THIS JUST IN!

BeaslePunk has updated their Maker Faire Orlando page to include their scheduled Presentation Times. 

Visit http://www.makerfaireorlando.com/exhibit/2016/beaslepunk/ to see the new schedule, and get an idea of just how much this artful division of JLB Creatives has to offer. We want to see YOU there! 

Watch the BeaslePunk Video via YouTube

Author Bio (Short)

What is an author bio? An author bio (biography) is a valuable tool that an author creates to entice buyers to read his/her story. It can make or break an author’s reputation, sales, and acceptance within the literary community. A well developed, creative bio leads to more fans which, in turn, leads to more sales and acceptance. 

How long should my author bio be?  For a short bio you should try to keep it under 150 words.

What is in a short author bio? 

• a brief description of your writing (genre, detail of your title ratings—G, PG-13, R, etc.—what inspires you, who is your target audience, etc.)

• positive things about you (e.g., outgoing, great smile, additional talents, etc.) 

• fun facts about you other than those associated with writing (e.g., favorite food, favorite vacation place, where you grew up, etc.) 

I hate pictures that are taken of me. Do I have to have a head shot along with my bio?  Head shots and author bios go hand-in-hand. If you plan to succeed as an author, you will want to have a head shot to accompany your bio. Always use a true picture of you. Using your book cover, a flower, a cat, or something else that is not you is a BIG NO-NO. It is important for your fans to know you for who you are. Don’t keep changing your photo every time you’re asked to send one. Instead, be sure to use the same head shot each time you present your bio; this allows you to become “branded,” and people will get to know you by your photo first (though you will want to keep it current by updating it every 10 years or so).     

What other changes should be made in an author bio?  As time goes by, authors often branch out into different genres or interesting personal life changes (e.g., a new pet, moving to a new city, becoming a grandma, etc.). These are great attention-getters. Becoming a well known speaker in the literary world is another fine example of what can change in your bio. 

How many author bios should an author have?  An author should have both a short and a long bio that are ever-changing. (Long descriptive bios and vitaes will be covered in next week's blog.) 

From the Nose of Our Kayak: Chapter 17 "Goosed in a Kayak!"

Janet & Don Beasley

Hello and welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where you'll find an array of creative features from a hand-picked group of creative geniuses. 

Wednesdays on the JLB Creatives Blog are set aside for our blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." JLB Creatives CEO, Janet Beasley, and her husband, Don, have been kayaking for nearly 10 years. Together they are excited to share with you, their awesome experiences that they have encountered. In this Wednesday feature you'll find kayaking stories, scenic nature photography from their outings, and some helpful tips when it comes to maneuvering your "butt sleds" (aka kayaks) on your journeys.

So if this is a topic that interests you, you'll want to be sure and become a follower of the JLB Creatives Blog, and stop in on Wednesdays each week for the latest chapter in Don & Janet Beasley's adventure blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." 

Previous chapters can be found in our blog archives. We began the series on June 1, 2016.

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From the Nose of Our Kayak

Don & Janet Beasley

Chapter 17: "Goosed in a Kayak!"

Ready to launch onto Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

You know those rare, awesome moments when you happen to be in the right place at the right time to experience nature at its best? That's what this chapter is all about. While vacationing in Michigan's U.P. we "set sail" on Waiskai Bay in Brimley, Michigan one evening and found ourselves in the midst of an evening roost! Only this wasn't a roost we paddled into but rather a roost that flew into us!

Let's start with some educational goodies first. Waiskai Bay is a small back bay that is nestled off of Lake Superior. It reaches from Bay Mills Point to the Waiskai River. Canada is in plain sight from the southern half of Waiskai Bay, and the ginormous lake freighters sail the channel between Canada and Bay Mills either heading toward the open water of Lake Superior, or toward the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, that lead to the St. Mary's River and on into Lake Huron.

The name of "Waiskai" has been spelled differently throughout the years. You'll find Waiskai, Waiska, and currently it appears on road signs, designating the river, as Waishkey River. No matter how it's spelled the pronunciations are about the same, way-shkee, or wish-kee for the most part. 

