Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt from "Maycly the Trilogy Book 2"

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 Janet Beasley's "The Hidden Earth Series: Volume 1 Maycly the Trilogy - Book 2 The Battle of Trust and Treachery." 

Swinging the stick over his shoulder Charleo returned to the foyer. He flipped to the last page of the tablet and pulled from it the note he had written to Marlen. He laid it on the small table next to the door and placed a dancing-daffodil from her garden atop the note. He opened the front door and turned to take one last look at his home in its current state. Through the tiny window in the kitchen he could still see Marlen in the back yard. The boys skipped and jumped like boys do. He knew it would be a long time before he would ever see his home and family again...and he knew it would be different in the days to come on Maycly. 

The door squeaked and latched behind Charleo as it always had. Rascally stood near the gate attached to the wagon. The horse pawed at the ground and whinnied low. Charleo approached him and gave him a quick pat on the nose. “Not this time big fella. I be a-goin’ on foot. I'll be aseein' ye again, but not fer a long time. Ye watch o’er Marlen and the boys fer me. Take ‘em ta town by way of the scenic 8 HIDDEN EARTH Volume 1 MAYCLY The Trilogy route, eh?” Rascally nickered softly and shook his mane so that it brushed Charleo’s face. Charleo could not help but cry. Rascally rubbed his cheek on Charleo's and dried the tears. 
------------------- To discover more about this author, read 5 star reviews,  view book trailers, and/or purchase a print or ebook copy please visit Janet's author page on the JLB Creatives website by clicking here.

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt from PCL Anthology

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!

Today's excerpt is taken from the Pickford Community Library's Young Writers Workshop 2012-2013 Anthology. The author of the excerpt is Taylor Green.

Change. We all go through it, the good and the bad. It seems things never stop...well...changing. My first memory of a big change happened at age five when I got a new baby sister. At age ten I had to take care of her and my younger brother every day while Mom sucked down a few packs of smokes and a fifth of whiskey. And while Dad was at work, I had to look for food in our small mountain-ofdirty-clothes-and-trash house. 

I tried my best to act like a mom for those two kids, but I was too young to know how. My efforts always ended in fights with them, and eventually I'd give up, especially after being told, “You're not my mom!” I tried to reason with them. “I know, but I'm the oldest, and Mom's passed out.”

 This is my story. I'm Darcy, now 15 years old. Some people say my life has already had more ups and downs than my share, and I've been hiding a lot of them. I'm ready to come out with the truth now and share a story I've always been a bit ashamed of, but it's time for change. I can remember nearly every event during the time things started to turn for the worst, as if it were yesterday. I was in the fifth grade.
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To download this free anthology visit the JLB Creatives JTP Ebook Shoppe. 

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "Parallel Infinities"

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 Honnah Patnode. Her novella is titled, "Parallel Infinities." Honnah is an accomplished writing enthusiast from the Advanced Journey to Publication Writing Program Curriculum.

The knocking sound rattled sharply within her skull again, faster and more insistent this time. The silver cord tugged at her, insistent to stitch soul and body together once more. Rosetta shook her head. Nothing made sense. No one could see her when she traveled like this, not ever. Not even those who joined her in an ethereal state of being could see her as more than a shadow, a footprint of her true self and no creature in a physical form was capable of peeking through the veil set between the skeletons and the souls. Who was this man? What was he? And why on earth had she felt so drawn to him when his voice had wrapped itself around her lungs and stolen her breath away? 

"How is this possible?" The inquiry came out a whisper, and the unfamiliar man squinted at her with a mix of confusion, fascination, and curiosity swirling in his eyes. He should not be able to see her. She should not be able to interact with him. She wanted to believe that something was wrong, but it did not feel wrong. In a strange way, there was a certain gladness she felt at the thought of a soul that she could see. 

The persistent knock tore through her mind again, loud enough to be a scream as it tumbled around inside her skull like boulders crashing down a mountainside. Rosetta tried to cling to the fabric of the fantasy, tried to snatch a piece of a world she could not touch and hold onto it until all waking moments left her to the blissful nothing in peace forever, but it was like trying to keep a dream in one's head after being forced to abandon it for the drudgery of morning. The waking world did not permit such things.
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To read more about Honnah and download her novella for FREE visit Honnah's Author Page on JLB Creatives.

