Interview with Author Maggie Casteen
Maggie Casteen is a North Carolina native. She also publishes her non-fiction books under the pen name Elisabeth Casteen. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Campbell University. She has worked as a librarian and as a graphic designer in the newspaper and commercial printing industry.
She came to faith in Jesus as a child and has been active in ministry ever since. She has been a summer missionary as a teen, a missions project leader as a young adult, and has also been involved with the OCC shoebox ministry and VBS programs. She now serves in her church as a substitute Sunday School teacher and is also involved in the music ministry. She enjoys her Bible study time and wants to make Bible concepts easy to understand and relatable.
When she’s not writing, she enjoys painting, taking long walks with her beagle/basset mix, Dakota, and last but not least….a good mystery. Her reading interests also include historical fiction and classics, especially Jane Austen. She published her first novel, Killer Deception, in 2020.
Tell me more about your latest book
Road Less Traveled: A Trinity Bible Study is a study that consists of four sections that will explore the concept of the Trinity and help you to have a better understanding of what the Trinity is and each person of the Trinity. Finally, the last section is a conclusion and small review section.
This study is a good start for new believers who find the concept of the Trinity overwhelming or for Christians who want a better understanding. Whether you are in a group or prefer to study independently the Road Less Traveled is the perfect companion.
When did you first realize you wanted to be an author?
Well, it was always a childhood dream to be an author. I wrote my first story when I was twelve years old, but the possibility of me becoming an author finally took hold about five years ago. That is when I started to look into my publishing options and figuring out which way was best for me.
What is your normal procedure to get your books published?
My normal procedure is to first write it down on paper, then I type up my first draft and smooth out any issues in the story. Next, I send it off for editing/proofreading and wait for those corrections to come back. Then, I order a few advanced copies and send those off to my beta readers, get their feedback, and make any necessary changes. Finally, I look over my story one last time and then I upload my files for publishing.
What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
For me the plot comes first because once I get the story outlined and planned out, then I can decide what kind of characters I need for the story.
How many books have you written so far?
I have written three books. Two are in my Kathy Hamilton Mystery series under the name Maggie Casteen and the third one is Road Less Traveled under the pen name Elisabeth Casteen
Killer Deception
Hush Now, Don’t Cry
Road Less Traveled: A Trinity Bible Study
What’s the best way to market your books?
I’m not sure there is a “best way to market”. I find that using a variety of ways to market my books are from social media to my author website to Amazon/Facebook ads works the best for me.
How important was professional editing to your book’s development?
I use professional editing to catch grammatical, spelling, and dialogue errors in my books. I don’t use professional editing for any aspect of my story.
What is your advice for aspiring writers?
My advice for aspiring authors would be to watch out for scams. What they promise sounds perfect, which generally means there’s something else going on. Keep writing and focus on becoming the best storyteller you can be.
Visit Author Maggie Casteen book links:-
Killer Deception (1) (Kathy Hamilton Mystery): Casteen, Maggie: 9781098348793: Amazon.com: Books
Road Less Traveled: A Trinity Bible Study: Casteen, Elisabeth: 9798452829256: Amazon.com: Books
https://www.facebook.com/maggiecasteen05
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