Monday Blog: October 15:Mood Music and Movies

In keeping with the spooky theme of October, I wanted to share some of the things I’ve been up to lately. After all, all work and no play makes Nicole a dull (and sleep deprived) girl.

Mood Music

I like to listen to music while I’m writing. I try to listen to music that relates to the particular body of work I’m working on. If I’m writing a piece for Our Lady, I’ll most likely listen to Green Day or The Killers. For Valentine , My Chemical Romance or AFI or Mindless Self Indulgence, does the trick. I’m still working on Erin Michaels: Spooky B, ​so I’ve been listening to anything Goth or Emo-related. My primary go-to, is IAMX. I heard “Look Outside” playing in an episode of ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder, and I was instantly addicted. Plus, I’ve been listening to a lot of Bauhaus. One of my favorites: “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”.  Music helps me stay in the mood to write and focus on the subject matter in front of me. In fact, there’s a video on my Instagram account of the draft of Spooky B on my laptop and “Look Outside” playing in the background. 

 

Movies

Of course, I’m still watching movies! AMC’s Fear Fest has been very helpful. I’ve watched several of the Halloween movies this weekend, and A Nightmare on Elm Street last weekend. These are movies that are perfect for this time of year, and I haven’t seen them in a very long time. But hey: you’ve got to get out of the house, right? I’ve been to the movies as well. I’ve seen The Nun, which is part of the Conjuring series. It wasn’t as scary as I had hoped it would be, but it was still worth seeing. I’m debating whether or not I want to see the latest version of Halloween that just came out. Watching the other movies in the series recently has me wondering how Michael Myers is still around and if this movie was even necessary. We’ll see. I’ve also seen Venom. No, it’s not a horror movie, but I’m a Marvel nerd and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. It was great, by the way. If you haven’t seen it, GO SEE IT!

 

Research

I’m still doing resarch for Age of the Daughter. I’ve come across some interesting information, including rituals for Samhain (pronounced sow-win or sow-ween). I may incorporate this information into the book, along with many other things I’ve learned about. 

I have a lot of work ahead of me, but hopefully I’ll have Spooky B ​ready for all of you next week. Until then!

woolastonentertainment.com

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Monday Blog: Oct 8: Erin Michaels is a Spooky B

Welcome to the second Monday Blog post for October! I’m currently working on a special book for Halloween, which should be available by October 21. It’s Erin Michaels: Spooky B, and it’s all about the things that scare us.

Halloween is without a doubt, my favorite holiday. I’m a bit of a Goth at heart, so this is the time of year I can be more of myself. It’s also the perfect time of year, to watch horror movies and find new ways to scare yourself. This made me think about all of the things that have scared me over the years. So,I decided to write a book about those things, and who better to narrate it,than Erin of Our Lady of Righteous Rage. ​She’s going to cover everything, from movies and books, to phobias and the dark. You’ll probably come across some things that scare you, too. And, you may discover some things, you weren’t familiar with. Even though this is going to be a Halloween book, feel free to read it anytime! Below, is a little sample. Enjoy!

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Chapter Two
Reagan’s Spiderwalk

        The first movie to legitimately scare the shit out of me, was The Exorcist.  Now, I’m not just talking about a movie that made me jump while I was watching it. I had to sleep with the lights on for awhile after I saw it. Plus, I was kinda young when I saw it (probably too young), which added to my fear. Years later, I read the book the movie was based on. I think William Peter Blatty’s novel ended up scaring me even more than the movie did. I’m a visual person, so when I read something, I visualize what I’m reading. As I read each chapter of the book, I imagined scenes from the movie, so I found myself feeling scared, all over again.
        For anyone who has seen The Exorcist or read the book (or both), you already know what makes it so frightening.  For those of you who have never seen it, you’re probably thinking, “What could be so damn scary about a horror movie from 1973?” For me, it’s a combination of things. First off all, the overall plot: a twelve-year-old girl becomes possessed.  Doctors think she’s just acting out, and needs medication, until serious things start happening…things that can’t be explained away be medical science. When the priests get involved, shit gets real. Second, there are certain memorable scenes from the movie, that stay with you, even after the credits start rolling. Reagan’s head facing the wrong direction is one of the most well-known scenes. The scariest scene (to me, anyway), is her backwards spider walk down the stairs. This scene appears in the uncut version of the movie, and I can still see it in my head. Nothing has ever come close to it–except for that scene in John Carpenter’s In the Mouth of Madness.  Try Googling “spider walk in the mouth of madness” and see it for yourself. Kinda gross. Third reason for scaring me: The Exorcist is based on a true story. Need I say more?
        Movies can be scary. Sure, we tell ourselves, “It’s just a movie!” But, the fear is real, all the same. In the next chapter, I’m going to take a stroll down memory lane, and tell you all about the horror movies that have scared me over time.

