Friday's New Agenda...

Welcome fans - we're so glad you stopped by today here at the JLB Creatives Publishing Blog. Things are gearing up to run full speed ahead here at JLB Creatives Publishing in the next few months. For that very reason we are going to be posting Monday-Thursday, and adding Friday to our break schedule along with Saturdays and Sundays for the time being.

We encourage you to invite your friends and family to become a follower of our blog so they can keep up with all of the great happenings with JLB Creatives Publishing. We also want to extend our personal invitation to all of you to visit and "like" our JLB Creatives Publishing Facebook page where you can join in with our 13,000+ other fans who are already taking advantage of the benefits of being a fan of JLB Creatives Publishing on Facebook.

Here's wishing you a stellar weekend ahead! Until Monday...may you stay casual, live life to the fullest, and enjoy a bite of chocolate for us.

Sincerely, 
Your JLB Creatives Publishing Team

Thursady Prompt: What happens next

For today's prompt, you're going to finish the story. Your story can be of any word count or genre as long as you use the starter exactly as it is written as the first sentence. Ready here's the starter:


It was a beautiful day at the beach. Warm sand, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, a bottle with a message inside hitting my foot.


Now it's up to you! What happens next?



Stop by JLBCreatives.com for great spring reads and to submit your manuscript for consideration!

Spark Your Creativity!

Every Wednesday we offer you a special photo taken by our CEO Janet Beasley to help spark your creativity. Whether you're an author, a painter, a musician, or clay sculpture artist we think you'll find her photos very inspiring!

Find Your Happy Place

To view more of Janet's photos visit Janet on Flickr

Happy Creating!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to our amazing fans and followers!

JLB Creatives Publishing's CEO loves this holiday. Being she is of Irish decent she is always ready to serve up a good meal on this festive day. Here's a sampling of her favorite recipes to fix for her St. Patrick's Day feast...

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Start with:

Warm Reuben Spead ~
directly from Kraft.com

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Dive into the main course:

Slow-Cooked Corned Beef Recipe ~

directly from Taste of Home

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Cap off the meal with this sweet delight:

The Best Darn Peppermint Brownies
...EVER! ~ 

directly from: 
Author Janet Beasley's Hidden Earth Series cookbook
 "More Than Grilled Cheese 
and Tomato Soup" 

     Ingredients:

In a small mixing bowl create DRY MIX by whisking together:

1½ c all-purpose flour

1/3 c Hershey's Special Dark® cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

Using an electric mixer, cream together on LOW speed:

2 squares (1 oz each) white chocolate, melted

1 c sugar

1 c packed brown sugar

1 c sweet cream unsalted butter, softened

2 T light corn syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs—one at a time

Add DRY MIX (a little at a time) and fold in:

½ c York Peppermint Pattie® baking pieces

Preheat oven to 375º.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan. 

Spread brownie batter into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. 

DO NOT OVER BAKE!

Optional: Ice with Pillsbury vanilla icing. Add a few drops of green food coloring if 
so desired for St. Patrick's Day feasts

Living a life renewed

In 1995 twelve-year-old Lisa was diagnosed with AML leukemia. Two years later, after many chemotherapy treatments, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant, Lisa returned to “normal” life. She had maintained a positive attitude throughout the treatment process, but with each new chronic illness Lisa became more and more bitter and resentful. 

In 2003 Lisa, finally realized this and began a healing process. She relived her past experiences by keeping a journal and talking to GOD about what was really going on at the time, sharing her honest thoughts, belief, and emotions. In doing so, Lisa found freedom from the bitterness, anger, and doubt which had gradually set in and taken over her life, faith, and relationships. 

The ten years she recounts in this book are marked by sicknesses and struggles, but ultimately Lisa's story is one of healing, which gives hope to those of us who are still suffering.

About author Lisa Andrews

Lisa holds a BM in Vocal Music Education and an MA in Ethnomusicology. She enjoys learning about other

cultures. She and her husband Charles enjoy cooking, listening to music, writing music and spending time with friends and family. They hope to author additional books in the near future. 

