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Friday, February 11, 2011

My New Website! - Anna Campbell

by Anna Campbell

Hooray, hurrah and huzzah, it's time to unveil my brand-new website!


Check it out at: http://www.annacampbell.info/

I started working on this with my brilliant designer Paula Roe months ago. I hope you like the finished product of all our hard slog.

Coming up with the basic design took us forever. I wanted to convey a number of themes to visitors. I wanted the elegance of the Regency period which is when all my books are set. I wanted to tie in with the British settings. I also wanted a design that spoke volumes about the atmosphere of the books - sensual, dark, passionate, romantic, dramatic.

You can see why Paula and I spent weeks shooting designs back and forth, can't you? I adore what she came up with and I think it covers everything I asked for.

We both had input in the final look. During my last trip to the U.K., I'd become enamoured of Sir Henry Raeburn's beautiful Regency portraits. I think these gorgeous pictures of men and women from the first quarter of the 19th century perfectly convey the glamorous, dangerous Regency world.

As far as the British element went, I showed Paula some photos I'd taken in my travels and we both decided these shots would be perfect to complement the portraits. I love that pictures I took myself are now part of this website which reflects my work.

Here are two of my favorite shots to make an appearance in the new design. The white building covered in camellias is an old pin factory rebuilt as part of the garden architecture in beautiful Bodnant Gardens in Wales.

The second photo is of a mullioned window in the impossibly romantic Haddon Hall in Derbyshire. You might know this house as it was used as Thornfield in the recent BBC JANE EYRE adaptation with Toby Stephens as Mr. Rochester. It's one of my favorite houses in England and definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the vicinity.

I'd said to Paula I wanted a really rich color scheme and she came up trumps with the red and the black and the gold. I adore that curling satin ribbon that links everything together. Pure design genius! And again, every Regency!

We've kept popular pages from the original website so every month, I'll still be doing My Favorite Things and Latest News and regular contests. But I've also added a press page and a one-stop spot for videos and book trailers.

And extra excitement for February, I've put up the Books Page for my May release MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION.

Here's the blurb:

London’s most notorious seducer, Nicholas Challoner lives solely for revenge. The dashing, licentious Marquess of Ranelaw can never forgive Godfrey Demarest for ruining his sister—now the time has come to repay the villain in the same coin. But one formidably intriguing impediment stands in the way of Nicholas’s vengeance: Miss Antonia Smith, companion to his foe’s unsuspecting daughter.

Having herself been deceived and disgraced by a rogue—banished by her privileged family as a result and forced to live a lie—Antonia vows to protect her charge from the same cruel fate. She recognizes Ranelaw for the shameless blackguard he is, and will devote every ounce of her intelligence and resolve to thwarting him.

Yet Antonia has always had a fatal weakness for rakes…

You can read an excerpt here.

To launch my website, I'm running an extra special contest for February and March. And the question is majorly easy too.

So this was my big project for this year (aside from writing my latest book!). Have you completed or are you planning any big projects of your own lately?

19 comments:

Estella said...

I don't have any big projects planned.
Your new website is beautiful.

Anna Campbell said...

Thanks so much, Estella!

Sharon Archer said...

Love, love, LOVE the new look to your website, Anna! You and Paula have achieved everything your set yourselves to do! It's such a great touch to use photos from your travels! It's a fabulous showcase for your wonderful books - speaking of which I am hanging out for MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION to arrive on the shop shelf!

Big projects... mmm, seriously thinking about a revamp for my website... Of course just keeping it up to date would be very fine thing too! LOL

:)
Sharon

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Sharon, great to see you here. So glad you love the new website. I think it's gorgeous! Love the red and the ribbon! I can hardly believe Midnight is only a bit over two months away! It's a MAJOR job revamping the website but it's one of those fun things to do. Good luck with your project!

Nas said...

Hi Anna,

Your website looks wonderful!
Congratulations on getting it done. It reflects you completely!

Nothing major for me....

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, thanks, Nas! Looks like we're all taking it easy for the next little while. LOL!

desere_steenberg said...

Simply stunning website Anna Congratulations and wonderful contests , I already entered !

All the best
Desere

Anna Campbell said...

Thanks so much, Desere! And congratulations on winning the Romance Bandits contest yesterday!

Kandy Shepherd said...

Anna, I liked your old website but your new one is even more fabulous! Wonderful cover for your upcoming new book, too. Congratulations!

desere_steenberg said...

Thank you Anna I emailed you my details I hope you received it !

Desere

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, thanks, Kandy. I really liked the old one too but I think it was just getting a little bit tired after five years. Anyway, a change is as good as a holiday, isn't it?

Anna Campbell said...

Thanks, Desere, got everything. I'll email separately.

Vanessa Barneveld said...

Hi, Anna!

I adore your new site. Those portraits came up a treat. Brava to you and Paula.

I'm juggling a few big projects this year, like completing the bulk of our house renovation, finishing the book I started during NaNo, and running a workshop with my Ruby-Slippered Sisters in New York this July. Phew! I'm tired already!

Anna Campbell said...

Wow, Vanessa, you're an example to all of us! Here, sit down for a minute and catch your breath. Thanks for checking out the site - I'm stoked with it!

Pat Cochran said...

Hi Anna,

I'm just back from visiting your
new website again. Have to agree
with everyone, this is a lovely
new look. All who visit will be
very much taken with the changes
initiated by Paula and yourself.

Pat Cochran

dlynnpen said...

New website is awesome.I love it!!!
Spring cleaning next big task. MIDNIGHT'S WILD PASSION has a special place waiting on the bookshelf already.
Love the changes on the website.

desere_steenberg said...

Thank you Anna

Michele L. said...

Love your website Anna! I love the magenta borders. Well, the only major task planned is getting into exercise routine. I have seriously sloughed off last year and have gained weight.

Also, it is my goal to start going through closets and drawers this year and do a seriously cleaning. You never know what you will find!

Unknown said...

Painting my house is my big project, I have already started