Tampa Bay area author Amaris Castillo grew up in her parents’ bodega, and that’s probably why she was so nice to me

Amaris Castillo at WMNF in Tampa, Florida on Sept. 18, 2026. Credit: Ray Roa / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay When I started my current full-time day job in 2024, I had that sense of nervousness most people feel when starting a new gig. I didn’t know anyone, and hoped the staff would accept me and embrace me as I stepped into this new environment. I’m happy to say that everyone was extremely friendly and gracious in welcoming me to the group, which helped me get acclimated in a hurry. But one of the warmest and most cordial staff members of all was an amiable and sweet young woman by the name of Amaris Castillo. Treating me as if she d known me her whole life in the first few minutes of our initial conversation, it wasn’t long before Castillo and I started to talk about our career aspirations and personal goals, and we clicked when we both shared the same desire to one day write a book. She had a leg up on me though, as she’d already started drafting her manuscript. As I cont