Meet Author Carl Scharwath

Hello fans! Thanks so much for stopping by. This week we are featuring the "Running Poet" - author Carl Scharwath. Check out his interview to learn more about Carl and his work. And if you like what you see, please feel free to share this post with your friends.  Enjoy!

CARL SCHARWATH

      1.      So you thought you would be a writer:

I first started to write three years ago. After an evening run, crossing a dark street a car came out of the blackness and almost hit me. Feeling an out of body experience I thought this would be a great short story and wrote  a type of poem-short story that was published in The Birmingham Arts Journal. The next three years I was able to write over 55 poems, and 44 were published in various worldwide journals. I am most proud that my first book “Journey To Become Forgotten” was selected to be published by Kindofahurricanepress.  My current focus and concentration has been on writing short stories. Seven short stories were completed with five publishing credits  already awarded.

2.      A zealous fan, one thing to encourage them to be a writer:

Write from your heart, not from your head and let writing be your meditative and soul cleansing creativity.

3.      What Books are you working on:

Currently, I have two Dystopian short stories to complete, will write my first play and work with my daughter and grandson on writing a children's book. My grandson will be the character in the book, so even if it were not to be published this would be a wonderful gift to share with him.

4.      Creativity, where does it come from:

As a competitive runner most of my ideas are born from my long runs. I zone out the actual activity of running and my thoughts run wild with ideas for poems, short stories and plays.

Unfortunately by the time I get home, sometimes I forget that poetry line. Perhaps I need to run with a voice recorder? A pen and paper might just draw attention-smile.

5.      How much time do you devote to writing:

This is an area that needs personal improvement. Currently with a full-time job, running three days a week, cross-training the other two and spending time with my grand-son I have only averaged one hour per week. Since I keep a running log, this would be a great place to incorporate the time spent writing. My future  goal of 5 hours per week devoted to pure writing will be accomplished going forward.

6.      Do you Ever study writing?:

My study would consist of reading. I love to read and spend at least one hour per night enjoying books. I believe reading helps you to write. Since I will be working on my first play, I have been devouring short plays to help me understand the process and layout of a play.

I love spending time in local thrift stores  for books and found a classic, “ Simon & Shuster Handbook for  Writers” to help me with sentence structure and grammar. I am happy to say ultimately that I am a self-taught writer.

  ---------------------------------------------

There you have it! We certainly hope you enjoyed Carl's interview as much as we did. Be sure to stop by next week to discover Author Rathan Krueger.

Until next time...Stay casual, live life to the fullest, and have a piece of chocolate for me!

Your blog host,

Best selling author:

Janet Beasley

           

Meet Author Bobby Woodall

Hello fans! Do we ever have a treat for you this week. You're going to want to grab a snack, something to drink, and box of tissues because this week's featured author's story will bring you to tears. 

I'd like to introduce you to Bobby R. Woodall. A blessed man of determination, passion, and love for life and family.

Bobby R. Woodall resides in Columbus, Indiana with his wife whom he calls “Babe”...all other
women are doll.  That way, he says, “If we are out in crowd and I say Babe, she knows
it’s me!”  He’s a member of the church of Christ as is his whole family.  Born and raised
in Chickasha, Oklahoma, he now lives in Columbus, Indiana for the last 42 years.  Bobby
writes western novels and was truly a “cowboy”.  He met his wife while shoeing horses
and mules at a quest ranch in Mancos, Colorado at the Stupid Charlie.

Bobby wanted to write but his high school English teacher told him that he could not put
ten words together to make a sentence.  He has penned over 187,000 words in proper
order to compose two novels. “I have a satisfied mind I never write an other,” he says.
His first book, Clearwater is about a “serial killer” of the old west.  In his second novel,
Mercer’s Manor, is a post Civil War that also includes a love story with the elements
of found love, lost love and betrayal.  The ending of both books are rather unique.  He
reads Clearwater when he is hungry for adventure and Mercer’s Manor when he feels
nostalgic or history mode.

Bobby writes from his vivid imagination with just a smattering of reality.  He often
asks his friends if he may use their names.  He doesn’t think of writing as work, it’s sort
of therapy. “A writer can use his or her work to vent their frustrations, live out their
fantasies or just be someone else for a bit of time.

