clouds across the blue skies and the ocean lapping at our feet. Surrounded with green palm trees and golden sands, we snorkeled around the turquoise bay. Spotted two moray eels and two huge sea turtles among the coral, while tropical fish darted past like little rainbows of color.

Then it was back to Maalea Harbor for a visit to the Maui Aquarium to identify our fishies in huge lighted fish-tank displays. Saw some sharks, too. That’s where I like my sharks—on the other side of thick glass! After that we relaxed with a microbrew and some pu-pus (hors d’oeuvres) in a harbor side open air bar with live music.

If this sounds like paradise to you too, wish you were here! But if Hawaii isn’t in your itinerary this year, how about a mini-vacation on me?

I love Hawaii so much I figured out a way to extend my vacations here (in my fantasies, anyway) I set an entire series of contemporary paranormal red hot romances here. My Hawaiian Heroes will whisk you away from snow, cold and rain to the land where palm trees sway, and gorgeous hunks await you for a fantasy adventure.

My Ho’omalus have been tasked by Pele herself, goddess of Hawaiian volcanoes, with keeping her islands safe while she sleeps deep beneath her islands. To do so, she’s gifted each one of this extraordinary family with powers from her islands.

Burning up the Rain, Hawaiian Heroes, Book 4 debuts May 7 at Samhain.

Her powers could save her island…or bring their love crashing down.

Despite her successful career, Lalei Kai-Ho’omalu has always considered herself mere decoration in a dynamic Hawaiian family, with none of their powerful gifts. Destined for life in the background as a useless, upper-crust wife.

Desperate to escape her mother’s latest matchmaking attempt, Lalei acts on her sizzling attraction to a guest at her cousin’s island wedding, making him a bold offer he can’t refuse.

A no-strings, no-holds-barred affair on Nawea Bay with the sexy Hawaiian beauty is just the break California Realtor Jack Nord needs from his fast-paced career—and an inner darkness he’d like to forget. Just for a while.

Their very public liaison is the shocking declaration of independence Lalei intended—with unintended consequences. Stirred to anger by developers set on carving her family’s unspoiled ancestral lands into a resort, Lalei discovers she has the supernatural power to stop them.

But when Jack learns his lover can bring down the rain and throw bolts of lightning, whose side will he take? The money-making machine? Or the woman born to protect her island home?

Jack is my idea of a true hero—strong enough to let a woman do what she can, while he has her back. Hmm, and her front too. Oh, yeah.

What about you? If you could take a vacation and just … stay, where would that be?

Leave a comment and let me know, and I’ll enter you to win a FREE ebook of your choice from the series. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you!

Mahalo,

Cathryn Cade
… red hot romance!
Goodreads, My Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,  My Blog,

And sign up for My Newsletter for a chance to win goodies!

Hello all! First, I’d like to thank Ms. Delilah for letting me join the fun on her blog! I love reading what gets posted on here and I’m delighted to join the “crew” of guests!

Anyway, my name is Kalissa Wayne and I’m a virgin romance writer who’s getting her cherry popped on July 16^th. No, no, no! Minds out of the gutter! (Although I do appreciate the company!) I’m just saying, although I’ve loved writing my whole life, this is the first story that I’ve had published.  So when Ms. Delilah told me I could write about anything I wanted to, I had to decide on a topic. Aspiring author, inspirational ideas, hobbies, likes, dislikes, hmmm, all typical newbie author topics. I wanted to pick something different and it dawned on me. What do I want to know about a new/new-to-me author? I want to know if they can write, the rest I can learn later. So I decided to share a really short story with you! (psst! If you make it through the story, you’ll find the eye candy that inspired it! Lol) So, without further ado…

The Captain’s….

Shaking my head to clear it, I realized my wrists were tied above me. The ship rocked, voices coming towards me, arguing amongst themselves. Hands grabbed my shirt and ripped it open to my waist. Snapping my eyes open, I stared at the rough and ready crew of the Knight’s Revenge. Confusion ruled, my sloop had been attacked by two of The Royal Navy’s finest. Why was I now a prisoner on this privateer vessel? A sudden twisting pain brought me back to the present. The crew crowded even closer, one going so bold as to grab my exposed breast and twisting the nipple. I gritted my teeth and kicked out, hitting his shin. He howled like a banshee and hopped backwards into his crewmates.

“Bitch!”

“Bastard!”

“I told you to leave her alone. She’s the Capn’s.” The bald burly first mate said as he forced his way through the crew. “If you don’t think it’s fair, talk to the Cap’n.” The crew started grumbling amongst themselves when a voice from the back sent a sensual tremor down my spine.

“Yes, by all means. Talk to me if you think it’s unfair.” That deep voice was well known to me. He’d be trying to buy my vessel, Lady of the Sea, and get me into his bed for quite awhile.

Antonio de la Vega. I should have known. “Since I wouldn’t sell, you decide to take. So much for your gentlemanly attitude.”