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Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "Protective Measures"

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 Jessica Arman's Protective Measures. Jessica is an accomplished writing enthusiast from the Advanced Journey to Publication Writing Program Curriculum.

The bell sounded to mark the beginning of afternoon sector work. The morning was all classes, and after lunch everyone had to go to work in the jobs they chose. Taryn, Laiken, and Ryker were all in building, which is where they had met.

“I guess I’ll see you guys when I’m done with Garn and her boys,” Taryn said as they split up at the doors. She watched them leave, pushing each other and laughing. She loved seeing them together, just like brothers. When the boys rounded the corner, she made her way back to the classroom.

Before she even reached the classroom she knew something was wrong. The hallway was too empty and too quiet. She walked into the room to find most of the teachers present, and at the very back stood the master, Alloy. He was short and heavyset. His black suit fit like a second skin. He had bleached blond, slicked-back hair, and his face was always tight and emotionless. Taryn knew this could not end well. She put on her best “I don’t care” face and stood in front of the assembly.

“Do you know why you’re here, Ms. Bicks?” Alloy asked.

“I left class without being dismissed. Since when is that something you get involved in?”

“That is one reason you are here, but there are many more. I have been keeping my eye on you and have found that you are a leader for some of these students—too much of a leader. They seem to think that when you are around they can get away with more. Not to mention your constant misbehavior anyway. We are going to put a stop to that.” 

Alloy said. He grabbed the intercom mic and made the announcement, “All students must now report to the auditorium. Please sit in your rank order, with the highest in the front.” He clicked off the intercom and faced Taryn again.

“Now, Taryn if you would follow me to the auditorium, we can get this over with and put you back in your place.” Alloy's face sported a devilish grin.

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If you would like to discover more about this author and/or download her novella for FREE visit Jessica Arman's author page at JLB Creatives Publishing online. 

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "Wesley Out West"

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 5 star Rhonda Walker's children's book Wesley Out West. Not only is it an entertaining story, it's a wonderful educational tool for children, and the illustrations are nothing shy of amazing!

“Hello, Wesley,” said Octopus, holding out two of his arms.  “I heard you say you never get to do anything exciting.  
I am from Big West, and we need someone to save our town.  
Old Walter the Whale has taken over.  We need a brave sheriff. 

Will you help us?”


To discover more about our author Rhonda Walker, watch Wesley's book trailer, or purchase you copies of Wesley Out West we invite you to visit Rhonda's author page by clicking here

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.

Using a Dialect in Dialogue

"Dialogue...dialect. What's the difference?" (I have actually had students who confuse these two words.) Believe me, there is a BIG difference! Let's take a look at the definitions:

      dialogue: conversations between/among characters

      dialect: a variety of a language

According to dictionary.com: dialect is a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.

When used properly a dialect can help build character, plus it reveals “who” might be talking.

Dialect can be drawn from an existing one, or the author can create a new one. In Janet Beasley’s Hidden Earth Series, Volume 1, Maycly the Trilogy, Book 1, Two Altered Worlds you'll find a brand new dialect. There are characters called "chukkons" on the world of Maycly who have their own way of talking. Though it is an unknown dialect, the author has left enough of the “real word” so readers can follow along easily and still get a feel for how a chukkon talks. You’ll notice that the narrative is in plain English while the dialogue carries the dialect.

Charleo laughed. “Here be yer taggerts, me friend. Ye shouldna be a-takin’ me so serious.” A few of the others in the Pipe Shoppe who knew Charleo could be heard giggling at that remark. “Now let’s see:  one, two, three, four, and five.”

“What be this? Ye dunna trust yer old pal Charleo? Countin’ in front of me. Shame, shame.”

“Sorry. Just force of habit there. No hard feelin’s?”

“None be taken. I was only a-pullin’ yer leg. Now I s’pose I’ll be a-needin’ some pipe stuffin’s ta smoke in this wonderful pipe.” Charleo ran his fingers over the pipe stuffing jars. “How about...umm ...this one. I’ll be a-havin’ me a laund of the ‘E’er So Sweet’.”

“Ooooo, tis one of me favorites.” Jobi inhaled deeply with every scoop until he had dished out a laund on the scale, and he added a pinch more.

“How much be I owin’ ye fer it?”

“Ah, nothin’.”

