Kelly Morton

Kelly Morton – Web Developer

I build stylish, intuitive and easy-to-use custom SEO-focused Squarespace websites that will tell your story and sell your book!

Overview

Hi, I'm Kelly. It's great to meet you!


I ♥️ building websites.


But none of this is actually technically about me. It's about you, your book and reaching your readers.


I'd love to help you stand out authentically and elevate you as an author. I'm a passionate Squarespace website designer with over a decade of publishing experience working with authors.


Why Squarespace?


You only have one pair of hands and a limited amount of time and I'm sure you'd rather use your time writing. Yes? Or dancing. Whatever makes you happy.


⦿ Squarespace is a user-friendly platform

⦿ All Squarespace plans include fully managed cloud hosting to ensure your website remains available at all times.

⦿ There are no continuous plugin and/or theme updates which take time

⦿ It has a drag-and-drop editor that makes updating your site a hassle-free experience


Ok, a tiny bit about me, let's time-travel for a moment. I worked in publishing for over 12 years. I now find my former life can be useful when working with my clients, especially those who may be new to the process.


I'm the former Head of Digital Marketing of Hachette Australia and I've also been an international guest speaker at the Publishers Association of New Zealand Conference where I spoke about Digital Marketing within the industry.


Now I have my own business following my passion for building websites.


Some of my latest website projects include:


✴ Crime writer and beloved Australian journalist Michael Brissenden

✴ Literary Fiction author Kim E Anderson

✴ Fiction Author Dianne Yarwood

✴ Dark Thriller author Sally-Anne Martyn

✴ Crime author Matthew Spencer

✴ International bestselling Historical Fiction author Belinda Alexandra


Clients include:


⧫ T.J. Newman | New York Times bestselling author

⧫ Rosalie Ham | Internationally bestselling Australian author

⧫ Alexandra Joel | Bestselling Australian author

⧫ Allen & Unwin | Publisher

⧫ Dervla McTiernan | International Crime Novlist

⧫ HarperCollins Publishers Australia | Publisher

⧫ The New York Times Style Magazine T Australia

⧫ Gail Renard | Bafta award-winning writer, performer and producer

⧫ Pan Macmillan Australia | Publisher

⧫ Matthew Spencer | Exciting new crime writer

⧫ Dianne Yarwood | Debut author of The Wakes (to be adapted for TV)

⧫ Michael Brissenden | Crime writer and beloved Australian journalist


I've worked in nearly every aspect of digital marketing when it comes to authors and publishing and I have a deep understanding of how all aspects work and come together including what's needed at every stage of the publishing process.


Lastly, if I've not yet made it clear ... I'm A BIG OL' DORK FOR BUILDING WEBSITES (I really, really love it) and it would be my honour to help create your dream life online. I hope I hear from you, I'd love to hear about your project!

Services
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Historical Fiction Humor & Comedy Literary Fiction Mystery & Crime Psychological Thriller Romantic Comedy Women's Fiction
Works with
Squarespace

Work experience

Self-employed

Apr, 2019 — Present

Kelly is a professional Australian Squarespace web designer who works with clients worldwide. Crafting stylish, intuitive, & easy-to-use custom websites to empower authors and writers.​

Hachette Australia Books

Nov, 2014 — Aug, 2018 (over 3 years)

I ran the Digital Marketing department and oversaw all aspects including budget, online channels, author campaigns, and innovation. During this time the website was overhauled and their email marketing was created.

Hachette Australia Books

Oct, 2013 — Oct, 2014 (about 1 year)

I looked after all aspects of digital marketing for the company including social media channels, author marketing campaigns and website.

Hachette Australia Books

Dec, 2012 — Oct, 2013 (10 months)

Heading up the marketing for the Hodder and Headline Division which included working on marketing campaigns for the likes of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, John Grisham and many more.

Projects

Literary Fiction Author Kim E Anderson's Website

Kim E Anderson is a new author, but not new to the Australian publishing industry. Kim needed an online presence for her new book, The Prize. Not just a site to celebrate the book, but Kim as a talented emerging writer. We worked together to create a website that represents Kim and her book. Readers will be looking for information on her book, and we've made a site that's super friendly for a user to navigate around, implemented an SEO strategy to help the site continue to grow, includes links to retailers to purchase the book, and easily find book club questions so that people will be encouraged to discuss her wonderful book.

Kim has a way with words so we added a blog to build a relationship with her readers and for SEO. There's a wonderful image gallery so that you can get to know the people Kim is writing about a little better too. I had the best time building this site, and an even better time getting to know Kim.

