Jessica Samuels's Blog, page 17
April 30, 2017
Giant AuthorTube Collab! What Was The First Story You Ever Wrote?✍�� [CC]
This is one of the many videos I'm in with other Authortubers about the first story we ever wrote!
April 23, 2017
What to Blog About When You’re a Fiction Author…
Blogging is fun and so is article writing. It’s easy for me to write about anything even stuff that I’ve never researched till now. I have read dozens of posts and blogs where people are just starting out and they are fiction writers. Some ask what do I write about? Do I write about writing a book or writing in general? Well you can, but it’s so crowded nowadays that you have to think outside the box. I can write a whole blog post about awesome writers who write about writing. I don’t see many fiction writers writing about other topics, and it’s sad so here is my suggestion. Write about your characters…Write about your vampires, werewolves, and witches…Do character interviews.Include story maps.Write quizzes for readers to take.Start blogging a book and giving away free stories.There are tons of stuff to write about for fiction writers. Write about your story world, and how it works.Put up a few posts about character backstories. There is a ton of stuff to blog about, and you can even put a few excerpts of your books.
Also put up some posts about your work in progress, and even post a picture of you working at your desk…
That's my cat Callie at mine.Writing is fun especially blogging since it gives readers a chance to see your work for fiction.I hope you enjoyed this post since there are many more to come especially when my school is over for the summer.
Until next time,Wolfdreamer25
April 22, 2017
Tales from Behind the Counter Sneak Peek Chapter 1:
Here is a chapter from my book, and I plan on releasing it mid-june if everything goes well, and I plan on accepting stories up until June 1!
Chapter 1: The Beginning of My Fun Journey! I never planned on working retail at all. I wanted to continue at the job I was at since I was making 8.75 in the two years I worked there. I was an assistant to a successful company and helped them with research. Then it was bought out by another and I was laid off. I live in the Crystal Crest realm, and after I graduated South Bend high school I went to a community college. The whole time I was working retail on the weekends. I was unemployed for six months and then I got a job at Kyle’s General Store working retail. I’ve graduated community college, and then transferred to South Bend University to major in English and minor in History. I live at my apartment off campus and commute to college. My name is Angeline and you will see me in my new book AngelWitch where I finally find my escape from retail and move on to bigger and better things. When I’m not studying for classes I’m at work 4 days out of the week. I have long black hair and smokey grey eyes. I’m pale since I don’t get out in the sun much. I have a slim body, and it fits with the Kyle’s General Store outfit. Black shirts with the words Kyle’s General store, and it has to be collared. Black pants even black jeans are allowed. They have added a black vest to the mix so people can identify who works there, but it doesn’t matter since I still have people ask if I work there. There is a name tag on the left side and it has my nickname Angel for short on it. I love the fact that it’s all black since black is my color. I even wear black eyeshadow and nail polish to match.
I work weekends and working 5 years in retail is slowly killing me. Yes, I make $11.50 an hour since they changed minimum wage in Crystal Crest. The government there decided people need more money, and changed it to make lives better. Retail is not for me though. I can’t stand being around managers that run you to the ground. I can’t stand the customers who want you to break rules just for them, and these are the same people who expect to get a gift card just for them waiting around “wasting their time and expect you to pay them for it.” when you are running other departments as well as yours. Or, they expect to get special service because they spend a ton of money there. None of it matters though. I work in the jewelry area, and everywhere since I’m expected to be cross trained in different departments when the stupid computers don’t know how to schedule people. My job is mainly the jewelry area, and I show people jewelry. I put batteries in watches only the ones we carry in the store. That policy is not mine it’s the companies, but it doesn’t stop customers from trying to get us to do it. I install watch bands and fulfill personal orders like class rings, name plates and personalized jewelry. Kyle’s General Store is located off Surrey road, and it offers discount products for a good price. Or so they think. It’s in a really rich neighborhood, and that means the customers have a lot of money to spend at expensive retail stores, but they shop here to save some. Some customers like them expect to be waited on like the store is a high end one when it’s not. Not even close, and some of them even expect you