I wanted to share the last chapter from “Novocaine”, simply because I like the way Erin, the main character, summarizes her story. Enjoy! Some of the greatest stories … Continue reading The Best Part of “Novocaine”
Tag: writing
Monday Blog: Novocaine
Happy Monday, everyone! From now on, I will repost the Monday Blog from woolastonentertainment.com, on this WordPress site. This week, I wanted to talk about Novocaine. This book is part of the Our Lady of Righteous Rage franchise, but it’s not a numbered book in the series. It’s more of a companion book. Even if you haven’t read the rest of the series, you can read Novocaine without getting totally lost.
Novocaine follows Erin, one of the characters in the Our Lady series, as she and her mother make a decision to move to Georgia to be closer to their extended family. This is shortly after Erin graduates from High School. She’s excited by the idea, at first, until everything goes to hell. Her uncle (her mother’s brother) made a faulty investment, and it may cost him his house. Erin and her mother find themselves without a place to live, and manage to make it from Georgia to New York. There, Erin eventually gets a job working at the Urban Collective, where she meets the members of the band Our Lady of Righteous Rage.
One of the most interesting aspects of Novocaine, is Erin’s transformation over the course of the story. She goes from bookish-nerd, to scared teenager, to bad-ass Goth/Emo chick. Many of the events that transform her, transformed me as well. That is to say, while this is a work of fiction, there’s a lot of truth weaved into this story. A great example, is how Erin is introduced to the music of Green Day. Her experience mirrors my own: using the power of music to get through a difficult time.
I don’t want to give the impression that Erin is just some brooding teenager. She’s dealt a pretty rough hand in this story, but she handles it the best way she knows how. In the upcoming sequel, Another Shot of Novocaine, Erin is a little older, a little wiser, and not afraid to speak her mind.
Next week: Your Fame Will Destroy You
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Things To Do While You’re In Between Books
Let’s say you’ve written a wonderful manuscript. You’ve done all the editing your mind can handle. The cover is ready. You’ve already begun promoting your new title. Everything is set. The book has been published! Hooray!!! So, now what?
Of course, now you can really focus on promoting your book. However, as a writer, you can’t spend every minute of every day, promoting. Writers write. It’s what we do. There’s another book in you, waiting to come out, but perhaps you’re not quite ready to start another new draft.
I recently ran into this problem. I had just completed the next two books in a series I had been working on, and finished the final book in yet a different series. Being someone whose mind needs constant stimulation, I tried to decide what to do next. Then I thought, “I’ll publish a book of short stories! Yes!”. So I did. But now that book is complete. I have another book in mind, but I’m not ready to work on it just yet. So, the question became: How do I fill in the time between working on the last book, and starting the next book?
I know I can’t just sit around and do absolutely nothing. It’s against my nature. However, I know if I start another book before I’m ready to, I won’t put 100% of myself into it, and the book will ultimately…suck. Therefor, I have come up with a few ways to keep myself busy in the meantime.
Read! If you’re a writer, chances are, you’re also a reader. Reading is a fantastic way to pass the time between books. While working on Our Lady of Righteous Rage, I read several books about punk rock, guitars, etc. Even when I’m not working on that series, I still read punk-related books and magazines. I often find sources of material for the next book.
Re-read your other books. This may sound like a crazy idea, but it can come in handy. I know: you probably read your other books to death while you were working on them. But here’s a scenario: you’re writing the third book in a series. Maybe there are a few details from the previous two books you have forgotten. This has happened to me. It may be helpful to go back and re-read the other books.
Study your competition. Let’s say you’re writing a book about a group of children with unusual or magical powers, but you’ve never read Harry Potter or Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. This may be a good time to read other books that fall within the genre you’re writing for. This will give you an opportunity to see what makes those other books so popular among readers.
You can still promote your older books. Just because you published a certain title three years ago, doesn’t mean you should just stick it on a shelf and forget about it. I published Fortune’s Wing in 2009, and I still tweet about it and post about it on Facebook. If I forget about the book, so will the rest of the world. You can use this time to devote a little attention to the previous books you’ve published.
Do you have any hobbies that tie into your writing? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. Everyone is different. Playing guitar and listening to music led me to write Our Lady of Righteous Rage, so while I worked on that series, I also played my guitars and listened to a ton of Green day, MCR and The Clash, to name a few. Doing this inspired me, and gave me some fresh insight for the next books in the series. If you’re a sci-fi writer, maybe watching a few sci-fi movies will keep you in the spirit of your writing.
I hope my advice was helpful. Keep writing, folks.
Lola, Jo, and the Badass Girls of “Valentine”
The other day, someone asked me if I considered my self to be a feminist writer. I hadn’t thought about that, until that moment. I considered my style of writing, and the characters and stories I’ve created over the years, and realized, YES, I suppose I am a feminist writer. The majority of my characters a female, and they’re not the “damsel in distress” type. Take the “Valentine” series, for example. The first book starts out with 19-year-old Val Entienne (aka, Valentine) driving from Chicago to L.A. to find her father. She’s a young woman, armed with a pair of handguns, and a serious “can-do-will-do” attitude. She knows the trip is dangerous, but she’s willing to risk her safety to find her father. Throughout the rest of the series, Val does several things that art generally not associated with her gender. Aside from knowing how to shoot (and being a very good shot, I may add) she knows a lot about cars and how to fix them. She has no problem stepping into the role of “leader” of her family. She’ll do anything to protect the people she cares about. All in all, Val is a badass.
