I totally forgot I changed my blog theme yesterday. It was still dark when I fired up the old magic blog machine to check my comments, and when the screen popped open, there was that big picture of my sunglasses stretched across the top of the screen.
I thought it was a robot.
But the new theme is sort of cool. I liked the uncluttered look of my old theme, but this has a sidebar to stick stuff in. You all know that I am a computer moron. It wasn’t easy to make these changes, and I am still playing around with how to use those widgets… I call it widget wrestling, just so you know… but I did manage to stick a picture of my book in there right at the top. If you click on the book it takes you right to where you can order a paperback copy. Yeah, that’s right, I did links and URL’s and http’s and other magic computer box stuff. I don’t want to tell you how long it took me or how much help I needed.
The good news for you is that now that I have my book link stuck there, I don’t have to spend so much time begging all of you to buy a copy in new posts. Of course I am still going to do it, but not nearly so often. I did not add a separate link for the Kindle version of the book, but I mentioned it in the words underneath. Do you think that is made clear enough?
And I will put new links up for the Ipad and Apple Store and other e-reader versions, which Jessica is even now sending out.
I was toying with the idea of putting my awards in the sidebar, but that just seems vain and pompous.
I want to stick my original song videos in the sidebar. Right now they are just a little button under the categories header. Do you think that is a good idea? In fact, any suggestions as to how I can take full advantage of my new sidebar would be awesome.
Pouring My Art Out 
You know, those sunglasses did scare me a little too. They look cute on the avatar, but without the rest of your face, they’re just plain menacing.
And since I read a bunch of your posts at work where I could not comment or like, let me just summarize the comments here:
Happy birthday!
Congratulations on the new theme! (somehow, it looks very familiar….)
Congrats on 40k views!
Book is still on my “to buy” list. By any chance, do you know if Kindle version can be read by another e-book reader or a smartphone?
I suggest putting a “Most recent post” widget on the sidebar too – that would make it easier for people to see what they missed.
I can be menacing.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yes it does.
Thank you.
Any day now it will be in Apple bookstore and on the Ipad… unless that is the same thing… and some other reader I can’t remember the name of, but am afraid to mention in case something goes wrong.
I might wrestle with that widget. I took it down. If peoplke blink, they miss stuff. That is what scrolling is for. But I will bow to public pressure.
Thank you.
So basically, you scared yourself?
Yes I did. And it wasn’t the first time either.
Same here, and sometimes I actually do it in a good way, but such occurrences are in the minority.
Right. On the other hand, other people scare me almost all the time.
That’s probably an important survival instinct.
For me, not for them… ha!
I like your new look although I don’t think it’s pompous or vain to put your awards in your sidebar. I put mine up there so people will know which awards I already have, so they won’t give them to me again.
Now that I like.
If the Kindle version of your book is available at Amazon you ought to say “Also available on Kindle at Amazon.” Although, people looking for Kindle versions would know that. Yes, definitely put your videos in the sidebar. Create a page specifically for the posts you do for your book, sales, promotions, PEN awards, Nobel prizes etc. I made a new page for fiction, more convenient for readers looking to escape the random stuff. Go YOU!
I am going to be asking you questions about this stuff… you know that, right?
That’s okay.
I really like you, you big, upwards glancing single eyeball you!
Same.
Yay.
Like what is a page? You mean like you have a button that opens up a bunch of specific stuff???
Are you there?
Sorry… stupid real life stuff…
Open your dashboard, look to the left, choose pages, then choose add new. It looks just like a blog post except it’s static. Make a catchy title “Published Fiction” perhaps and then you can keep all the cool stuff about your book in one place. Come to my blog and look at the top under the flowers, click on Fiction and you’ll see what I mean. Easy-peasy- that is such a stupid expression.
I am looking now.
Oh… awsome… I will try to figure out how to add the stuff to that before I start begging for help… Ha!
But I do have one question; would my alien pictures and my songs be better in the sidebar or as a new page at the top. I would love to be able to see each song and picture, but I would run out of room.
I’ll look so I can have a better understanding of what you mean.
I wish I had a better understanding of what I mean…
Look at my new page!!! I did my alien pictures all in one place! Thank you. You rock!
I gave you a thank you link in a new post.
That’s very sweet but not necessary. I’m happy to assist.
too late
I am doing the songs on a new page! But how is it different than catagories???
Visually it is easier to access. I get a lot of hits on pages and not as much traffic in categories.
I am rockin’ the pages, thanks to you.