What Readers' Favorite Reviews had to say about A Life Renewed

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

A Life Renewed by Lisa Andrews is an inspiring story of Lisa's recovery from AML leukemia. The book takes you on a physical and emotional journey of a person who rises up from the depths of despair and goes on a path of healing - mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. She starts the book from the diagnosis to the treatment period and how it affected her mentally. Lisa ends up being bitter and resentful. By keeping a journal to talk to God, she overcomes the negative feelings and ends up embarking on a positive path. The book gives hope to those who are suffering and looking for redemption.

It is an emotionally moving story that will touch your heart. The author has chronicled her experiences in a manner for the reader to comprehend them easily. The story of Lisa and her recovery from cancer will be inspiring to many readers who are suffering from illnesses and who are emotionally and mentally angry and bitter. The transformation journey is motivating to read. She tells readers to have faith in God during their adverse moments and to keep their relationship with God going during their worst times.

Though the book speaks of anguish and pain on both the mental and physical plane, it ends on a positive note. Lisa links cancer to sinning, which would make us think twice now when we behave badly. The ten years of her life covered in the book is inspiring and motivating for any reader.

Where to buy A Life Renewed: 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

BooksAMillion 

Available in both e-book and print! 

Be sure to stop by JLBCreatives.com to discover new books or submit your manuscript, Submissions are open! 

There's a Ton of Fun Coming to Our Facebook Page!

Hello faithful and much appreciated fans! We hope your week is cruising by in style, and you are wearing that amazing smile of yours.

Speaking of amazing smiles...have we ever got some fun coming to the JLB Creatives Publishing Facebook page. Here's our new line up of what's in store for our current and future FB fans starting next week:

• Mondays: Magnificent Monday ~ a featured photo of someone (or something) smiling big. It's a great reminder to us that Monday's can be magnificent...all we have to do is smile! 
• Tuesdays: Terrific Tuesday ~ every week on Tuesday we will be running a new giveaway. Winners will receive a digital $5 US amazon gift card. Each contest runs for a week and one winner will be selected via Rafflecopter each week.
• Wednesdays: Bling Squirrel Wednesday ~ on Wednesdays we will be featuring a photo with our mascot, Bling Squirrel, hidden in it somewhere. There is no prize for finding Bling Squirrel, it's just a fun time-waster to help get you over the "hump" of your week. If you would like to read how Bling Squirrel became our mascot, visit our Facebook Fan Page and look for our Bling Squirrel post from March 11, 2015 (hint: you'll see a giant picture of Bling Squirrel on the post)
• Thursdays: TBT (Throw Back Thursday) ~ features a TBT photo and brief info of a well known author from long ago
• Fridays: FAN-tastic Friday ~ a post will be made on Fridays asking a random question. We encourage you to join in the fun by posting your answer in a comment. Obscene or slanderous posts will be deleted.

If you've not become a fan of our JLB Creatives Publishing Facebook page, consider this your formal invitation from us personally to join our other 13,000+ fans now, to enjoy all of the fun throughout the week. 

Thanks for all your shared enthusiasm and continued support. Be sure to click that "like" button on your favorite posts so more cool peeps, just like you, will have the chance to see the fun we're having on JLBCP's Facebook page. Hope to see you there!

Thursday Prompt: High in the sky

This week we have a visual prompt to tease your muse. Take a good look at this image and all the details within it for a few minutes. What are these men doing? Are they in a contest for a new car? A circus act? Maybe it's something more sinister a contest of endurance and survival. You decide what these men are up to and write your story in any genre and any word count.

Library of Congress photographs

Stop by JLBCreaitves.com to see what's new or to submit your manuscript! 

Spark Your Creativity!

Every Wednesday we offer you a special photo taken by our CEO Janet Beasley to help spark your creativity. Whether you're an author, a painter, a musician, or clay sculpture artist we think you'll find her photos very inspiring! 

Be Confident in Your Talent

To view more of Janet's photos visit Janet on Flickr

Happy Creating!

March Submissions ~ Irish of Course! And BIG NEWS!

Welcome fans, so glad you're here. We hope your March has been going well and your little fingers have been busy typing away.

