Monday, August 9, 2010

Website Facelift Update

Thanks so much to all of you who weighed in with an opinion about the color combinations for my website make-over. I really appreciate your take on things.

However, the update is on hold till I iron out one teensy thing. I received an email from a trusted friend over the weekend warning that I could be in danger of being sued by either Dorchester or the cover artist for using part of the VEXING THE VISCOUNT art in my header. Evidently it's perfectly ok to display the full cover, but not to extract portions of it for other uses. Since it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a lawsuit and because I never want to violate someone else's copyrights to their creative material, I've sent a query in to my editor to get the straight skinny on this issue.

But we do have a plan B. I have purchased some stock photos for use on my site and in my book trailers. JennJ has agreed to go with that if we can't arrange something for using the current artwork in her lovely design.

So you'll be hearing more about this in the coming days and I hope to unveil a new look before long. It's sort of like rearranging the furniture. Every now and then I get an itch to shake things up.

How about you? What do you do to change your surroundings? Swap out art work from one room to another? Totally redecorate? Repurpose existing items as something entirely different, like making a file cabinet an occasional table or turning a vase into a lamp base?

Is there something you've done to spruce up your space--IRL or cyber-- lately?

6 comments:

Nynke said...

Aww, what a pity about the picture! Jenn's design is lovely...

My one-room appartment is too small to rearrange furniture and still make good use of the space, but I've recently updated both my homepage at work and my Linked-In profile, with up-to-date CVs and a cool-but-pretty picture :). It was so long overdue!

EmilyBryan said...

All may not be lost. I may yet receive permission to use it, but we'll have to see.

The DH and I were in a sparcely furnished studio apartment for about 6 months when we first moved to Seattle. After a 4 BR/3 Bath home in Park City, UT, it was quite a shock to be that minimalist. Like moving back into our college dorm room. We were much happier once we moved to a 2BR/2Bath place a few blocks away.

But it's surprising what you can be happy with, so long as you don't try to host huge parties in small spaces.

Nynke said...

Well, I hope you'll get that permission - but otherwise, JennJ will come up with some other great design, I'm sure :).

I have actually hosted fairly large parties in here - people sat everywhere, including the bed, and for my housewarming, they slept on the floor and even in the hallway!

EmilyBryan said...

Sounds like your friends and family enjoy a "close" fellowship! ;-)

Nynke said...

Only once every few years :)

Mary Anne Landers said...

Sorry about the trouble regarding copyright you described on your blog. But I'm sure you and JennJ will come up with a spendid website design.

This is just my opinion, but maybe stock photos would work to your advantage. That way you don't have to go back and replace the pictures every time you have a new book coming out.

Whatever happens, I'm looking forward to your website. Keep up the good work!