About the Authors

Susannah Gardner is the co-founder and creative director of Hop Studios

Internet Consultants (www.hopstudios.com), a web design company spe-
cializing in custom web solutions for content publishers.
Hop Studios brings an insightful concern for community building and
editorial workflow to bear on each project — backed by solid design and
interface interaction skills. The company builds many types of sites, but
specializes in those with copious, rapidly changing content or with a strong
journalism, education, or editorial component (like blogs!).
Susannah is also a freelance writer and author; she is the author of Blogging
For Dummies, 2nd Edition, Blogging For Dummies, 3rd Edition, Buzz Marketing
with Blogs For Dummies, co-author of BitTorrent For Dummies, Dreamweaver
MX 2004 For Dummies, and Teach Yourself Visually: Dreamweaver MX 2004, all
from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Prior to running Hop Studios, Susannah worked in the Online Journalism
and Communication Program at the University of Southern California,
writing curriculum, teaching, and conducting research at the intersection of
technology and journalism. She was a senior editor of the Online Journalism
Review, the media industry’s only Internet-focused journalism publication.
Susannah also spent four years at The Los Angeles Times, one of six editors
responsible for launching that newspaper’s web site. During her time at
LATimes.com she established the site’s multimedia lab, which produced
ground-breaking web audio, video, and animation. She also launched and
edited MetaHollywood, an online-only publication that covered new Hollywood
technology and was LATimes.com’s single largest revenue source in 1998.
Susannah earned bachelor’s degrees in Print Journalism and American
literature at USC. To learn more about her web design company, visit www.
hopstudios.com.
Shane Birley is a Vancouver-based web developer, creative writer, and blog
consultant with more than 15 years of experience in developing web sites.
In January 2006, he cofounded Left Right Minds Initiatives with his partner
Allyson McGrane.
Left Right Minds is a creative solutions company for nonprofit societies, char-
ities, and businesses. The business evolved from Shane’s work with develop-
ing web sites (through his previous company, Vicious Bunny Creative) and
Allyson’s ongoing work with nonprofit arts groups. Both partners have expe-
rience giving workshops about their areas of expertise and in training others
to use new technology and business skills. In addition to web development,
the company manages and represents performing artists with the support of
the Canada Council for The Arts.