Today, CLG catches up with one of her fave authors of chica lit, Mary Castillo!

Photo by: Suzanne Mapes, for The Register

What’s the latest happenings in your writerly world?
My latest book, Switchcraft came out on Oct. 1st.

Check out the book HERE!

I had a blast seeing my readers again at my book signing events. Since then, I’ve worked on a new book during NaNoWriMo.

What have you’ve learned about the writing industry over the last year?
Selling my book was hard. To continue my status as a published author is even harder! I’m still a little fish so I have to do a lot of my own promotion and marketing as well as keep writing new books. It’s a challenge but a good one to have, and I’m lucky that my support team – publisher, agent, family, and friends – have been there for me.

I’ve also learned not to read reviews, or talk badly about anyone in this business. What one person absolutely loves and swears they’d take my book on a desert island, another hates and curses me for killing trees to print that book. I’m grateful for emails from my readers, and I’m lucky that more people like my books than hate them. And as for those who hate them, I bear no ill will. We just don’t click and that’s cool. As for not talking badly about others, I’ve seen writers get slammed for bad mouthing their editor or another author. It just isn’t cool and so if I have a bad opinion about someone I do what my mama told me and keep it to myself!

Lastly, I’ve learned to be more protective of my writing. I don’t talk too much about what I’m working on and I no longer try to box it in by feeling that it has to be “good.” I want my writing to be real. If I can see, touch, taste and most importantly, feel through my characters, then I know the story is coming alive. I do feel that I’m becoming more brave as a writer, but I’ve yet to ever feel that I’ve “arrived” so to speak. There’s a part of me who hopes that will never happen because I don’t want to be lazy!

Thanks for checking in on me!

Mary is one busy lady online, and you can learn more about her from at least THREE avenues: her WEBSITE, her CHICA LIT blog, and her MYSPACE page!