New Year, New (Old) Barn
Published by LeadMare • Jan 9th, 2009 • Category: GHC News
HAPPY 2009! If you’ve visited GHC in the last few weeks you know the site has been down, and although the blog will look mostly familiar, everything else has changed or disappeared. Rather than going into the whys and whats and whens in this update, feel free to ask questions. I will say that rebuilding the other site features will take time (especially the LBC) but I hope you’ll stick around to see our virtual barn come back to life. Meanwhile some news about the changes…
SUBMISSIONS
Currently all submissions are closed, but blog submissions will open soon. If you’re a Junior Blogger and would like to help with testing the new submission process, please let me know and I’ll send the info.
ABOUT THE NEW LOOK
When I realized GHC would have to be rebuilt and many of the features would not be available for a while, it was clear we needed a new face. After staring at my screen for several days feeling completely uninspired, I decided to catch up on some of my favorite blogs. That’s when I visited Stuck in Customs (amazing photography blog) and there it was — the barn of my dreams. If you click the link in the lower right corner of the blog banner you’ll see the original source photo. A special thanks to Trey Ratcliff not just for the inspiration, but for allowing anyone to use his photos with attribution under a creative commons license.
In time you’ll see new details emerge in the scene as new features come to life.
TESTING ONE, TWO, THREE
Don’t be surprised if you discover glitches and oddities on the site. If you’d like to help with clean up, please let me know about broken links (include the link) or anything else that doesn’t seem right by posting a comment. Thanks for your help!
What happened to ‘Vote for Yourself’ and the loft and all that stuff? Will it come back? *sniffles*
Angelica, I’ve done my share of sniffling too. The Loft Book Club and Judge for Yourself competition *will* be back. All the LBC data has been archived, but rebuilding the Loft is not something I can do on my own so it will have to wait until I can afford to hire someone. In the meantime I’ll give some thought to an interim plan so we can keep reading the amazing stories from you and other LBC authors.
Oh, ok! That’s better! =) Gotta hire the computer geeks :) We recently had virus problems and had to wipe our computer, too. Just the other day, as a matter of fact. Well, I hope everything goes well! Thanks for all your work getting this place up and running again.
Good grief! I didn’t see this coming! It’s so sad that just when the word got out about GHC, it had to get hacked! Best wishes to you Leadmare, I know how frustrating this must be.
I’ll be glad to help with the new submission process.
Wow! Love what you’ve done with the place! It looks fresh.. like after a spring rain!
I was a bit worried about the Loft too. I’m glad it’ll come back, it’s great reading stories writen by other girls!
thanks for coming back GHC!!!Missed you!
It’s brilliant to see GHC back up, you have no idea how I missed it! For the meantime I am very happy with its recovery and the fact that I can still enjoy amazing blogs. Thanks so much LeadMare!
Glad the site is back up, LeadMare. I would be happy to help with testing :).
I hope everything else goes well, and I can’t wait for the blog submissions to open.
You’ve done a great job on the site!
mustangmane
Thanks everyone — it’s good to have some life around here again. I’ll let you know when the new submission process is ready for testing. In the meantime if JBs and/or guest bloggers have something to say, I’ve set up an email link at the bottom of each page. For now we’ll accept submissions that way. At least the blog can have some fresh content while I’m pulling my hair out trying to get the new submission form working… ;)
Good luck with the form!
MM
Glad to see this place back up! I haven’t been commenting or submitting much latley, but I still visit frequently!
It’s definatly good to be back. :)
So we can still submit things through email? That would be great. I’ve had so many ideas come to mind…but the site was down. Can’t wait.
Wow, this place has truley changed. It still shares all of the joy that it used to, though. It is great to see new faces, also. The progress here is outstanding.
I’d love to help with testing the submissions process! I’ve missed GHC so much!!!!!
Stargazer, mustangmane, Allison and anyone else who’s interested, the new submission form is ready for testing. If you have something you want to submit, CLICK HERE to give it a try. (finger’s crossed that everything works!)
This is sooo cool! Hey guys, I have two blogs! (perfectly fine ones, so no worries!) http://www.unfinishedstoryofmirriamneal.blogspot.com is one!!
Hey, I just remembered something! My story, ‘Mistwalker’s Quest,’ was winning when the blog closed down. When it goes back up, what’s going to happen? (please do NOT NOT NOT take this like I’m being all ‘my story should win!’ – I’m just curious! :)
Just a reminder that the submission form is for blogs, not fiction and poetry. Read the Casting Call for Bloggers if you have questions about what we look for in blog submissions.