to be their personal shopper. That's what I hate the most since they act like they can't read the price, and they want you to even help them pick out their own shoes. They ask questions and don't even bother looking for themselves. They also expect you to be able to read their mind when they tell you about an item they found at another store. Or they expect you to walk them to the area if they can’t find an item when it’s right in front of them. I try to be nice and smile at the customers since there is a ten foot rule only to be ignored or mocked by them. It would be a different story if people were nicer, but some of them are not. They don’t even treat workers like people, and manager Alex called us bodies. Alex Jones the manager below the store manager Kyle has been a pain in my side ever since he started working there. Tall, dark haired, and glacier blue eyes. Always had a scowl on his face, and he was an asshole to people telling them about the ruthless point system when they were genuinely sick. He told me that I should be able to hold it in when I told him I wanted to go home after I caught food poisoning. A ruthless asshole. “I need a warm body here,” is something Alex said when I was listening in on the fitting room walkie like I usually do. They just need a body at that point even if they don’t work there. What they don’t tell you once you sign up for said job is they will put you wherever they need you. Hell those idiots move you to where they want you to go, and even if you haven’t been assigned there. Managers will be petty, and assign you to places where they know you don’t like it. Kyle put me on the register so many times that I want to bash his fucking brains in. He is an asshole. He is tan with blonde hair and blue eyes. He looks like he should be out in the sun surfing instead he is making people miserable at Kyle’s. The managers don’t care about you as a person because another manager who is a woman like Alex told me once when I told her I had a Dr’s note, and that it wasn’t planned since the boss at the time never took me off the schedule that, “Their job is not to work around your schedule.” Waahhh. Spoken like a true heartless manager. Okay, prove my point that half of you are horrible managers. I hate it here since it’s the same old shit day after day, and over the years every day is an ordeal for Kyle and some of the things he does is fucking ridiculous. Kyle gets on the Co-managers, who get on the assistants, and they take it out on the supervisor and then the associates. It’s a vicious cycle, and everyone is stressed out. When corporate comes I know the day is going to be incredibly long since that is when they are the most stressed and horrible to their employees. They complain about stuff not being done when it should have been done weeks ago, and do shit only when the bigwigs are there. It’s bullshit. It doesn’t make any sense to put me on the register when I’m in a sale area, and you can thank him and the customer service people for your wait at the counter. It’s their fault anyway. They are the idiots pulling people out of their departments. The rude and stupid customers make me sick since some of them treat the workers like they are stupid. One bitch even made fun of my math skills when I have a math disability. Customers mess up everything especially after I just cleaned up the area, and I’ve heard a few mothers say, “It’s their job to pick up after us.” When their kid picks up stuff off the floor. And then after treating me badly you wonder why you get bad service? How about as a customer when you need assistance don’t treat me like I’m stupid I get it I work retail. That doesn’t mean I’m dumb though. Don’t stare at me thinking I am going to automatically know you need help. Speak up and stop treating me like they are incompetent just because you are horrible at communicating what you want. Some customers can’t describe items worth shit, or they use different terms as if they are more educated then the person working there. It doesn’t make a person smarter it makes them look like a jackass. They also over explain the item to me when they get think I don’t know what they are talking about, and guess what? I don’t one dumbass described it to me silently about undies saying they tuck in like she thought I was a dumbass…Nope. You just suck at explaining. Grunting and showing me what you mean doesn’t help either. And speak clearly and loud enough for me to hear you, and never explain it to me like you think I’m slow. The people who say the customer is always right clearly haven’t worked with the general public before. I’m not saying the job is bad, and without the customer we would not have a job. This is a book that mainly harps on the bad stuff at times. It’s not for everyone. Think of it for people who deal with this shit everyday….These stories can show that.
This is unedited right now, and I'll definitely use an editor for the grammar it's different then some of the stories since it's a series of customer stories. There are a ton of them so I didn't go into detail with some of them because of that.
