Angela C. Castillo's Blog, page 7

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Timing (Or One Indie Writer's Book Publishing Process)

One of the challenges most Indie authors face is deciding when your book-child is ready to release into the wild to flutter off (and hopefully soar) on its own. This is particularly challenging because we are virtually by ourselves in the decision. We don't have an agent or an editor to give us the green light and say "Here you go, printing date in three months." We have to make that call for ourselves.As Indie writers, most of us have experienced that heart-freezing moment when one of our beta-readers (or well-meaning family members or friends) asks us about a plot hole that we simply didn't consider. We must race off, open our file and type feverishly. Hopefully it doesn't make the whole plot impossible and unravel our entire literary sweater.
Or worse, we have published our book, released it into the Amazon jungle, promoted the tar out of it... and we receive a two star review because of a major plot issue. And we can't explain it away. It's just there.

I realize I have painted a bleak picture, but these things do not have to happen. As Indie writers, we need to know the correct steps to get the best book possible out to our adoring public. And we need to have the confidence to let our child take its first steps into our reader's hearts.

Here is the process I put each book through before publication. I'm sure everyone has a slightly different method.

1. Critiques

After my book has been typed out, I post it on http://Scribophile.com. This is a great critique group where people trade critiques. I will put each chapter through until it receives at least five critiques, editing as I see a need. This process helps me catch major plot holes and think through sentence structure. It's also a great way to get reader's impressions, sentence by sentence.

2. Beta-Readers

I try to find at least 5 people who will read my book all the way through, preferably people who A. enjoy reading the genre and have certain expectations for the category I have written, and B. Are not people I know personally. This is a great way to check for plot holes again and gage reader's impressions of the book as a whole. I don't hand my book out to betas until I have polished it as much as possible and 'sat on it' for a few weeks, then polished it again.
3. Editors
This one is highly debated; how much editing does a book truly need? One of the great advantages of being an Indie writer is not having an editor who must hone our story into something they believe their company can sell. It's what makes Indie writers able to publish anything they desire without having a commercial dragon breathing down their neck. I firmly believe if most writers follow steps one and two and find reliable readers who will be honest with them, they will probably not need in-depth, creative editing. On the other hand, copy editors are extremely important. You absolutely must have extra sets of eyes to check for SPAG issues. I have two copy editors, and I hand them proof books which are in proof form and already formatted. This is a great way to check for alignment issues as well.
4. Letting it go
After you have had your book proof-read, read through it yourself several times with a red pen, and gone through the dreadful-ahem-delightful process of formatting for Kindle and whichever other platforms you have chosen, it's time to sit back and watch the pages flutter away. The wonderful thing about using the process I have outlined is the book will not be released until you have had at least 12-15 educated, invested, objective readers involved. I'm not promising you will have all five-star reviews, but you can know you did the best you possibly could.


If you are a brand-new, self-taught writer, just dipping a toe into the creative universe, you might want a more extensive process for your first few books. But over time, you learn what to look for and avoid, and your children's faces will become cleaner in every new venture into the world.
I would love to know what you think of this article, and if you have anything to add. Please comment below!

Writing From Real Life

I am in the throes
of writing my first historical fiction novel, The River Girl's Song, set in the 1880's. When I first thought of my story idea, I was going to make the setting somewhere on the prairie. Then I realized... I had never been to the prairie. Since a road trip wasn't in my budget, I decided to base the book in my own, small town, over 135 years ago. 
So began a wonderful journey, looking through websites, newspaper articles and books. I have learned so many amazing things about Bastrop, TX, and there's enough material for hundreds of book ideas for later.

But I think many people would be surprised to know much of my material isn't from history, at least not that far back. Many of my main character, Zillia's experiences are based on things that happened to me, or at least aspects of my own life. My family was a large one. I am the oldest of seven children, and we grew up fairly poor. At one point we actually lived in a dilapidated house with no windows. I lived in a tent for awhile to keep out bats. So dealing with Texas extreme temperatures was a way of life for me when I was sixteen... even in the nineties. 
My family also spent a lot of time by the Colorado River, the "River Girl's" home. We swung on grapevine and eat cactus apple, dewberry and Mustang Grape jelly. We had goats more than once, and had to chase off wild dogs and snakes. I still live withing spitting distance of the Colorado, and enjoy taking my children to hike along it's leafy green shores.
The story is about a young girl's determination and courage to figure things out and make it, with God's grace. I think most people have had those times in their lives where answers don't come easily and we finally have to cry out to our Creator for help and healing. 
What aspects of your own life have you used in your writing? 