But she’s not the only one. The “Valentine” series is full of strong female characters. Two of them, just appeared in their own books. Lola Vencent, John Rafferty’s former valkyrie, and Jo Fuentes, have their own back-stories. Both Lola and Jo are hit-women, and both are extremely skilled and good at their jobs. Aside from being a hit-woman, Jo is also a United States Marine (extra street credit there).
Val’s cousin Veronica is another force to be reckoned with. If Val needs someone to back her up, Veronica is right there. She comes off as the voice of reason in the Entienne family, but she can be tough when she needs to be. At one point, she even pulls a gun on Rafferty.
I’ve been inspired by strong women most of my life. My primary source of inspiration, is my mother. She raised me single-handedly, and she has always been my rock. There’s a little bit of her, in all of my female characters.
War Poems by Christopher Pascale (A Review)
I recently had an opportunity to read a collection of poetry by author and US Marine, Christopher Pascale, titled War Poems. The poems are written in free verse, which I happen to be a fan of, simply because it gives the poet more freedom to create his or her own writing style. A description is present for each poem, which contains some background info about the poem itself. Each poems flows in a way that made me feel like they needed to be read out loud, at a café where spoken word is welcomed, or a t a poetry slam. This is especially true for “196 Chicago Ave”. One of my personal favorites, is “Autumn”. This poem feels like it has a dual meaning: Autumn could be the season itself, or a person. I also like the sense of loneliness in “Chanelle”.
While “Camping With Dad” is fictional, it definitely feels real: a child’s point of view of a veteran parent’s flashback. Anyone who has ever experienced being poor, or just down on their luck (I certainly have) can relate to the feeling of desperation in “Falling Down”, another one of my favorites.
Whether you’re looking for new poetry, or simply in search of work from a new author, War Poems is definitely worth reading. These poems are raw and filled with emotion, and describe places and feelings many of us will never experience, and perhaps, take for granted.
About the Author:
Christopher Pascale served in the US Marine Corps from 2003-2008 as a combat engineer. He currently lives on Long Island.
War Poems is available for sale here: https://www.amazon.com/War-Poems-Marines-Tour-2003-2008/dp/1576385108/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489431356&sr=8-1&keywords=war+poems+christopher+pascale
“Her Name is Lola Vencent” is full of hints…
I have some very good news today: I just finished the draft for “Her Name is Lola Vencent”, the second book in the “Valentine Apart” series! I will release it next month, along with book three, “Jo Fuentes: The Black Queen”. So, what’s so special about “Lola Vencent”? It’s full of hints.
This book will reveal how Lola met Val’s father, Vincent. It will also be the first time, Victor Entienne, Veronica and Victoria’s father, will be featured as a character, and not just a memory. Plus, you’ll learn about how Lola met Allan and Mac Avery, and how she and Barbara O’Riley joined the Syndicate.
I’ve probably said too much here! But I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book. “Her Name is Lola Vencent” will be available this March.
The Dark Side of Valentine
“I’ll kill you myself. I’ll kill you in the most violent way I can think of.”
If you’ve read the books in the Valentine series, you may have noticed, the story started out with mild violence, which progressed as the story continued. Yes, bullets have been fired and people have been shot. In fact, a few people have died. In a story involving a girl who carries a pair of handguns and is friends with a lot of hit men and hit women, there has to be some sort of body count.
The Val Entienne you have come to know in the previous books in the series, is going to change in book 4. She’s a little darker; she has to be. Now more than ever, Val wants to protect her family, and this time, the threat isn’t an assumed one. This time, the threat is very, very real. Rafferty has made it clear, he wants Val dead. So, it’s kill or be killed.
You can expect a few deaths in this part of the story. Not to include any spoilers, but keep an eye on Val’s demeanor, from here on, because it’s going to change.
Improvements to the website
I’ve spent the past few days making little changes here and there to woolastonentertainment.com, and I believe I’m finally finished! (for now). I’ve been trying to change the colors, and after several attempts, I figured it out. I think it’s a wonderful improvement, and I hope everyone who visits the site enjoys the new look. When you have time, please check it out: http://www.woolastonentertainment.com . Cheers!
New Books Coming Soon!
Even though this is only the first month of the new year, I’m happy to report I have made a lot of progress, where my upcoming books are concerned. I started four manuscripts last year, just before NaNoWriMo. Within the past seven days, I completed three of them! I have one left, and it should be finished by the end of this month. SO, good news: three manuscripts ready to enter the editing phase. Bad news: three manuscripts ready to enter the editing phase! Editing will be tedious, but its necessary. I’m looking forward to releasing new books this year.
Sample from “Valentine 4” (coming soon!)
. “Interesting,” Kelly said. “Would you like Jo to shoot her for you?”
“I could,” Jo said.
Veronica came back into the living room. “What?” she said.
“Or one of us could do it,” Mac said.
“I’d be glad to do it,” Lola said.
“Why don’t we draw straws?” Jo asked.
Val looked around at the faces of her friends, laughed. “Oh my God,” she said. “All my friends are killers. How did that happen?”
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