“Ah, but my beauty, I haven’t taken anything that isn’t my due. We came to your rescue and chased off those nasty Navy sharks.”

“Then where is my crew and why am I restrained to the mast?”

His broad shoulders blocked out the sun, and as I looked up into his dark eyes, the spine tingles traveled south, centering on my clit. “Your crew are on their way to a safe port to fix the damage. I told them we’d meet up in a month or so.” His hand reached out, sliding from my cheek  to my breast, where he cupped and squeezed.

“That doesn’t tell me why I’m tied to the mast.”

“You owe me for saving your hide, your ship, and your crew.” His hand moved to my other breast. His crew elbowed to get a better view of what he was doing.

“I’m not a whore! I don’t pay my debts on my back.”

The wind whipped his waist length black hair across his face, partially hiding his wolfish grin. The unholy twinkle in his black eyes brought my guard up. “You’ll willingly work it off with me, or” he said as he backed away from me “you’ll work it off unwillingly with the crew. Your choice, my sweet.” As I looked at the eager expressions of the crew, I knew I had only one choice.

Thank God it was a choice I would have made anyway…

Sigh…. What was I saying? Oh, right.

I have a short story in the Smokin’ Hot Firemen anthology by Cleis Press  called “The Fireman’s Rescue” that is coming out on July 16^th.  Here’s the link for the webpage: https://smokinhotfiremen.delilahscollections.com/. Also, I have a blog, though I didn’t realize it had been so long since I’d written in it until today! https://kalissawayne.blogspot.com/?zx=21a643d04bb3734c  and of course, my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kalissa.wayne?ref=tn_tnmn .

I’m glad we got the chance to chat and hopefully Ms Delilah will let me come play again soon!

I spent yesterday doing girl stuff with my daughter. After I posted my blog, I got up from the keyboard and didn’t plug in again until late last night. Then I opened my email, saw 259 new messages, and quickly left my desk again to watch TIVO’d episodes of Golden Boy. (I’m not sure about that show yet…)

But I’m back today. I have to work on getting the Cowboy Heat anthology pulled together. Then I have to dive into editing the stories I have tentatively chosen. No, authors, I can’t tell you who made the first cut just yet. I don’t like doing that until I know Cleis approves my choices.

So I’m going to have a busy day. I’m also going to pull out a suitcase and start packing for Kansas City! I’m going to the RT conference next week. If anyone out there is going, be looking for me! I’d love to meet you!

Since I won’t be relaxing today, I’m thinking about it, wishing I could curl up on my big overstuffed chair and watch a movie. Maybe Timeline so I can watch Gerard Butler give his girl that poignant kiss (one of the best movie kisses ever—you can see them falling in love!). Here’s my question…

What is your favorite position and place you like to be when you relax?
I like curling up in my overstuffed chair. You might like laying on a beach
towel on a sandy beach. Tell us all about yours.

I love everything Celtic and in researching Scottish lore I came across the baobhan sith, also known as the dancing vampires. The dancing vampires aren’t actually vampires at all. These creatures are vampiric fey, sisters who roam the Scottish highlands. All of them are women, no men. Voluptuous and enticing, these beauties always wear green gowns. Also, they have talons. No fangs. Like other vampires, they drink human blood and fry in the sunlight. In some tales they have hooves for feet.

Often referred to as dancing vampires, they target young men coming from pubs at night. The baobhan sith dance with them until the men grow exhausted. Then the vampiric temptresses transform their long nails into talons and rake them across the men’s backs. Clawing at their victim’s skin, draining their blood, then drinking it.

For a modern take on the baobhan sith, enter Ellora’s cave and step Underhill to visit these dark fey in my Dancing Vampire series, the tales of seven baobhan sith sisters. The first two quickies, Dance Of The Vampires and Vampire Highland Fling have been available and the third book, Ever So Bonnie A Vampire, was just released April 19^th.

Here’s the Blurb for Ever So Bonnie A Vampire:

Calin has had fantasies about the vampiric fey, Ever’s, warm, curvaceous body ever since they danced a year ago. When they meet again he waste no time in claiming and capturing her.  Once the sun rises, Ever can’t leave the earthly realm and is bound by fey lore to the human, Calin. Though he has saved her from the sun, things get pretty hot in his arms. Thrust into the mortal realm, his love making excites her like no fey man’s  ever has but she’s consumed with the vow she made to her sisters to not leave them for a mortal man. She fights her feelings for Calin and seeks help from goddess Morrigan.

The goddess has feelings of her own for  the tall, muscular mortal so she frees Ever to return Underhill. It isn’t until Ever’s back with her sisters that she realizes her heart is still held captive by Calin. When Calin spurns Morrigan’s attentions, the goddess’s lust turns to vengeance. With Ever out of his reach, Underhill,  and a goddess shape shifting into different beasts to hunt and kill him, Calin McDuff must risk his life and fight all odds to be with the woman he loves.

