Cookies?
Wellllll, as to website ... that really depends on what you want to do with it.
If it's just a "place to visit, catch up, find out, etc" - I'd say stick with a E-Blogger, WordPress blog or a Facebook group/fan page.
If it's a store or other place of density, that's where you run into the need to code (or use others for that purpose.)
Personally, I don't have a fav author site; I like whom I like, and their site is just a convenient place to see what's what. More likely to follow them on Facebook ...
two cents ..... and I'm out ta git some cookies!