 

 

The Age of The Daughter

I’m still working on the sequel to The Witch  of Fulton Lane. With W.E.’s relocation, things got a little backed up, and this book will be coming out later than I planned. But, that’s a good thing. It means I can put as much time and effort into it as I want, without racing to meet an impossible deadline. Here’s a small sample below. For a longer preview, check out this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRjDnSi49PqFNx4x9D4RiOeSDLSiRhUpMgSALMVSQtQqI-_IUrG8IrxRv8QjzQJwq5QhrhtV9vD2q05/pub

 

 Dylan’s face became serious. “Some witches are evil,” she said, flatly. “But that’s their choice. If you keep looking on that shelf, you’re going to find a copy of The Quran, The Mahabharata, books containing missing books from the Holy Bible, and the Bible itself. I have copies of The Torah and The Talmud, books on Buddhism, Hinduism, as well as Paganism, Neo Paganism, Wicca, and more. I’m a religious person. Being a religious person doesn’t limit me to only one religion. When I read tarot cards for people, I get people from all religions, and all walks of life. No matter what you believe in, it all leads to the same place: a higher power, greater than us, that we all turn to.”

 

 

​See you next week…

woolastonentertainment.com

Monday Blog:October News

It’s the first day of October and the first Monday Blog of the month! Greetings, everyone! October is one of my favorite months of the year. Fall is here, so there’s a chill in the air (so it’s also Hoodie season, which I also love). With Halloween just thirty days away, I like to focus on some of my other interests: things that are Gothic, the paranormal, and anything spooky or weird. To celebrate this month, the theme will be centered around anything spooky or Gothic. I’m working on a special book for Halloween, and there will be tarot card readings throughout the month! So, let’s get started.

Erin Michaels: Spooky B

In case you couldn’t tell, the actual title is Erin Michaels: Spooky Bitch. While “bitch” won’t appear on the cover, it will be featured on the title page inside the book. Erin of the Our Lady of Righteous Rage series returns in her third stand alone book, but this one has a twist: she’s going to share all of the things that scare her (and the rest of us). She’s going to go back to the Victorian Era, and work her way forward to modern times. Books, movies, and superstitions: anything and everything spooky. It’s just a little something I’m putting together for Halloween, and I think everyone who reads it will enjoy it. 

Tarot Readings From Dylan Maycriss

I’m still doing research for The Age of the Daughter, which is the sequel to The Witch of Fulton Lane. Everytime I learn something new about the history of witches and witchcraft, it leads me to something else I want to research further. I know I will need to stop researching and just write the book at some point, but this is a very interesting topic, and I want to pump as much info as I can into this book. But, I also want to promote it, during the month of October. I thought, what better way, than to have my main character, Dylan Maycriss, the psychic/witch, offer tarot card readings! The readings will be FREE, and available all month long, and if visitors would like to make a donation to my website, they’re welcome to, but it isn’t required in order to receive a reading. This will be for entertainment purposes only, but I want everyone to have fun with this and enjoy it.

Tarot Card Readings, a new book for Halloween, and a dash of spooky: October is going to be a great month. See you next week!

Tarot Readings from Dylan Maycriss

October will soon be upon us, and Halloween is fast approaching. This is the time of year, I like to explore my Gothic side, and my interest in the paranormal, more than usual. This year,I’ve decided to try something new. This October, throughout the month, tarot card readings will be available on woolastonentertainment.com, from Dylan Maycriss of The Witch of Fulton Lane.  I wanted to find a new and interesting way to promote the book, along with the upcoming sequel, The Age of the Daughter.  Beginning October 1st, hen you visit my website, there will be a place for visitors to request a FREE tarot card reading from Dylan. I’m considering posting a daily tarot card pick as well, but we’ll play that one by ear for now. There will be an option for visitors to make a donation, but again, this will be optional. Also, please keep in mind the readings will be for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. I’m really excited about this and I hope everyone will check it out. 

Blessed be!

The Witch of Fulton Lane

 

http://www.woolastonentertainment.com

Monday Blog: School Daze, Part Two

Welcome to Part Two of my final Monday Blog for the month of September. This week, I wanted to talk about the high school experiences of some of my characters.

In the first Our Lady of Righteous Rage book, Amy talks about starting her first year of high school. She becomes a freshman at Benjamin Cardozo High, aka, “Dozo”. She takes a Creative Writing class, and meets Dee, who later becomes her best friend. She also meets Vanessa, the brains behind the Urban Collective, and Carmen, an artist. Mike, David, and Rob are also students at Dozo.

What draws Amy and Dee together, is their poetry. All of the students have to write a poem and read it out loud to the rest of the class. Amy and Dee read their poems and immediately become fans of one another’s work. Later, the two go to a pizza shop, and become friends.

I wanted to use the Creative Writing class as a jumping off point for the writing aspect of Amy’s life, because writing becomes a very important part of her career as a musician. She writes songs for her band. During her high school days, writing helps her channel some of her teenage frustration. After a negative encounter with her father and a mild fight with a girl from school, she pens the lyrics to “Wish You Well”.  I drew from my own life for this, because writing is how I deal with some of my own frustration. When you can’t just slap someone in the face, you write about it instead.

