BookBaby Introduces HostBaby for Authors, the Easiest Way to Build a Professional Author Website

NEW YORK, May 25th, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BookExpo America – Independent eBook distributor BookBaby has teamed up with partner company HostBaby to announce the launch of HostBaby for Authors. This easy-to-use website templating system offers writers complete design control, including drag-and-drop widgets, customizable backgrounds and banner images, social media integration, easy blog capabilities, and unlimited pages, email accounts, mailing list members, and bandwidth.

No coding required! HostBaby's intuitive templating system allows even tech-deficient authors to easily build a professional and dynamic website – an essential hub for marketing campaigns, as well as a place to interact with a growing readership. Writers simply choose one of HostBaby's customizable themes, enter information, and instantly publish a polished web 2.0 website at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional designer.

"We're thrilled to give authors access to HostBaby's Site Builder tools," says BookBaby president Brian Felsen. "Now you don't have to be a computer geek to make a great author website. Though it still helps if you're a literary geek."

Features include:

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop widgets (event calendar, code snippet, text, email-list signup, etc.)
• Syncing of multiple blogs, Facebook, and Twitter
• Unlimited pages and sub-pages, so your site can grow with your career
• Simple uploader for photos, video, and audio, so you can post your readings and workshops for the world.
• Email newsletter tool with unlimited mailing list members and unlimited email accounts
• Streaming audio player, photo gallery, video features, events calendar
• Store page to sell your books and chapbooks
• Developer access (including HTML, CSS, and FTP access)
• One free BookBaby submission per year (a $99 value), to distribute your eBook for Kindle, iPad, Nook, and more

For writers who aren't tech-savvy, HostBaby offers a free one-hour design consultation to help you make tweaks and adjustments. Also, HostBaby services are free for the first month, so there is no risk in simply trying it out.

To get started, go to http://www.bookbaby.com/services/authorwebsites

BookBaby opens the door to the electronic publishing and distribution world for independent authors, offering the highest pay-out rate for eBook distribution in the industry. Authors will receive 100% of their net sales revenue – paid weekly – generated through all BookBaby's retailer network, including all the majors retailers such as Amazon, Apple's iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony, and Kobo.

Book Baby is a new division of parent company CD Baby. Over the past decade, CD Baby has paid out over $180 million to independent musicians worldwide, and has helped level the playing field between DIY musicians and major labels by opening worldwide distribution channels to unsigned artists. Now, with their recently launched BookBaby division, they're doing it again for the publishing industry.

SOURCE BookBaby