Author Paul Castle talks about his book’s journey from being banned in bookstores to being a sold-out success

I’m an illustrator and I happily accepted this request and drew us as two cuddly penguins because, well, penguins wear little tuxedos! I added rainbow bow ties and called them “The Pengrooms.” I didn’t expect “The Pengrooms” to be such a big hit with our wedding guests and (eventually) our social media followers. But people really loved them!

We got married on December 15, 2019, and The Pengrooms was even featured on our wedding cake. A few months later, when the pandemic hit and we were stuck at home (with hardly anything to do!), Matthew encouraged me to pursue my lifelong dream of writing and illustrating a children’s book. “What should it be about?” I asked him. “Pringle and Finn, of course!” he replied.

I started writing the story that same day! I created a world where Pringle and Finn presented wedding cakes to their LGBTQ animal friends. The book was fully supported by our followers and was a huge success! Everyone wanted “the next chapter” of the story, so after The Pengrooms was released in 2022, I started working on the second book in the series.

Since Pringle and Finn got married at the end of The Pengrooms, I imagined their next life goal would be for them to become fathers (something Matthew and I also want to aspire to!). In the second book, my lovable penguin duo deliver birthday cakes to different kinds of families. Some with two mums, some with two dads, and some where the children are free to express their gender identity.

2. What was the reason given for the rejection of the book and how did you deal with this situation emotionally?

All of my artwork, books, and plushies are sold through our own website and promoted on our social channels (we have over 5 million followers on social media), but I’ve been very fortunate to make appearances at a few local bookstores. The first was the wonderful Elliot Bay Books in Seattle (one of my favorite bookstores!). The second bookstore that reached out to me was Northgate Barnes and Noble, this time to host a reading and book signing in April 2024. Man, was I thrilled! When their RSVP list filled to capacity, they asked for 200 books for the event. I was so nervous! But it ended up being such an exciting experience for me. A true “dream come true.”

Shortly after, Charlies’ Queer Books (Seattle) reached out and asked for 150 books and a box of my “Pengroom Plushies.” It was a Pride event and we had a wonderful time. My book was read by a drag queen named “Glam Chowder”! How funny is that?

At the same time, a third reading and singing event was planned – this time with a bookstore I had not yet heard of. Like the bookstores before, this one had requested a large number of books in advance to display in its store.

We shipped 100 copies of The Secret Ingredient and a box of plush toys as ordered. However, about a week after the boxes were shipped, I received an email from someone I had not previously had contact with, telling me, “The person who ordered your books was not familiar with our policies and we are returning the books.” I admit, I read between the lines and burst into tears. I thought the “policies” must have something to do with the same-sex characters in my book. I called the bookstore and asked for a more detailed explanation of the “policies,” and was told, “The message of the book does not match the message of the store.” When I asked where my original contact was, I was told, “She is no longer with the company.”

They sent the box back to me and I gave them a full refund.

I uploaded a video of that moment to my social media channel, sharing my tears and the message of my book with our followers. I hoped that maybe I could resell the 100 copies to people who really wanted them; to an audience that shared my vision of a more inclusive literary space for children. The response was much stronger than I expected. Within a few hours, we had not only sold the 100 copies, but the entire stock! Matthew and I were ecstatic. After receiving messages that felt so hurtful, narrow-minded and intolerant, it was an incredible feeling to know that there were so many people who wanted to embrace my story instead.

3. How did you feel about the overwhelming support you received and the rapid sell-out of the book?

I was so incredibly moved. So touched. It’s not even been a week since it happened and I’m still processing the outpouring of love. As I said, I’m just an independent, self-published author who’s only done two events and only been published in three bookstores. Selling that many copies of my book was like a dream.

4. What message do you have for those who supported you during this difficult time?

I would like to thank everyone who supported us from the bottom of my heart. This was the most incredible gift an author and illustrator can receive and this moment will stay with me forever.