This week on Here’s What We Know, join us for a captivating conversation with author Beth Castrodale to explore the creative life. Beth shares how her roots in journalism shaped her storytelling style, why ghost stories have always fascinated her, and what it really takes to finish a book.
Listen in as we go down the rabbit hole from haunted houses, World War I soldier journals, and audiobooks to cemetery lore and the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye to beloved characters. Tune in now; you’re gonna love it!
This episode is sponsored by:
In this Episode:
- The Path to Writing
- The Relationship Between Reading and Writing
- Running, Audiobooks, and Podcasts: Creative Consumption
- Beth Castrodale’s Books and the Audiobook Experience
- Crafting Character Voices: Writing and Narrating Multiple Points of View
- The Writing Process: Plotting, Pantsing, and Outlining
- Finding Endings and Letting Go
- Receiving Critique and the Role of Ego
- The Solitary Nature of Novel Writing
- Literary Influences and Early Reading Memories
- The Allure of Standalone Novels and Avoiding Sequels
- Research in Writing: Bringing Authenticity to Fiction
- Ghost Stories, the Paranormal, and the Challenge of Creepy
- The Process of Writing “The Inhabitants”
- The Winchester Mystery House
- Publicity, Promotion, and the Writer’s Life
Quotations:
”One of the magical, wonderful things of writing is that you get into a story and, oh, it kind of goes off in a way that you don’t expect.” ~ Beth Castrodale
“And I feel like something with a little bit of plotting and outlining makes sure that you’re getting to those bits and pulling the story along. But I think that it’s a matter of striking the balance between having the plot points but not overplanning, giving yourself enough leeway to discover.” ~ Beth Castrodale
“Have that joy of discovery, but also making sure that you’re not gonna let readers down with something that just zags and drags for the reader.” ~ Beth Castrodale
“No novel is ever really done, but it feels like, okay, I feel like I’ve taken this as far as I can take it, and I need to let it go.” ~ Beth Castrodale
“Just as you’re coming up in the world as a writer, you really have to be able to learn to listen to criticism and integrate it somehow.” ~ Beth Castrodale
“I think there are times, especially when you’re a child, when you feel isolated or alone, and you feel like sometimes books are your companions and the characters in books become your companions.” ~ Beth Castrodale
“I like to keep myself entertained as a writer. So I feel like moving on to a new topic is kind of, it’s like going on a new adventure,” ~ Beth Castrodale
“I have new ideas all the time that I want to pursue because it’s part of the adventure of writing.” ~ Beth Castrodale
Bio:
Beth Castrodale worked as a newspaper reporter until her love of books led her to the publishing field. She was a senior editor at Bedford/St. Martin’s and is the founding editor of the book-review website Small Press Picks. Her most recent novel, The Inhabitants, won the Horror categories of the Independent Publisher Book Awards, the National Indie Excellence Awards, and the Best Book Awards. It was a finalist in the Horror category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
An excerpt from her second novel, In This Ground, was a shortlist finalist for a William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Award. Her début novel, Marion Hatley, was a finalist for a Nilsen Prize for a First Novel from Southeast Missouri State University Press. Castrodale also received an artist grant from the Mass Cultural Council. Her stories and essays have appeared in multiple publications, including CrimeReads, Ars Medica, The Writing Disorder, and Writing and Wellness.
If you sign up for Beth’s monthly email newsletter, you’ll get a free copy of her novel Gold River.
Guest Contact Info:
Website: https://www.bethcastrodale.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-castrodale-a667b81/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethcastrodale/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beth.castrodale