Capt. Solomon D. Crowe · Author & Books

A home for the whole catalogue

Someone arriving from a book recommendation already knows what they are looking for. Someone meeting Capt. Solomon D. Crowe for the first time may want to see what he writes before choosing a title. The website had to serve both readers while giving the catalogue room for future releases.

That meant giving the books the most prominent space on the homepage and making the author introduction easy to find. A reader can begin with a cover, browse by category or get to know the person behind the work.

Give fiction and nonfiction their own entry points

The homepage leads with new releases and gives fiction and nonfiction their own sections. The covers do much of the visual work. Readers can scan titles quickly, then use the category headings to find a part of the catalogue that suits their interests.

A featured release and a permanent place in the catalogue serve different purposes. The release area draws attention to what is new, while the collections give earlier books a place readers can find after that feature changes. Each title has a page that can be linked from a newsletter or a social post.

Follow a reader from the cover to the paperback

A reader who sees BORN in the new releases area can open its own page. The cover and description establish what kind of story it is. The page identifies the available paperback and explains the status of the digital edition before the reader follows the Amazon link. Those details matter because a person arriving from a social post may know only the title and the cover.

The same layout also works for a title that offers two formats. The Last Peg is presented with paperback and digital options. As availability changes, the format information can be updated on the book page, where a reader expects to find it. The link shared in a post or email can still point to the same book.

A dedicated title page gives readers a specific destination to share. It also gives a search engine a page devoted to that book, with its own heading and description in the visible copy. Someone searching for a title and author can land on the book itself and still reach the rest of the catalogue from the navigation.

Give interested readers a reason to come back

A reader can enjoy the catalogue and leave with plans to come back later. The reader updates form gives that person a clear reason to subscribe. It explains what will arrive in the inbox, including book news and release announcements. Mailchimp handles the confirmation step, and the form tells readers to look for that email.

That sign-up has a different job from the retailer link. A reader ready to buy can go straight to the available edition. Someone interested in future releases can choose to stay in touch. Each step is available at the point where it makes sense, including on the BORN page itself.

The author introduction supports that decision by giving readers a sense of the interests that run through the catalogue. A first-time visitor can start with the person, the new release or a category and still find a way to the same set of books.