As I skim around on the Internet, gathering information on authors for the book reviews I do here on Families.com, I have the chance to see many neat websites. Here are some of my favorites.
James Dashner is the author of the Jimmy Fincher series for young adults. His site features mystical looking graphics, great shots of his book covers, and mysterious music. This is an example of a site matching the theme of the book perfectly.
Jan Karon, author of the “Mitford” books, has taken a series of scenes that could easily be gatherings in Mitford itself and placed them on the opening page of her website. As you enter, you feel as though you are stepping right into the pages of the book.
Elizabeth Peters writes books about Egyptology, and her opening page reflects Egypt in every way. The colors are sand and off-white with brown and gold, she has pyramids across the top, and when the page is first accessed, an Egyptian brindle cat is running along the left of the screen. You can tell what the books are about simply by looking at the site.
Jennifer Chiaverini, author of the “Elm Creek Quilts” series, incorporates quilting into the graphic design of her site. The background looks like a hand-pieced, masterfully sewn quilt and is alive with color. Given that Jennifer not only writes about quilting but designs quilts as well, this site is doubly appropriate for her.
Gordon W. Ryan’s site has an intriguing front page, with pictures of Gordon alone and with his wife arranged in a faded-to-bright montage. Once inside the site, you find moving graphics, a banner that flashes different book endorsements, and a listing of all novels written. Each element is clean, crisp, and professional, while being cool at the same time.
Rachel Ann Nunes, author of LDS fiction for women, has created a comprehensive and informational site with a user password to access even more. She includes mothering tips, speaking engagement information, and author spotlights for writers both published and aspiring. When you click on a link, it doesn’t just blip you to that page – it fades into it. Very high-tech.
Take a clickety-click around the Internet and check out these cool sites. Who says a professional website has to be boring?