Author: Nicole E Woolaston

I'm a writer, artist and guitarist from NY. I love punk rock, anime and manga. I'm the author of the "Fortune's Wing" and "Valentine" series, & "Our Lady of Righteous Rage".Green Day and Jack White are my inspiration. Check out my blog and feel free to ask me questions about my books!

My Thoughts on Pam Grossman’s “Waking the Witch”

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I recently finished reading Pam Grossman’s Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic and Power, published in June of 2019. Grossman is the host/creator of the podcast The Witch Wave. I came across her book in the library I work in, and I decided to check it out. I could barely put it down.

First, let me say this: if you’re planning to read this book, have pen and paper handy, because you will find yourself taking notes and wanting to look up the material Grossman makes references to. I learned something fascinating about L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, and what inspired him to write the book and create certain characters. Grossman makes references to familiar television shows, films and books. I enjoyed reading Grossman’s personal experiences as well as the facts and data she has compiled. Historical references about witchcraft and wicca are mentioned, but not to the extent that you feel weighed down by the information.

This was a very interesting read, and anyone who is interested in women’s history or witchcraft will most likely enjoy it.

Goal Setting —

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I’m beginning to receive some feedback from my blog post about Writing Goals. Thank you to everyone who responded! Some of you are thinking about publishing. As you continue to write, I wanted to give you a few things to think about: Don’t drive yourself crazy. It’s easy to come up with an entire list […]

Goal Setting —

Summer With A Vengeance!

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June was kind of a MEH month for Woolaston Entertainment. I didn’t get much writing accomplished, and I only read one of the four books I had set out to read. This means I need to make up for lost time. This means, I need to celebrate Summer with a VENGEANCE!

Here’s my plan: finish at least one of the three books I started writing by the end of July. Finish reading a book and tell you all about it (it will most likely be Waking the Witch by Pam Grossman). And create some ART!!!! With new books on the way, I’m going to need artwork for the covers.

July is around the corner. Bring it on, Summer!

Woolaston Entertainment

I Have A Lot On My Mind

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There have been A LOT of things happening lately. Some of them are positive, some are negative. With each passing day, I thought about what I wanted to post on this blog. But each time I looked over at my laptop, I changed my mind. I mean, where do I start? There’s just too much I wanted to say. SO, I’ll do my best to keep it brief.

I’ve been feeling many different things since George Floyd’s death on Memorial Day. Anger. Fear. Concern. More anger. I know I live in a country where there is a significant number of racist people. I’m a Black woman, and racism isn’t new to me. Hell, I’ve been called a nigger to my face. Every now and then, an event occurs that reminds me of just how deep hatred runs in America. When I learned of George Floyd’s death, I thought, it’s going to start again. People are going to protest. People are going to get angry and fight back. What surprised me wasn’t America’s response to this evil act, the world’s response is what really surprised me. I didn’t expect the rest of the world to join the cause. This gave me a sense of hope: maybe this is finally it. Maybe this is the change we all needed. The world actually came together and shouted, “ENOUGH!”

When Juneteenth was approaching, I thought it would be the same as it has always been. But no, this Juneteenth was different. This Juneteenth actually meant something. I currently live in Virginia, and Juneteenth has finally been recognized as a holiday. While I appreciate this forward progress, I have to say, it’s a shame it took VA so long, especially considering this is where the first Black slaves landed in 1619. Still, progress is progress.

Changes are being made. Confederate statues are coming down. New regulations are being created for the police. Progress is being made. What saddens me, is yet another life had to be lost, in order for people to wake up and open their eyes, and see the truth.

I’m trying to pull myself together and find some inspiration, so I can get back to writing. I’ve been reading lately, and slowly but surely, I’m getting there.

Be safe everyone, and stay woke.

Writing Workshop Power Activate! Form Of: A BLOG!

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Okay, yeah, that was lame. But who cares? This is for a writing workshop! It’s supposed to be fun! And maybe, slightly lame.

Writing Pen Pictures | Download Free Images on Unsplash

I was scheduled to host a writing workshop at the public library I work at, however, the Coronavirus decided it had other plans. Instead, I’m going to host one online, through a new blog I have created on WordPress. The Woolaston Writing Workshop will kick-off in mid-June, and I’m open to suggestions. All suggestions. Seriously: tell me what you’re looking for in a writing workshop, so I can include as much info as possible!

I’ve had a few people tell me, they’re interested in self-publishing and would like more info on how to get started, so I will definitely include that. But I want to hear from more of you! So please leave your suggestions in the comments below. If you’re on Twitter (who isn’t?), DM me at @NicoleWoolent. I’m looking forward to reading your suggestions!

Reading List Alphabet: Z

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The final letter! Today’s letter is  Z. Feel free to join in by posting a title in the comments section! (note: if the title begins with the, use the first letter of the next word!)

 

Z

Zen Guitar  by Philip Toshio Sudo

I’m not going to lie: this book really helped me with my guitar playing. When I first started teaching myself, I stressed myself out completely. This book helped me ‘let it go’. I learned to relax, and just let my playing ‘come to me’.

 

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Reading List Alphabet: Y

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Today’s letter is  Y. Feel free to join in by posting a title in the comments section! (note: if the title begins with the, use the first letter of the next word!)

 

Y

You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living An Awesome Life   by Jen Sincero

Sometimes you literally need a good old fashioned kick in the butt…from your own foot. Normally I shy away from self-help books, but this one actually has some killer life advice.

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Reading List Alphabet: X

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Today’s letter is  X. Feel free to join in by posting a title in the comments section! (note: if the title begins with the, use the first letter of the next word!)

X

X by Clamp

First, let me say I’m still not sure how I came up with a title for the letter X. Okay, with that out of the way…
A battle for the fate of the world. This is one of my favorite manga series, anime series, and the animation and story for the feature film are incredible. The ladies at CLAMP are extremely talented.

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Reading List Alphabet: W

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Today’s letter is W. Feel free to join in by posting a title in the comments section! (note: if the title begins with the, use the first letter of the next word!)

 

W

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?  by Beverly Daniel Tatum

Birds of a feather flock together, and people really aren’t very different. If you seek to understand how racism, culturalism and division play a role in our society, this book will help you develop a better understanding.

 

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