I hope you enjoyed it,
Jess
Chapter 1: The Beginning of My Fun Journey! I never planned on working retail at all. I wanted to continue at the job I was at since I was making 8.75 in the two years I worked there. I was an assistant to a successful company and helped them with research. Then it was bought out by another and I was laid off. I live in the Crystal Crest realm, and after I graduated South Bend high school I went to a community college. The whole time I was working retail on the weekends. I was unemployed for six months and then I got a job at Kyle’s General Store working retail. I’ve graduated community college, and then transferred to South Bend University to major in English and minor in History. I live at my apartment off campus and commute to college. My name is Angeline and you will see me in my new book AngelWitch where I finally find my escape from retail and move on to bigger and better things. When I’m not studying for classes I’m at work 4 days out of the week. I have long black hair and smokey grey eyes. I’m pale since I don’t get out in the sun much. I have a slim body, and it fits with the Kyle’s General Store outfit. Black shirts with the words Kyle’s General store, and it has to be collared. Black pants even black jeans are allowed. They have added a black vest to the mix so people can identify who works there, but it doesn’t matter since I still have people ask if I work there. There is a name tag on the left side and it has my nickname Angel for short on it. I love the fact that it’s all black since black is my color. I even wear black eyeshadow and nail polish to match.
I work weekends and working 5 years in retail is slowly killing me. Yes, I make $11.50 an hour since they changed minimum wage in Crystal Crest. The government there decided people need more money, and changed it to make lives better. Retail is not for me though. I can’t stand being around managers that run you to the ground. I can’t stand the customers who want you to break rules just for them, and these are the same people who expect to get a gift card just for them waiting around “wasting their time and expect you to pay them for it.” when you are running other departments as well as yours. Or, they expect to get special service because they spend a ton of money there. None of it matters though. I work in the jewelry area, and everywhere since I’m expected to be cross trained in different departments when the stupid computers don’t know how to schedule people. My job is mainly the jewelry area, and I show people jewelry. I put batteries in watches only the ones we carry in the store. That policy is not mine it’s the companies, but it doesn’t stop customers from trying to get us to do it. I install watch bands and fulfill personal orders like class rings, name plates and personalized jewelry. Kyle’s General Store is located off Surrey road, and it offers discount products for a good price. Or so they think. It’s in a really rich neighborhood, and that means the customers have a lot of money to spend at expensive retail stores, but they shop here to save some. Some customers like them expect to be waited on like the store is a high end one when it’s not. Not even close, and some of them even expect you to be their personal shopper. That's what I hate the most since they act like they can't read the price, and they want you to even help them pick out their own shoes. They ask questions and don't even bother looking for themselves. They also expect you to be able to read their mind when they tell you about an item they found at another store. Or they expect you to walk them to the area if they can’t find an item when it’s right in front of them. I try to be nice and smile at the customers since there is a ten foot rule only to be ignored or mocked by them. It would be a different story if people were nicer, but some of them are not. They don’t even treat workers like people, and manager Alex called us bodies. Alex Jones the manager below the store manager Kyle has been a pain in my side ever since he started working there. Tall, dark haired, and glacier blue eyes. Always had a scowl on his face, and he was an asshole to people telling them about the ruthless point system when they were genuinely sick. He told me that I should be able to hold it in when I told him I wanted to go home after I caught food poisoning. A ruthless asshole. “I need a warm body here,” is something Alex said when I was listening in on the fitting room walkie like I usually do. They just need a body at that point even if they don’t work there. What they don’t tell you once you sign up for said job is they will put you wherever they need you. Hell those idiots move you to where they want you to go, and even if you haven’t been assigned there. Managers will be petty, and assign you to places where they know you don’t like it. Kyle put me on the register so many times that I want to bash his fucking brains in. He is an asshole. He is tan with blonde hair and blue eyes. He looks like he should be out in the sun surfing instead he is making people miserable at Kyle’s. The managers don’t care about you as a person because another manager who is a woman like Alex told me once when I told her I had a Dr’s note, and that it wasn’t planned since the boss at the time never took me off the schedule that, “Their job is not to work around your schedule.” Waahhh. Spoken like a true heartless manager. Okay, prove my point that half of you are horrible managers. I hate it here since it’s the same old shit day after day, and over the years every day is an ordeal for Kyle and some of the things he does is fucking