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Beth Castrodale

That’s My Story: Beth Castrodale on Literary Adventures, the Importance of Friendship & the Influence of a Depression-Era Corset Maker

August 15, 2024 2 Comments

In the lead-up to the publication of her novel The Inhabitants, Beth took part in a virtual sit-down to discuss her writing process, the role of friendship in her writing, and more.

What’s your process for writing: do you outline, create flow charts, fill out index cards, or just start and see where you end up? Do you use the same process every time?

I find rough outlines invaluable for working out story arcs for first drafts of novels, and for helping me complete those drafts in a reasonable time frame. In the absence of such advance planning, I once spent 12 years writing and revising a novel, which I vow to never do again.

But I never hew strictly to outlines. They’re just general guides, and once I get down to writing, stories and characters inevitably take on a life of their own, which is one of the things I enjoy most about writing.

I’ve created a rough outline for every novel I’ve written since the one that took 12 years to finish, and I can’t imagine I’ll ever skip this step in the future. My life isn’t getting any longer!

We’ve all heard the advice that authors should “write what they know.” But fiction emerges from the imagination and the creation of new worlds. Do you feel a tension between what you’ve experienced and what lives only in your mind?

Personally, I find it most engaging to write about situations–and from perspectives–that are quite different from what I’ve experienced. To take my most recent novel, The Inhabitants, as an example, the protagonist is a portrait artist, and she moves into a house built by an architect whose creations were said to influence the mind. Although I’m not a visual artist, and the protagonist’s house is purely my own invention, I loved the possibilities that arose from placing someone who’s visually attuned into such a mentally, and emotionally, stimulating space. (And the space is haunted, no less!) To give some examples from my other novels, I’ve also written from the perspective of a (male) rocker-turned-gravedigger and a Depression-era corsetiere.

For me, novel writing is perhaps my greatest source of adventure–a way to immerse myself in diverse characters’ inner lives and to see how they confront various challenges, both internal and external. To my mind, writing about someone who’s a lot like me, and who shares many of my own experiences, would be the opposite of an adventure, and I think I’d lose interest pretty quickly.

I wouldn’t say that there’s a tension between what I’ve experienced and what lives only in my mind, because when I’m deeply immersed in my writing and in a character’s world, I kind of lose my sense of self. However, I certainly draw on my own experiences when I’m writing about characters who are grieving, falling in love, dealing with an upheaval in their lives, or going through just about anything else that most of us typically face over time.

What role has friendship played in your evolution as a writer?

A huge role. I’m thinking in particular of a dear friend, the poet Beth Gylys, whom I’ve known since first grade, when both of us attended a since-demolished elementary school outside of Pittsburgh. When Beth and I first met, I’m not sure that either one of us sensed that writing would be the thing we most wanted to do with our lives. But storytelling was part of our relationship from the start. For one thing, we used to wander around a cemetery near our suburb, read the names on the gravestones, and make up stories about some of the people buried on the grounds.

During recess, instead of playing hopscotch or kickball with the other kids, or swinging our way across the monkey bars, we’d make a wide circuit around the playground, talking and talking. I can’t remember the topics of our conversations, but it seemed as if nothing could be more important than whatever we were discussing. Through experiences like this, we built a bond that lasted for years and across many miles after Beth’s family moved back to New Jersey and mine moved to Ohio. Beth has remained a beloved friend and an inspiration to me as a writer, and we’ve supported each other through many ups and downs when it comes to writing and life in general. Beth has also been a thoughtful, insightful, and generous commenter on my work.

What surprising skills or hobbies do you have?

One of Beth’s hand-sewn dresses, based on a forties-era pattern

One kind of odd hobby I have is sewing dresses by hand. Although I have a sewing machine, I don’t like being rushed by the mechanics of it, and I find it far more relaxing and rewarding to set my own pace and to have the sensory experience of working with a needle and thread.

This all started when I was working on my début novel, Marion Hatley, whose eponymous protagonist is a Depression-era corset maker. The retro nature of the novel inspired me to order some vintage patterns and sew some older-style dresses. It’s been a lot of fun, and I love it that so many old-school patterns are available online.

What’s next for you?

A scene from the family farm that inspired Beth’s novel-in-progress

I’m in the early stages of writing a novel that’s set on a farm inspired by a fourth-generation farm in my family. The story involves a land dispute that threatens the ongoing existence of the farm, which the protagonist has been left to run by herself, for the most part. The dispute stirs the protagonist’s great-grandmother to return to the world of the living and step into the action, on the protagonist’s behalf. But it turns out that she wants more than to just save the land, setting the protagonist up for a struggle that’s far bigger than what she’d bargained for.