One will not find any profanity, vulgarity or graphic sex scenes in either novel.  He
believes that he shouldn’t have to resort to profanity to get his point across. “Plus,” he
adds, “people should learn about sex  from their mommy’s and daddy’s.”

Bobby had a terrible auto accident 39 years ago (July 21, 1974), that left him with
brain damage.  His car hit two mail boxes, one telephone pole, and rolled over 5 times.  He
was declared legally dead three times.  Oddly though, Bobby did not break bone one, but
two weeks later while in the hospital, he was dropped out of bed in an intensive care
neurological ward and broke his hip.  The doctors told Bobby’s wife that if he lived he
would be a vegetable. “This carrot not only survived, but wrote and got published two
novels, “Bobby says.

Bobby wears an eye-patch, but he is not blind. “I tell the kids that I’m a pirate,” he
jokingly says.  He walks with a limp when he is tired but not confined to a wheel chair.
He talks with a slurred tone of voice, but one can have quite a lively conversation with
him. Tagged with Cerebral Palsy by the Social Security Administration he is classified
totally disabled (not handicapped).

Bobby has an infectious smile on his face and a light-hearted sense of humor.  One can
read the excerpts of both novels and a interview by a lady from Kentucky on his web
page. Listed below are the web page and his email address.

www.bobbyrwoodall.com

Email: brwoodall@att.net

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that you've gotten to know Bobby a little bit better, we're certain you'll want to check out his books on Amazon. And be sure to help spread the word about this amazing author!

Meet Author Sheila Deeth

Welcome fans - thank you for returning to the JLB Creatives Blog. And if this is your first time stopping by we'd like to extend a very special "hello" to you and invite you to become a follower to stay up with the latest of what JLB Creatives has to offer. We have new posts every Monday (well almost, every Monday -  we do take breaks now and then to spend time with our families around the holidays) We hope you enjoy our features, and will continue to share the news with your friends.

This week we are featuring the fabulous author Sheila Deeth. Sheila has chosen our Author Splash feature. This type feature allows you to get to know the author on a more personal level. You'll discover many wonderful things about this author, and we hope you'll consider purchasing one of her outstanding books. 

Enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was born in England. Last spring I went back to celebrate my Mum’s 85^th birthday with family and friends. We drove the rolling English country roads, enjoyed sunshine and rain, and ate cake!

Actually, I didn’t eat cake ’cause I’m Celiac. I used to say avoiding gluten helped me stay slim (well, slim-ish). But then we lost our dog and I started gaining weight. I think it was walking Maggie that kept me slim-ish.

I really love dogs, but I can’t persuade my husband to get another one. Our three sons have finally flown the nest and I think he’s enjoying the freedom.  

I love my family, the Bible, mathematics, science, patterns, logic, reading, music and art. And I love writing. Someone once asked me to list things I hated, but it’s kind of hard. “Don’t you hate some genres of book?” they said. But my sons (those handsome guys who flew the nest) say I have no taste because I like almost everything. I have no taste in music either, but maybe that’s a Mum thing. Different types of music put me in mind of different sons.

So, going back to England... I grew up there, went to Catholic schools and loved them, went to Cambridge University to study mathematics and loved it, met a nice young mathematician and married him, and then we came to the States. We only had temporary visas so it was only a three-year trip, but we took a very expensive souvenir home—our first-born, fully American son. Two more sons and several years later we came back on Green Cards and stayed, finally becoming citizens many many years afterward—it’s a long slow process.

So now I’m an English American, Catholic Protestant, mathematician writer—a contradiction in terms, which suits me fine. After all, I didn’t claim to be logical—I just said I love logic.

And I love the Bible, which I do claim is logical. That’s why I write so much about it.

My blog:  http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com

My facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sheila.deeth

My twitter handle: @SheilaDeeth

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We certainly hope you enjoyed discovering the life of Sheila. 
Be sure to check out her books on Amazon.

Meet Author Lorrie Farrelly

Hello everyone! Thank you for stopping by. What a week and a half this has been. We started Sept 26 with a Business After Hours at Lakeside Inn, then headed to St. Augustine to exhibit at the Florida Heritage Book Festival. And to top it off - we ended the whirlwind of the week with BOOKTOBERFEST! All events were a tremendous success and we're now looking forward to Authors in the Park Christmas Spectacular.

