Here is my interview with Christina Marie Castro

Name: Christina Marie Castro

Age:  I may not look my age, but believe me, I am half a century plus five.

Where are you from?  I am from Baltimore, Maryland  USA

A little bit about yourself?

I am the youngest and the only daughter of Miguel Albano Castro and Irene Castro. My Dad is from the Philippines who came to live in the States after he graduated from medical college. When he came to Baltimore, Maryland, he met my Mom, Irene who is from Portland Oregon USA. So I am Filipino and Spanish, and also German, Irish, English and Dutch in heritage. I attended Notre Dame Preparatory School for Girls in Towson, Maryland from 1^st grade through 12^th grade. My extracurricular activities were in music, studying piano, and then classical guitar and in creative writing, and singing. I started writing my own songs as young as seven years old for piano, and then for guitar at age eleven. I started writing poetry on a regular basis in high school.  I also tried the Dramatic arts in high school. I explored individual sports such as Water skiing, snow skiing,  gymnastics, ice skating , and martial arts. My sporting experiences were short lived due back injury and scoliosis and a cyst inside my brain.  I have always loved to dance.  My two older brothers  are 15 months and 23.5 months older than me. My oldest brother is an Ocologist in Honolulu, Hawaii, and my other older brother is an Attorney of Law in Baltimore, Maryland. I became a Licensed Practical Nurse after I graduated from Nursing School in 1984. In 2008, I graduated from Harvest Time Bible College in Baltimore MD with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and a certificate as Missionary. Presently, I am attending Harvest Time Bible College to obtain my Master’s Degree in Theology. In June 1988, my daughter, Allyson Rachael Burgess was born.  In January, 1991, I had a son, Dana Michael Burgess. Unfortunately, I tried marriage 3 times and none of them worked out. But my writing, music, church ministry and my full time employment as well as my family keep me very happy and busy.

Latest news?

I am starting to work on my newest book to be published. It is a fantasy poetry story book called “An Angel in The Witches’ Woods”.

When and why did you begin writing?

I was told by my first grade teacher about what a poem is, and so my very first poem I wrote was at age 6. When I was age 10, I read the book of Psalms in the bible and wrote my own.  When I was age 11, I wrote my first song lyric called When I Find A Friend. I just loved to write.

When did you consider yourself a writer?

At age 6, when I read my first poem to my Mom, she identified me as a poet.  When I started writing songs with my guitar as early as age 11, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I kept poetry journals for years. My first published poetry book, Hopes Dreams And Spiritual Fulfillment contain some of those early poems.

Specific Writing Style?

I don’t have one particular style, but I make sure I reflect Spiritual truth and compassion in my poetry and story writing.

How Do I come up with the Titles of my Books?

As always when I approach any new writing project, I pray first. And then I wait for an inspiration. Sometimes the theme of the title or the actual title comes when I least expect it. When I realize the title, I usually know it is the right one because I get happy and excited.

Message in the Novel that readers want to grasp?

Always I want to represent myself as a Believer in Jesus Christ and so I use the qualities I find in the Goodness of God to be reflected in my writing. And I enjoy showing the difference in Peace and Conflict in anything I write. I especially want to be wholesome and respectful when writing about others and about the topic of love relationships.

How much is your book realistic?

My most recently written novel, my first novel ever published, Living Through The Metamorphosis is a fictitious story, but I the experiences the characters went through are very realistic.

My poetry is very realistic. Most people could relate to what I am writing about in my poetry.

Experiences based on some one you know, or events in your own life?

The characteristics of the main people in my story may reflect qualities of someone I know. I think I am going to decline answering the rest of this question. It defeats the purpose of imagination.

What books have influenced me most in life?

The Bible.

Which writier is my mentor?

Now my mentor is my friend, Deborah Brooks Langford. She is a beautiful writer and I have almost all her books.

What books am I reading now?

Fire and Roses, 2^nd Edition, Soulful Love, Break of a New Dawn, and Nick and Brook, all by Deborah Brooks Langford.

New Authors that grasped my interest?

Yes. I am interested in reading more by Deepak Sawhney and Barry Mowles.

Current projects?

An Angel in The Witch’s Woods – is a fantasy story with poetry

Also, another book I am going to write to publish this year which is a humorous poetry book.

Who else supported you outside of family?

Currently my pastoral staff at my Church Ministry as well as my teachers who encouraged me to be a creative writer.

Writing as a career?

No, because I am a professional nurse full time, and then I am a musician at church as well as a songwriter, I will always be doing many different things in life because that is how I become a good writer.

What would I change in my latest book?

My latest book is my first children’s book, The Santaween Adventure Stories, which I decided to illustrate myself. I was really excited about the illustrations, but I think next time I will use a different medium to colorize my pictures so that they stand out more.

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

I remember in first grade, my Teacher, Sister Gilbert told us how to write a poem. I wrote my poem and cherished it. My Mom told me I was a poet. Also, when I was young, whenever I went to see a musical movie, Like, Mary Poppins or Sound of Music, I wanted to write songs just like in the movies. Also, when I was 10, I read the Bible for the first time. After reading all the psalms in the bible, I decided to write my own.

Can you share some of your current work with us?

In regards to what I am working on now, I prefer not to, because it isn’t perfect yet, and I have been editing it daily.

Anything challenging in my writing?

Only Time- I don’t have enough to work on my book. That is why it took a month and a half to proofread my novel when I technically finished it.

My favorite author is LA Meyer. He has written eleven volumes of his Jacky Faber Series. I am now getting started reading his eleventh book. I like how consistent his story is and how he always refreshes the reader’s memory by keeping the characters constant in all of the volumes.   Do you have to travel much concerning your books?         NO                                                                            Who Designed the covers?

All my book covers are designed by Barry Mowles who publishes my books through Destiny To Write Publications.

Hardest Part of writing your book?

Putting the beginning, middle and end together. The first novel I have written, I wrote the ending first and had to fill in the middle and beginning next, then I had to add to the ending so it would all tie in together.

What did I learn anything from my writing?

To be patient and not too hard on my self.

Any advice for other writers?

To be patient and not too hard on yourself. And make sure you have a good dictionary, and go to the websites for grammar if you need help in sentence structure.

Anything specific to say to your readers?

Keep reading my books and encourage your friends and families to get my books too. And thank you to any of you who have read my books already.

1^st book I ever read?

I read a lot with my Mom’s influence. But I enjoyed the books by Maurice Sendakk the most ( the Little Bear Books) and the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Books were my second favorite as well as Charlotte’s Web.

What makes you laugh/cry?

Romance and personal tragedy makes me cry, and just plain silliness will make me laugh.

One person I would meet  and why?

Deborah Brooks Langford – her personal strength through all her struggles is what I admire and she so beautifully writes about it so.

What do you want to be written on your head stone and why?

That the Love and Word of God is my most strongest influence in my life that I always have had a desire to reflect in everything I write, in everything I say and and in everything I Do.

Other than writing, what other hobbies do I have?

My singing and my musical abilities in playing the guitar and keyboard is what enjoy the most doing. They are not what I call hobbies but expressions of my true Heart.

I am on WordPress.com, and I am on Allpoetry.com and I am on Hubpages (CMCastro).

 

 

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