Big News Reveal & Giveaway

I know this past week must have been torture for you. Having to wait, wondering what the news was. I'm sure it was all you could think about. Well I FINALLY got things sorted and am so excited to announce that what started out as a little side endeavor is officially a DOT COM. 

That's right Indie Designz (http://www.indiedesignz.com/), my cover design business has become official with its own little home on the web. Have a look. Let me know what you think. I'm an avid lover of constructive feedback. I've been doing my happy idiot dance all week. I can't believe I actually kept this a secret all this time.

So in order to celebrate the launching of Indie Designz, Lizzy Ford has been kind enough to allow me to GIVEAWAY an autographed paperback copy of her latest release, Kiera's Moon. It's very easy to enter and there are multiple chances to win. You can do as many as you wish. All you have to do is:

1. Follow my blog (1 entry)

2. Like Indie Designz on facebook (1 entry)

3. Like Lizzy Ford Books on facebook (1 entry)

4. Follow @DafeenaJameel on twitter (1 entry)

5. Follow @LizzyFord2010 on twitter (1 entry)

(If you are already a friend or follower, then leave me a comment on my blog letting me know you want to be entered. If you don't let me know, then you'll not be automatically entered)

Winner will be chosen by random.org. Giveaway will remain open until next Friday (Sept 2nd). Make sure you message me or leave me a comment here on my blog letting me know which of the above you have done. If you don't message/comment letting me know, then it won't be counted as an official entry. It's my first ever giveaway so I just want to be sure I don't miss anyone. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Good luck!!

 Fantasy romance novel Kiera’s Moon is available for free ebook download.

When starving artist Kiera wakes up on board a spaceship, she panics. Her best friend has dragged her across the universe to help her find a man and a life, only the man she ends up unwittingly hooking up with is a battle-hardened warrior prince living in exile.

Calculating, cautious A’Ran wants nothing more than to reclaim his planet. He needs Kiera as his lifemate to heal his planet and his war weary people. He’s not prepared to be a lifemate himself, and discovers almost too late what he risks losing if he can’t learn to be more than a warrior.

Kiera's Moon

Just thought I would share with you all my latest creation. Would love your thoughts and feedback.

From the synopsis, this seems like it is going to be another great creation from Lizzy. It should be available for free download in about two weeks. You can find Lizzy at her site, Guerilla Wordfare, or click the links in my sidebar to download her books on Amazon.

Lizzy always compliments my work, but she is such a sweetheart I often wonder if she's just being nice or if it really is ok. I know I second guess myself way too much which is not good in my business but oh well I never did do anything the way it was suppose to be done. It's been an extremely long summer and I am hoping that next month I have more free time. These last two months my work load has been doubled and electric has been on even less than it usually is so that means something has to go and since my family have this nasty habit of liking to eat, I had to cut out blogging to make time for work. Although I seriously did consider rationing them just so I could make time for blogging. I mean breakfast really isn't as necessary as those marketing ads make you believe it is.  I know I keep saying I will be better and I really really really really mean it. Please bare with me just for a little while longer. I appreciate you all and miss you. Hugs!!

Top 5 Blogfest

Teralyn over at A Writer's Journey is having a blogfest and I could not pass up the opportunity to play. The challenge for this blogfest was to pick your top five favorite books and write one line of what each book is about and one line about why you liked it. I don't know how well I will stick to the one line, but let's see what happens. The blogfest is from June 20th-22nd so you can still sign up for it, but you best hurry!!

1. Clan of the Cave Bear 

Clan of the Cave Bear is a historical fiction novel set in prehistoric times about the life of a little girl who becomes lost from her family and is found by neanderthals.  I LOVED this series. I don't have words to express what I felt as I read through the entire Earth Children's series. I am not a fan of historical fiction but the writing, the characters, the story just drew me in and I was held hostage. I guess this is cheating because there are 3 books in this series and I loved them all but I am only counting this as one.

2. Animal Farm

Animal Farm is a dystopian allegorical novella  and is about the events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II. I loved the rawness of this book. I originally read this when I was in highschool as part of my required reading, but I have read it several times since then. Every time I read it I see something I didn't see the first time which is what I love most about this book. 