“I’ll be a-givin’ ye somethin’ fer it, ye crazy wee fella.”

“No arguin’ now. Yer first pipe stuffin's be on me.”

Charleo realized there was no budging Jobi. “I’ll be sure and make a point of showin’ yer fine piece of work ta everyone. And I be a-thankin’ ye from the bottom of me heart.” Charleo gave a nod and a wink to Jobi.

“And ye be welcome from the top of mine.”

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "The Untold Legend - The Warrior Queen"

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 Monday excerpts thus far, we invite you to visit our blog archives and look for our first Excerpt Extravaganza! that began on Monday 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 NIEA Winner author Amy I. Long's adult fantasy novel The Untold Legend - The Warrior Queen. 

Days passed, and not one person said a word about the disappearance of my sister. One night I went to my chamber early. Father burst through my doors carrying his sword.

“You I will kill this night for taking my only daughter away. The servants who searched this hall have found Deira’s body. You will pay!” he shouted, stepping closer.

“If you wish to fight me, let it be tomorrow,” I said. 

“No, you will die this night!” he screamed. 

“But would you not want everyone to watch my death?” I calmly questioned. 

“No, this is a private matter,” he said sternly. 

Knowing my father was a poor swordsman, I tried to put the matter off. When he raised his sword to me, I did defend myself. “You cannot win,” I said, blocking every blow. I even tried my old trick of stripping him of clothes. I cut them off, and still he fought on. “Go away,” I yelled. 

I got no response; he just fought on. With all my strength, I drew back my sword and then brought it forward to block his blow. I attempted to break his sword in half. It stayed in one piece. But because of the force of the blow it fell to the floor. I dropped to my knees and grabbed it. Backing up, I faced my naked father. A sword now in each hand, I held them both up, twirled them around, and then brought them both forward and crossed them in front of me, never once removing my eyes from him. I wanted to prove that I was a better opponent than he thought me to be.


“You cannot win against me, not with my experience,” I said, returning my own sword back to my side. I held only his. 

“How did you ever get out of this room?” he asked while breathing heavily. 

“You helped her. You helped Deira attempt to kill me by locking me in my own room to starve,” I blurted at him. 

“How?” he asked again. 

“I jumped,” I yelled. Backing up a few steps, I lowered his sword down to rest at my side. After staring at me for a moment, he lunged across the floor, pulling back his fist. He tried to strike me, but I blocked it by bringing the sword forward to meet his fist. His hand met the smooth part, not the edge, but the blow to his knuckles made him double over in pain. 

I waited until he gained his composure. When he faced me, he grabbed my wrist in an attempt to make me drop the sword. Out of reflex, I took my other hand and placed it near his. Using my strength, I turned it, slicing his thigh. He instantly stepped back, releasing his hold. 

“Why fight, old man? You cannot win,” I said, watching him examine his wound.

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If you've been trying to decide if adult fantasy is a genre you want to dive into, we highly recommend our NIEA Winner, Amy I. Long's The Untold Legend to break into the genre. And if you're an established adult fantasy enthusiast you won't be disappointed to pick up this amazing tale of love and honor. To discover more about Amy or to purchase her novel visit Amy I. Long's author page on our JLB Creatives Publishing website.

Constructing a GOOD paragraph

A paragraph consists of several sentences grouped together, all of which discuss one topic. The first sentence in your paragraph is the topic sentence. It is the most general sentence in the paragraph and introduces an overall idea. It should suggest a question(s) in the reader’s mind and point your reader in the direction you are going; it does not provide any detailed information about the idea, It is usually the first sentence in the paragraph and should be indented. It can also make a reference to the preceding paragraph. The next sentences in a good paragraph are the supporting sentences, They should answer the question(s) suggested in the topic sentence and provide explanations (facts, details, examples) that support or explain the main idea expressed in the topic sentence. You can include as many sentences as necessary to accomplish the explanation. The concluding sentence summarizes the information presented within the paragraph. It is similar to, but not exactly the same as, the topic sentence.

A good paragraph includes four elements: unity, order, coherence, and completeness. To achieve unity you need to maintain one controlling idea (a single focus). This main idea is expressed in the topic sentence, detailed in the supporting sentences, and summarized in the concluding sentence.