My Two Cents on Fifty Shades

For those of you going to watch "50 Shades of Gray", I'm not going to write a judgy post. Just wanted to share these verses:"4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.1 Corinthians 13 4-7If a man doesn't strive to treat a woman with these verses in mind, there is nothing 'hot' or 'attractive' about him.

Writing With Music

Once upon a time, long ago, I was a singer in a rock band and did worship in a little church on Sunday mornings. Music has always had a huge impact on my life. I don't cry during movies because of subject matter, I cry because of the music. I can hear a song from a specific time of my life and be instantly transported to that memory in my mind. Therefore, it completely makes sense that music would influence my writing. A song (or even a video) will spark an idea, and off they go, running hand in hand together. Sometimes it will take years for the idea to germinate, growing more and more every time I hear the song, and sometimes I must dash madly off and find a pen the first time I hear a song on the radio. My latest project is a story set in the 1880's. It's the story of a 17 year old girl who is faced with raising her baby brother and taking care of her family farm with the help of a few friends. As I've been writing the story, I've been thinking about how hard it is for me, even with all my modern conveniences and a caring husband, to run a household and care for three children. I've been thinking of all the single moms and dads out there who are faced with taking care of things all alone. I heard this song yesterday. I have always thought of it as my song, but now I realize I will have to share it with Zillia, my main character. And now I will share it with you. Know God cares about you today. 
What songs have been your musical inspiration? Please feel free to share stories below. For more about how music has inspired my books, go to http://tobythetrilby.weebly.com/music...

The Ultimate Reading Quest

Inviting you on an exciting journey! Please feel free to share with any kids who love to read! Toby the Trilby is a part of this quest, including lots of other wonderful books!
[caption id="attachment_1081" align="aligncenter" width="500"] CLICK ON THIS BUTTON TO START YOUR QUEST![/caption]

WATCH THE VIDEO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE READING QUEST.

Happy New Year from all the Authors in the Ultimate Reading Quest! This year myself, and all the Quest authors, want you to enjoy your reading experiences more than ever! So in 2015, the Ultimate Reading Quest has more, more, more! More authors and more books, means more mystery, more danger, more intrigue and more edge-of-your-seat adventure awaits you! We want you, our readers, to be able to fill that Kindle, tablet or E-reader you got for Christmas, with fabulous reads to take you through 2015. The Quest is so much fun! Who doesn't love searching for treasure? The ULTIMATE READING QUEST is about finding books that are “perfectly” suited to your reading taste by clicking on choices. To thank you for participating, the authors have decided to give away oodles of prizes for free! Enter your name to win Amazon cards and free books from authors! Plus a whole store of treasured books are just waiting to be discovered by you!

Enjoy your journey as you travel through the QUEST! Don't forget to enter the raffle on the first page of the Quest. And please leave comments or questions for the authors of the Quest. We would love to hear from you. What are you waiting for? Click on the button above or below to get started on your QUEST for the next ULTIMATE READ! [caption id="attachment_1081" align="aligncenter" width="500"] CLICK ON THE BUTTON TO START YOUR QUEST![/caption]

Book Review: The Place of Voices (Book 1 in the TimeDrifter Series)