Other news: JLB Creatives Fairy Tales & Jewelry has made it not only onto Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/JLBCreatives but we are also at Lakeside Inn's The Gatehouse Gift Shop and Long & Scott's Farm Gift Shop. Now you can shop for these hand-crafted one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry online and in person if you're ever in the Mount Dora, Florida area.

This week's feature brings us the very talented and delightful Lorrie Farrelly. Lorrie brings us an excerpt from her latest novel. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, relax, and enjoy this treat from. . .

 Author Lorrie Farrelly

Join Lorrie on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/lorrie.farrelly

TERMS OF SURRENDER, by Lorrie Farrelly

SYNOPSIS

The War Between the States not only destroyed all Michael Cantrell loved, it left the young, former Confederate cavalry officer without faith or hope, a solitary, haunted man trying to escape his demons in the vast western frontier. Then, one spring day along the Wind River, he finds himself suddenly in the thick of another life-and-death struggle – Annie Devlin’s war.

Desperate to hang on to her ranch and her life, waylaid by gunmen hired by a powerful rancher who covets her land, Annie and her young brother, Robbie, fight a furious, rapidly losing battle for their lives.

When all seems lost, into the fray steps a cold-eyed, steel-nerved stranger – Michael Cantrell – who saves Annie and Robbie, but is himself grievously wounded.

With Annie’s care, Michael recovers not only his strength but a portion of his embittered soul as well. Fighting his powerful feelings for her, convinced he has nothing to give, Michael determines to stay with the Devlins only long enough to ensure their safety against the treachery that would destroy them.

Reluctantly, Michael, who for years has known only loss, allies himself with a stubborn, courageous young woman who will take his heart by storm and test the limit of his honor, his mettle – and his passion.

A finalist for the prestigious Orange Rose Award, TERMS OF SURRENDER takes the reader on a stirring adventure that is also a heartfelt, emotional journey.

Excerpt from TERMS OF SURRENDER, by Lorrie Farrelly

Copyright by Lorrie Farrelly

The wounded man's grip was like iron. Annie couldn't imagine where his strength was coming from. She could feel his whole body trembling against her, and the bandages wrapped around his shoulder and chest were soaked with sweat and fresh blood.

"No!" he cried, glaring at her with wide, wild eyes, feral and ferocious in the candlelight. "You can't ... have him! I won’t … let him … die again! No! Gavin!"

"Captain Cantrell! Michael!"

Unable to wrench his hands from their grip on her small brother, Annie shifted and took Michael's face in her hands, her fingers spread along both sides of his hard, sweat-slick jaw. Turning his head, she forced him to look into her eyes.

"Michael!" she commanded. "Listen! You must let go! He's not Gavin!"

A flicker of confused uncertainty came into the man's eyes, and the huge, black, dilated pupils seemed to constrict slightly, giving Annie a glimpse of deep blue irises.

"Yes, that's right, that's right. Good. Now listen to me, listen to me." Her words, and the gentle stroking of her fingers, became fluid, hypnotic.

And finally, Michael listened. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his cheek, and for a single, brief moment all pain disappeared, replaced abruptly by a great hitch in his chest. He was dead certain his heart had stopped.

"Are you an angel?" he whispered. 

------------------------------------  

Be sure to check out Lorrie's books on Amazon.

Get Ready - This Saturday, Oct 5, Is the Event of the Season!

Welcome fans! So glad you could make it by this week. We have a very special treat. This week we are promoting JLB Creatives next Authors in the Park Event...BOOKTOBERFEST!..coming October 5, 2013!

Be sure to share this post with your friends - there will be books, food, beer, wine, music, and more! See for yourself...


Press Release:

Authors in the Park is coming to historic Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora. Saturday, October 5th, JLB Creatives presents Authors in the Park – Booktoberfest from 2 to 5pm on the lawn in front of the quaint town’s iconic landmark hotel, AIP spokesman Mark Miller, said today.

Booktoberfest combines a traditional German Oktoberfest with an old-fashioned Halloween Costume Contest from the imaginations and creativity of twenty local authors. Host Lakeside Inn will make available authentic German food and beverage. There will be music and more fun. All of the participating authors will be appearing in costume, dressed as one of the characters from their huge variety of books.