I may add a fiction/poetry section to the blog until the LBC can be rebuilt, but want to noodle on it for a while… thanks for your patience!
Angelica, I don’t know the answer to that right now but you’ll always be a winner around here!
Wow. The new blog looks great LeadMare. Our computer has been fighting a virus latley too and my mom is complaining about having to rebuild it. I know that your going to do great on getting everything back together, your an amazing woman. I would love to help check out the new submission form. Thanks for working so hard for us LeadMare! Your the best!
XoXo
Horsecrazzz
Rebecca Shyly
Hi Guys! Wow! I didn’t know GHC would re-open so soon! LeadMare, Salina’s right the place looks so fresh and new!
Howdy again! It’s so great to have GHC back on it’s “hooves”. I have a question. Will the stories that were about to come out before Girls Horse Club had it’s “problem” come out?
Thanks, Leadmare! Hay, everyone! :) Neighs to the LeadMare!!!
I tried out the new blog submission, and it worked well. (at least when I used it…) Did you recieve it? If not, maybe it didn’t go through.. Anyways, I am very thankful the site has gone back up and- Oh yeah! Great job with setting up the Freebie area.
Good luck with the rest! And let me know if it went through or not.
Thanks!
mustangmane
Wild Rose, currently there are no plans to publish the stories that were submitted to the LBC until it can be rebuilt. I’m considering accepting fiction/poetry submissions on the blog, but need to give it more thought. Please keep writing (and reading), and let me know if you come up with any brilliant ideas for the *new and improved* fiction/poetry area.
mustangmane, as you can see your submission came through fine — thanks!
Also, thanks everyone for the good thoughts and support. Although the circumstances that resulted in our remodel were unfortunate, there’s no question we have to ‘get back on the horse’ and keep doing what we enjoy.
So glad the website is back! The old barn will always be in our hearts, but we can make our new one even better! Now I have to get my brain turned on, I’m trying to think of a blog to write! Hey LeadMare, do you have any more room for Junior Bloggers? When you do let me know. ;)
You are so right!! I’ll be praying for you, LeadMare!
Hi Lauren. Currently the JB roster is full. Actually we have 11 JBs because we had a tie last time there was an opening. Since the blog was down for a while I’m allowing a ‘grace’ period. I’ll revisit the roster in a month or so and at that point will look at retiring bloggers who have not been active for a long time.
In the meantime, guest blogs that meet our standards of originality and quality are welcome.
LeadMare: Why don’t we have (like you wrote) A “Book Club” in the blog for a while. There’s totally nothing wrong with that! Lead on LeadMare!
I’m glad to see that the freebies are back up and some blogs have been published! Good work, Leadmare!
The book club sounds super!
http://www.unfinishedstoryofmirriamneal.blogspot.com
http://www.ahotheart.blogspot.com
Hey LeadMare!
Do you think that maybe there could be a place to send in artwork? I love to draw,paint,ect.,and think it would be cool to show my own work, as well as see what other horsecrazy girls draw. and maybe have a place where we could share tips?
Just wondering~Salina
I was also wondering if the Perfect Horse deal would comeback?
Respectfully yours~Salina
Salina, I would LOVE to create a gallery for artwork from you and others. You’re welcome to use the email link at the bottom of the page if you have something you want to send, then I’ll work on setting up the gallery. If enough people are interested I can set up a submission form to make it easier.
Perfect Horse will be back eventually, but that’s one of the features that requires help from someone much geekier than me, and that will have to wait until I have the resources.
Ok! Thank you!!!
Ok…I sent my drawing in. Did you get it? I’m not sure ’cause I’m new to all this :D
Got it Salina — beautiful drawing! I’ll keep you posted on progress setting up the gallery.
*Blushes*Thank you!:)
Salina: A gallery showcasing horse art sounds like an excellent idea! It’ll be nice to see all the other talents of horse girls. I bet that drawing of yours is just as brilliant :D
I hope everything’s going well, LeadMare! I really appreciate your hard work and all the time dedicated to recovering the site. I’d be a complete wreck without you, GHC and all its wonderful contributors.
I’m so glad to see the site back up! It looks wonderful, and I’ll check back often to see what’s new!
Toby
http://www.tobybishop.net
Thanks Toby. It was great to finally meet you in the *real* world. I look forward to reading Airs of Night and Sea and arranging a time for you to come back for a chat with GHC readers and writers!