High school is also the time frame in which the members of Our Lady discover music, and begin forming their first band. For Nick and Aidan, the first band is Torch, which Nick later becomes the lead singer for. He begins teaching Amy to play the guitar, with a little help from Aidan as well. They also have their first live performances while they’re still in high school.

I could have easily began this story after the characters had reached adulthood, but I thought it would turn out much better if I began with their high school years. High school is that pivotal time in your life, where you begin to sort out who you are, and who/what you’re going to be. You discover so much about yourself and your friends during those four precious years, and you continue to learn things about yourself even after you graduate.

Until next Monday…

Monday Blog: School Daze, Part One

Monday Blog time! In keeping with my back to school theme for the month, I have a two-part blog about my characters’ time (and my time) in high school. This week, its part one, and it’s all about the time I spent in Creative Writing in high school.

I had been writing books for myself since an early age, and I often spent most of my spare time reading and writing. It wasn’t until my senior year in high school, that I discovered my “voice”. I was finally able to get into the Creative Writing class that was being offered, and it was the first time I felt like I was in a class with my peers. I was surrounded by other people who loved to read and write as much as I did! I finally found a place where I belonged. I worked on even more books because of this class. And, my writing improved. My greatest challenge, was letting other people read my writing, since I had only ever written for myself. But I was grateful for that, because it forced me to start working outside of my comfort zone.

I was able to use some of my experiences in high school in my writing in the years that followed my graduation. Some of those experiences can be found in the first Our Lady book, but I’ll save that for the next blog….

Until next Monday…

Monday Blog: Age Appropriate

With school back in session across the country (and possibly the world, I know I’m reaching right now!), I wanted to cover the age ratings for the Woolaston Entertainment books. Some of the books available from WE may not be appropriate for younger readers. All of the ratings are available on the Book page of the website, and are listed with each series of books.

 

Books by June E. Parris

My fellow author/mother writes paranormal fiction, which is appropriate for readers 12 and older. Her first book, The Kindness of Strangers, is about a newlywed couple who try to repay a kind gesture done for them by another couple, and end up with a surprise. Her second book, A Rose Left Behind, is a ghost story which involves a little girl.

 

Fortune’s Wing

Fortune’s Wing

This is my first series, and it’s rated 12 and older. This fantasy series is about a young man who learns he is part of a prophecy to either save or destroy the world. There are no violent scenes, no swearing, or anything else that should be considered inappropriate for middle-school age readers.

New cover of Valentine

Valentine

Now we’re heading into older reader territory! Valentine is for the older teen crowd—17 and up. There are a few shoot-outs, and yes, people do get killed. Put it this way: if you would allow your 17-year-old to watch “Law and Order”, then I’m sure they’ll be okay reading Valentine. This series is about a 19-year-old woman who just wants to protect her family from the mob (aka The Syndicate). Adults will like this one, too.

Valentine Apart

This is the companion series to Valentine. It focuses on characters apart from the main character, Valentine, herself (hence the name, Apart). Some of the humor can be a little crude, or dark, and considering the stories are mainly about the some of the hitmen in the original series, I would rate this one 17 and older. If you have a younger reader who you think may be mature enough to handle it, I would suggest reading the books yourself first, and then making a decision. There’s no more violence here than in a Marvel movie.

Our Lady of Righteous Rage

My favorite (and largest) series. Punk rock, cats, and life experiences…what’s not to love? The original book, simply titled Our Lady of Righteous Rage is rated 14 and older. This is the censored version; the one with the purple cover. All of the other books, are rated 17 and older, due to the amount of swearing. It’s not excessive, but I feel I should give everyone a head’s up, because there is swearing. It begins as a coming-of –age story, and evolves into something much more. However, adults will enjoy the musical aspect of the series: I make all kinds of references to bands and music from the 1970’s through today. This series is basically my little love letter to all of the bands who have inspired me, especially Green Day.

The Witch of Fulton Lane

The Witch of Fulton Lane

I labeled this one 17 and older, simply because it involves witchcraft. No, there is no devil worship. I have heard of a few people who didn’t want their kids reading the Harry Potter series, because they thought it involved devil worship of some kind. This is completely untrue. The main character, Dylan Maycriss, is a young Black woman who happens to be a witch. She is a follower of Wicca, she casts spells, and reads tarot cards. Psychics and tarot card reading, are also interests of mine, and writing this book gave me an opportunity to explore the subject matter much further.

There you have it. Nothing to be afraid of! If you’re looking for some new books for your kids and/or students to read, give W.E. books a try! Or, if you’re just looking for some interesting books for your own reading pleasure, I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for with W.E.

Our Lady of Righteous Rage: Extended and Uncensored eBook will be FREE Sept 14-16

https://www.amazon.com/Our-Lady-Righteous-Rage-Uncensored-ebook/dp/B01E1PZNUQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1534884355&sr=1-1&keywords=our+lady+of+righteous+rage+extended+nicole+woolaston

See you next week…