Ask the Author: Mary Castillo
Answered Questions (7)
Mary Castillo
To me, that's such an odd question because I write every day. I can't imagine not writing, or rather, never writing again.
Mary Castillo
I'm preparing to publish Lost in Whispers, the second book in the Dori O. Paranormal Mystery series! This book took three years to complete and I almost gave up on it a few times. But I'm so proud of what it grew into and I can't wait for Dori fans to catch up with her.
Mary Castillo
The best part about being an author is the community of authors, writers and readers I've been privileged to join. I'm a founding member of Passionflix and I took a walk-on role on the film The Trouble With Mistletoe. I sat with my fellow founding members and we instantly clicked. I found new favorite authors and got to know some very cool people who are passionate about books.
Mary Castillo
When I bump against a scene or dialogue, I now know that it's not working. Rather than force it, I'll either try coming at a scene from another character's point of view or just start writing the dialogue. If that doesn't work, I'll skip ahead to another scene and see if that mysterious part of my brain figures it out in the background!
Mary Castillo
Was my childhood home really haunted, or was it my imagination?
I prefer the first possibility especially considering that we not only had anecdotal evidence, but real proof that the woman who called our names, slammed doors and windows and appeared at the foot of the bed, was earthbound.
Those experiences were great fodder for the experiences of my reluctant psychic, Dori Orihuela in Lost in the Light and Girl in the Mist.
The real proof came when I was 17 years old and our ghost started acting up. Lights wouldn't just switch off; we would see the switch turning! My mom and I decided to look for her burial place and bring her flowers in the hopes that she'd calm down. I called every cemetery with her name - we knew she was the previous owner of the house. When I confirmed her location, we clipped roses and lilies from the yard and jumped in the car. Following the directions from the cemetery staff, there she was buried alongside her husband under a tree. But what made us stop cold was her photo: I had seen her at the age of four when she told me she would always be my friend but I wouldn't see her any more. My dad had seen her standing at the foot of his bed when he woke up in the middle of the night.
My parents no longer live in the house but since that day, our ghost only made herself known when she didn't like a paint color my mom was considering or wanted to say hi.
I prefer the first possibility especially considering that we not only had anecdotal evidence, but real proof that the woman who called our names, slammed doors and windows and appeared at the foot of the bed, was earthbound.
Those experiences were great fodder for the experiences of my reluctant psychic, Dori Orihuela in Lost in the Light and Girl in the Mist.
The real proof came when I was 17 years old and our ghost started acting up. Lights wouldn't just switch off; we would see the switch turning! My mom and I decided to look for her burial place and bring her flowers in the hopes that she'd calm down. I called every cemetery with her name - we knew she was the previous owner of the house. When I confirmed her location, we clipped roses and lilies from the yard and jumped in the car. Following the directions from the cemetery staff, there she was buried alongside her husband under a tree. But what made us stop cold was her photo: I had seen her at the age of four when she told me she would always be my friend but I wouldn't see her any more. My dad had seen her standing at the foot of his bed when he woke up in the middle of the night.
My parents no longer live in the house but since that day, our ghost only made herself known when she didn't like a paint color my mom was considering or wanted to say hi.
Mary Castillo
The inspiration for Lost in the Light came from a moment when I was a "rookie" in the Laguna Beach Police Department's Citizens Academy. There had been an officer-involved shooting a few months earlier that I had also covered for the local newspaper. One night, the officer who had shot and killed an armed robber, returned to active duty and to our Citizen's Academy. The police chief commended him for his bravery and when everyone stood up to applaud his bravery, the officer bowed his head. The expression on his face – regret, humility and relief to be alive - has stayed with me ever since. So when the idea was kicking around in my head, I connected Dori Orihuela from a novella I had published in Names I Call My Sister with this moment I had witnessed.
Mary Castillo
Relax. When I was new to the game, I was so eager for approval and now that I'm older and thankfully wiser, I see newbies with the same anxiety. We’ll sign with the first agent who expresses interest in our work without asking important business questions; we make a pitch session with an editor a life or death situation. This eagerness puts too much pressure on oneself, not to mention the agents and editors who are trying to do their jobs!
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