During my young adult and career years, my writing opportunities ebbed and flowed, but I kept my hand in “reporting” through school year books and newspapers, and employee newsletters, with the occasional article in a community publication. When my husband and I relocated to NH to open a B&B, I once again found myself involved […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Kassy Paris tells of a visit to a mountain cabin
Elaine Bonner Powell and I were best friends from the age of 15, so it’s no surprise that we liked to travel together. More surprising, maybe, is that we wrote novels together based on our travels. The idea for our Maggie Valley series came after we spent a week in a cabin in Maggie Valley, […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Judythe Morgan listens to her readers
It took me nine years to write, revise, edit again, and rewrite my debut novel, The Pendant’s Promise, a story set in the Vietnam era. As I held that first printed edition in my hands, I thought I’d finished. One year after publication, a reader sent me an email wanting to know more about how […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Leeann Betts and the book you always wanted to write
So you have a great idea for a book. You’ve done some character sketches. You know where the story is going. The only thing that’s left, apart from the writing, is to decide where to set your book. Your hometown? No, too many people know you there. That little town where you went on vacation […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Barbara M. Britton sifts through the Bible to find her characters
The Bible is full of wonderful characters, or should we say, Wonder Women. Ruth and Esther have their own books. Deborah, the Judge, has a few chapters devoted to her bravery. Rachel and Leah have a sisterly battle for years over Jacob. But numerous novels have been written about these women of the faith. Do […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Delia Latham fell in love with a beach house
As a lifetime California gal, I found it a bit of a shock to find myself living in East Texas in my late fifties. It’s so beautiful here, but things are…different—just as they would be had we moved anywhere else that wasn’t ‘home.’ Still, my grandchildren live close now, and that makes this location perfect […]
Get some mentoring from us at Realm Makers Conference
This summer at the Realm Makers Conference, we’re offering free mentoring to anyone who signs up. We’re happy to share some of the Castle Gate Press special handling we give our authors. This TLC has so far resulted in: last year one Amazon category bestseller, and for this year a book that is both a finalist […]
Behind the Scenes: Author June Foster tells a tale of seeing double
Writing’s never work when the story’s fun to create. Lavender Fields Inn is one of those novels. I hope readers will agree. Wren Tabor is taking a well earned vacation at an inn and spa nestled high in the Rocky mountains. Perhaps her broken heart will heal after her so called boy friend betrayed her. The […]
What’s Your Character’s Motivation?
Why does your protagonist shy away from military men? Why does your hero think all beautiful women are snobs? Why is your antagonist determined to destroy the protagonist’s career? The answers to these questions are motivations for your characters’ behavior. It’s what drives them to do things they otherwise wouldn’t do—often against common sense—therefore, we […]
Behind the Scenes: Author Grace Marshall writes for her younger self
I’ve always been a bit of an oddball in my own way. I was the kid reading books under my desk while the teacher was talking and the one who passed around a notebook between her friends so we could all write a story together, one character at a time. I loved books, I loved […]