Waiskai Bay is home to much wildlife including bear, fox, raccoon, and several bird species. From gulls to bald eagles, and from great blue herons to Canada (not Canadian) geese birds are the wildlife most commonly seen on and around the water. 

We're going to focus on the Canada Geese for this chapter.

Canada Geese Using the Water Top as Their Runway
photo by Janet Beasley

Canada geese are among some of the best known birds in North America. These particular type geese are marvelous creatures to observe both in-flight and on the ground. When they fly in flocks, such as during migration times, they will travel across the sky in the well-known "V" formation, and if the winds are cooperating they can cover up to 1500 miles in 24 hours. Their markings are stunning, and their honking sounds are just this side of haunting. They prefer to feed on grains, berries, and/or grasses, and are able to adapt to a wide range of habitats.  

Don on Waiskai Bay at Sunset
photo by Janet Beasley

It was in August of 2011 that we headed down to the water's edge of Waiskai Bay. For the first part of the day our friends joined us for a sunny afternoon paddle. We enjoyed seeing the bald eagles and a couple of passing freighters just off Bay Mills point. 

That evening Don and I took turns kayaking out to view the gorgeous sunset. Don took his turn and paddled out about 100 yards off shore. I grabbed the camera to begin photographing his silhouette in the evening's pinks and velvety blacks...

...I quickly changed to video when I heard the haunting sounds of the Canada geese, but had no idea what they were up to until...

It was a cool opportunity to be able to capture, on video, the sight and sounds of the geese coming in for a landing on the water. We are looking very forward to the day we can return to the north woods of Michigan's U.P. and kayak Waiskai Bay once again...this time with hopes of seeing a moose!

We've compiled a few more photos below for you to enjoy.

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Kayak Tip of the Week: Be camera ready while kayaking. When you hear the sounds of non-threatening wildlife in the distance, remain still and you may just catch a rare glimpse of something absolutely stunning to photograph! But if you aren't sure if the sound is threatening treat it as though it probably is. Be cautious and know basic wildlife rules of how to remove yourself from danger should it arise. No photograph is worth your life.

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More photos from that day for you to enjoy. 

 

Kayaking with Friends on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

A Friend Kayaking Waiskai Bay with Bay Mills Point, Freighters, and Canada in the Background
photo by Janet Beasley

Janet Returning from Her Afternoon Jaunt on Waiskai Bay
photo by a friend

Bald Eagle Spotted Over Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Great Blue Heron on Pilings in Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Canada Goose on Waiskai Bay in the Evening's Sunset
photo by Janet Beasley

Don Preparing to Kayak Off Into the Sunset on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Don Sets Out into the Pink Sunset on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Don Paddling Into the Sunset on Waiskai Bay
photo by Janet Beasley

Don on Waiskai Bay with Canada Geese in Background
photo by Janet Beasley

THIS JUST IN!

IT'S ALMOST TIME! MARK YOUR CALENDARS...OCTOBER 6!

GET SIGNED UP TODAY...

As proud supporters of the Pickford Community Library and teachers of their Young Writers Workshop we are excited to announce the fifth year is gearing up for young writers in Michigan.

This group of aspiring young writers is where our Journey to Publication Writing Curriculum was birthed and developed. This group holds charter members who we have watched come up through the ranks of writing to become successful authors.  

Straight from Pickford Community Library in Pickford, Michigan...

PICKFORD COMMUNITY LIBRARY YOUNG WRITERS WORKSHOP BEGINS ITS FIFTH YEAR ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 AT 7 PM

Pickford Community Library’s Young Writers Workshop is ready to kick off another fabulous year. Starting on October 6, 2016, young aspiring authors will begin their journey to become published. New writing enthusiasts will write short stories, poetry, essays, micro-fiction, and flash-fiction; returning enthusiasts can choose to expand their writing abilities by composing longer works (novellas or novelettes) in most genres.

