Suggested Listening; Beck, Jeff. “Beck’s Bolero,” Truth, Album, 1968.
‘This is a mess, and we can’t write. Can you help?”
“Of course,” I assured the woman who called. “Send me what you’ve got.”
That telephone conversation was a game-changer. I’ll explain.
Two years prior, I’d nearly given up on a dream. In 2020, I self-published my debut, Haunting Patagonia, A Novel of Passages & Echos, after 140 literary agents rejected my work. The handful of form letters I did receive back insisted the decision wasn’t personal but subjective. The three literary agents who reached out personally stated, “It’s the wrong climate for this.”
Those six words took years to resonate. Now I understand what they meant. My writing is dense. I don’t fit into a specific genre. I don’t write for the market. I craft novels on a vintage Hermes Rocket typewriter for love, which the publishing industry insists no longer sells.
What a curious world. Back to my story.
Undaunted, I published my second novel, We the Decent, to 5-star reviews. Having attended Columbia College to study film, the adaptions of both my books are nearly complete, as is an additional full-length feature. My first work of nonfiction, titled Foster Place, is well underway. Last month, I submitted a short story to The New Yorker. Fingers crossed. River and Knowles is my publishing company.
A native Chicagoan, I am a classically trained musician. My instrument of choice is the bass guitar. I’m the mother of two beautiful, smart, and talented daughters. I’ve been a wordsmith ever since I can remember.
I do my best to write for a living, but clickbait is not my style. I don’t churn out “content” for content’s sake. Rather, as someone once said, “You paint with words.” What a lovely compliment to receive.
In business, I build long-term relationships with clients who entrust me with their big-picture vision and brand: website pages, enticing product descriptions, and in-house manuals. My areas of business expertise are gourmet or quirky food brands, caterers, event planners, florists, staffing companies, and real estate. I do accept freelance contracts. For enquiries, please email me at:
hello@evanewcastle.com
Thank you for reading. Thank you for reaching out.
Eva Newcastle