^{3. Wuthering Heights}

The narrative tells the tale of the all-encompassing and passionate, yet thwarted, love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, and how this unresolved passion eventually destroys them and many around them. I am a big fan of the Bronte sisters. I love their flawed characters and how they showed the reality of the world that surrounded them instead of the pomp and circumstance that people pretended was reality.

4. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe 

The story begins in 1940 during World War II, when four siblings--Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie--are evacuated from London to escape the Blitz and are sent to live with Professor Digory Kirke, who lives in a country house in the English countryside. Believe it or not I have not ever seen these movies, but have read all of the books. I lost myself inside of these fantasies. I hid inside of my own closet and played pretend whatever chapter I had finished reading that day.  

5.  Interview with a Vampire

A vampire named Louis tells his 200-year-long life story to reporter Daniel Molloy (who is only referred to as "the boy" in the novel). My very first book crush was over LeStat. I connected with him in such a way that made him so real to me. I felt as if I actually met him and lost him, but was able to reconnect with him through the book. And no I never saw this movie either. I am not one for watching the movies if I have read the book. That includes the LOTR as well. I am weird like that I know. 

So that is my list. I almost played by the rules which is a lot for me. I can't wait to read what books everyone has listed. I know my list is a bit eclectic but what can I say? I have never been known for being "normal".

Shameless Self Promotion

http://indiedesignz.blogspot.com/

I am so totally pimping myself out today which is not something I am good at. I always feel a little dirty and cheezy whenever I do stuff like this especially considering how lazy and off topic I have been about posting this month. Usually Lizzy does this for me. She is a good pimp and an even better writer. So here goes nothing, you may or may not know that in my life outside the blogsphere I am a freelance graphic designer.  I along with my husband own a little graphic design company. We mainly design for companies, billboard ads, storefront signage, business cards, logos, letterheads, etc. Then when I began blogging a few months ago one of the very first people I met was Lizzy She is an amazingly talented new author and I instantly became addicted to the crack she was selling in the form of books. (on a side note her books are free at the moment so if you're looking for some awesome reading then check her out)

How she and I came upon the subject of cover designs, I am not sure, but we did and so I started designing her book covers. She has stroked my ego so much not only did it cause my head to swell but she was the support behind me starting my little side business called Indie Designz. 

I created a separate blog for Indie Designz which you can check out if you want. I don't really plan on posting there. I made it so that I could have pricing pages, service pages, and as a way of keeping my designs in one place without them getting lost in the mess, but if someone took pity on it and wanted to follow it just so it isn't lonely I would be ever so grateful.

I have been doing this for awhile now but haven't actually mentioned it openly on this blog. Although I do have the little blurb at the top, but I thought I would throw myself out there. Even if you're not looking for a cover artist, but just a regular follower of this blog, then I hope you will at least check out the designs, feedback is always welcomed on my work. I love getting feedback because it helps me to improve.

Here is a sample of my latest work for Lizzy. For more samples and pricing check out my Indie Designz blog:

Mind Cafe is scheduled for re-release at the end of June. Join Lizzy's mailing list to receive updates regarding Mind Cafe as well as Lizzy's other books.

Damien's Assassin

If you love to read romance/action/paranormal/fantasy, then you must read Damien's Assassin. The author is Lizzy Ford. Damien's Assassin is the sequel to Damien's Oracle. You really need to read the first one so you don't get lost otherwise Damien's Assassin won't make a whole lot of sense because you are introduced to the main characters and their world through the first one Damien's Oracle.

Just as with the first one, I could not put this book down until I had finished it. It is that good. If you're looking for a quick read, then I suggest you check her out. She has other works you can also read on her website. This is her site Lizzy Ford Damien's Assassin

The book is available in multiple formats compatible with the Kindle, Nook, Sony ereader, and Apple products. It is also available in RTF and PDF for download. On her site she says that it will take about two weeks for it to reach iBook, Barnes and Nobles, etc.

Please check her out. It's well worth the read.


Edited to add:  I don't personally know Lizzy Ford and I wasn't asked  to write this. I stumbled upon her work through a google search awhile back. I genuinely like her work and just wanted to share.