The authors include: Janet Beasley; John J. Browne y Ayes; Maria Cox; Lisa DeMarco; Donna DeVito; Wendy Dingwall; Dr. Les Hardin; Tawdra Kandle; Jean E. Lane; Rebekah Lyn; De Miller; Mark Miller; Olivia Miller; Theresa Oliver; Keith Rommel; Tony Vincent; Elise VanCise; Pennie Whitt; Ed Wysocki and Randa Zollinger.

“Lakeside Inn is such an incredible host. We are honored to be a new part of their 130 year history. You won’t find better service or a friendlier staff anywhere,” said JLB Creatives president Janet Beasley.

The Lakeside Inn along with several other local sponsors are contributing to the prize pack for the costume contest. Contest details can be found at www.AuthorsinthePark.com or www.FB.com/AuthorsInThePark. Sponsors are encouraging guests to come in costume. To be eligible for the grand prize, a guest must be dressed as one of the characters listed on the Authors in the Park website, Miller said.

“This is a totally unique event,” said Jean E. Lane. “Guests will have the opportunity to dress as a character from a book by the author they are meeting at Booktoberfest.”

The presenting authors represent a wide spectrum of books from non-fiction to children’s picture books, from Florida history to Earth’s future. The authors include Best-Sellers, Award-Winners, a direct descendant of Ponce de Leon, movie makers and more.

“Our events are not only a reader’s paradise, but also a family fun event. We’ve had art shows, church picnics and now two October parties in one,” Miller, who is public relations and media specialist for JLB Creatives, said. "It is especially fun for me as I will be flanked by my daughter and father, both accomplished authors in their own right.”

Because October is also recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness month, Farley Frigeration of Astatula, Florida will be on hand raising funds for the Susan G. Komen foundation.

“JLB Creatives’ goal is two-fold,” Mrs. Beasley said.” We want to promote local and independent authors and, at the same time, give back to our community. Mount Dora is such a wonderful, supportive place. If we can help bring in literacy and raise awareness for worthy causes, then that is only a small way in which we can repay this great city.”

JLB Creatives, with support from Arts for the Community, Inc. (a non-profit based in Mount Dora), is actively seeking sponsors for future events and other activities.  AIP is involved with the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce and other merchant associations. Contact can be made through the website to arrange an author appearance at your event or organization, Miller said.

------------------------------------

MORE EXCITING JLB CREATIVES NEWS - New publication nearing release:







JLB Creatives is also nearing the release of their next publication...Volume 2 in the Hidden Earth Series! Planet Land - The Adventures of Cub and Nash is slated to debut at BOOKTOBERFEST! We are currently taking pre-orders through October 1, 2013. To save $5 plus get a FREE necklace with every pre-ordered autographed print copy of Planet Land, and read an excerpt from the new novel, CLICK HERE  

------------------------------------------

Until next week - stay casual, live life to the fullest, and have a piece of chocolate for me!

Your blog host,
Author Janet Beasley

Meet Author Andrea Buginsky

Welcome fans! So glad you could make by this week.  Now through next Sunday midnight we are featuring an interview with. . .

Author Andrea Buginsky

WEBSITE OR BLOG ADDRESS: http://www.andreabuginsky.com/

 FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/Andrea.Buginsky.Author

 TWITTER HANDLE: @andreabuginsky

Let's get started. . .

So you thought you’d be a writer – how’s that workin’ out for ya?

Pretty good! I now have four books published. I love creating the stories and the characters, world-building, and coming up with new story ideas. I have also enjoyed watching my writing improve over the years.

  

Let’s say you’re thinking about going on once in a life time vacation…how exciting! What are some of the places you’d consider, and what would you do while you’re there?

Oh, there are so many places I’d love to visit! I want to buy or rent a camper and travel all over the U.S. I’d love to go to Europe. My top vacation destination is Hawaii.

The phone just rang – it’s a movie deal for your book! Holy cow – they’ve left it up to you as to where you want them to film on location, and who will play the starring role…we can’t stand the suspense. Where and who is it?

Wow! A movie…I never imagined – oh, this is just make believe, for now. I’d love to shoot the film somewhere on the coast of England, where there are lots of trees and mountains, and the ocean is right there, so that it looks like the location in my book. The starring role belongs to Vanessa Marano from “Switched at Birth.” She would make a great Elena!