Submissions are open! In honor of the luck O' the Irish, we're opening up submissions starting today through the end of March, focusing on Irish themed novels, and novels by Irish authors. We are looking specifically for Irish based fantasy, romance, paranormal, mysteries, and thrillers. So if this describes you and you have been contemplating as to whether or not to make a submission to a publisher, we invite you to read our Submission Guidelines to see if you find us as the right fit to consider your work for publication. We invite you to visit the publishing company online at JLBCreatives.com 

~   ~   ~

BIG NEWS! Be sure and visit our Facebook page...the luck of the Irish has struck JLB Creatives Publishing! 

COMING SOON: We’ve got something new in store for our awesome FB fans ~ it’s a weekly giveaway from our JLB Creatives Publishing Facebook page. We’re calling it "TERRIFIC TUESDAY!" 

Here’s how it works. Every Tuesday you’re invited to check out our latest "TERRIFIC TUESDAY" giveaway at JLB Creatives Publishing on Facebook for entry instructions for that week. Your correct participation will automatically enter you into the weekly drawing for a chance to win a digital $5 US amazon gift card, compliments of JLB Creatives Publishing. Visit the Giveaway tab on our Facebook page to check out the first "TERRIFIC TUESDAY" giveaway coming March 17, 2015 then be sure to return and enter when the time comes because who knows, you could be our first, lucky, weekly winner! Giveaway winner selections are provided through Rafflecopter and are not affiliated with Facebook in anyway.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

FAPA Spring Conference 2015 Recap!

CEO Janet Beasley, at our table with some info for aspiring authors 

Saturday morning authors and publishers gathered together at the NOVA Southeastern University in Orlando, Florida for the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA) Spring Conference on Social Media Branding.

JLB Creatives Publishing team members Janet Beasley, CEO and Elise VanCise, Media Director attended the conference as speakers and representing JLB Creatives Publishing company. Joined by Ken Countess of  The Countess Group.

Mr. Countess was the first to speak and gave an informative session on how important social media has become a major marketing tool for authors and other small businesses. He gave us some great information on what to do and what to say in the social media-verse.

Janet talks about JLBCP and what we do to promote our authors! 

Next up, the JLB Creatives Publishing team! CEO Janet Beasley introduced and spoke about JLB CreativesJLBCreatives.com
Publishing and what we do for our authors. Did you know our publishing team has over 100 years experience in the publishing industry? You can check that fact out by visiting our website

After Janet, Elise VanCise took the stage and spoke about the differences between branding and marketing and how to create images to focus on your author brand or your author products.

After the sessions came the Social Media & Branding Panel. There were discussions on many aspects of social media and how it plays into marketing strategies, how often should you post to a media site, how important are mailing lists, hashtag etiquette and more.

Elise talking about the importance of having a social media platform

The JLB Creatives team came home armed with some great information and excited about jumping back into their social media campaigns.

Huge thanks to FAPA for allowing us to speak once again and we look forward to the next great event!

As always don't forget to drop by JLBCreatives.com to see what's new on the bookshelf or submit your novel for consideration!

Tomorrow's the Big Day!

Welcome to the JLB Creatives Publishing Blog. Tomorrow marks the event that we've been looking forward to...that being the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (FAPA) Spring Conference. 

FAPA brings to the plate an array of goodies in the literary world. At the Spring Conference, Social Media is the main focus. We are honored to have been chosen as a publishing company to participate. Our Media Director, Elise VanCise, will be speaking as our company representative.

In addition to their conferences, FAPA offers up one of the best contests around. Several categories are available to choose from, and you may enter your work in more than one category (entry fees required). Their Fall Conference serves up a nice array of topics for attendees, all of which are presented by industry professionals. The FAPA board members are always on hand to assist other FAPA members with their expertise in the industry. 

JLB Creatives Publishing is proud to be a member of FAPA. If you have not as of yet "introduced" yourself to the association here is a helpful link to get you started: Florida Authors and Publishers Association. Once you are on the website we invite you to surf around to get yourself acquainted.