Pickford Community Library
Young Writers Workshop
Writing Enthusiasts: 2015- 2016 Season

The workshop meets every other Thursday evening from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Pickford Community Library. It concludes in mid-May with a “Book-Release Soirée” for the authors, their parents and friends, and other special guests who support the literary arts for young adults. Young aspiring authors from grade 6 through college who are interested in learning the ins and outs of becoming a published author are welcome—and encouraged—to attend the free workshop sessions. This program is open to all students in the Eastern U.P. and currently has enrollees from Pickford, Rudyard, Cedarville, Kinross, and Sault Ste. Marie.

Janet Beasley of Florida (author and CEO of JLB Creatives Publishing) and Dar Bagby of Brimley (author, illustrator, and Senior Editor at JLBCP) are the co-instructors of the course; Janet participates at each adventure session via Skype. All participants’ works will be published in eBook form free of charge by JLB Creatives Publishing, and no one (author or publisher) collects royalties. At the end of the workshop, each story/eBook will be made available to the public, free of charge, through SmashWords and the “Book Shoppes” at JLBCreatives.com. The works will also be available for digital checkout via Overdrive at most U.P. public libraries.

The Young Writers Workshop was founded by Pickford Community Library Manager Ann Marie Smith in 2012 and is free and open to the public. If you would like to enroll, please contact Ann Marie at the library before October 6 at 906-647-1288 or at amsmith@uproc.lib.mi.us The Pickford Community Library is located at 230 East Main Street in downtown Pickford. We look forward to hearing from you!

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "Triforce Warriors"

Welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where an eclectic team of creative geniuses share their fantastical imaginations. 

On Mondays we are featuring an excerpt from one of our creative authors. And what makes this feature so fun is that we publish a wide range of genres. You'll never know what to expect for the excerpt.

To read all of our excerpts thus far, we invite you to visit our blog archives and look for our first Excerpt Extravaganza! that began on August 1, 2016.

Enjoy!

All previous excerpts are available in our archives. We began this series on August 1, 2016. 

Today's excerpt is from author Noah Kamper's fantasy novella Triforce Warriors. Noah is an accomplished writing enthusiast from the Advanced Journey to Publication Writing Program Curriculum.

Link woke on the battle field the next morning. His head thumped, his leg was twisted, and his wrists were burning with pain. He turned his head and gazed at the carnage. He heard groans from monsters that were lying on the battlefield. Arrows, gunpowder, monster remains, and blood littered the field. He attempted to roll over, but the one finger that would move willingly with limited pain did him no good. He tried lifting his head up, but to no avail. His neck was twisted slightly, probably not broken, but majorly cracked. He was lucky the fall hadn't killed him, but the pain and his slight paralysis made him wish the fall would have killed him. He tried moaning, but his throat burned with pain, and it was drier than the Lanayru sands. He closed his eyes and tried to remember where his sword was. It was gone…the dragon had caused him to fling it away. He opened his eyes and looked at the sky. It was light blue, similar to Lana's hair…

Lana. She had run away from their home. His eyes managed to draw enough liquid to drop a single tear down his cheek. He prayed silently to the goddesses that morning that Lana was safe and that the monsters hadn't invaded the city.

He flicked his eyes toward the wall and found that the gate was intact and the wall un-breached. He smiled meekly and let loose a sigh of relief. He furrowed his brow and looked closer at the gate. It was opening! Two figures sprinted from the gate toward Link. As they neared he could see that one of them was Impa, but the other he didn't know. She had a tight white, blue, and black tunic that covered her whole body. She had a pair of the hidden blades on her hands, and her face was covered in a white linen cloth. She had braided her hair with white cloth, but what he could see of it was blue. The front of her tunic was covered in ornate designs. There was a silver eye with a Triforce above it, as if it were looking up at it. She had a kunai strapped to her belt and a short sword hooked to her back.

They arrived next to him, and the mysterious figure knelt down while Impa checked his breathing. The mysterious figure placed her hand on Link's chest and pushed it down, sending a shock of life throughout his body. His leg untwisted, his wrists no longer hurt, his head wasn't thumping, and all other injuries felt completely better.

Link sat up. "Who are you?" he asked the mysterious figure and turned to Impa. "And what happened after the battle with the dragon?"

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To discover more about author Noah Kamper and/or download Triforce Warriors for free visit his author page on JLB Creatives by clicking here.