This is a quick note to new visitors. My recent attempts to get this site listed on Yahoo has proved more successful than previous attempts, and the visitor counter is now clicking round more briskly. Like everyone this site thrives on feedback, I would encourage visitors to drop me an email to let me know what they think of the site, which bits they like best and anything new that people would like to see.
Future plans for the site
As I write my key task is to complete putting images into the novel. I am using Graphic Convertor (I'm running an iMac) to try and keep file sizes within reason without losing too much definition. The intention is that each chapter is opened with a small - ish image, which is a detail from the large - ish image that closes the chapter. Hopefully by the time you have read the chapter the closing image will have downloaded and you won't have to wait for it. I have rung the changes a bit by having some images split into three - triptych style, or using extremely low resolution images. Although some locations in the novel were inspired by real locations, the photographs are not matched to the chapters. The photographs were all taken on a disposable camera from Boots which I just carried about with me for a while, taking photos as the mood took me. The photos are merely intended to be urban scenes. Being a disposable camera meant that there is some distortion in the images, and with no flash, I had to take photographs in bright sunlight. The photos seem to have turned out well and I am generally happy with them.
Once the photos for the novel are scanned in and coded, I will probably do a contents page for the novel and maybe even a page about the novel, though to be honest overanalysing the novel tends to be counterproductive. It is like all those records where they publish the lyrics for you, and you realise how banal they really are.
After that the novel will be finished, and I will spend some time updating the homepage which was knocked together very quickly and could be tarted up a bit. The woodwork area is long overdue some updating. I have completed a number of pieces of furniture since the last update, and I really will have to sit down and write out some proper content.
As you might have guessed, between a full time job, a pair of wonderful daughters, woodwork and studying for an HNC in Computing, I do not have a huge amount of time. Hence the slow rate of progress with this site. I am still pretty much coding most of it using a text editor and scanning in images seems to take forever, so the site is coming together very slowly. Still the best things come to those who wait, so I will just keep going and hopefully the end results will justify the effort.
Software problems
I have been delayed because my scanner stopped working. After a huge amount of fiddling around, I eventually reinstalled the original system software that came with the computer and then reinstalled the software for my printer, scanner, and got my connection with my bulletin board (CIX) and internet software going again. Getting back to basics seems to have worked a treat and my computer now seems much less temperamental and a lot quicker. This makes me think that if I can simplify my life and go back to a simpler way of operating then my life too might go a lot smoother.