ridiculous. Kyle gets on the Co-managers, who get on the assistants, and they take it out on the supervisor and then the associates. It’s a vicious cycle, and everyone is stressed out. When corporate comes I know the day is going to be incredibly long since that is when they are the most stressed and horrible to their employees. They complain about stuff not being done when it should have been done weeks ago, and do shit only when the bigwigs are there. It’s bullshit. It doesn’t make any sense to put me on the register when I’m in a sale area, and you can thank him and the customer service people for your wait at the counter. It’s their fault anyway. They are the idiots pulling people out of their departments. The rude and stupid customers make me sick since some of them treat the workers like they are stupid. One bitch even made fun of my math skills when I have a math disability. Customers mess up everything especially after I just cleaned up the area, and I’ve heard a few mothers say, “It’s their job to pick up after us.” When their kid picks up stuff off the floor. And then after treating me badly you wonder why you get bad service? How about as a customer when you need assistance don’t treat me like I’m stupid I get it I work retail. That doesn’t mean I’m dumb though. Don’t stare at me thinking I am going to automatically know you need help. Speak up and stop treating me like they are incompetent just because you are horrible at communicating what you want. Some customers can’t describe items worth shit, or they use different terms as if they are more educated then the person working there. It doesn’t make a person smarter it makes them look like a jackass. They also over explain the item to me when they get think I don’t know what they are talking about, and guess what? I don’t one dumbass described it to me silently about undies saying they tuck in like she thought I was a dumbass…Nope. You just suck at explaining. Grunting and showing me what you mean doesn’t help either. And speak clearly and loud enough for me to hear you, and never explain it to me like you think I’m slow. The people who say the customer is always right clearly haven’t worked with the general public before. I’m not saying the job is bad, and without the customer we would not have a job. This is a book that mainly harps on the bad stuff at times. It’s not for everyone. Think of it for people who deal with this shit everyday….These stories can show that.
This is unedited right now, and I'll definitely use an editor for the grammar it's different then some of the stories since it's a series of customer stories. There are a ton of them so I didn't go into detail with some of them because of that.
I hope you enjoyed it,
Jess
April 18, 2017
Writer's Digest Review
*I am apart of the Amazon Affiliate program and clicking on this link will bring you to a purchase site. It will result in compensation for me if purchased through this link.*
I have been getting this magazine for a very long time, and it just keeps getting better and better with each issue. There are even special issues that come out sometimes like Writer’s Yearbook, Writing Basics, Getting your Book Published, and Write you Novel in 30 days. Each issue has a different article section that deals with the writing life and process of getting published.
The articles tell you how to make a website when you are a new author. The magazine has tips on how to write a good 1st chapter since they are critical to getting an agent and readers attention. Tips on how to craft compelling characters. They have author interviews every issue. They even have contests every issue where you can write opening paragraphs to a prompt they provide. They write articles about outlining novels too. In every issue there is a page filled with online exclusives, and a newsletter writers can sign up for. Readers can even write to the magazine and their letters can be printed in future issues. In the July/August 2011 issue there is a special section called The Ultimate Revision guide.
101 Best Websites for Writers is a section that they have every year. It has information about literary agents, making a good query letter to getting a literary agent hooked. Columns like: Breaking In where authors tell you how they were successful, and what they learned from it. In the interview they even tell you what they did right, and what they would do if they could do it over. Questions and Quandaries is a column where people can ask questions about grammar, ones about literary agents, and other writing related ones. Poetic Asides is a column that talks about aspects of writing poetry. Ask the Pro/Agent where you can ask them a question about being an agent, and others for professional advice.
Sections are dedicated to literary agents like listing 25 Agents seeking new writers, What Agents Really Do, and Your first 50 pages: How to hook an agent from the start in the October 2011 issue. The issues even have a cool section called Writers Workbook with “exercises and tips for honing specific aspects of your writing.” (Les Edgerton)
It is a good magazine for writers to have in their bookcases or tables every month. I love it because of all the aspects of being a writer it talks about and discusses. From getting an agent, writing a query letter, hearing about successful authors, and their advice to aspiring writers. To honing novel writing or memoir writing, and non fiction writing this magazine is a blessing to those of us going on the journey to publication. It will make you the successful writers of your dreams.
Until the next review,
Wolfdreamer25
One Blog and a Website!
