Angela C. Castillo's Blog, page 2

Cover Reveal and Pre-Order!

I'm so excited! Not only is it finally fall and we've had a few sweater-wearing days here in Texas (was it seriously 30 degrees the other day?) but I've FINALLY put my Oregon trail story up for pre-order!

Here's the beautiful cover, designed by the amazing Elaina Lee from For the Muse Designs!

Compared to an arranged marriage to the odious Bernard Regent, a prairie schooner on the Oregon Trail doesn't seem like such a bad trade to Amethyst Kent.When desperate Martha Davis reveals her need for a mother's helper on the trail, Ami decides to up and leave the pampered life she's always known for a land of freedom. But trail life is hardly a tea party, and Ami must draw from the deepest wells of her faith to survive. With the sunset always before her, and Shiloh Talon, a handsome trail scout, guiding the way, she might just make it through.

Up for pre-order on Amazon today; will be released December 15th. https://www.amazon.com/Westward-Wanderers-Book-One-Christian-Historical-ebook/dp/B0813NV1KP
I'm so excited to release Amethyst Kent out into the wild. This book took me FOREVER to write, longer than most trips down the Oregon trail, but I learned so much while researching it. 

Why Kindle Unlimited for Picture Books?

In the land of digital everything, many parents prefer to keep old-fashioned paper books around for the littles. For one thing, a paperback book is much cheaper to replace than a Kindle or iPhone if it accidentally gets flushed down the toilet.
But there are some nice things about Kindle books for kids.

It's a great way to see if your kid likes a book or series for less (sometimes for free). Kindle books are great for car rides and long waiting room times.Some kid's Kindle books include interactive links for more learning opportunities.The best way to check out children's picture books for a small amount of money is through a program Amazon offers called Kindle Unlimited. Authors offer certain books through this program for a small subscription amount per month. Readers can read up to 10 books at a time, and return them for more books whenever they like.
The best part is, the first month with KU is free!
But what books can you get? Are there any good ones?
Here are some of my top picks.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Narwhals-Day-Secret-Creatures-ebook/dp/B07R6JD3T5




https://www.amazon.com/Tigers-Cant-Doors-Angela-Castillo-ebook/dp/B07R2D4DX6

https://www.amazon.com/Aidan-Wonder-Kid-Could-Stopped-ebook/dp/B078JJ1CDM


https://www.amazon.com/Little-Purple-Porcupine-Shannon-Mokry/dp/0998711233



https://www.amazon.com/Bens-Adventures-Day-at-Beach-ebook/dp/B07GTMWJCN



https://www.amazon.com/dp/1098572092

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1097489906

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Caesars-Adventure-Steven-OHarra-ebook/dp/B07R6DYVR2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V8CYW41



https://www.amazon.co.uk/Timmy-Matilda-Butterfly-Kelly-Turner-ebook/dp/B07CMFBLYG



https://www.amazon.com/Silly-Willy-Apple-Bella-Adventure-ebook/dp/B07QL9Z8QM


https://www.amazon.com/dp/1950682005


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RZS9ZLZ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732231508?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B077XZJ1JR

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TF3MY4Z


https://www.amazon.com/RAD-Girl-Revolution-childrens-little/dp/069219018X

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cave-Wall-Stone-Source-Stories-ebook/dp/B07V1JWJ64


https://www.amazon.com/Toto-Home-Alone-Viktoriia-Mykhalevych-ebook/dp/B07WGR8BVJ



https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692189831

So there's 20 great books to get you started with Kindle Unlimited! For more information about the program, check out this link. https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/hz/subscribe/ku?ref_=ref%3D17_us_gs_56&_encoding=UTF8&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Happy reading! 

Texas Critters You May Have Never Seen

The other day, a friend of mine posted a picture of a nutria she'd seen at a nearby Central Texas riverside. She thought it might be a beaver, which is completely understandable, as they are about the same size. So I thought I'd compile a collection of the craziest critters in the area. And I know they're all here, because as a lifetime Texan, I've seen them all! How many of these creatures did you know were here?

