Holli Herrle Castillo's Blog
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Sep.03.2011
As I'm sitting here at seven in the morning, still up from last night, I realize how much life changes as you grow older. Twenty years ago, I would have just been coming in from a typical night out. Now, at 40(ish), with two children, a husband, a dog, and a deaf cat, I am up watching...
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Jun.19.2011
I mentioned to my sister the other day about how I was buying new shoes for a writer's conference I am attending in Vegas this summer. Knowing my current financial state, she asked if I thought that was a good idea, because I had bought several new pairs of expensive shoes last year. I was kind of...
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May.31.2011
I was enamored with Facebook for quite a long time. I was one of the early go-getters, and was amazed at how I could connect with out of town family, friends I hadn't seen in years, teachers I had in elementary school, etc.. And then, as more and more people, including writers, publishers, and...
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May.05.2011
Just as I am finished editing Jambalaya Justice, the second in the Crescent City Mystery Series and follow up to Gumbo Justice, I saw on the news that one of the New Orleans police officers originally convicted in relation to a police-Katrina murder has had his conviction overturned and has been...
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Jan.08.2011
Anthony "Tony" Cannatella at one time was the police captain of the Sixth District in New Orleans. He wore other hats during his tenure with the department, rising even higher through the ranks, but his role as the captain of the Sixth is what is important to me because he inspired...
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Jan.05.2011
I have come to accept that there will always be someone in the world who does not like my work or my characters, and I have learned to get past a review I feel is not favorable. It's all a part of being a writer, taking the bad with the good, seeing if I can learn something from it, hitching up my...
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Dec.29.2010
With 2011 right around the corner, it's time to reflect on the lessons I've learned about writing over the past twelve months. As you can see, it has been an interesting if sometimes harsh 2010.
1. You can do it all. Just not necessarily by the deadline.
2. Some people will not only hate...
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Dec.11.2010
The First Amendment Project is an organization that, among other things, funds legal representation for people such as reporters dealing with First Amendment issues. As a writer and attorney, the First Amendment has been important to me. I don't want to be censored, I don't want my kids being...
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Nov.25.2010
This Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for. First, today the Saints won their first Thanksgiving Day game, against Dallas, no less, who ruined the Saints' winning streak last year, Dallas being the only team that defeated them during the year that the Saints became the world champs.
Second...
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Oct.30.2010
New Orleans has a rich heritage, its original settlers coming from a jambalaya of backgrounds, including Native Americans, the French, and the Spanish. While this diversity is reflected in our food, architecture and customs, it is probably the most prevalent in our slang.
There are many...
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Oct.23.2010
As a writer and an attorney, I believe in free speech. I believe in most circumstances, people have the right to voice their opinions without having to worry about incarceration, being sued, or ending up on some watch list. That being said, I also think there are times when free speech becomes a...
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Sep.01.2010
This is the last segment of the Hurricane Katrina Anniversary. If you post a comment on any of my Katrina blogs, you will be entered in a drawing for a signed copy of Gumbo Justice. I will be doing the drawing over the weekend, and will post the winner then.
Katrina Anniversary Bog- Part 3
Two...
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Aug.29.2010
TEN THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM HURRICANE KATRINA
1. Flood from rain is the least likely threat in New Orleans. Shoddy levee engineering, however, is another story.
2. Big screen t.v.’s and expensive tennis shoes are more important to looters than food and drink, but not as important as...
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Aug.26.2010
On this date five years ago, I was living in a state of blissful ignorance. It was a Friday, and there was a hurricane called Katrina that we were sort of keeping an eye on. I say sort of, because forecasters had it going to Florida. We figured it would hit Florida and weaken as it traveled...
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Aug.22.2010
I recently took my 11-year-old daughter to see Step Up 3-D, a dance movie produced by Adam Shankman, choreographer and a judge on the reality t.v. show, "So You Think You Can Dance." Slim on plot but with plentiful excellent dance segments, I'm not entirely sure it was worth the $13...
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About Holli
I grew up with two semi-crazy parents and a typical annoying older sister. My father thought it was funny to tell us things like his hernia scar was a scar from where my mother shot him. Having no real point of reference, we believed this and told our...
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Causes Holli Castillo Supports
American Diabetes Association, American Breast Cancer Association, Lazarus House New Orleans
Holli’s Favorite Books
The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, A Confederacy of Dunces, Save the Cat, the Prey Series by John Sandford, the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich,...
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