What genre do
you write and why?
I write primarily fiction for adults and young adults, but I
have also written two nonfiction biographical/true crime books for adults. The
most recent—Kathryn Kelly: The Moll
behind Machine Gun Kelly—has been optioned for a television mini-series and
major film.
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| http://amzn.to/2ata4Ow |
Tell us about your
latest book.
The Wish Rider is the second book in The F.I.G.
Mysteries. In the first book of the series—The
Cadence of Gypsies—I introduced three young girls, the FIGs (Females of
Intellectual Genius)—orphans, with unusual talents and intelligence quotients
in the genius range—who not only struggle because they are so different from
the other girls living at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women, but
because of their individual backgrounds. In The
Cadence of Gypsies when they travel to Italy with their teacher, Carolina (who
learned on her 18th birthday that she is adopted), to help her learn
the truth about her own hidden background, they soon discover that she has a
connection to the most mysterious document in the world—the Voynich
Manuscript—and that her biological parents were gypsies.
In The
Wish Rider, the story focuses on Dara, one of the three FIGs. She was
abandoned by her mother in a candy store before she turned five, and she now
has reason to believe that her mother is living in New York City. With the help
of her best friends—the other two FIGs and Carolina, their teacher—they go to
New York City over the summer before they are to begin their freshman year at
the universities where they will be attending in the fall. The search takes
them to a dangerous, terrifying hidden subculture that challenges all of their
abilities and intellectual genius in order to survive.
What marketing methods
are you using to promote your book?
I am doing a series of radio appearances and
interviews, internet blog/book review tours, and interviews with the media in
my local area.
What formats is the
book available in?
The Wish Rider is available in paperback and
eBook. The publisher also has plans to release it in the near future as a
hardback and audio book.
What's the best thing
about being a writer?
For me I love the entire process of writing:
coming up with the idea, researching what will go into the story, conceiving
the characters and then building on their personalities and uniqueness, and
then just the actual act of sitting down at my computer and creating. I love
the journey of creating a book. If it gets published, that is wonderful; but
most of my enjoyment comes from the process.
Where can people find
out more about you and your writing?
My website is www.barbaracaseyagency.com. I also
have a blog on that site where I talk about writing and offer advice to other
writers.
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| http://amzn.to/2aiJSDw |
Who is you
favourite character in your book and why?
When I first wrote The
Cadence of Gypsies, it was with the idea that it would be a stand-alone
book. When I finished, however, the FIGs just wouldn’t leave me alone.
Apparently the publisher felt the same way, because she asked if I would turn
it into a series. Now, with two books completed in the F.I.G. Mysteries and a
third book underway, I have a deep understanding and affection for each of my
characters. They have basically lived with me now for a few years. If I were to
choose one, however, who is my favorite, I guess it would be Jennifer, the FIG
who joined the other two at the orphanage when her parents were killed in an
automobile accident. She is petite and blond, but hard, angry, prone to acting
out, and unwilling to even try to “fit in.” Her talent is in music and art, and
that is where her genius lies.
Why do you think
readers are going to enjoy your book?
The Wish Rider has so many unusual
elements: mystery, adventure, interesting characters, gypsies, and the unknown.
I did a lot of research on the gypsy culture, and studied their ancient beliefs
and customs, as well as their use of herbal medicines for healing and spells. I
also did a lot of research on Grand Central Terminal in New York City because
it plays an important part in the story.
Where can a
reader purchase your book?
All of my books are available on Amazon.com and
BarnesandNoble.com. Or they can be ordered through any bookstore.
What is your work in
progress? Tell us about it.
Right now I am working on two projects that are under contract. One is
the third book in The F.I.G. Mysteries. It will be Mackenzie’s story (one of
the other FIGs who was placed in an orphanage immediately after she was born)
and I am still gathering research for it. The other is another adult nonfiction
biographical/true crime book which is in the final editing stage and is
scheduled to be released February 15, 2017 (available for pre-order now). It is
about the life of JoAnne Chesimard aka Assata Shakur who was sentenced to life
plus 33 years in prison for killing a New Jersey State Trooper. She escaped less
than three years later and has been living in Cuba.
When you’re not
writing, how do you spend your time?
I live on top of a mountain in northwest Georgia surrounded
by natural, virgin woods. My three rescue dogs remind me when I need to stop
working and take a break, so we enjoy taking walks through the woods. I also
enjoy gardening and find that when I am stuck on an idea that won’t quite work,
if I go outside and mess in the shrubs and flowers, it usually gets solved. If
I have a bit more time, I love to travel to the small historical towns nearby
and go antiquing.
Jo, thank you so much for inviting me. You have asked some
wonderful questions, and I have enjoyed being your guest. I wish you and your
bloggers all the best.
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1 Comments
Jo,
ReplyDeleteThank you again for hosting me. It was a wonderful interview.
My best,
Barbara
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