This week’s Friday Five focus is Angela Castillo, author of sci-fi and Christian historical short stories, novellas, novels, and poetry, plus blog freelance.
There’s magic all around us, if we just know where to look. Angela Castillo has a goal as an author; to help people see. She comes from the small town of Bastrop, Texas, where she loves to walk in the woods and shop in the local stores. Castillo studied Practical Theology and Music at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas.
Her latest works are the Toby the Trilby children’s series. He was born underground, at the edge of the world’s destruction. Twelve years old, Toby has never seen the sun. Created by six scientists who accidentally gave him cat ears (and a tail), Toby decides to leave the safety of his cavern world to seek answers. Did anyone survive the Great Destruction? Why has he been hearing a mysterious Voice? And, most important of all, does he have a soul?
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1. What author has influenced your writing style/subject the most and why?
Such a tough question! Probably C.S. Lewis. He has influenced my life in so many ways, spiritually, creatively and in my writing as well. He created worlds and people that children could step into and become friends with, and that’s what I hope to do with my stories.
2. What do you want your readers to take away from your works?
I think the most important thing is that everyone has a purpose, and that there is more inside of us then we think, we just have to reach down and find that part of ourselves that can love, that can forgive, that can be brave.
3. Why should people read YOUR stuff? Who’s your target audience and why?
I have had people of all ages enjoy my Toby books, but the most important group for me is young boys. Sometimes they are a harder group to encourage to read, and I wanted to write books they couldn’t put down.
4. Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others? How do you deal with this?
I hate allowing my MC’s to get hurt! I pretty much have to shut my eyes and type!
5. Thinking about the stuff you’ve written, who’s your favorite character and why?
Toby the Trilby is my favorite. He’s so tiny, but so brave, and he tries to think the best of people and help everyone no matter what they have done to him. I’d like to hope I’d make the same choices he does when faced with those situations, but I don’t know if I could be that brave.
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Angela’s Toby the Trilby series is available at Amazon, where the first book is currently FREE