Barn Owl

If you've ever heard a bone-chilling cry in the middle of a Texas night, well . . . it could be a lot of creatures. But if you then see a white, round face hovering in the mist, it's probably a barn owl. They are found all over Texas and nest everywhere, not just barns. But most people never see one because they only come out at night. You can find out more HERE. 

Photo by: Cherie Haines





Bobcat
I've seen some beautiful animals in my life, but bobcats are about the top of the list. Named for their 'bobbed' tails, they can be found throughout Texas and are divided into two subspecies, the desert bobcat and the Texas bobcat. They are shy and are generally only on the prowl at night, so you'll be lucky to see one! Find out more information HERE. 

Alligator Snapping Turtle
Funny thing about Alligator Snapping Turtles–I've had several wildlife experts swear up and down to me they don't exist in Central Texas. But I've had the fortune to see three in my life, two in Austin and one in Manor. The two in Austin were fighting in Shoal Creek and looked like two prehistoric creatures in some kind of epic battle. They are on the endangered list. If you are ever lucky enough to see one, keep your distance, their bite can snap a log in half so imagine what it could do to a human arm. Well, maybe better not. For more information about these guys, look HERE.

Tarantula Hawk 
Up on the list of 'fiercest insects ever' has to be the tarantula hawk, a type of wasp found all over Texas. They can be up to three inches long and have one of the most potent stings of any wasp (I mean, they have to be able to take down a tarantula, after all). The good news is most of the time they are non-aggressive. So if you see one, best to walk the other way. More information HERE.

Flying Squirrels
Ask a Texan if they've seen a squirrel and they'll probably blink rapidly and point to the backyard. Ask them if they've seen a flying squirrel and they probably won't even know they exist . . . and yet flying squirrels outnumber regular squirrels in some area. Flying squirrels can't truly fly, they glide from tree to tree by stretching out their skin like a sail. These creatures are adorable . . . too bad they're hard to find. For more information about flying squirrels, go HERE.
Picture by: Cherie Haines
Porcupines
Very few animals look so deceptively huggable as a porcupine, but as we all know even a tiny squeeze would bring pain and maybe even death. Porcupines have up to 30,000 quills. They are mostly slow-moving, easy-going creatures, but if they fear a threat they will swing their tail at an assailant, leaving the would-be attacker with a face full of quills. Ouch. Find out more about Texas porcupines HERE. 

NutriaThese beaver-like creatures are considered an invasive species because they burrow through roots and destroy water vegetation important to other species. However, they are extremely fun to watch if you spot them on the banks of the river. Just look at those orange teeth! Find out more about nutrias HERE. 
So that's my list! How many of these animals have YOU spotted in the wild? Which creatures would you add to the list? Please share in the comments below.

Cultivating Childhood Creativity

"Mom, I'm bored."
If you're a parent, you've heard this or the equivalent what seems like a million times a day. If your house is like my house, once the screens blink off the complaints begin. "I have nothing to do." "Can I watch something?" "Can I have a snack?"

As a mom of four, I don't believe in always solving my children's problems. However, I do:

Surround them with books and activity books
Provide them with craft materials. You don't need tons of stuff. Save cardboard boxes and tubes and have crayons, glue, scissors and other basics. (My kids also love clay)
Encourage them to go outside.
Visit the library often.
Allow them to watch craft tutorials
Give them dress-up materials that aren't pre-made costumes, like shawls, hats, belts and scarves. Encourage them to create their own superheroes or characters
Give them two board games with missing pieces and tell them to make a new game with their own rules.

The times I step back and leave my children to their own devices are the times they create the most amazing games. Not sure what was going on here with my daughter and son, but I'm sure it was a: dire and b: epic.





A book about Creativity
When I was a kid, we played a game where we'd think up a dangerous situation and then say what we would do.
"What if the house was on fire?"
"What if you were in a bank during a robbery?"
"What if a monster was coming after you?"
My kids play this game, and one day, I heard my daughter growling, and then a door slammed, as my son yelled, "tigers can't open doors!"
So a book was born, and after much time and effort, and with the help of an amazing author from Vietnam, Trandang, Tigers Can't Open Doors has become a reality.
If you'd like a copy, you can find it on Amazon for Kindle and paperback. Look HERE. 
Tigers Can't Open Doors is about two boys who face a goofy, shape-shifting monster. They keep thinking of creative ways to thwart each creature, but in the end, they might just need help from mom.

