Happy Holidays From CP Design

What Every Indie Author Needs

If you are an indie author, or have one on your gift list this holiday season, the perfect gift is design. Whether it's formatting, book marks, business cards, or even a cover, there is always something that an indie author needs to have, or would like to have, designed. Such a thing is hard to put under the tree but I'm making it my mission to make it easier.

This year you can purchase CP Design gift certificates in any amount that you would like and I will email this certificate to the recipient on Christmas eve, with a special message from you. Whether you want to buy them a book mark design, formatting, error detection editng, or a cover, this certificate can be used toward any of my designs. To order, click on the Contact Me button to the right over there on the sidebar, let me know how much you'd like the gift certificate to be, and I'll send you an invoice via secure Paypal which takes any and all forms of credit.

Win A Cover Design Contest

As my holiday gift to you, if you didn't win, but entered you still get 20% off any design work that you contract through me. Just mention that you entered my contest when you contact me, I'll keep the Rafflecopter form to verify, and you'll get 10% off, even off cover designs.

And the winner is...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you'd like to contract my services and get that discount you can contact me here.

Cover Design Giveaway

To celebrate becoming a full time author and cover designer, I’m giving away a simple cover design (up to three images can be used with this type of design). Yep, you read that right, a cover design! At a $100 value!!! If you’ve been wanting/needing a cover for a book you have planned to release, now is your chance to enter to win a personalized design that is both unique and perfectly tailored to your novel.

So how do you enter? Help spread the word about CP Design by filling out the easy to use Rafflecopter form below (with readymade tweets, Facebook likes, also blogging about the contest, putting up a sidebar button on your blog, that kind of thing) and gather points for the contest.

Want to win it for a gift for someone? I will be happy to send along a nice 'certificate' to them that you can put under the tree.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More contest details: The winner can upgrade to a premium eBook cover (up to five images can be used for this type of cover) for only $50 (normally $150) or they can upgrade to a paperback cover by paying the difference of $100 (normally it costs $200). And I’m always happy to do paperback upgrades later for the difference only.

Cover Design Contest and INDIE-giving

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to open my heart and share thanks. This year I have all of you, my wonderful readers and friends to be thankful for. Many of you are Indie authors who I've met along my journey, which makes this the perfect time to give back something special, a personalized cover design!

My lovely friends and fellow authors, the Indelibles are putting on INDIE-giving in which we take a week to show our thanks. The blogfest will run from November 18-25 (the Sunday-to-Sunday surrounding Thanksgiving). During this week, each participating blogger will reflect on her or his blessings and share something with visitors. Many will be doing giveaways! Others may choose to share the best piece of advice they wished they'd known before they published. The choice of what to share will be as unique as the individual blogger. The only requirement is that you open your heart in the spirit of thankfulness and giving.

If you'd like to join us, go to this link and add your name to the list, then get your post ready for November 18th. Mark your calendars indie authors because my personalized cover design giveaway contest start November 18th!

Latest Design Reveal: Fire With Fire

My latest design reveal is for a novella in my own channeler series (available in December of 2012):

I love Pinterest, am becoming quite addicted in fact, but I am now watermarking my designs because of it. Feel free to pin any of my watermarked designs (without altering them). The channeler series can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, and more.

Win A Cover Contest Coming Soon

In time for the holidays (November) I will be doing a huge contest in which the winner will receive a free simple eBook cover (up to 3 images used for the cover. Additional images are $12 a piece. Winner may upgrade to the next level up for the difference.) designed by me. If you win and would like to gift this to someone, I will send a gift certificate to them with you listed as the giver.

So why am I telling you now if it's over a month away? Because anyone who has purchased my services before the contest (or during) earns a lot of extra points in the contest. If you have something you need formatted, bookmarks you'd like designed, business cards, anything listed, you'll earn more entries.

Cover Reveal for The Jackal's Son

I recently had the pleasure of designing a cover for Samara Bouie's novel, The Jackal's Son. It was previously published under the title, The Boy With A Moon On His Forehead And A Star On His Chin. Samara wanted a very unique design. She loved the theatrical poster for Howl's Moving Castle, how it had three different scenes. Having never done anything like it, I was intrigued. Together she and I brainstormed and based off important scenes in her book, we came up with this one of a kind cover:

Congratulations on your new title and cover Samara! I'm wishing you many sales and new readers.

A Day Of Remembrance~911

We should never forget the tragedies of our history, lest we allow them to reoccur. Today I honor and remember those who died and the loved ones they left behind. They have been honored in song, literature, and pop culture and I will continue to honor them all of my days.

This image was designed by CP Design with photos from: © Paul65516 | © Gary718 | at Stock Free Images. Reproduce or use of it in any form is not permitted. This post appears today here on CP Design and on Author Heather McCorkle's blog.

Cover Reveal for Angela Brown's Neverlove

I'm excited to be participating in the cover reveal (which I designed, with her wonderful help, yay!) for Angela Brown's Neverlove. I've read parts of this peeps and it is awesome! When Angela contacted me to design her cover I was beyond honored. Without further ado, here it is:

Here's a bit about it:

Angela's NEVERLOVE explores the path where heartache and secrets abound for a pair of teens fated for forbidden love. It has a Gothic appeal with heaven and hell agents reminiscent of Constantine. Click here to add it to your Goodreads list. 