I decided to delete my other two blogs and just use this one. My Reviews for Writers and Survey of Popular Culture ones are deleted. It was too much having that many blogs so I just have this one and a website on Wordpress. I saved my blog posts from those blogs to a separate word document, and I plan on publishing the posts on this one and my Wordpress ones. Prepare to see some more posts today, and especially once I'm done with school since I plan on blogging a few books. I'm going to be uploading entries for Nightwatch and Fur and Fang of Love. I hope you like my content, and that you are as excited as I am.
Until next time,
Wolfdreamer25
Until next time,
Wolfdreamer25
April 17, 2017
Summer is Coming
Jessica here, and besides the Giant Authortube collaboration coming up soon I will hopefully be ready to publish Tales From Behind the Counter this summer. School is keeping me busy, and I work on the weekends.I created another channel just for my meals ready to eat reviews. Here is the link:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6rpRcRATtLdaXsc0Jj8b3QI also plan on releasing Tales From Behind the Counter this summer. It’s a novel different from what I’ve written before since it’s about Angeline’s experience working at Kyle’s General Store for 5 years. She has been through a lot, and I wrote it using some of my real experiences just not using names since it’s a privacy issue. The customer situations are real, and the names and characters are made up. I’ve also included a section where real people working retail tell their stories. School is wrapping up soon which gives me more time to write books, review them, and film Youtube videos. I do want to blog a few of my books and then make them into ebooks and paperbacks. One is NightWatch Supernatural Store, and the characters name is Rowan, and she wants to own her own witch shop so she applies to Night watch Supernatural Store to work in the witch department and get experience. It will be fun, and it’s going have people and supernatural creatures looking for help with spells and preparing them. Some are going to have faulty ones, and then expect Rowan to solve the issue even though she can’t. Basically her day to day life, and then she will join her boyfriend Ares who is a bounty hunter, and works for the Vampire military. It will be fun to write and it might be day by day entries. The second one is called Fur and Fang of Love, and it’s about a witch/vampire hybrid called Midnight Starr, and she is engaged to an asshole who she doesn’t love. She has to marry him since he comes from a family with a lot of money, and she thinks she is doomed to stay with him. Until an Ad comes on for Fur and Fang of love. It’s a reality show where women are competing to win the heart of alpha wolf Zephyr, and Hyperion the vampire party boy. It will be fun, and I can even get all 20 girls to have their backstory out on my blog and newsletter before I release the episodes. Instead of chapters it will be episodes and even a reunion one. They have to be supernatural creatures, and no humans or ghosts of course one or two might try to join in on the fun. I can work with it, and it’s exciting!
Until next time!
March 30, 2017
I have a Newsletter!
I probably should have written this sooner rather then later, but I've done it. I created a newsletter for me to keep people updated on my writing, when I release new books, and even sales for them going on when I write more. Being an indie author isn't easy, and one of the things I need was to create a newsletter. I can even include extras just for subscribing. I've been working on the edits to Tales From Behind the Counter and about ready to finish AngelWitch. I want to throw in a few extra stories from Angeline's time at Kyle's. There are only 5 weeks left of school, and I've been writing articles for Odyssey online and doing school work too. I work on the weekends, and I hope to make writing my full time job. I'll get there, and when I do it means more time to read and write!Until next time,Wolfdreamer25
January 30, 2017
Where I have been:
School started way earlier then I thought, and it’s been nonstop article writing for Capital News Service. It’s pretty cool since it covers the Capitol and the Virginia General Assembly. It’s been amazing seeing the results too since this class means you actually get published too.
I’ve done a ton of stories, and here are the links for them so far:http://wric.com/2017/01/29/virginians-say-colleges-prepare-graduates-for-jobs/
http://altdaily.com/virginia-attorney-general-mark-herring-vows-to-fight-trumps-immigration-ban/
http://www.nbc12.com/story/34271944/capitol-is-site-of-dueling-gun-rallies#.WH6IN0DGEVc.facebook
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/lawmakers-target-college-tuition-and-access/2017/01/18/4e9fd59e-dd8c-11e6-8902-610fe486791c_story.html?utm_term=.91e5d4c41955#comments
http://www.insidenova.com/headlines/poll-finds-support-for-workforce-training/article_3fcbe9fe-d9b8-11e6-96f9-67dd50f1bd47.html
http://www.henricocitizen.com/news/article/treat_dont_jail_drug_users_poll_pays0125
http://www.newsleader.com/story/news/local/2017/01/30/poll-k-12-underfunded-colleges-more-effective/97236772/It’s been a wild ride, and I hope to finish up the last two semesters at VCU strong. I will graduate in December, and finally receive my degree A Bachelors in Mass Communications for Print/Online Journalism.