Order can be cause & effect wherein a situation either causes or results from another, chronological or order of events in time, comparison/contrast or similarities and/or differences among things, emphatic, which means details are arranged in order of importance or for emphasis, and/or spatial, which is the discovery of how things are arranged in a space. Coherence is the element that makes a paragraph understandable. It uses logical bridges; in other words, the same idea is carried from one sentence to the next and successive sentences are constructed in parallel form. Verbal bridges can be used as well (e.g., pronouns refer to nouns in previous sentences, keywords are repeated in several sentences, synonymous words are repeated in several sentences, transition words link ideas from different sentences). Consistent verb use and point of view are maintained throughout. To achieve completeness you must maintain a single idea throughout the paragraph.

One of the most prominent questions when developing good paragraphs is, "When do I start a new paragraph?" The answer is simple: 1) when beginning a new idea, 2) to contrast ideas or information, or 3) when your reader needs a pause. Bear in mind that paragraph construction involves taking liberties when writing dialogue, and than's a whole other ball game. We'll cover that another time. 

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "Hidden Earth Series"

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 #1 best selling and 5 star author Janet Beasley's Hidden Earth Series: Volume 1 Maycly the Trilogy - Book 1 Two Altered Worlds

Bewildered, Iona cut loose again with her gift of chattering. “Let’s see…today I’ve seen a…a…gnome-like guy pop out of a cloud and leave a Dream Decanter on my nightstand. It spewed musical fog that my feet and legs are now dangling in causing my legs to heal. And let’s not forget the three-inch-long buzzing something…whose name, by the way, was apparently Jit? And he…she…I think it was a he…had a face like a human and wings like a dragonfly that he used to fly by my eyes leaving a trail of sparkles. Then he disappeared into the cloud with the little gnome guy…man…thing. I opened a magic letter signed by SUL, and now my birthmark is warm. Are you kidding me?” 

     She tried to put all of the recent events together. The poem on the card faded. It and the envelope burst into flames in her hand, making her jump. “Too weird. It didn’t burn me. Well, that was interesting.”

     She went silent, pondering to herself. I will never see this place again. Though it might have been guilt forcing these feelings, she wanted to believe she was truly thankful for the provisions she had received.

     “Yap! Yap! Yap! YOWLY-WOWEEE!” barked Wiskee.

     “Well, there’s another new noise from you. I guess you’re getting a little anxious? All I can say is, it’s a good thing you can’t talk because you’d chatter on more than me!” Iona calmed her small dog, Wiskee, with her touch. “OK. OK. I’m on it.”

     She brushed her hands together and resituated herself on the bed. She thought about her job—she was no longer going to be visiting those in need, and this troubled her.

     “I will see to it they are cared for.” Iona could not believe she was hearing what she thought was SUL’s audible voice again.

     She looked at Wiskee and whispered, “And we’ll never see our strange but lovable friend, Dumpster Man, again.” She had grown quite fond of him.

     With his nose, Wiskee pushed her hand toward the Dream Decanter, but she was still admiring the apartment. “Holy smokes! I can’t leave those!” She jumped from the bed and gathered the only remaining tangible memories of her family, their photos, and put them safely in the waistband of her pajama bottoms.

     She sat back down on the bed and clutched Wiskee under her arm without thinking. He made the noises to let her know she was holding him a little too tight.

     “Oh, I’m sorry little buddy.” She loosened her grip.

     Saying goodbye to her home was all too familiar and unpleasant. Iona closed her eyes and silently beckoned. Please let this be true. Please, SUL, I want to trust You with all my heart, and believe that You will take me to my family. She reached for the Dream Decanter, never letting Wiskee out of her grasp, and did just as the poem had instructed.

     Window shades dropped with a whoosh and a thud. Iona freaked and spoke from the pitch dark, “I didn’t know we had window shades.” All of the outside noises ceased; the silence was spooky.

     Guarding Wiskee with her life, she crossed her legs underneath her and felt the bed begin slowly turning and moving upward through the darkness. She was afraid of hitting the ceiling but was also afraid to jump because she did not know how high they really were. She reached high above her head and felt nothing. “STAY PUT WISKEE!” She hated to let go of him, but was concerned at their height. Carefully she stood on the bed but could not feel anything above them; she knew she could reach the ceiling if she stood on the bed. Frightened she sat back down and immediately grabbed Wiskee. If we’re floating in space, where are the stars? Where’s the moon? What are we…suspended in time?