What book or books are you currently working on? Can we expect a new release soon?

I’m currently working on the second book in the New Avalon series. I plan to release it next year.

Time for dinner! No, no, no, we’re not cooking – we’re going out. So…where’s your favorite place to throw down some good food with friends and family? And even more so, what do you recommend from the menu?

Red Lobster! I love seafood. The best time to go is during Shrimp Fest, when you can get all the shrimp you want! My favorite meal from there is the shrimp pasta. Pasta and shrimp all-in-one. Yummy! When do we leave?

Time for adventure! Your friends are heading out to go skydiving for the first time…are you going to join them or suggest a different adventure? If you go skydiving please elaborate, or if you suggest something else what would your favorite adventure be?

 Oh, I would love to go skydiving! Unfortunately, do to medical issues, I’m not allowed to L I think I would go with them to watch and get what I can out of it, even if it’s just the plane ride and the chance to watch them all jump. For an alternative adventure, I’d love to go SCUBA diving.

Forget about make-believe super powers…we’ll never have them – bummer, I know right? But good news…TRUE super powers come in different forms such as a great attitude, a wonderful personality, loving kindness, and other cool traits like those. Who’s the one super hero in your life, and what is their TRUE super power?

My mom. She is one of the strongest people I know. Growing up with heart disease was tough on me, but now that I’m an adult, I can see it from my parents point of view. I can’t imagine sitting there with your child all those years, dealing with everything that’s involved with a heart problem. As much as I hated what I went through, I’ve always said I wouldn’t have wanted to be the one on the other side of the fence. My entire family was there, of course, and I have my wonderful  husband now, too. But mom was my rock. She was there with me through everything, and got me through some very tough times.

Do you prefer writing the good guy’s dialogue or the villain’s? Give us an example of your amazing talent…give us a line of dialogue from your favorite good guy or villain.

I prefer to write my hero’s dialogue. I cringe when I write the villain’s.

Elena: “I’m trying so hard to grasp all of this. I feel like everything’s been thrown at me at once. I need time to  process it all. Some of it just doesn’t seem fair… I never asked for this. But, I have to admit, most of it sounds pretty cool.”

The family wants to go camping. Are you going to join them or stay behind? If you stay behind what are you going to do? Are you going to go shopping and to the spa? Read a book? Sleep in a hammock? Please tell us…we’re curious and want to know just what you’re thinking about doing.

I am going camping! I love it. I love sleeping in the tent in the outdoors, enjoying the fresh air, cooking over the fire, and looking up at the brilliant night sky. It’s amazing how different it looks without the lights of the city to block it.

Creativity. Where does yours come from? This is something writers are asked about much of the time.  Would you be so kind as to elaborate on where you get your ideas and what sparks your creativity?

I honestly don’t know. I love to read, and watch television and movies, so I guess it comes from being exposed to a lot of different stories. My ideas tend to come to me from out of the blue, although sometimes a certain book, movie, or TV episode will spark an idea. Then, I just have to grab on to that idea and run with it.

Love and romance, paranormal, epic fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, drama, and the list goes on. Where do your books fall as far as genre and reading audience?

I write YA fantasy. My books tend to have a bit of romance to them sometimes, but they mostly have the magical aspects of fantasy.

What are your favorite genres of books to read, and what are your favorite genres of books to write?

I love to read YA fantasy and romance novels. I love to write YA fantasy.

Time to go to the movies! Out of all the ones you’ve seen, what’s your fav? And be sure to tell us why in case we haven’t seen it and would like to check it out.

Dirty Dancing! I was 12 when I saw it, and fell instantly in love with it and Patrick Swayze. I think what drew me to it was seeing how much these two characters from such different worlds found each other and fell in love. They also took risks for one another. There was such chemistry between them! And I love the music and dancing.

Social media has become a part of being an author. What are your 3 best tips of the trade for upcoming authors when it comes to building their social media platform?

Set up a website or blog before you even start writing your book. Make sure you post to your blog a few times a week. The idea is to introduce yourself to readers as a person. Once they get to know you, you can tell them you’re writing a book. When you release the book, they’ll be ready to check it out! I also think a Facebook and Twitter account are a must to keep up with all of the social media frenzy. Post things to your page that interest you to draw in more followers.