It will be good to be done with VCU, and get my degree. I’m definitely going to love journalism. On the writing front I’ve been working on finishing #AngelWitch and Tales From Behind the Counter needs to have more of a narrative to it. It’s a wild ride with that book, and I hope to have more out soon.
I’m going to start blogging more once a week, and I can make it related to my novels. Like character sheets, excerpts, and I want to plan to have out more stories so I can get myself out there. At the end of the day I’ll have my writing even if school comes to an end my stories and novels will always be there. I also updated my website, and I can do more with it since I got the premium. I want to start a newsletter since I want to offer some free stories just for subscribing.
Do you subscribe to a newsletter? How often do you want them? What do you hope to see from it?
Until next time,
Jessica Samuels
December 20, 2016
Bye 2016…
I’m glad 2016 is almost over since it’s been one of the shittiest years ever. I haven’t published anything new yet, and it sucks since I did not meet my goals of getting novels done. I was hoping to have the first three Scarlet book, Tales from Behind the Counter, and AngelWitch done. Tales from Behind the Counter is at the beta stage, and I need to finish the drafts of the Scarlet series and AngelWitch. But some of it might go on the back burner during the Fall and Spring semesters since I only have two left then I graduate. It’s not an easy time either since I have to retake classes since I had no idea how heavy the workload is…These last semesters are going to be hard since I am taking Capital News Service, and Ipad Journals in the Fall. I’m also excited about it, and at the same time I’m interning at The Odyssey Online as a content creator. An internship is required for my degree and it is exciting to have one that I can do at any time. It will be a better year I hope, and I’ll finally get my degree at the end of it. I want to move out soon, and get a full time job after college that will be awesome, and hopefully write and publish more books since I have to do something after college is over. It was a long road, and I can’t wait till it’s over.
I hope to get more Youtube videos done since that is another thing I haven’t been keeping up with. I will keep up with it more during the summer, and hopefully get more novel writing done during the summer. School is a priority and I want to get my degree. I also set up a different Twitter account and Facebook Fanpage just for my journalism articles since it’s way different from my novel writing ones. My retail problem tweets are funny to some people, but I don’t want it to collide with my journalism one since I’ll be covering the General Assembly, and legislators might not have the same humor I do. It will be a fun year, and the classes are challenging which I am excited about since I loved the thought of Capital News Service, and it will help grow my journalism career. I hope the betas get done soon with my Tales From Behind the Counter book. I want it out soon. I do hope to finish AngelWitch by the end of the break, and knock out some videos for Youtube.
Until next time,
Wolfdreamer25
November 21, 2016
Up, Up, and Away….
The semester is going to be over December 8th, and I could not be more happy. It has been an interesting semester since I went to some U.S District Court cases, and even the Supreme Court too. It was interesting at times, and some were boring. I even went to a council meeting for the first time, and it wasn’t bad since there were people there opposed to the resolutions. I did an interview with Madelyn Smith head of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Richmond, and even did a few articles on Celiac Disease. Not bad. My last two are about the stresses of working retail, and the holidays are here which means more craziness in everything. Not much on the writing front since I didn’t concentrate on my National Novel Writing Month project. I finally have my own domain for my website. It’s awesome, and I hope to finish AngelWitch soon. I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I want, and I want to write full time and get out of retail. I want to write more of Fang and Fur of Love, and NightWatch Superntaural Store. They are going to be put up on the blog chapter by chapter. Hell, I’m even coming up with a newsletter, and sending out that too. Hopefully. The next semester should be interesting since I’ll be interning with Odyssey online, and taking Capital News Service one of my journalism capstone courses. It will be good to be finally done next Fall. I can’t wait.
Until next time,
Wolfdreamer25
