Wicked Wednesday - What PNR author websites need

I've been doing a lot of cleaning and organizing these past few weeks. Online and offline. One of my projects this year will be to design a new website. A big deal since I have no web design experience, and I can't afford to have anyone else do it for me.

My current website is okay. I do like the template. (It was free!) But does it represent me as an author and my books? No.

My website wishlist: easy to navigate, easy to update, wicked, dark, and sexy.

So I've been doing some research and visiting a lot of paranormal romance author sites. Here's what I've found a PNR author needs on the home page of her site.

1) The color red. Dangerous and passionate. Most sites have a lot of red. The unofficial color of PNR authors? (E.g. Kresley Cole and Jennifer Lyon.)

2) A kick-butt heroine featured in the heading or background. (One of my favorite sites based on appearance and ease of use: Keri Arthur.)  OR a hot guy (human or not) in the heading or background. (E.g. Larissa Ione.) 

3) A quirky, sexy, or magical welcome to the site. Something a little different than the standard news scroll or "Buy my books!" (E.g. Alyssa Day.)

4) Book covers. Some covers are gorgeous, and I can see why authors make them the feature attraction. (E.g. Rachel Vincent and Sherrilyn Kenyon.)

5) A background to set the right atmosphere. Dark and mysterious. (E.g. Jennifer Estep.)

Do you have a website? If you do, did you have it designed to fit your genre?

"Red" now up on 365 Tomorrows

My science-fiction flash piece, "Red" is now up on 365 Tomorrows.

I now have 20 short stories published. Wow. I can still remember trying to get one published somewhere. I would've been happy if someone accepted it anywhere! My first accepted and paid submission was a silly sci-fi drabble (a piece of exactly 100 words). I still have that dollar sitting in a frame beside my desk.

I tried getting published in my late teens, but the first rejection destroyed me. I didn't try again for about 15 years. Maybe age toughened me up, but I kept pushing on past the rejections. I kept submitting. Now I have 20 short stories published.

I still get rejected. Some hurt more than others, but I keep pushing forward. Perseverance does pay off.

Never give up on your dreams!

Friday Five for June 15th

1. I had a dream the other night that I had a beard. Not a long one, but short and neatly trimmed. It was a brighter red than my hair. Everyone really loved the beard. I was also very feminine in the dream. I was model thin and wearing a red sundress. That bit takes away from the beard being the masculine part of myself interpretation, unless the masculine side of me is more feminine than I usually am. And that wouldn't be a stretch!

2. I have my writer's group meeting tomorrow. I always get nervous about it even though I've been with them for nearly a year now. They've taught me so much about critiquing. So I can suffer with being anxious because I'm better in the end for being a part of this group.

3. My sci-fi flash piece, "Red" was accepted by Pill Hill Press yesterday evening. It will be in their collection entitled DAILY FLASH 2013: 365 DAYS OF FLASH FICTION. Hmm, my dream about a red beard and a red sundress. Coincidence?

4. I haven't written anything new this week other than blog posts. Not through lack of inspiration, but lack of time. Perhaps I should cut back to only three a week (and any special news ones!) until I have more time when the school year starts.

5. Father's Day is this Sunday. I had my son make my husband a card, but my husband hasn't made up his mind what he wants to do yet. Are you doing anything special on Sunday?