Fiction Author Sara Staggs

Sara is a fresh writer with an incredible story that I met on this platform, Reedsy. She needed an ecosystem to house her book(s), her growing blog and her social media. Her story, her way. Sara had an entry-level website already and we worked together to elevate her brand and improve her SEO, and overall professional space as a new author. Sara is an amazing person doing amazing things. It was an honour to help create her space with her.

Crime Writer and Journalist Michael Brissenden

Michael Brissenden is a name that’s well-known in Australia as a trusted journalist for the past 30 years and also as an incredible writer. He had a one-page website that was letting him down. Michael and I worked together to create a space that would showcase his books along with his previous journalistic work. We created pages for his books, updated his SEO strategy and made sure his site was easy for the user to navigate. We ensured we added information that readers would be looking for as well as treasures like audio samples, chapter samples, links to buy and more. He's active on Twitter and we were keen to incorporate that into the design and we now have an ecosystem that better represents Michael and his work. I had a blast putting this together.

Debut Author with TV Adaptation | Dianne Yarwood's website

Dianne Yarwood is an incredible new Australian author whose book is to be adapted for TV! Dianne needed a brand new website and I had an idea to play with the titles and hovers in an elegant way to make it easy for the user to navigate. It was so much fun to build from the ground up with Dianne and work through how best to help readers find her and her new book. We had fun showing her beautiful dog, Teddy as we also looked at what she needed in her website in terms of how she needed it to work for her, SEO, sharing her Instagram and most importantly where to find her book. We have a website that we're both proud of. I loved building this website!

Psychological Thriller Author Siobhan McKenna's Website

Siobhan would have to be one of the most impressive people I’ve had the pleasure to meet. Siobhan already had a website in place that needed a little refresh/rebuild, SEO set up and better usability and navigation for visitors put in place. I love what we put together.

Historical Fiction Author Alexandra Joel's Website

Alexandra Joel is an extraordinary person and being able to help guide her to showcase her writing and let her readers be a part of her life with her website/social media has been pure joy. This was a build from domain to complete creation of the website and social media platforms.

Historical Fiction Author Belinda Alexandra's Website

The brilliant international bestselling author, Belinda Alexandra, needed a website after her’s had lapsed. Together we looked at exactly what she wanted the website to do, how it was to look and the environment she wanted to create to share her books. I absolutely adore the ecosystem we created making sure her readers were at the forefront of all decisions.

Crime Author Matthew Spencer's Website

Matthew is an incredible new voice in crime writing in Australia and needed a website put together quickly as his book was being sold into bookstores and he didn’t have an online presence yet. From the domain to planning to build, we put our heads together and in three weeks and created a site that honours Matt and his incredible book. This was a super fun build.

Dark Thriller Author Sally-Anne Martyn's Website

Sally-Anne Martyn is an exciting new author with a three-book deal. We needed to create an ecosystem to showcase not only Sally-Anne but her books and her incredible style. After looking at the functionality needed, SEO, and working with Sally-Anne's already established newsletter on Substack we then were able to have some fun with some of the more spooky stylistic approaches.

Kelly has 3 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Kristi R.

Kristi R.

Nov, 2023

Working with Kelly at Looking Glass Creative was one of the best decisions I’ve made for establishing an online presence. She is so personable, which helped make my asking the most basic of questions feel comfortable. Professional to the highest, even with our twelve-hour time difference there was daily communication. Over the weeks she produced a stunning website, with much patience for me! Ev...
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Kelly M.
Oh my goodness, thank you, Kristi! I LOVED working with you and I'm so excited about your book and your journey as an author. I love what we created together and it's been an absolute honour!
Sara S.

Sara S.

May, 2023

Well, now I'm sad because I don't WANT to stop working with Kelly!! She's amazing! My website was a hot mess, and then I was lucky enough to get a bid from her, and she has made it into one of the most beautiful websites I've ever seen. She's responsive, smart, diligent, and a joy to work with. I wish she lived in Portland! If/when I need an update or another page added to my website, I am only...
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Kelly M.
Well, now I'm going to cry! Thank you, Sara! I LOVED working with you and I'm really proud of what we created together, and I'm SO excited for you and your journey as an author. I know this is just...
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Sara S.

Sara S.

Mar, 2023

Have you SEEN the website Kelly built me?! It's an amazing experience! She was so thoughtful, and I felt like she really listened and understood what I wanted by the time the design started. The website works like a dream, she had great, creative ideas of how to make it look professional, and I would love to hire her again! Beautiful work, wonderful person, I can't recommend Kelly highly enough...
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