Monday Blog: December 3, 2018: 24!!!!!

It’s December!! Woolaston Entertainment’s unofficial birthday month! I came up with it in the summer of 1994, but to make things easier, I celebrate it’s birthday on the same day as mine: December 1st. Together, we’re another year older, and a little better.

This is the first blog for the month of December, the final month of 2018. I’m going out with a BANG: the online store is up and running! All of June Parris’s titles are available for sale, and so are most of mine. I will add more over the next week or so, but for now, there are plenty of books for readers to choose from. There are also bundles available for specific series, so you can purchase the entire series and save a few coins. Who doesn’t love saving money? 

So, what took me so long to create an online store? Simple: fear of failure. This is something I’m sure many people can relate to. I finally got over my fear, and took a giant leap forward. Rise or fall, this is something I have put off long enough and it’s time to move forward. 

This month I’m celebrating 24 years of writing, drawing, painting, and creating. I will reflect on all things Woolaston Entertainment, and talk about all of the things I’m planning for 2019 as well.

On a side note: The NY Giants won their game on my birthday weekend, so HOORAY!!!! See you next week. 

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Monday Blog: Nov 26, 2018: November Wrap-Up

Greetings, everyone! I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday. Hopefully, none of you ate too much, or were trampled during a Black Friday sale. Personally, I spent the holiday with my mother, cooking, eating and watching football. The highlight of the day: watching the Saints destroy the Falcons. 

November is coming to a close, and so is NaNoWriMo. This is usually the time of the month when writers begin to scramble to finish their book. While I didn’t finish a book, I did write plenty of notes and a detailed outline. I’m actually glad I didn’t finish my next book, Jo Fuentes: Project Sleep. I came up with more material I wanted to use, and if I had wrote the book prior to all of this,it would kinda suck. So,everything happens in it’s own time. 

I do hope my fellow writers had a successful NaNoWriMo. Whether you completed a manuscript or not, if you put some words on paper (or on a laptop or a flashdrive, etc) then look at it as a success. Getting something accomplished is better than accomplishing nothing at all. So if you didn’t meet your word count goal, don’t sweat it. 

December is almost upon us. 2018 is coming to an end. It’s time to tie up loose ends, and get ready for a fresh start. Woolaston Entertainment’s online store will reopen next month, and I will publish my next few books between the end of the year and the beginning of 2019. There’s no sense in dwelling on what didn’t get finished. It’s time to look forward to starting new projects.

Next week: Woolaston Entertainment’s online store and 24th Anniversary! See you then!

Monday Blog: Nov 19, 2018: News for W.E.

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope your NaNoWriMo is going well. Between moving to another state and settling in, I haven’t been able to devote as much time to my writing as I would like to. Slowly but surely, I’m getting back on track. This week, I wanted to share some news:

W.E.’s Anniversary

Woolaston Entertainment is turning 24! I’m the mother of a millennial! Isn’t that crazy?! It’s hard to believe that 24 years ago, I found my passion for writing and creating, and developed something wonderful. I’m still thinking of ways to celebrate W.E.’s birthday, so stay tuned!

Online Store

While I was in transit, the online store had to be placed on pause. But, the good news is, I’ve ordered some books to replenish my inventory (I sold everything I had before leaving NY), so I’ll have books for sale again! Buying directly from the W.E. site will save my readers money and time. The titles that will be available next month are Fortune’s Wing and Valentine. I’m looking forward to serving my readers again, and I believe this will be very successful.

Valentine’s Return

Yes, you read that correctly: Valentine is making a comeback. I’m currently working on Jo Fuentes: Project Sleep, which is the final installment of the Valentine Apart series. This book will tie into the plot for my next series, Valentine R. I have some really bold ideas for this series, and I’m certain readers will enjoy it as much as the original. 

The Future of the Monday Blog

I’ve been thinking about getting rid of it for some time now. I’ve decided this year will be the final year of the Monday Blog. Instead, I will post a blog that will not run on a set schedule, which honestly takes a lot of pressure off of me. Post will be uploaded throughout the month, and I’d like to include more work from my fellow writers. I’m still working out the details, so I’ll keep you posted.

Until next week!

Monday Blog: Nov 12, 2018: Word, Words, Words

Happy Monday, everyone! Welcome to blog post number two for the month of November. In honor of NaNoWriMo 2018, this week I wanted to share some tips for increasing your word count. 

This month, many writers are working hard to finish a book they’re working on, or even starting a new one and getting the first draft ready before the month is over. Most writers are focusing on their word count. While the word count is ultimately up to the writer, the average novel is usually 80,000 words. In my personal experience, I flesh out the story in an outline, write the first draft, tweak it a bit, then work on draft number two. I’ve never reached 80,000 words, but I’ve always been satisfied with the story, from beginning to end. But, that’s me. If you’re trying to shoot for that goal of 80,000, here are some things you can try:

Give your characters a back story.

Maybe your main character has some things that took place in the past, that could be used in your story. Or, maybe it’s one of your supporting characters. Hey, it could even be your antagonist.  

Add supporting characters.

Maybe your hero could use a sidekick. Or, maybe the villain needs someone to boss around. More characters can mean more dialogue, which means a higher word count. 

Add a subplot.

Your story has a primary conflict, but maybe you can add a secondary conflict, between two other characters. 

Say it another way. 

There are other words you can use to convey something. For instance:

He was angry.

vs

He stood grimacing, with his fists balled up at his sides.

Both sentences let the reader know this particular character is not happy about something. The first sentence only uses three words, while the second one uses eleven. Three vs eleven: you do the math. This is also an opportunity to make friends with your thesaurus, if you haven’t already done so.

See you next week….

 

 

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

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!

​

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!