Writers

Piper Castillo

Piper Castillo grew up in Fort Lauderdale and received her English degree from Florida Atlantic University. As a community news reporter for the Tampa Bay Times, she covers north Pinellas County. She also writes the "Nightstand" column for the Sunday book pages and thinks the only thing better than a good read is a day in the sun with her family.

Phone (727) 445-4163
Email [email protected]

Author Neal Thompson. (Photo by Beowulf Sheehan)

What�s Neal Thompson, author of �Kickflip Boys,� reading?

Neal ThompsonFor Father�s Day, we checked in with Neal Thompson from his Seattle office. In his new book, Kickflip Boys, Thompson weaves together a story on raising his two independent, passionate sons while giving us...

Published: 06/15/18

What is Jen Waite, author of the memoir "A Beautiful, Terrible Thing," reading?

Jen Waite

Updated one month ago

What�s Helen Rappaport reading?

Helen RappaportWhile delving into archives and researching her new book about the murder of the Russian imperial family 100 years ago, The Race to Save the Romanovs, Rappaport celebrated the digital age. "I am able to...

Updated one month ago

Judy Blundell brings on summertime on Long Island in �High Season�

NightstandJudy BlundellSince it�s Memorial Day weekend, we decided to touch base with Judy Blundell, whose new book is High Season. The novel�s protagonist is Ruthie Beamish, director of a small...

Updated one month ago

Author Cutter Wood. (Courtesy of Erin Shaw)

What �Love and Death in the Sunshine State� author Cutter Wood is reading

NightstandCutter WoodBack in 2008, Wood found himself spending a vacation on Anna Maria Island during one of the area�s most intense times. Sabine Musil-Buehler, a local motel owner, had disappeared;...

Updated: 2 months ago

Rachel Slade. (Courtesy of Craig LaCourt)

Rachel Slade talks books, magic hands in the library and the sinking of �El Faro�

NightstandRachel SladeIn her new book, Into the Raging Sea, Slade gives an in-depth account of the tragic sinking of the El Faro, a Jacksonville-based cargo ship that plummeted to the...

Updated: 2 months ago

A sculpture of rifles and helmet at Hunter Memorial Park, The sculpture was donated by the Armed Forces History Museum in honor of John J Piazza Sr., founder of the museum.The family of founder John Piazza has acknowledged it has been sold. The pieces to one entity and the land (warehouse space) to a company in Pinellas county. JIM DAMASKE | Times

Armed Forces History Museum collection has a new home, but new owner is a mystery

LARGO � The contents of the Armed Forces History Museum have been sold, but no one is ready to talk about the future of the collection of military memorabilia.A collector named John Piazza used his personal collection to start the public...

Updated: 2 months ago

Mystery writer Lee Goldberg, author of �True Fiction,� talks Agatha Christie, and more

NightstandLee GoldbergGoldberg, the author of 30 books, has also been a writer and producer for several TV shows, including Monk and Diagnosis Murder. His new novel is True...

Updated: 2 months ago

Diplomat Vicki Huddleston talks books and U.S. relations with Cuba

NightstandVicki HuddlestonHuddleston, 75, is the former chief of the United States Interests Section in Havana, and her report for the Brookings Institution about normalizing relations with Cuba was a...

Updated: 3 months ago

Peter Thomas with his wife, Donna. Together they are the Travelling Book Artists. They will be at the Florida Antiquarian which will be held April 20-22.

Peter Thomas, bookmaker, is artfully rolling into town for the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair

NightstandPeter ThomasThomas, 64, has been making fine press and artist books for more than 40 years. He graduated with an aesthetic studies degree from the University of California Santa Cruz. With his...

Updated: 2 months ago