I’m so excited to have a brand spanking new website that just launched this week! Savanna Kaiser did a beautiful job making the site coordinate with my newsletter design and the colorful book covers my husband has designed for me. Here’s a little sneak peek:
Isn’t it pretty!? If you click on the image, you can link to the whole website, but first, let me tell you the history behind my website’s “evolution.” Many of you know that I started writing in order to help put our kids through college while still staying home with the little “oops” baby that the Lord blessed us with when our other kids were 14, 10, and 8. My first contract with Bethany House was a huge answer to prayer, with the advance on royalties for a two-book contract being to-the-penny what we’d been told our oldest son’s four years of college—room, board, and tuition—would be at the state college he chose.
The Internet was fairly new when I first started writing, but by the time Tarl got his degree in Commercial Graphics, I was a published author who needed a website. And Tarl had the skills to design me one. Sadly, neither of us saved an image of that first website (at least not in a format we could access twenty-five years later!)
After that website, I cobbled one together on the Blogger platform and it served me (mostly) well for many years.
A few years ago Ken designed a really pretty site for me that we again jury-rigged to work as a website.
Unfortunately, blogger has become more and more uncooperative over the years (it was never really designed for traditional websites in the first place) and I knew the time had come to update mine.
Enter my friend, Savanna, an award-winning author and talented web designer along with her husband. I’m SO happy with the results! A fresh new look that I don’t think I’ll get tired of for a long time!
I’m curious to know what type of content you hope for when you go to an author’s website? What are you looking for, practically speaking, and what are your favorite just-for-fun features. Please share in the comments below—and then I hope you’ll hop over to deborahraney.com and take a gander!
P.S. For those who are newer here, you may not know that our own Robin Lee Hatcher does fantastic web design as well! It always kind of blows my mind when God gives writers multiple talents!
Latest posts by Deborah Raney (see all)
- Inspired by Scripture - November 17, 2024
- Writing “The End” - November 11, 2024
- Inspired by Scripture - November 10, 2024
Lynn Austin says
Beautiful, Deb. I think I’m overdue for an update on mine.
Deborah Raney says
Thanks, Lynn. I can just picture a new site with bicycles and windmills and flowers. LOVE the cover of your new book! Can’t wait to read it!
Betty Strohecker says
Love the website! The pictures are wonderful. I always enjoy seeing your decorating tips for house and garden. Easily accessible with great information!
Deborah Raney says
Thanks, Betty! So glad you enjoy it all! I always appreciate your encouraging words!
Carrie Turansky says
HI Deb, I LOVE your new website! Savanna did a wonderful job. She just redesigned mine too! I was so pleased with her work and how it all came together. I loved seeing where you write. Those photos are fun. Your website really reflects you and your books!
Deborah Raney says
Thanks, Carrie! That’s my favorite thing about Savanna’s design: how well she captured everything I love! Your site looks gorgeous too! I’d be happy to walk right through the screen into that scene on your home page!
Paula Shreckhise says
Yay! Savanna is a sweetheart! And so talented. Now we all three live in Missouri! Ha ha!
Deborah Raney says
Long live Missouri! We have fallen in love with our adopted state!
Lynne Hess says
Terrific looking! Savanna is a very talented girl!
Deborah Raney says
I agree!