If you have already registered for the FAPA Spring Conference being held in Orlando, Florida Saturday March 7, 2015, please be sure and stop by the JLBCP exhibit table between sessions and say hello to our CEO, Janet Beasley. She will be happy to answer your publishing questions, show you some of JLB Creatives Publishing's published authors' works, or talk to you about making a submission of your completed MS.

Thursday Prompt: Objects around the house

This week's prompt is all about impromptu thinking or musing. We all have some kind of collection or interesting things around our house. We're going to find three things to include in a flash fiction of at least 800 words. You can write in any genre you wish.

Where do you find these story objects you ask? Do you keep a curio cabinet or nik-naks on your bookshelves? My personal favorite is the junk drawer. There are a ton of treasures in there to toss into a story.

Once you have where your objects are coming from, don't think about it just reach out and pick three random things. If you need to time yourself with say five seconds to pick out items. That shuts off the thinker so you can just grab. :)

Now sit back at your desk with your muse's treasures and look them over. You can turn your thinker back on again here and examine your objects and see if they have a story to tell on their own or where you can add them into a dark mystery or would  an elf keep that in his pouch?

Have fun and stretch your imagination as you  charge your muse with the cool stuff you walk by every day. Oh and don't forget to visit us at JLBCreatives.com for a great read or to submit your manuscript :)

Spark Your Creativity!

Every Wednesday we offer you a special photo taken by our CEO Janet Beasley to help spark your creativity. Whether you're an author, a painter, a musician, or clay sculpture artist we think you'll find her photos very inspiring!

Life is Full of Ups and Downs

Happy Creating!

Why Don't You Get a Real Job?

Hello awesome fans!

Today we are going to focus on a couple of tips for authors. We hope these tips will make life easier for you when you're on the receiving end of an infamous cliche` such as, "Why don't you get a real job?"

How frustrating it is when you've invested tons of time into your story and someone delivers a devastating blow to you like, "Anyone can write a book - what makes you so special? Why don't you quit playing around and get a real job?" I think we've all been hit with those kinds of words, and hit hard, me included. But through the years I've learned to deal with those kinds of words fired at me, and consider them "water off a duck's back," and you can too.

I am an author ~ I am creative
I have a fantastical imagination
I have a talent ~ and I am NOT a quitter

The first thing to come to terms with is that what you are doing IS a real job. Paid or not, the literary arena is full of real jobs that take real work, dedication, and a passion for a craft to achieve polished end results. 

Not an easy thing, but doable nonetheless; train yourself to NOT fire back when someone says something negative about your career choice. Smile, bite your tongue, and move on no matter how difficult it may seem. Learn to tell yourself the person delivering the verbal-hard-punch is most likely not familiar with the entire process of writing and/or publishing. If youre' feeling up to it, you may want to ask them, nicely, if they have ever written a novel and had it published. If their answer is no, then offer to explain the process. If they're not interested in listening to your explanation, again, smile, bite your tongue, and move on.

Does it ever stop hurting when you hear such words? No, at least it hasn't for me and I'm on epic novel #9. But if you stay poised, polite, and keep a good attitude in those situations, in time, those negative words won't hurt nearly as much. 

In life, as an author, you will have every opportunity in the world to "give up" on your writing career, but in reality the best thing you can do is keep going. I have found that often times the negative remarks fuel my passion to continue on, and I strive to become even better at my "real job" than I've ever been.

Don't let the "nay-sayers" get you down. No matter what negative things they say to you, always remember this: if you are a writer you have a true talent, you are creative, you have an imagination worth sharing, and you are worth every word you write and then some! Keep your chin up, and your ideas flowing. There is always someone out there who wants to read your hard work and will appreciate it.

Believe in yourself, be confident in your stories, and never throw in "the pen." If you have a story inside, you need to let it out for the world to read. It's just that simple. 

The time has come for his story to be told: 28 Months of Heaven and Hell by J.D. Karns

Imagine a young sailor stationed aboard a destroyer escort during WWII. Try to imagine the adventures he experiences and the sights he sees, as well as the horrors he endures. In this historical novel you’ll meet this young man and witness the wonders and tragedies with him.

