After ten years of owning a website, I finally decided to make use of it!

I know. I’m strange.

I do things incomprehensible to man.

But there’s an explanation.

My first publisher, Partridge, an expensive branch of Penguin Random House, created the website and managed it for a while.

Until I decided to gain control of my website—

only to discover that WordPress wasn’t for the common mortal—

even experts, by the sound of it.

I contacted one who belonged to that category.

And even he couldn’t handle it—apparently.

His silence after bravely requesting my login details spoke for itself.

So I went to AI.

After all, weren’t they competing with humans?

I was certain they could solve the complicated process of simply inserting a new slide on the homepage when a reader clicked “Books.”

The French Encounter banner flashed every time the website opened, whatever page I clicked.

I was annoyed. I’d written three novels and twenty short stories—and all I wanted was to insert a new banner on that Books Page showing all my books.

That was all.

My goodness me!

I spent no less than four days and four nights going around in circles.

After fifty attempts—no exaggeration—I, the positive thinker, was beginning to feel slightly negative. My optimistic visualizing went into hiding.

Here’s the thing: AI has pride… like human beings. It doesn’t like admitting that it doesn’t know something.

From GPT to Gemini, I went step by step, following instructions like a diligent student wanting to impress her know-it-all professor.

However, the banner of The French Encounter stood firmly and stubbornly on my Books page, refusing to budge.

And still stays.

My banner displaying all my books has had to accept its fate and remain below it.

As for GPT and Gemini, I confronted them on the fifty-fifth attempt like a furious Bengal tiger.

“Tell me,” I demanded. “Do you know how to solve this issue or not?”

And pop came the apology.

“I’m sorry. You caught me there. I don’t know. I shouldn’t have wasted your time.”

And that’s when my anger cooled.

At least AI admitted it didn’t know something.

At least it didn’t imply that it was all my fault that it couldn’t perform.

How many of us are so gracious?

So I didn’t close the door on AI.

And today, if I’m able to access my WordPress website and do all those seemingly simple tasks that are so complicated—updating my book list, creating a blog page, adding pictures, and so on—I ask for help, and AI is ready to teach me.

Without holding any grudge about that past confrontation.

So yes, now you know why it took me ten years to use my website.

Five years of Partridge management.

Five years of trying to figure out how to operate the website.

But I’ve always ended up learning new things and am happy about that.

Even from a stubborn banner.