     With her next breath she gagged. “What is that awful smell. Ack! That certainly isn’t roses! This can’t be right.” She saw what she thought was a fireball heading toward them. It came up fast from below and just missed the bed on its rapid ascent. Iona screamed. The fireball fizzled out high above their heads like a dud firework. She tossed the Dream Decanter to her pillow and scooted to the center of the bed, not letting Wiskee out of her tight grasp. She felt him trembling.

     She had always longed for adventure, but this was not exactly the adventure she had pictured in her mind. Somberly Iona spoke into the darkness, “What have I done?” 

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If you are a lover of enchanted fantasy you'll want to get hooked on this series! "Maycly" the trilogy has been compared to "The Wizard of Oz," and landed ahead of the "Hunger Games" on amazon. Click here for Ebook  Click here for print book  Click here to watch the Hidden Earth Series books trailers

Cliffhanger

I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "leave them hanging!" And when it comes to your readers, that's a GREAT phrase to apply. Whether you're going from chapter to chapter or from volume one of a series to volume two, it's the best way to leave your readers wanting more. I have read books that I can't put down--probably you have, too--because I can't stand to be left hanging. I just HAVE to go on to that next chapter to see what happens. Likewise, when a good book leaves me wanting to read the next one in the series, I can hardly wait until that next one is released.

 If you want to keep your readers coming back for more, it's a good idea to implement the use of cliffhangers. What a fun word. It means exactly what it says: it's as if you have been left hanging on the edge of a cliff with no one around to help you, so you are forced to wait until another person comes along. Readers describe cliffhangers as "love-hate relationships;" they love the idea of wanting more, but they hate the idea of having to wait. That's what you, as an author, want to accomplish with your readers.

Let me give you an example: you have spent the entire book getting your protagonist to the place where he/she (and your reader) expects to find the antagonist. Your protag arrives at the spot only to find someone other than the antag who says, "Hello. I've been expecting you." And that's where you end the chapter...or the book! Now your reader is left to wonder who it is. Is it the antag? Is it someone else? Does the protag know this character? Has the person been sent by someone? Is he/she going to help the protag? Is he/she a cohort of the antag? Is it a relative? A friend? An enemy?

That's what a cliffhanger is all about.

On my deathbed I want my last words to be, "I hid a million dollars under the..." That would be the ultimate cliffhanger, wouldn't it?

 

It's New - It's Now - It's Wow! It's Our New Monday Feature We Like to Call "Excerpt Extravaganza!"

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

On Mondays we are having an Excerpt Extravaganza, 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.

Enjoy!

Today's excerpt is from author Jean E. Lane's Lill and Mewe Series Book 1 The Secrets of Mars.

Lill thought she’d better sleep now. It is going to be a busy sol tomorrow, and I have much to learn. She took one last look through her new telescope at her two moons, Phobos and Deimos. She could see their cratered and irregular shapes clearly as they shined brightly in the dark night sky. Lill lives in a subterranean city called The Friendly City, located just west of the Noctis Labyrinthus, or Valley of the Night, and east of the Tharsis volcano region in one of the many enormous caverns. All the people have been living underground for a thousand years or so, ever since the planet’s surface grew harshly uninhabitable. No one really knows the exact date this happened because all information and technical data of the surface were destroyed by meteor showers so long ago. However, they do know their city is located beneath the equatorial area of the planet at 5 degrees latitude and 112 degrees longitude.

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If your kids ages 8-12 can't seem to learn enough about Mars, then we invite you to get them hooked on the Lill and Mewe Series first book, Lill and Mewe and the Secrets of Mars! Click here for Ebook  Click here for print book

Say Hello to YA Scifi Author Jessica Arman

Jessica Arman

Jessica Arman will always hold a special place in the hearts of the JLB Creatives Publishing team and the Journey to Publication Writing Program curriculum...she holds the title of the first author to have a novella published through the Journey to Publication Writing Program!