28 Months of Heaven and Hell is based on the true life experiences of Naval veteran Carl Lee Young as shared with his youngest brother. This fact-based account has been fictionalized by author J.D. Karns. It is a story to stir the American spirit. You will be inspired by a young man’s journey to survive a war.

About 28 Months of Heaven and Hell

J.D. Karns' historical novel is based on the actual journal kept by Carl Lee Young while he served in the U.S. Navy during WWII aboard the escort vessel USS Melvin R. Nawman DE-416. Karns has brilliantly woven Carl’s journal entries together with fiction to create an entertaining, breathtaking, and highly factual account of the war from a sailor's point of view. Experience everything from the great typhoon of 1944 to Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and from the atom bomb to the signing of the treaty that ended the Second World War. It is an emotional roller coaster ride between the onboard action and the family back home. The realism of not only the war but also the era has been captured with expertise.

In real life Carl's younger brother, Charles, longed to hear his big brother's WWII story. When Carl returned from the war he promised his little brother that someday he would tell him all about it. That day came recently when Charles began receiving journal entries from Carl via emails, totaling 168. Both Carl and Charles are excited to have their story turned into a historic novel. Both brothers are still living; they share the dream of holding a published copy of Carl's story in their hands before being called to Heaven. Carl resides in Arizona, and Charles resides in Florida. Both are still happily married and, through emails and phone calls, enjoy keeping each other informed of their day-to-day lives.

Readers can find 28 Months of Heaven and Hell in print and ebook at the links below or a bookstore near you.
Amazon (Kindle and Paperback)
Barnes & Noble (Nook and Paperback)
BooksAMillion  (ebook)
BooksAMillion (Paperback)

For more about this book, authors and other great reads published by JLB Creatives Publishing visit us at JLBCreatives.com JLB Creatives Publishing is also open for submissions. To find out what we are open for and our manuscript guidelines visit our website.

World-building ~ Straight from the JLBCP CEO, Fantasy Author Janet Beasley

Hello fans - We hope this post finds you doing well and looking forward to a wonderful weekend ahead!

The Fantasy World of Maycly ~ created by Janet Beasley
Illustration by Dar Bagby
copyright 2010

As a fantasy author myself, I must say that world-building has become one of my most treasured tasks throughout the writing process of my fantasy novels. 

I'd like to share a few tips on creating a realistic world for your readers to enjoy. When I begin to write my fantasy novels, I begin to create my world. Often times it takes me a few chapters to settle in, and fully begin the task of building my world to the fullest. Below are 10 things from a larger list of tools I use when the time comes to turn my imagination into a realistic, fictional world.



1) What shape is your world? (round, flat, etc.)
2) What kind of climate(s) are found on your world?
3) Is there water, or is your world a dry, baron desert?
4) Are there mountains, valleys, caves, fields, meadows, etc.?
5) What kind of dwellings do your characters live in?
6) What are the modes of transportation?
7) Is there currency of any kind?
8) Are there weapons?
9) Is there a section of your world that is forbidden?
10) Do you magic laws fit your world, or do they need to be adjusted?

These 10 tips should get your creative juices flowing. Once you begin to build your world, you will find many other questions that need answered to certain that your very own masterpiece becomes a fictional reality. 

Bonus Tip: 11) HAVE FUN!

See you next time!
~Janet~

Thursday Prompt: Visual Prompt

Hello, fellow writers! This week we're going to have some fun with a visual prompt. We challenge you to write a 1,000-word minimum story inspired by the photo below. Your story may be of any genre not necessarily a western. (though they are a lot of fun!) Study the photo for a few minutes then set your muse free on the range. Good luck and Happy Scribbles!

Spark Your Creativity!

Every Wednesday we offer you a special photo taken by our CEO Janet Beasley to help spark your creativity. Whether you're an author, a painter, a musician, or clay sculpture artist we think you'll find her photos very inspiring!

Waiting for the Fog to Lift

Happy Creating!

FAPA Spring Conference ~ Social Media Seminars at Their Best!

