Whew.
It’s been a lot of work, and I’ve learned more about WordPress modules, CSS, and PHP than I even knew existed (or even needed to know existed). But the site’s scrubbing and cleaning are now done, at least in terms of the content that was already there.
You may notice that I’ve moved it over to a new URL: smk.lfvoy.net. I think I’ve found and removed all references to the old URL, but if you come across something, please let me know.
Over the past couple weeks, I’ve done a lot of back- and front-end work, both in terms of functionality and in terms of the look-and-feel of the site. There have been enough changes that I’m officially calling it a relaunch.
- The stories, reference material, and blog now each all have their own sections of the site. That part should be mostly transparent to end-users, but it makes for a much smoother experience overall — and it will scale up gracefully as I add more of everything.
- The reference material in particular is now also easier to navigate, and on the back end, it’s better set up to handle additional material that I may develop over time. I already have notes about settings (such as Lee’s and Amanda’s new maisonette) and organizational charts.
- The underlying aesthetic is now loosely based on old books and their rich endpapers.
- I’ve added in a fair bit of iconography and redone the breadcrumbs. The idea is that visitors should always know where they are and what they’re looking at. (The icons also add some visual interest.)
- I also finally got around to putting together the site’s Terms & Conditions page. It’s not the most fun reading in the world, but experience has taught me it’s necessary.
- And last but not least, I decided to add quotes from the series up in the top header area. They’re random, and I’m still building the library, but I hope they’ll give users a smile or a laugh.
So tell me what you think! Do you like it? Hate it? Wish there was more or less of something? Find it easier or harder to use? I’d love to know.
In the meantime, though, it’s time to get back to writing more stories. Both Lee and Amanda have had things to say to me recently, and it’s time to get that down.