So this is what's been on my mind for the past month, erm you people did miss me right? I could tell by the lack of comments how much i was missed ;)
But it didn't hurt really to be forgotten in blogworld because I hadn't really been on blogger to do more than check comments (lotta spam whats up with that!!!) and see if my best buds had posted anything.
But I have been on the Computer almost 24/7 the last few months. Imediatly after NaNoWriMo in November ended (whew!) I completly ignored my story and turned to business.
I have been seraching for the perfect business project for ages now. It's always been a toss up between Interior Designing, Landscape Designing, or actaully I can't remeber half the ideas that used to float in my head anymore. But everytime I made istikhara for it things would seem to go in the rigth direction but just "put on hold for now" and evertime this happened something else would enter my mind as soemthing better to do. Well after Nano I was really cracking down on figuring out if I wanted to do Interior Designing Firm. But meanwhile in the Islamic Writers Alliance (IWA) message boards I was absolutly happiest when dealing with IWA matters and talking with people in this industry. My heart longed to do soemthing meaningful with Books and Literacy.
After sending a hesitant question in my discussions with an American Muslim Publisher and hearing her enthusiastic response it was solidified in my heart.
I NEED TO OPEN A BOOKSTORE!!!! An ISLAMIC bookstore. There are PLENTY of bookstores here catered to the masses of secularism. AND although I enjoy Harry Potter and even Twilight as much as the next Fiction enthusiest, the community needs more. MUSLIMS need more. We need our own chain of bookstores promoting Islamic Fiction and Islamic Written works, writen of course by our fellow Brothers and SIsters. If that is not supporting the Ummah I don't know what is. These writers spend years working on their books to only get them sold perhaps half MAXIMUM to 1/5 the amount as say Harry Potter. YET HOW MANY MUSLIMS ARE IN THE WORLD!?!?!?! 1/5 of the world is MUSLIM! HELLO MUSLIMS! Wake up and realize we have quality books of our own that are just as entertaining as Harry Potter.
SO upon realizing what I really want to do most is a Bookstore I immediatly set up work to make out a Business Plan. WHEW what work are they!
Meantime though I still gotta keep up the house, kjeep off the weight, Homeschool, help friends, etc.... so that is why the month is now almost over and I haven't had time for blogging and haven't even finished my Business Plan. But yesterday I got a lot of free time in so I worked hard and got a lot of good statistical figures about the industry and demographics of UAE.
I really feel the hardest part is the Business Plan. Getting it right and making it work and doing all the research. Finding an investor i believe will happen with the Grace of Allah. He will either send me one or not. End of Story.
SO my store is thus titled so far Crescent Pen Bookstore & Cafe. Whatcha think?
I may have a logo contest in the future so stay tuned.
The inside of the store will be white with blue edgings very calm and comfortable place to read and learn and grow in Islam. Hmm that is a catchy motto I like it.... *enter that into Business Plan* I'm hoping to have beautiful Islamic Arches
over each section and the sections sectioned off like a mihrab nitche. Not curvy but like a nook filled with books....we'll see how the design stage goes.
I'll be posting a questionaire for everyone to chime in on ideas in another post and will be bringing back polls to my blog (I miss those don't you?).
It is weird thinking of myself in the Business League. I never thought I'd be wrapped up in Cost of Sales and Profit Margins and all that "biz talk" but here I am wading through it all. It's liek a sea of info out there and I'm a little fish swimming hard against the currant.
Not only I want to do this business for finacial purposes (hey I gotta eat just liek the rest of the world) but also as my life goal to promote Islamic Literature. Its like a personal Jihad to get Muslims Reading.
ALSO on the horizon I have the chance again to become a designer. The CEO of a design company took interest in my art and is challenging me to show him new work and designs. He is very exacting about quality and basically wants a 3DMAX quality HAND DRAWING. Not easy. My first design was 60% of 100%. My next attempt was 85%. I'm hoping the one I'm working on now will reach 100%. INsha'Allah.