Spring is here! Join JLB Creatives Publishing's Media Director Elise VanCise (pictured right), and CEO Author Janet Beasley (pictured left) at the FAPA Annual Spring Conference. Elise will be speaking in-depth on Social Media, and Janet will be manning the JLBCP exhibit table ~ ready to answer your publishing questions.

Date: Saturday, March 7, 2015. From 12:00 p.m. (noon) – 5:00 p.m.

Success in publishing is all about self promotion. FAPA's 2015 Spring Conference is a dynamic learning opportunity for authors, publisher, or any profession building a brand through social media. The Spring Conference is the best place to discover new strategies and meet face-to-face with active up-and-coming business professionals in the publishing industry.

Cost: $49.00 Members - $59.00 Non-members (Membership discounted to $50 when you register for the event, a savings of $15.) 

Only 30 seats available at this opportunity. Register now! Visit Florida Authors & Publishers Association, Inc. on FB to get started.

Beware the Draugar!

What happens to Vikings when they die? Find out in the Hidden Earth Series, Volume Three Planet Water: Draugar of the Abyss

This volume of the Hidden Earth Series holds true to the excitement and thrills provided for readers of the previous two volumes. In Volume Three, Planet Water: Draugar of the Abyss we take a historic turn in the fantastic world of Maycly and journey with sixteen-year-old Arrowanna as she carves out her destiny with the help of her family, friends, and maybe a new love.

About the Hidden Earth Series, Volume Three, Planet Water: Draugar of the Abyss

What happens to Vikings when they die? Some become the undead known as Draugar.

On her 16^th birthday, Arrowanna, one of the gilled people on Planet Water, is summoned by the Grand Wizard, SUL, to be the next Carrier in His plan for a new Earth. Arrowanna, unsuspecting and somewhat rebellious, boards a tall ship (with her twin brothers stowing away as her protectors) and sets out on a quest to find The Element. In a race against time—and the Draugar—she must reach the castle with The Element to keep SUL’s plan from failing.

There is nothing but trouble from the onset as Arrowanna sails above and beneath the waves. This aquatic journey takes her to the Island of Opposites, leads her to fall head-over-heels in love, lands her in the midst of an underwater battle, and even drags her into the icy caves of the abyss. Twists, turns, and Draugar abound in this fast-paced adventure, all while presenting nuggets of Old Norse and Icelandic mythology.

Pressure from her new love’s request and the urgency to find and deliver The Element in time cause Arrowanna to doubt herself. Will the quest be too much for her? Will she cast her destiny to the wind? Set sail with her on this mystical adventure, but…Beware the Draugar!

About author Janet Beasley

Janet is more than an author; she is one of those unique people who thrives on her fantastical imagination. Her imagination has served her well throughout the years. Working in the theatrical and live event production arenas for several years has added inspiration for her Hidden Earth Series.

Serving in multiple arenas from stage technician to special effects designer, and from performer to production manager, Janet has run the gamut when it comes to entertaining. She has appeared in TV commercials, spread ads, and has been published in trade specific magazines. Her creative writing career began with stage plays then evolved into creative fiction. Her Hidden Earth Series is a must-read for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained while, at the same time, learning life's lessons through the eyes of Janet’s amazing characters.

Janet is a co-creator and instructor for the Young Writers Workshop at the Pickford Community Library in Michigan. As a Florida resident, she makes her appearance via Skype. She enjoys kayaking with her husband, photographing nature, and baking cupcakes.

Look for the entire Hidden Earth Series
Volume One, Maycly The Trilogy, Book One: Two Altered Worlds

Volume One, Maycly The Trilogy, Book Two: The Battle of Trust and Treachery

Volume One, Maycly The Trilogy, Book Three: The Queen

Volume Two, Planet Land: The Adventures of Cub and Nash

Volume Three, Planet Water: Draugar of the Abyss COMING SOON!

In addition, two companion books are also available to accompany the MAYCLY trilogy: a full-color illustration book The Chukkons Say, “Ye Need ta Be a-Seein’ Maycly” and a cookbook “More Than Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.”

Readers can find the first four Hidden Earth books currently at most retailers.

You can find more information on this book and author, or discover other great reads, by visiting http://jlbcreatives.com