Coming Soon, to a Texas Town Near You!

One of my favorite parts of being an author is . . . meeting readers face-to-face. I'd love to autograph your book and see your smiling face for real! Here's a list of the places Jamie Foley (my co-author) and I will be in the next few months. Come and see us! 

New Giveaway!

If you follow my blog, then you know I LOVE contests. So we're doing a fantastic giveaway with 2 other wonderful children's authors! We have April Cox, who wrote the adorable The Little Labradoodle Puppy Pickup Day (Amazon author page HERE) and Mary Nhin, who co-wrote How to Win Wimbledon in Pajamas, Mental Toughness for Kids, with her son, Kobe Nhin. (You can see her Kickstarter HERE.)

This is a pretty nice one, with three picture books, two activity books, a Mental Toughness Kit, and of course, a 25.00 Amazon gift card which can be used for whatever your heart desires. It only takes a minute to win it! Go HERE for more information!

Hook in Readers with Better Words for Crowdfunding, Ads and Blurbs

Blink, and your audience will miss it. In a land of millions of books, you only have a split second to catch a potential reader's attention.

As a writer who loves marketing, I still find myself against a wall sometimes and have to figure out a way around. I found myself stuck at 607.00-just over 50% funded-for three days in a row with my Kickstarter.

I took a look at my campaign and realized my opening paragraph was aimed at children . . . not adults, who would be the ones stumbling across my campaign. I had completely forgotten the rule I've learned about campaign wording–always use action words at the beginning to hook people in.

So I changed my opening paragraph from "An adorable narwhal spends his day meeting other ocean creatures" to "Teach children about these beautiful 'unicorns of the sea' and other amazing Arctic creatures."

Parents and teachers need to see the VALUE of a book, why are they choosing it among the thousands of others available?

Action words are important for Amazon blurbs, AMS ads, and Facebook ads. Start your ad with words like

JoinDiscoverTeach Come AlongRide AlongFind outPlay withExperienceWhen I changed the hook, I had THREE new backers in one night after three days of crickets. I have also used these words for much more effective hooks for my AMS ads and Amazon blurbs. The difference has been substantial.
I challenge you to try this and see what happens! Here's my KS page for reference. http://kck.st/2VCRUPz

What changes have you made to your ad copy to see amazing differences? Please share in the comments! 

Kickstarter for "Little Narwhal's Day" Launches!

Once upon a time, a little narwhal awoke to the sun's rays streaming through the waves . . . 
Please join me on this exciting opportunity to be the among the first to sponsor this delightful book, illustrated by the amazing Indira Zuleta. For every ten books funded, one book will be donated to Dell Children's Hospital in Austin.

Special early bird price for 2 days only! Until April 13th.

Check out the Kickstarter HERE. And please share on Facebook and Twitter! Thank you so much for your support. As an author, it means the world to me. 

New Contest! Amazon Fire Tablet and Fantasy Collection!

New contest alert! My co-author, Jamie Foley and I have teamed up with two other authors from her company, Fayette Press, to offer you a great opportunity to win an Amazon Fire, signed fantasy paperbacks, (all clean by the way), or Kindle books!

Check it out! Share for more entries! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal for my FIRST Kid's Picture Book

I can still hear it in my mind. My dad's voice, singing softly,

How sweet to be a cloud, 
floating in the blue, 
Every little cloud,
always sings aloud. 
(From Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree)

Some of my most precious memories from childhood are of my parents reading out loud to me. From the time my children were infants, I have read every picture book I can get my hands on. We have our favorites, of course. The Little Critter series, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

I am super excited to announce my very first picture book, coming soon to Amazon! Little Narwhal's Day will be ready soon. I was SO fortunate to have the amazing and talented Indira Zuleta from Venezuela illustrate it for me.

Without further ado, here's the cover! I want to hug it and squeeze it and name it George!


I chose to write about narwhals because they are so cute and mysterious. This book will have a fun story to introduce little-known animals of the arctic, and have interesting facts about these animals as well.

Stay tuned for more information!