I am a poet. I like poetic things. I love to find new ways to express old ideas. I love finding writers who have the ability to not only tell a story, but transport the readers to the place where the story dwells, to make the world a tangible place the reader can almost touch, feel and see for themselves. Lauren Lynch has a remarkable way of expressing ideas, and every movement, every thing sensed by her characters is also experienced by the reader, and it is something I have rarely seen so carefully done. The Place of Voices brings three children from very different worlds... and different times in history, together in a mysterious forest. They have each followed three animal 'guides'-- a koala, an elk, and a quetzal bird-- to this place. They are told by the elk their purpose is to 'rest and prepare' for adventures ahead. What follows is a wild journey of history, enlightenment, fear and good versus evil.The many historical elements of this book are fascinating and meticulously woven in. I have rarely found a children's book with so much historical information to be gleaned from the story, especially one described as a fantasy. The book also has a clear Christ figure in the character of Ben, the Elk, as well as a being to symbolize Satan, or at least a demonic force. 
In areas, I did feel like the adventure was bogged down by a bit too much purple prose. There were times when I lost sight of the action because I was focusing on a lengthy description. Sometimes it was a little confusing as to who was talking or doing something. Sudden point of view shifts also occasionally made me have to 'step back' and get my bearings. I also felt like too much was crammed into the first story line, it might have been better to focus on one child's story at a time per book, I'm not sure. But despite these issues, I'm really glad to have read the book and I think anyone who enjoys allegorical and poetic fiction will be pleased to have this book in their library. You can purchase this book on Amazon here; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Place-Voices-...

Book Review: They're Rugby Boys, Don't You Know?

Sometimes God uses what seems like random circumstances to change our lives foreverNatalie Vallecott, a Christian Police Sergeant from England agreed to join a Logos Hope team on a ship to bring Christian literature to the world. What was intended to be a routine stop of three weeks at a port in the Philippines turned into a stop for repairs that lasted for months. During that time, Natalie's life was forever changed by a group of 'invisible' street children known as the Rugby boys.
Rugby was an addictive substance these boys would use to get high on during the day because it helped to stave off their constant hunger. Abusing this substance would lead to brain damage and eventually, death.What amazed me about this book is the author's heart and determination.
It reminded me of the starfish story. A beach is full of thousands of starfishes. A man notices a little boy throwing as many as he can into the ocean. The man says, "I'm sorry, but you know you can't possibly save all of them." The boy picks up another small, orange shape and tosses it in the waves. He turns to the man. "But I saved that one." 
Natalie dealt with many frustrations as she tried to minister to the children. Language barriers, stubborn hearts, and a community who had given up trying to help. But she never gave up. No matter how many times 'her' boys turned on her and threw her kindness back in her face, she kept trying to help them and show God's love. 
It made me think about how many times in my life I have given up on someone who was less than pleasant to me? But God wants us to keep praying and showing love, even if we never see the results of our labor. 
They're Ruby Boys, Don't You Know? is well written and engaging. I found a few typos but just a few and they did not break my immersion in the story. I think any Christian would be inspired by this book of hope and determination.The book is available at Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback. http://www.amazon.com/Theyre-Rugby-Bo...

Book Review: Kitty Castle Book 1, Nightcat

A kingdom overrun by cats turned to dragons, children left with an absent-minded tutor in a castle filled with magic and a quite extraordinary cat... there are much in these pages for 4-8 year olds to delight in. This is the first book in a series written by Celesta Thiessan and her daughter, Kezia. They started writing the series when Keziah was seven years old, and the reader will get an instant feeling of fresh ideas that come only from a child's imagination. A cat with wings who blows magic sparkles? Why, of course!A few of the ideas in the book will leave adults scratching their heads. Such as, if the kingdom has been laid to waste by dragons, why do the children think the tutor doesn't realize it? What did the king and queen think they could find to stop the dragons? But these are questions adults will wonder, most children will simply be turning the pages to find out what happens next.As the first book in the series, it's available for free on Amazon in Kindle format. http://www.amazon.com/Nightcat-Kitty-...

Book Review: Chase Bartholomew Hastings

It's nice (and extremely rare) to find a Middle-Grade dystopian novel that will actually make you feel better about the world after you have read it, and that's what Chase Bartholomew Hastings accomplishes. This is a world where the only electricity is generated by windmills on roofs, where people have to ration food and view all newcomers with suspicion. Chase spends most of his time with his friends, Henry and Aaliyah, and children will enjoy reading about the ways they have fun even in an altered world. 
A few areas in the book I felt could have been developed a little more. Packages from a mysterious benefactor keep appearing with almost impossible to the world gifts. Chase believes these come from "Niceness Ninjas" but the origins are never explained. I also felt some of the events where a bit rushed and could have been explored further, but it works for the targeted age group. All together, a fun little book you can hand to your child without a worry.