Beth Castrodale is the award-winning author of three novels: Marion Hatley, In This Ground, and I Mean You No Harm. Her latest novel, The Inhabitants, will be released by Regal House Publishing in fall 2024.

Filed Under: Author Interview, Regal House Titles Tagged With: author, Beth Castrodale, interview, The Inhabitants

Papercuts Bookshop: A Notable Chapter in One Neighborhood’s Literary Story

May 10, 2023 1 Comment

By Beth Castrodale

It’s a weekday and just minutes after opening time at Papercuts Bookshop, but the shop is already bustling with customers. To anyone who’s grown to love the store, as I have, that’s no surprise. Located in the heart of Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, Papercuts is home to an abundant, thoughtfully curated collection of books.

A children’s nook

But it isn’t just the books that make the store such a draw. It has a warm, inviting ambience and a sweet-natured pup, Sammy, who roams about, pausing now and then to accept a pat or ear scratch from a customer. Also, it’s easy to get drawn into one of the shop’s several cozy nooks and lose track of time as you browse the shelves, immerse yourself in a book that’s caught your attention, or check out one or more of the one-of-a-kind gift items that are arrayed around the store.

But to my mind, what makes Papercuts especially welcoming is the staff. Even on the busy day of my visit, as they worked nonstop to stock books, ring up purchases, and carry out other tasks, the store’s employees were unfailingly friendly, constantly greeting customers and coming to the aid of those with questions. 

Sammy

Fostering this warm environment is Kate Layte, who founded Papercuts in 2014. Despite being as busy as every other staff member during my visit, she took time to speak with me about the store as she went about her work. Among other things, we talked about how the store has forged a strong connection to the community by serving as a hub for all manner of book lovers. “What other job would let you connect to people of all ages?” Layte observed.

She also noted that Papercuts has become part of Boston’s – and, more specifically, Jamaica Plain’s – long and storied literary history. Less than two miles away is Forest Hills Cemetery, where several notable writers, including poets Anne Sexton and e.e. cummings, are buried. Also, the first home that Sylvia Plath knew is just a half mile from the store. That connection to local writers continues to this day. As a Jamaica Plain-based author, I’m grateful that Papercuts stocks books by local writers and that the store has featured both Boston-area and national writers in store-sponsored events.

Papercuts has also made a significant effort to feature books that shed a more inclusive light on local history and other subjects. During my visit, Layte pointed out one such book, Black Walden, which explores the lives of formerly enslaved people who made lives for themselves in Walden Woods, a place that for many people, calls to mind only Henry David Thoreau and the book he’s most known for.

Like many other Boston-area booklovers, I was delighted when, in early 2020, Papercuts moved from its original location in Jamaica Plain, which was just 400 square feet, to a much larger space in the neighborhood. But Papercuts soon faced a major setback when, in March 2020, Covid forced the business to close for a period. By April, the store was in dire enough financial straits that it was at risk of ceasing operations. But Layte was determined to keep it going. Looking back on that time, she said, “I just wasn’t going to give up.”

She set up a GoFundMe campaign for Papercuts, and in just two weeks it raised more than $55,000, which was used to pay vendors, rent, utilities, and other expenses. “Everyone just stepped up,” Layte said. “I was so floored.”

A tire mark testament to Papercut’s resilience

But Covid wasn’t the only big challenge that Papercuts has had to face. In April 2022, two cars crashed into the front of the store, shattering windows, destroying books, and causing structural damage that, fortunately, wasn’t severe. Thankfully, because the store was empty at the time of the crash, no one sustained any injuries, and Papercuts was able to reopen not long after the incident. Today, a tire mark from one of the cars remains etched into the floor, serving both as a reminder of the crash and a testament to the store’s resilience.

Susan Hardy Brown

Another testament to the store’s resilience is how busy it is on any given day, including the day I stopped by. During my visit, I had the pleasure of speaking to one of the many customers: Susan Hardy Brown, a visual artist and longtime resident of Jamaica Plain. She is also a longtime fan of Papercuts. “I have told Kate that it was the best thing to happen to JP since I’ve been here,” Brown said. “Especially now that she’s in the bigger space she can indulge herself in curating this amazing collection of books, and her passion just spills over to everything, not just the books. There seems to be something for everyone.” (Notably, Brown is more than just a devoted customer of Papercuts. For a time, she helped out at the store’s previous location, and some of her art has been featured at the business.)

The passion that Brown described is evident in every aspect of Papercuts. As for the experience of running the store, Layte said, “I wouldn’t trade it.”

Beth Castrodale is the award-winning author of three novels: Marion Hatley, In This Ground, and I Mean You No Harm. Her latest novel, The Inhabitants, will be released by Regal House Publishing in fall 2024.

Filed Under: Book Bound, Regal House Titles Tagged With: Beth Castrodale, Papercuts Bookstore

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