Now with THIS kind of castle, I’d be inspired to write (and blog) every day! Curwood Castle image courtesy of AcrylicArtist, Morguefile.
One TV show that I’m liking more and more is ABC’s “Castle”. For blog readers who are unfamiliar with this TV series, it’s a TV crime drama featuring crime novelist Richard Castle (portrayed by actor Nathan Fillion) and NYPD homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). The show has terrific writing with lots of quips and witty banter zipping back and forth, especially between the two lead characters. Another reason I like it is that Castle is a cheeky smartmouth and being from a sassy family myself, I love that. Beckett is very good at putting him in his place. (And if you haven’t seen the funny bloopers from “Castle” on YouTube, I strongly recommend them.)
In the storyline for this TV show, Castle has gotten permission from New York’s mayor to trail Beckett and her coworkers on their cases and often helps them solve homicides due to his knowledge of the criminal mind. He’s written a series of novels using a character called Nikki Heat, based on Detective Beckett. Nikki Heat is helped by Jameson Rook (Rook = Castle), a magazine journalist.
And here’s where the mystery starts. I’ve noticed that books by Richard Castle have popped up in my local library and I’m contemplating checking some of them out to read. But when I look for a picture of the author on the back cover or a book flap, I’ll see Nathan Fillion’s picture and a blurb based on the life of Richard Castle as it’s been depicted in the TV series.
So who IS writing the Castle books? That’s the mystery. Nathan Fillion isn’t writing the books, he says. So who is? Another blogger, Jeannie Ruesch, wrote a very entertaining blog post in 2010 about who she suspected was writing the Castle books. Writer Steve Margolis also shared his thoughts about the writer of the Castle books in a 2012 blog post.
It’s fun to speculate. Maybe somewhere down the road the solution to this literary mystery will be revealed. In his blog post, Margolis makes the intriguing point that the person who writes the books has a very distinct voice.
And that got me thinking about the bigger picture. We all have our own voices and recognizable style, wouldn’t you say? Whether we’re bloggers, journalists, novelists, playwrights or any other type of writer, everybody’s got a certain way they phrase things plus their own way of looking at the world, shaped by their life experiences and their environment. Depending upon the type of writing that we do — as a hobby or professionally — we follow the conventions for a certain format, but the voice itself is unique.
So I’m looking forward to the eventual reveal: Will the real Castle novelist please stand up? I’d like to see who it is, eventually. But in the meantime, here’s an entertaining video to introduce you to the main “Castle” characters. Enjoy!
Eagle-Eyed Editor 
We started watching the series and somehow drifted away from it. But I do enjoy the books, still. Maybe we’ll get back to the show again … We like it, just lost it along the way.
I’m definitely going to check out the books soon. Now they went and got me all curious, drat it!
I love Castle. I’ve been a Nathan Fillion fan from his Firefly and Buffy days, so watching him play a snarky writer is awesome! I have read some of the books. I think the bulk of the entertainment I derived from them was simply the fact that I already know the characters, so they each read like a long episode of the show, with me picturing and hearing the actors as I read.
I agree with that! It’s easier to read a book when you can picture the character and I just love Fillion. He’s snarky and “ruggedly handsome!” The banter between Castle and Becket is much better than some of the other “couples” on TV. Almost takes me back to Moonlighting!
Don’t know the books or the TV show, but now you have me intrigued!
Enjoy! If it’s not on British TV yet, maybe it will be.
Another entry for the lengthening TBR list, although I don’t have time for the show it does sound fun.
Wish I could meet the writers of that show. I can dream, right?
By far, my favorite TV show. the writing is excellent. I have the first Nikki Heat book but have yet to read it. It is in the reading rotation though.
And that, my blogger friend, is why they invented weekends. 😉
It’s good to know that the book tie-in to the series are worth reading. I remember stumbling across the “Murder. She Wrote” books and wondering if I’d be wasting my time with those.
And how were the books? Were they okay?
This is one of those shows I’ve heard a little about, but not ever had the time to check out. I will now be moving up the list. Thanks!
You’re welcome!
I am the same as Marilyn, I drifted away after a few seasons. I didn’t know there are books out. Interesting.
Time to make a library visit, hmmmm? 🙂
You are so right about that unique voice. Sometimes it seems to take people a while to become comfortable to write in their own “unique” voice, but eventually we do–if we stick with it. Thanks for sharing about this Castle mystery. Wondering if one could watch it on Hulu? Will have to check that out.
You can see some episodes on Hulu. Some of them require that you use Hulu Plus, but not all of them.
Nice advert for Castle. All I watch these days is public television. I have no idea of other programming. Dianne
Public television is so good (can anybody compete with Mystery! and Downton Abbey??!!!), but there’s some quality scriptwriting going on elsewhere, too. 🙂
Very interesting — will have to check into this!
My wife and I love Castle, so back when Naked Heat came out, I picked up a copy for her. She never really got into it, and I started reading it. I put it down about a third of the way in. While the writing on the TV series is clever, witty, attention-grabbing (and the chemistry among the cast, not just Castle and Beckett), I found the writing of the book on the cheesy side . . . which does fit the character of Richard Castle. I may have to try reading it again, but my stack of books to be read draws me away.
I’m thinking I’ll find a Castle book at the library and read it, just out of curiosity.
And I agree with you about the chemistry among the cast. Ryan and Esposito are hilarious sidekicks and I think Lanie is particularly hilarious. All of the actors on that show are so talented; it makes the show such a pleasure to watch.
I like the show, but I couldn’t get through the book. It was … well … bad. Actually, we have loved the show until now, but the season opener is not promising. I don’t get whatever it is they are trying to do, unless Stana Katic is leaving the show and they are trying to “get us ready” for it.
I’m wondering myself. It’ll be interesting to see where all the characters go from here.