First newspaper review + Developing a website for journalist

-



Regarding my book launch,  today I got my hands on the physical newspaper which had the review of Prospect of My Arrival.  I had read it online but it was even more exciting to see it in print.  My favorite part:  "...this elegant book by Dwight Okita, a Chicago poet making his debut as a novelist. The Prospect of My Arrival is a book that is serious, poignant and engaging."

Here is the link to the full review:
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=34084

And here is the link to browse and buy the book on Amazon:  http://amzn.to/ozbXC4


(CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I've been developing a website for journalist Danny Postel. I decided that Homestead would be the best software for his site -- since he has many articles and websites to which he wanted to link.

CLIENT'S NEEDS.  "I need a website to send people to as I seek out journalist and communications job opportunities.  I also want to have a central clearinghouse for all the books, articles and events I have worked on."

Since the most urgent use of the site would be to aid  in job hunting, we decided to make the landing page a place for potential employers to get a sense of the scope of Danny's endeavors.  Later pages can be used to showcase his career in greater detail.

Once I established what the website was to be used for, I asked what colors he favored.  He liked salmon and purple.  I incorporated those into the design.  I had two different approaches stylistically.  Danny preferred the one above with the edgier border.  This style is a good match for his edgy and intriguing personality.  After many options, he zeroed in on a font he fancied for his name which would be at the top of the website.  There are many links on the home page to allow visitors to access Danny's various books and articles.  So far so good.  Now I'm rough drafting the other four pages.  Fine tuning will come at the very end of the design process to save time.

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments are always appreciated! Thank you.

Popular posts from this blog

My entry to the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards

-
Image
It's Monday, Jan 28. I am part of a large blogging event called the "Re-Introduce Myself" Blogfest where I get to introduce myself to new audiences. My name is Dwight Okita. I live in Chicago where I design websites and work at a nonprofit for the visually impaired. I just finished writing my second novel THE HOPE STORE and I've entered it in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. You can learn more about the contest at www.amazon.com/abna Below is the pitch for my book: "We don't just instill hope. We install it."  That's the slogan for the first store in the world to sell hope over the counter.   Luke Nagano goes to sleep each night dreaming about hope and how to make more of it, ever since he lost his sister. He and his partner prepare the store for its grand opening. As media interest grows, an activist group called the Natural Hopers emerges with the mission to warn the public about the dangers of synthetically created...
Read more
-
Image
NOTE:  My colleague Dawn Raffel's lovely new book THE SECRET LIFE OF OBJECTS   has been published. It contains tiny, luminous pieces of narrative.  In celebration of that, I and other writers from LEA, the League of Extraordinary Authors, have been asked to write a piece of flash fiction of our own.  This is mine. "I Was At The Zoo"   by Dwight Okita I was at the Lincoln Park Zoo gift store, browsing the dizzying menagerie of toys on sale.  One stuffed animal called out to me -- a small, furry stuffed penguin.  My mother would love it. But as the penguin sat in my apartment that night, bashful beside the white lamp, I knew my mind was changing. I could not part with my new friend. The next day, I made a full confession. "I was going to give him to you, Mom, but he's just too cute to give away." "Oh, I have lots of stuffed animals.  You keep him. I've got stuffed animals coming out of my ears!" "Are you sure it's oka...
Read more

Messages from beyond. My late mother still sends me greeting cards.

-
Image
I was doing some major housecleaning for the new year. For a few weeks cardboard boxes formed a holy circle in the middle of  my apartment.  It looked like I was moving. I should mention that my dear, quirky mother had passed away two years ago.  Barely a day goes by I don't think about her and miss her.  I came upon a box of greeting  cards I had saved.  This one below was from four years ago (just over a year before her stroke) and is really amazing and touching.  For now it has a second  meaning.  It's just like my mom to continue to send me messages after her passing.  She was a woman who adored a good greeting card!
Read more