Jessica is a multi-time returning author to the Pickford Community Library Young Writers Workshop group. Protective Measures is her first novella. Jessica served as a part in the development of the Journey to Publication Writing Program / Curriculum, a comprehensive writing program created, authored, and published by JLB Creatives Publishing. For more information on the program please visit www.JourneyToPublication.com

Imagine being stuck in school forever. Living there, working there, and eating every meal there. That’s what Taryn and every other kid from her town has to do. What they don’t know is that this so-called slave school is run by Taryn’s father. This secret will lead to heartbreak and despair. Freedom will be had, but not without a heavy cost. 

You can download Jessica's novella for FREE from the JLB Creatives Ebook Shoppe / Journey to Publication Authors

Say Hello to Fantasy Author Noah Kamper

Noah Kamper joined the Pickford Community Library Young Writers Workshop when he was only 11 years old. He had a passion for the craft, and a wonderful story to tell.

Pickford Community Library manager, Ann Marie Smith, came to JLB Creatives Publishing's senior editor and head facilitator of the writing group, Dar Bagby, and said, "I've got a little guy who is probably too young to join, but he sure has a heart and a passion for the craft of writing. Do you suppose it would be OK if I'd let him in this year?"

Dar answered, "If he's that enthusiastic about writing, then you need to let him in!"

Eager and ready to write Noah showed up at the first gathering in  October of 2013. He brought a smile to the JLB Creatives Publishing team's faces every time he joined in the conversation. He was brilliant, resilient, and wanted nothing more than for us to read his stories. We did, and were (and still are) thoroughly entertained by this young man's talent. We encouraged him to continue with the Young Writers Workshop group each year, and not only Ann Marie, but also the JLBCP team is pleased to say that he has, and has grown into an upstanding young gentleman of an author. 

Noah has been a member of the Young Writers Workshop since 2013. He has accomplished the novice writing techniques and has moved up to the advanced curriculum of Journey to Publication. He also served as a crucial input part of the curriculum, and continues to learn and enjoy all that the literary world has to offer. 

When asked to review what the Journey to Publication Writing Program had done for him in 2015, Noah wrote, "I learned so much for my English class (I learned nothing there). The YWW group taught me first. I am taking the M-Step standard test, and I learned all of the material from the YWW group, not my English class."

JLB Creatives Publishing is proud to have published Noah's first novella in 2016. Visit Triforce Warriors on Smashwords to download your FREE copy of this up and coming author's outstanding work.

When the dark sorceress, Cia, spawns hordes of monsters upon Hyrule, she engulfs it in a bloody war to decide its fate. Link, The Hylian Army's General, along with Impa, his commander, and Sheik, a mysteriously disguised Sheikah, must now seek the power of the fabled Triforce—the almighty gift from the goddesses that grants any wish to those who hold it—in order to banish Cia and all her monsters from Hyrule'.

Won't you please join us in congratulating this young fantasy author, Noah Kamper, by leaving a comment below in this post. We know he'll be delighted to receive your encouragement and support. 

Say Hello to Paranormal Romance Author Honnah Patnode

Honnah Patnode, the author of Parallel Infinities, is a seventeen-year-old high school student. She has been writing since she was drawn to the hobby in the midst of middle school boredom and has, as of the release of this novella, created two works to be professionally published. She has many ideas for future works of literature and hopes to publish them as well. In her college career, creative writing is one of the things she aims to focus on most in order to incorporate it into a successful career.

When she is not writing, Honnah occupies her time with music. She plays the clarinet and piano, composes musical pieces on computerized programs, and listens to a wide variety of genres. She prefers to listen to and create music that is emotionally moving and has authenticity and uniqueness to it. Honnah is a member of her high school band and considers the elective to be a favorite hobby for the sense of community and accomplishment it brings. She also busies herself outside of school by caring for and playing with her four pets: two cats and two dogs.

Her plans for the future are to pursue happiness in whatever form it may be. She hopes to continue writing and bring moving, emotional, and ultimately thought-provoking experiences to readers that pick up her books. For her, writing is a very personal, cathartic experience, and she hopes to bring that same sense of individuality into her readers’ lives. Her favorite aspect of writing fiction is the knowledge that every reader will perceive the story in a slightly different way, intertwining his/her personal life into the story in a way that makes it even more poignant.

Honnah's inspiration comes predominantly from beauty and tragedy in the world around her, and both of those emotional experiences are what she hopes to express through her writing, regardless of where the characters or plots take her. It also comes from the artistic success stories that motivate her to try to forge her writing into something remarkable.