Cover Reveal for Rise of a Rector

It's finally here, the cover reveal for my very own Rise of a Rector, the final novel in my channeler series (due out this October). There are a lot of wonderful people celebrating with me (thanks everyone!) so you'll be seeing it all over this week. If you'd like to help me spread the word, you can win an eBook of To Ride A Puca. There will be two winners! Before we get to that though, here is the cover I've been dying to share with you:

To add it to your Goodreads lists click here. This one reflects the growth of the characters and the story line and I love how all four of my main characters are on it! And now for the giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Cover Reveal for Libera Me

After editing the novel, and listening to the author's fans, Compass Press decided to remake the cover for Christine Fonseca's Libera Me (the second full-length novel in her Requiem series) to keep it more in line with the others in the series, and to better fit the novel. And I'm glad they did because it gave me the chance to design this beauty:

Congratulations Christine! Designing this one was a pleasure. 

Bookmark Design Winner

The winner of the bookmark design by CP Design (that celebrated the reveal of Shadows of the Hidden by Anne Riley) is:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats to Candace!
This winner is not yet confirmed. I'm waiting to hear back from Candace. Remember, if you didn't win, but you entered anyway, you still get 20% off any one design service by me, that includes a cover!

Cover Reveal~Shadows of the Hidden

Today, along with the author, I'm revealing the cover for Anne Riley's Shadows of the Hidden. Since this one is special (to be published by Compass Press, my sister company), I'm doing a bit of a promotional giveaway for it. Authors, you can win a free bookmark design and all who enter will receive 20% off of any of my design services, including covers! To enter fill out the form below the cover reveal. But first, the big reveal:

Now for the bookmark design and 20% off services giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Feature~Covers For Sale

You may have noticed a new tab in the list above; For Sale. While speaking to a friend regarding his cover he told me that he had absolutely no idea what to do for a cover but that if he saw what he wanted he would know immediately. I asked him to tell me a bit about his book, which he did, then I ran ideas by him. Still, no luck. On a whim, I designed something for fun in my spare time that I felt might work for him. He loved it!

In helping him I learned that some authors just need to see a picture that truly speaks to them before they know exactly what they want. And in speaking to other cover designers, I found out that many of them design what they call ready-made covers that authors can purchase as is or with small changes. Instantly I fell in love with this idea, because I'm all about inspiring authors.

Under my For Sale tab you'll find covers that I have designed which are original and unique (NOT simply an unaltered stock photo) and are available at a discounted price. They are often two images which have been combined, altered, had the colors changed, special affects added, etc. Included in the price shown are small alterations to help personalize them even further (such as color alterations, special affects, etc.) to suite you and your novel.

For more information and to see what cover designs are available for sale, click on the For Sale tab above.

Cover Reveal for Transcend

Today is the big Masquerade Blogfest for Christine Fonseca's Transcend in which we all get to reveal the cover with her and learn secrets about both her and all the participants. As the cover designer I am thrilled to be participating. 

Here is the cover Christine is hailing as my best yet (gotta love that girl):

You know, she might be right. I have to admit, it is pretty amazing. But I can't take all the credit. Christine's input was essential in the creation. Now I have to take off my mask and reveal a secret. Some of you know this secret, but not all do. My secret: I am Heather McCorkle, author, cover designer, Publisher and Editing Director of Compass Press. To read the rest of the secrets from the participants in the tour, and to enter to win some outstanding prizes, be sure to check out Christine's blog.

Cover Reveal~Mea Culpa by Christine Fonseca

This latest cover reveal is for a short novella by the fabulous Christine Fonseca called Mea Culpa. This story comes in between her first and second full length novels in the Requiem series. 

Latest Cover Reveal~To Ride A Púca

My latest cover reveal is for Heather McCorkle's historical YA fantasy, To Ride A Púca. This one was a labor of love for certain and I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out. It releases this May and I can hardly wait to put this hardcover on my shelf!

Cover Reveal for A Spy Like Me

I had the pleasure of working with author Laura Pauling on the cover for her debut novel, A Spy Like Me. To check out an excerpt of this outstanding YA novel, click here. Being her debut I wanted this cover to be special and I couldn't be more thrilled with the way it turned out. I hope the readers love it as much as Laura and I do. A Spy Like Me releases May 7th! You can add it to your Goodreads shelves at this link.

A Valentine For You

Happy Valentine's Day! 

I hope this day finds you snuggling with those you love, or at least a great book that you've fallen in love with. As my Valentine's day gift to all of you I'm offering 20% off any covers (that's right, any) that are contracted (paid) this week and 10% off any other services. So if you've been thinking of getting a cover, bookmarks, business cards, or any other author swag done, now is the time. Or better yet, if you know you're sweetheart has been thinking of having some author swag or a cover done, you're in luck. 

Just contact me at this link and use this code to get your discount: VDAYDISC.

Cover Reveal For It's A Little Haywire

It was a pleasure to design this fun cover for Author Elle Strauss's middle grade novel, It's a little haywire:

Cover Reveal for Lacrimosa By Christine Fonseca

At last, the reveal for the cover of Lacrimosa, the first full-length novel in the Requiem series by Christine Fonseca, published by Compass Press:

Cover Reveal for Lisa Nowak's Book

Fabulous young adult fiction author Lisa Nowak has put out an illustrated how-to guide for self-publishing authors that is a must read. It's titled, A Simple, Cheap, Illustrated Guide to Converting a Word Doc to Kindle & Nook. Though it was a cover of a very different kind to create, it was fun:

Cover Reveal For Eddie Braverman

I was pleased to work with an author who has garnered comments from the likes of Playboy. Eddie Braverman, esteemed (and sometimes controversial) writer for Wall Street Oasis, is certainly not my usual client but he was a pleasure to work with. Here is the cover of his first book (coming soon):