Friday, June 06, 2008

LASR News and Friday Ramblings

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown

Okay... I got lots of questions and comments on the LASR relaunch coming up on Monday (::fingers crossed::) -- So I thought I'd share the big news.

The reason for the relaunch is two-fold.

First, we wanted to host the reviews onsite. We really always have, but didn't have the hosting space available. Last month, our webhost increased the available space given automatically...and may actually have unlimited space. So -- now we can host all reviews onsite!! Yay!

However, this required that we have content, so we're going back and building April, May and June reviews onto the website -- that's approximately 150 pages (thankfully, I have some help, or it would never get done in time!!).

Second, we have had a HUGE outcrying from erotic romance authors to give them their own space. Neither Judy nor I have much of an interest in erotic romance, but we certainly understand an author's need for promotion. Thankfully, we have two HUGE helpers on the site who do read erotic romance -- and they threw their support behind this. So, we started slowly, originally by offering reviews on another blog, entitled Whipped Cream, and run by Michele and Chris (for the most part -- I was tech support). Next, we began a Yahoo group expressly for erotic romance authors. Most recently, we decided to begin hosting the reviews onsite, but in order to do so we needed to decide on a way to separate the non-erotic content from the erotic content. Though we realize most reviews sites put them all together, we have chosen not to, in an effort to keep The Long and the Short of It a reviews site for non-erotic romance.

So...

In a nutshell (are you sorry you asked?): beginning on Monday, we will have a new front door with links to what are essentially two different sites: LASR and WC. Each site will offer like content -- author interviews, contests, free short stories, reviews, and more. LASR will remain the place to go for non-erotic content, and WC will be exclusively erotic romance.

What this meant for me, though, was this... I had to recreate two entirely new websites. New folders. New links. New pages. New buttons. New headers. New everything. Your old bookmarked links will no longer work -- you'll have to start at the front door (which remains http://www.longandshortreviews.com/) and find the new pages.

Please feel free to take a look around. And, if you happen to find broken links (I'm certain there will be some... there was a lot of input in a short amount of time), please let me know.

Now... back to our regularly scheduled program.

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So, Dakota was really hacking yesterday, especially when she got excited (which was, well, constantly -- **sigh** Irish Setters **sigh**) -- so I took her to the vet in the afternoon.

Her tonsils and lymph nodes are swollen, which indicates some sort of infection. Is it bacterial or viral? Who knows... I do know, though, that when she coughs it sounds like a lung is coming up. So, she's on antibiotics -- dang horse pills! Sheesh. I cut them in half, but still... She's getting them ground up in soft food because I don't feel like trying to shove them down her little throat.

The other dog on the street who goes to daycare, Star, is also sick -- he had nasal discharge in a lovely shade of green. My suspicion is that they picked something up in doggy day care. Not an auspicious beginning to our day care experience.

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It's supposed to be in the mid-90s this weekend. My DH is thrilled and can't WAIT to get out on the boat. Same with DD. I will be home in a house without A/C with a sick dog working on the website. Whee.... lol.... seriously, though, I don't like boating.

And my garden is going to LOVE the heat.

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Your 1920's Name is:



Wilhelmina Queenie


7 comments:

Allie Boniface said...

Wow - huge undertaking with LASR! Sounds like a great plan...and I'm glad you're keeping the erotic and non-erotic separate. Though I know erotic is super-hot in the market these days, I have a feeling that's going to wane in the next year or so.

Judy said...

I'm Lelia Wilhelmina. Someone is awful fond of the name Wilhelmina ... lol.

groovyoldlady said...

Mercedes Aurora here.

Mercy but you've been busy! It's almost like giving birth, isn't it? I'm sure the new baby is lovely. I'm going over to admire your handiwork now.

Anonymous said...

I'm now Clarabelle George.

Using my real name, though, I'm Madeleine Isabella which I like better. Should I use it as a pseudonym? *g*

Jen said...

Congrats on all the LASR work! Wow, no wonder you've been busy! I hope Dakota's all healthy soon. I would think it would be hard to keep dogs from catching each other's colds. It was probably an owner sending a sick dog.

Brandy said...

Whew! Sounds like a lot of work and I will go and admire it soon.
Sorry to hear Dakota is ill. I hope she and her friend feel better soon.
Um, no AC? Whoa!

My 1920's name is Zelda Isabella.


I hope you have a great day!

Dru said...

I'm looking forward to the new changes to the site and I'm also glad you're keeping the sites separate.

my 1920's name is Luvenia Vivienne.

Sorry that Dakota is sick. I hope she feels better soon.