Check Out Megan Smolenyak's New Look

....and her new book.

In celebration of her new book, Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing (Kensington, 2012), internationally-known Megan Smolenyak has developed a new website giving her a whole new look.

The website, MeganSmolenyak.com, is fresh, clean and inviting, giving a new crop of genealogists an approachable way to get to know Megan and her love of genealogy.

After checking out the new website I gave Megan a call to get her take on the site and what's going on in her life.

Megan tells me that it was her new book that sparked the idea for the new website. She wanted to provide a site that wasn't overwhelming for a more mainstream audience.

The main page of the website features a photo of travel trunks taken by Megan at Ellis Island.  Megan says it's the first thing you see when entering the immigration building at Ellis Island and really gives a sense of our ancestors journey to America.

A fun, whimsical feature on Megan site is the appearance of floating, glowing circles on the individual trunks. Viewers need to hover over the circles to see what they reveal, creating a click and see what's behind this curtain effect that leads the viewer to more in-depth content.

One of the things Megan likes the best about her new website is that it is easy to navigate. "It's straight forward and easy for people to find the information they are looking for."

On the very front of the home page is a short 3 1/2 minute video. Megan says, "“I hope people watch the video. It’s a fun introduction.”

What About the Old Website?

Have no fear, the old website isn't going away. Her Honoring Our Ancestors site will remain firmly in place and act as a repository for the in-depth and historical content that already exists on the site.

What's Happening Next?

In the coming months Megan will be doing book signings at a number of Barnes & Noble bookstores in the NJ/Philadelphia/DC area promoting Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing which is being released Tuesday, January 31, 2011.

Be on the lookout for book signings coming to your area.

Congratulations Megan, on the new website and the new book!