For the first time in your writing career someone recognizes you as their favorite author, in public. Would you panic? Smile and bask in the moment? Blush and walk away? Invite them for coffee and cupcakes? Scream? Run? Faint?

Oh, wow… I would be so thrilled! I would grin from ear-to-ear and definitely bask in the moment. I’d spend as much time talking to them as I could.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! You rush to grab the special edition only to find the headline describes your life from day 1 till now. Don’t leave us hanging…what is the headline?

Local Author Overcomes Health Issues, Blossoms into Brilliant Writer

How much time do you devote to writing? Daily – weekly – monthly – whenever the urge strikes?

Whenever the urge strikes. I try to set up a daily schedule, but don’t always have the inclination to work on my current story. I do a lot of marketing, which I’m still learning how to do. I also stay active on my social media sites, mostly Facebook and Twitter, and keep my blog up-to-date.

Did you ever study writing? Feel free to elaborate – we’d love to hear about your education.

Yes, I have a B.A. in Mass Communications – Journalism.

What kind of animals, birds, or fish do you like best? Do you have any pets - how many do you have – and what are their names?

I love dogs! I have two of my own, and they are my babies. Wickett is a Peek-a-Poo and Max is a Shih Tzu.

If you could personally thank one person, or several (living or not) for giving you the strength, determination, and perseverance to continue in your writing who would you thank?

My family. Everyone has been very supportive of my writing career from day one. It was my sister who first suggested it as a career for me, and I’m so grateful to her for that.

Who is your favorite character that you have created? Tell us about him or her and why you are so fond of them.

Elena, perhaps because she is the newest. But the one trait my main characters have in common is they are the unlikely heroine. I like this role because it’s how I see myself. I was never very popular in school. I had my friends and my own interests, but I never felt like I was in the spotlight like some of the other kids. Elena is the shy, quiet girl that nobody sees in the hall, unless it’s to make fun of her. I love her “I’m not going to let it bother me” attitude, and the underlying hurt feelings you know she’s experiencing from it. She just needs a little push to discover her inner heroine and become a strong, independent person.

  

What is your favorite make-believe place you’ve ever created in a story? Is it a town? A hide-out? A futuristic city? The possibilities are endless! Please tell us all about your fav as we’d all love to escape with you!

My favorite is Phantasma, the world I created for my first series, The Chosen. I developed a whole new world that has a feel of the dark ages with a lot of fantasy mixed in. There are areas that are green and beautiful, areas that are dark and scary, and in the middle is a kingdom with a beautiful castle that brings the world together.

If you could choose where you wanted to live on a fantasy world would you choose living in the tree tops, living on the water, living under the water, living beneath the trees underground, or living on a sky ship? Perhaps you have your own idea of the perfect fantasy dwelling. Be sure to fill us in on what and why.

Under the sea, definitely! I love the water. I wish I could be a mermaid and live there. I’d want to be one that had legs out of the water, though, so I could come to the shore and lie on the sand. But I would love to live in the sea surrounded by the beautiful scenery and wildlife that lives there.

SPEED ROUND!

Soup or stew?

Soup

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate!

Dogs or cats?

Dogs

Horses or cows?

Horses

Insects or reptiles?

Reptiles, but only certain ones. No snakes!

------------------------------------------

How do you deal with rejection when you submit an MS?

I get a little upset at first, mostly disappointed, but then I shake it off and rethink where to send the piece to next.

As an author we all know we get those “stink-o” reviews that come through now and again. How do you handle a bad review when it hits?

The same as a rejection. Upset and disappointed at first. Then, I shake it off. Not everyone is going to like my books, and if someone has the desire to write a bad review, well, who am I to stop them. And hey, they read the book, right? Who knows, maybe they’ll give my future work a try and like it.

 If you could cure something in this world, what would it be?

Too many to choose from… From a strictly personal point of view, heart disease.

What are your pet peeves – you know those little things that just drive you nuts?

Being interrupted when I’m reading, writing, or watching TV.

Listening to someone talk around and around a subject, rather than get to the point.

People with bad attitudes. There’s no need for it.

What is your favorite cake? Are you an icing freak?

