Welcome to the official website of Leanne Sowul, and the new home of the blog Words from the Sowul!

The website isn’t completely finished yet- all the basics are there, but I want to add some more visuals and maybe a sidebar or two. I just couldn’t wait to start using the new platform! I’m equating it to inviting you into my new home, even though it’s still undergoing some cosmetic reconstruction. As you visit the blog over the next few weeks, you can look forward to watching it develop structurally and esthetically.

I’m very excited about this website. I set it up completely on my own, and it has been a big challenge for me. I am technologically literate in only the most basic Generation X/Y way, and web design is far out of my comfort zone. I would not have been able to get this far were it not for the kind customer service at Bluehost, the user-friendly feel of WordPress, and a fantastic e-book that provided incredibly clear step-by-step instructions. (The book is WordPress for Beginners by Dr. Andy Williams.)

Why did I make the move? Well, for almost two years, Blogger provided me with a very easy (and free!) platform for my blog, and I’m grateful for the use of their service. However, as the blog is growing in audience and deepening in content, I feel it is ready to move into a place with more room for expansion. I also want the increased security that only a self-hosted website can provide. Finally, as I begin to query agents and publishers for my novel, I want to have a professional website to direct them to.

The entire backlog of Words from the Sowul posts has been moved to this new location. (This process was much, much easier than I expected! It took about five clicks of the mouse and a total of 90 seconds.) I still need to add tags and categories to past posts, but I’ll be doing that in batches over the next few weeks.

So welcome, welcome, welcome to my new home! Please sign my “guest book” (leave a comment by clicking on the little speech bubble at the top of each post, or contact me via the “contact” page) and let me know how you like the new design. I also encourage you to sign up for email notifications in the sidebar to your right. This service will notify you whenever a new post is published (about twice weekly), but will not be harassing you at any other time!

Thank you to all of my readers who’ve kept this blog alive for me and given it the opportunity to grow into something bigger and more beautiful!