I am having a contest to giveaway two PDF Ebooks, one for Dance Of The Vampires and one for Vampire Highland Fling, just comment below to enter. Also please visit me at my website, https://CelticRomanceQueen.com

Links: Website | Buy Link | Facebook

When I decided to write my first book I knew it had to be about naughty lawyers. I’ve been a lawyer for many years, at many firms and in many places. And the things that go on behind closed doors…well, I just had to write about them!

So I did.

Of course, I changed a few (okay…many) things to protect the not-so-innocent, but the essential naughtiness remained the same. Then I sent my book out to a few contests and beta readers. Everyone loved my naughty lawyers. But they had a few suggestions to help me improve.

“Not realistic.”

“Lawyers don’t behave this way.”

“Is this ethical?”

“Unbelievable.”

“Would a lawyer really do this?”

“Seriously? In a courtroom?”

Oh, yes, my friend. Seriously. In a courtroom.

I discovered truth is, in fact, stranger than fiction. So out came the paragraphs where my poor lawyers got hot and steamy in the courthouse. No more lawyers getting down and dirty on the phone. And using a tie to do…what? Bad author. Clean it up. Lawyers are pillars of virtue. They only have sex in bed at night with the lights out. Missionary position. No toys required.

I couldn’t live the lie.

So, here, for your reading pleasure, is an adults only excerpt featuring naughty lawyers engaging in some serious LEGAL HEAT on a judge’s desk.

Naughty lawyers.

You know you want them. And you can have them. Release date for my erotic legal thriller, LEGAL HEAT is APRIL 23!

Passion this hot should be illegal…

Katy Sinclair made it to the brink of partnership at her high-powered law firm with hard work, dogged determination, and the ruthless self-discipline to cultivate a conservative public image. But when she follows an evasive witness into a sex club, she can’t deny herself a red-hot sexual encounter with the seductive bartender who sets her body on fire. She’s sure no one will ever know about her indiscretion —until she walks into the courtroom to find her dirty little secret is the opposing counsel in the most important case of her career.

As the managing partner in a struggling law firm, hot-shot attorney Mark Richards can’t afford any mistakes that might cost him his biggest client. Like getting involved with his beautiful, determined opponent—the mystery woman he hasn’t been able to forget. But when Katy’s quest for justice leads to death threats, Mark will sacrifice everything to protect her.

Now they’re risking their hearts…and their lives…in a race to catch a killer. Little do they know, the greatest danger lies closer to home.

Warning: This book contains explicit sex, light bondage, violence, murder, steamy shenanigans in the courtroom, naughty sexytimes in the boardroom, and an exceptionally hot hero with a versatile tie. Any objections will be overruled.

 “I don’t think this is appropriate behavior for a courtroom,” she whispered, knowing that despite the risk, she wasn’t about to jump down and walk away.

”Definitely not.” His voice was thick with desire. “You’re wearing far too many clothes.”

Katy shrugged off her jacket. “What if someone comes in?”

“No one is coming in. I have a friend in security who owed me a favor. He’s got his eye on the door until his next shift. We have about forty-five minutes.”

“I hope he’s a good friend. You’re putting both our careers in his hands.”

He rested his hands on her knees. “I wouldn’t take a risk with you.”

Katy laughed softly. “What’s this if not a risk?”

“This is you opening for me, sugar.” He gently pressed her knees apart.

Lust, raw and ragged, tore through her body, burning away her inhibitions. She braced her hands behind her and parted her legs as far as her skirt would allow.

“That’s my girl,” he growled deep and low.

Katy sucked in her breath. She had never imagined such condescending words could be so fiercely arousing.

He traced his finger down her throat to the cleft between her breasts. “There are special rules in my courtroom,” he murmured. “First, there is to be no touching the judge. Your hands will stay on the desk at all times. Is that clear?”

Katy gave him a wicked grin. She sat up and pressed her hands against the cool, smooth cotton of his shirt, then slid them up and over his rock-hard pecs to encircle his neck.

“So I can’t do this?”

He pulled her hands away. “No.”

“And I can’t do this?” She circled his narrow waist and pulled him between her legs, pressing her breasts against his taut chest.

Mark disengaged her hands. “Definitely not.”

Her gaze drifted down below his belt and she stroked a finger along the erection clearly outlined beneath the thin wool of his trousers. “What about this?”

Mark gently slapped her hand away. “Don’t even think about it.”

“It’s all I’m thinking about,” she murmured.

***

Want more naughty lawyers?

• Check out my website for another steamy excerpt. And while you’re there, enter my Pre-Release Giveaway Contest to win an e-book gift certificate
• Watch the smokin’ hot trailer https://youtu.be/GNAzJcbb3fg
• Pre-Order your copy from Samhain, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble

Where can you find me?

Website | Facebook | Twitter: @sarah_castille | Goodreads

Thanks to Delilah for hosting me today. I wish you all naughty times!