White cake with chocolate frosting, but no, not too much frosting. And sprinkles!

Of all the professions in this world you opted to be a writer. What brought you to it?

I was heading into my last semester at junior college when I realized the field I planned to go into was not a good match for me. Suddenly, I had to decide what I was going to be when I grew up. My sister said, “You love to write. Why not do that?” And the rest is history.

Do you create and design your own book covers?

No. I’m all thumbs when it comes to that kind of creativity.

  

As a self-published author do you recommend having your novels professionally edited? Please give us some cool thoughts of why you chose the answer you did.

It depends on what you mean by “professionally.” If you can afford a “professional” editor, then I suppose so. But if you can’t, find someone you trust who knows a lot about words, writing and the English language to edit your books for you. I definitely recommend having someone edit them for you.

  

As a self-published author do you think that the ebook phenomenon helps or hinders your sales? Please let us know why you chose the answer you chose.

I think they help. It’s very easy to shop around Amazon and find a book you are interested in, then just hit the “buy” link. With the way the world works today, online shopping is definitely the way to go.

  

Do you find it annoying that people spend hundreds of dollars on ereading devices, yet complain about spending 99 cents and/or demand ebooks for free? Share your thoughts – don’t worry, we all know we can’t please all of the people all of the time, but we can always please some of the people some of the time. J

LOL Absolutely! Why pay so much for the device if you are not willing to spend the few dollars an eBook costs? Yes, less expensive or free books are great, but when you are shopping for the books you want, why complain about the $2.99 price tag? I love it!

  

To ebook or not to ebook – that is the question. What’s your take?

All of my books are eBooks, so…

If you could spend a day with an author, who would it be? And of course we’ve got to know why.

J.K. Rowling. I would love to meet her and talk to her about books and writing.

Where can we find your book(s)?

On Amazon and my website. 

 ---------------------------------

RE-CAP of JLBC Upcoming Events and Publications:

Plans are being made to present a Business After Hours in conjunction with Lakeside Inn in beautiful downtown Mt. Dora, FL on September 26, 2013 from 5:00p - 7:00p. There will be tours, book readings, and mini presentations regarding how Lakeside Inn and JLB Creatives are working together for the community.

The JLBC Executive Team is also gearing up for the St. Augustine Florida Heritage Book Festival fast approaching September 28, 2013. They will have an exhibit promoting Authors in the Park Events, JLB Creatives publications, and the executive team's novels, and more! If you're going to be at the festival be sure to look us up and say hello.

October 5, 2013 2:00p - 5:00p JLB Creatives unleashes the next Authors in the Park Event: BOOKTOBERFEST! A unique, interactive event showcasing nearly 20 authors. It will be taking place at the Lakeside Inn in Mt. Dora, FL CLICK HERE for details on the Authors in the Park upcoming event where the authors will be dressed as characters from their own novels, and guests are encouraged to pick one of the participating author's characters and come in costume to be entered into the contest.

And as if that's not enough - JLB Creatives is nearing the release of their next publication...Volume 2 in the Hidden Earth Series! Planet Land - The Adventures of Cub and Nash is slated to debut at BOOKTOBERFEST! We are currently taking pre-orders through October 1, 2013. To save $5 plus get a FREE necklace with every pre-ordered autographed print copy of Planet Land, and read an excerpt from the new novel, CLICK HERE  

Join the Hidden Earth Series News Letter to keep up to date on all the new releases and news. It's the easiest form on the web! We only ask for 2 things...your first name and your email address. To sign up and read our privacy statement  CLICK HERE

In addtion to Planet Land, be sure to look for the JLB Creatives publication that has just released - The Tinfoil Girl by 10 year old author, Olivia Miller. A wonderful fantasy story about a young girl made of tinfoil who experiences many things in her walk through life. Some happy, some scary - this 34 page book will keep you glued to the pages not only with its story, but also it's amazing illustrations modeled after Olivia's own, real tinfoil girl figurine. Look for it on Amazon! CLICK HERE 

We certainly hope you enjoyed this week - be sure to share the JLB Creatives Blog with your friends and family so they too, can keep up with all the wonderful news and artists we present each week. 

Until next time - stay casual, live life to the fullest, and have a piece of chocolate for me!

Your blog host,

Author Janet Beasley