You can download Honnah's novella for FREE from the JLB Creatives Publishing Ebook Shoppe. Click here

Rosetta Spin has an odd relationship with reality. On one hand, she has worked her entire life to create a decent future for herself after tragedy struck her family when she was just a child. In emerging as a survivor of such a dark time, she unwittingly fell into an addiction for dreams. In the midst of her affinity for what could be as opposed to what is, she learns to astrally project — to separate her soul from her body and go on fantastical adventures with no regard for reality.

She keeps the line between her life and her adventures well drawn until she meets someone in the astral plane who causes her to question exactly what is real and which side of her existence she wants to be real. At first she is certain that fanciful dreams are best kept locked away for fear of being let down, but as her astral companion finds his own place in her heart, she begins to wonder if some dreams are worth the risk of the pain losing them would cost.

In a journey that quite literally forces her to search her heart and soul for answers, Rosetta must find a way to trust in herself and her fantasies because, as time ticks on, it becomes exponentially clearer that her happiness is entwined with the desires she represses most. Will the persistent call of reality dull the beauty she has learned to expect when she goes on her adventures, or will the excitement of a dream being realized prevail?

We invite you to please welcome Journey to Publication author Honnah Patnode, by leaving her a comment below.

Say Hello to Fantasy Author Amy Lehigh - Our New JLB Creatives Publishing Editing Apprentice

Amy Lehigh
JLB Creatives Publishing
Apprentice Editor

Amy Lehigh came to us in 2012 as an attendee of a debuting young writers workshop. She was shy, inward-going, creative, and loved the literary world.

She began her journey to publication as a novice writer, and has since become a full fledged advanced author who is outgoing, even more creative, and has had several works published by JLB Creatives Publishing. 

Amy currently serves as an intern under the direction of library manager, Ann Marie Smith, at the Pickford Community Library in Pickford, Michigan.

Amy is a charter member of the Pickford Community Library's Young Writers Workshop. Over the last four years this particular workshop has been deemed the largest young writing group of its kind in the state of Michigan. It is also the creative table on which a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind writing curriculum was developed. JLB Creatives Publishing has been involved with this young writers workshop from its inception in 2012, and top team members of JLBCP continue to facilitate the adventures both in person and via Skype for this ground-breaking group. Amy, along with her peers, has played a key part in the development of JLB Creatives Publishing's Journey to Publication Writing Program Curriculum.

We have watched Amy flourish in many ways throughout the years. She graduated high school this year, and is getting ready to go on to college. She shared with us that she is interested in becoming an editor.

After taking a vote, it was unanimous that we should offer her an apprenticeship with JLB Creatives Publishing beginning as a proof editor for our children's books, leading into full editing of fiction novels.

When our senior editor approached Amy with the offer she didn't have to think twice. Her answer was a resounding YES! She is honored, as are we, to begin this new venture in helping yet another author, future editor, and literary lover succeed in the industry.

Janet Beasley
JLB Creatives CEO

"It's going to be such a special part of the company's overall enhancement process," said JLB Creatives CEO, Janet Beasley. "To know that one of our very first Young Writers Workshop enthusiasts has mastered the craft through our program over the last 4 years, and will be working alongside our JLB Creatives Publishing senior editor, Dar Bagby, editing the next Pickford Community Library Young Writers Workshop's anthology and novellas early 2017 is not only exciting, but humbling and overwhelming all in the same breath. The connection between Amy and the Young Writers Workshop is personal for many of us on the JLBCP team, and we couldn't be prouder of Amy becoming qualified to edit works that will come from 'her humble beginning days'."

Please visit Boelik on Smashwords to download Amy's FREE novella, published by JLB Creatives Publishing through the Journey to Publication Writing Program.

Boelik has strived to avoid people all of his life. He shouldn’t even exist. But when he hears trouble and lets his conscience take over, his life begins to take on meaning that he never knew it could. And, one day, what he had built up suddenly comes crashing down. 

In anticipation of one more fateful day, Boelik sits out centuries. Travelling from one place to another, he takes up a new life, and, against his better judgement, new friends. Unfortunately, as he’s learned, nothing lasts forever.

Why not join us in extending a warm welcome to Amy? We invite you to leave a comment of welcome, congratulations, or cheers on joining the professional team of JLB Creatives Publishing as of June 13, 2016.