Castle Gate Press has gone indie, meaning that we’re happily providing services to authors. These services include book layout, editing, mentoring, and advice. We are thrilled to be able to foster development of authors, particularly in Christian sci-fi/fantasy, our favorite genre. We’re proud of our run as a small press, especially our Selah Award and […]
A Break Might Be Just What You Need
Writing is tough work. It takes learning and practice, and more learning and practice. Added to that, writing a book is a solitary activity, with few attaboys and many disappointments. It can be a recipe for writer’s block…or even just a stall. Yet we will run into plot issues. We will get frustrated with the rules. We […]
You Are an Author
You’ve followed your creative urge, spend hour upon hour for months curled over your keyboard pecking out words, paragraphs, and chapters, and you’ve finally finished a novel. You’ve shared your accomplishment with friends and family, and now they’re starting to call you a writer–an author. Maybe you laugh and agree. Or possibly you glow with […]
The Ambiance of a Writing Conference Makes a Difference
The co-owners of Castle Gate Press, Phyllis Wheeler and Suzanne Hartmann, attended the Realm Makers Writing Conference for Christian Speculative Fiction this past weekend. While they are both exhausted, the atmosphere of sharing and the sense of family energized and renewed them. Sensing these qualities–which Castle Gate Press also promotes–poured out in a larger arena and touching every attendee, […]
When Your Brain Won’t Work Any More
You’ve got a great idea for a novel. Scenes practically create themselves because you know your characters so well. Your passion for writing takes over for weeks, maybe even months. It might be some type of disconnect between you and your characters. Maybe they’re not agreeable to doing what your plot has in store for […]
The Bitterness Bug
Nobody likes bug bites. They itch, they swell, and sometimes they become infected. These bites affect our physical bodies in ways we easily see and feel. The bitterness bug, on the other hand, burrows under our mental skin. It bites in unobtrusive places where we can’t see the marks, yet they still itch and annoy […]
A Real-Life Revision Prompt for the New Year
When someone mentions the word “editing,” people usually think of writing or some other word-related field like speech-writing or even film-making. Whichever the form, when we edit, we examine our words and make changes so they look better, sound better, and follow the rules. In real life, we each have a story written before we were born […]
Cultivating An Attitude of Gratitude by author Crystal L. Barnes
You know the picture. You’ll probably see it today. Everyone gathered around the table. Piles of food waiting to be devoured. Smiles on all the faces. Children drooling over dessert. It’s Thanksgiving! But is it truly Thanksgiving without an attitude of gratitude? Howdy y’all! Crystal L Barnes here. I don’t know about you but Thanksgiving […]
Behind the Scenes: Collaborative Writing – The Writer vs. The Visual Artist
Janeen: I’m a plotter. I believe in to-do lists and set routines. I like to work alone so I can control things. God has a sense of humor, since I’m in a long-term creative collaboration with a visual artist, Julia Busko, who has a very different perspective. Julia: The best way to describe my process […]
Hang out with other writers
If you’re like most writers, there aren’t any other serious fiction writers in your circle of family or friends. Writers just aren’t that common. And, like most writers, you may be an introvert who’d rather stay home and interact with the characters in your head. So why seek out other writers? Why make the effort? […]