10 author websites I like (for Jenn Pozner)

Recently, Jenn Pozner, author of the forthcoming Seal Press book reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV, asked on Twitter for author site recommendations. This is a very practice what I don't preach post because my website is obviously a mess and though we try to keep it updated, there's so many other more pressing things to work on. But as a reader, I visit author sites all the time to find out what's new and learn more abou tthem.

This has been delayed shamefully long so I won't elaborate at the moment but here are some author sites I like:

Hollis Gillespie - everything you need to know right up front.

The Feminista Files by Feminista author Erica Kennedy - this is a blog, but each post relates back to her novel, and there are also excerpts, reviews, press and more information.

Anna David - there used to be this great virtual magazine rack at the front of Anna's site, but it is still a good site and has all the relevant contact info and links to her various writing and other work up front and easy to find.

Dynamist.com by Virginia Postrel - the author of The Substance of Style and The Future and Its Enemies puts all her relevant info, along with her photo, right up front so you can go exactly where you want to. For the blog of her work in progress, Deep Glamour (with @deepglamour Twitter feed running on the side), see deepglamour.net.

Diana Joseph has excerpts from her memoir I'm Sorry You Feel That Way, purchasing and blog links and brands her cover throughout.

hitbyafarm.com and compassionatecarnivore.com" - these could go below, because the author, Catherine Friend, also has her website, but I think it's clear both book sites are much more engaging than her personal site.

Jessica Valenti - I really like the design of this site.

Portia da Costa - as an editor publishing some of Portia da Costa's work (in my forthcoming Passion anthology), I can say that I so appreciate her very speedy updating and am not only in awe of her prolific output, but that each book, whether her own or anthologies she's in, gets its own easy to navigate info.

Ally Carter - I like that all the book covers are there, with easily clickable info, as well as her blog and tour links, plus MySpace and Twitter.

Tera Lynn Childs - clean, pretty design that works well with book covers, prominent links for more information, excerpts and next year's book teasers.

A few book-specific sites that do a good job of providing behind the scenes details and more information. I hate when I try to find even a basic description and am just sent to Amazon. That's lazy and doesn't make me interested, plus what about readers who've already read the book but want more info?

Behind the Bedroom Door edited by Paula Derrow - a blog about the anthology's topic, author bios and excerpts from the book.

Three Wishes is a joint memoir written by three women. This site, using Ning, has photos of all three women's children, media updates, blogs and more.

Viral Loop by Adam L. Pennenberg, fittingly, has a widget and iPhone app and much more. Good press links and easy to follow.