The Gospel According to Prissy Release Date: March 2013

I am president of the Barbara Casey Literary Agency, representing adult fiction and nonfiction as well as children’s. I am also a manuscript consultant and the author of several award-winning novels. SHYLA'S INITIATIVE, the story of a 35-year-old novelist who becomes entangled in soul transference through the ancient Santerian beliefs of Regla de Ocha, received the Independent Publishers Book Award. THE COACH'S WIFE takes place during the NCAA Basketball Finals and several weeks following. Shyla Connors, recently married to head basketball coach Neal Connors, is struggling to cope with her new life of hectic schedules, grueling travel, problem athletes, insane fans, and everything else that goes along with being the wife of a well-known coach. Then she discovers she is the target of a sinister and diabolical plan to destroy her and everything she loves. THE HOUSE OF KANE, considered for a Pulitzer nomination, enters the world of bestselling publishing filled with intrigue, power, betrayal, ambition and greed. JUST LIKE FAMILY, a contemporary, character-driven adult novel which received special recognition from the 7-Eleven Corporation, involves four elderly people--two men and two women from different backgrounds and alone--who decide to live together just like family. My young adult novel, THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES, reviewed by the Smithsonian for its list of 2011 Best Books, combines Gypsy tradition, the most mysterious document in the world—-the Voynich Manuscript, and three extremely intelligent teenage orphans trying to help their favorite teacher discover the truth of her hidden past.

Twists, turns, and heart-stopping fast-break excitement! No, it's not college basketball's national championship game, but instead "The Coach's Wife." Barbara's unique insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of college athletes combined with her extraordinary talents as a writer makes this book a must-read! Enjoy.

Mark McKay, CNN Sports

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From the fascinating introduction of "Shyla's Initiative", the reader is drawn into the intimate life and mysterious events enveloping Shyla Wishon, author and creative writing instructor. Striving to overcome the stress of being a young widow,and a failed second marriage, she does her utmost to build a worthwhile life by writing and teaching in South Florida. Shyla becomes emotionally caught up in the manuscript(a family saga)by a student from a wealthy Cuban family that brought ancient beliefs of Regla de Ocha to Florida along with the occult ritual of Santeria. Inexplicably,the manuscript influences Shyla's life.

The characters are vivid. Shyla is so finely drawn that you won't soon forget her. A must read!

Mark Jacoby, Boca Raton, Florida

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Carolina was taken from her gypsy mother at a young age and sent to American where she was adopted. At eighteen her adoptive parents give her a box. Inside this box Carolina discovers the truth about her birth, that she was adopted, and with help from her boyfriend, they begin research in finding out who Carolina really is. With the odd items in the box, she finds an old paper w/ script that matches an ancient manuscript that scholars can't even decipher.

After graduating college, Carolina takes a job at a girl's academy for orphaned children. There she in put in charge of three gifted girls that are more of a detriment than a blessing to the school. When the girls play a prank that goes to far, Carolina offers to take the girls with her on a trip to Italy. There Carolina will begin her search for her birth family. To her pleasant surprise the girls are able to pull their gifts together in assisting their mentor.

Lyuba has never gotten over the fact that her small child was taken from her and sent off to America to be adopted. Day after day she lives alone as a widowed gypsy and collects herbs to make remedies that she sells to the public. Being very talented, she also has other gifts. In the band of gypsies she travels with, she also teaches the children these special gifts. But there is one child who uses the knowledge he has been taught to harm those around him.

THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES is full of twists that keeps you turning pages. I thought it clever how everyone played an important role in each others' lives. A fun and enjoyable read!

Carrie Filetti, VA mountains

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No matter what was going on, I couldn't wait to return to The House of Kane. So many places I know so well, and then the literary philosophies that I can so easily identify with; yes, to the point of saying, that's it, that is what I feel, or, yes, that is what I think! It was a total immersion of my life into your pages. And why? Not just because of being able to identify with so much, but mostly because you are simply a fabulous writer….Talk about a page turner!! I love the way you intertwine the mystical into the text. Life has so many layers and it is rewarding to read the work of someone who thinks this way, too.

Patricia Daly-Lipe
Author
Former President of the National League of American Pen Women, Washington, DC.

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Barbara Casey shines again! This time, she does it with a lighthearted wonderful novel "Just Like Family" in which she gives us a view of diverse personalities with entwined lives. Her writing, precise and detailed makes you feel like you are part of the novel and not on the outside looking in.

As a devoted follower of her works, I find that like her previous novels "The Coach's Wife", "Shyla's Initiative" and "The House of Kane", she handles diverse threads with ease, threads, which can be followed from beginning to end without getting lost.

The book shows the virtues of "mental strength" and "drive" that can follow downturns in one's life, involving love, trust, relationships, neighborly acceptance and other daily attributes that make people come close together and be able to help each other.

Ed, New Jersey

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Love and romance, yes. But much more. JUST LIKE FAMILY reflects with sensitivity the intensity, the warmth, the need, the possibilities of friendship. We meet people of different races, backgrounds and ages who all find themselves somehow tied together in a time and place. Hardships, relationships, tragedies challenge the characters. The reader joins and emotionally shares with them the voyage of discovery that ensues. Ultimately we learn the goal and, trust me, we are enhanced as much as the characters we have come to know and love. This is a book to treasure. For today's readers, subjected to troubling news from around the world, Just Like Family comes as a panacea. Thank you Barbara Casey.

John DeDakis
CNN Senior Copy Editor, “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer”

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What I like most about this book is the adventure I got to go on with Carolina. I loved reading about her past and discovering secrets....

Following graduation from the university, Carolina accepts a job as teacher/mentor to three highly energetic, intelligent, and talented girls (the FIGs) at the Wood Rose Orphanage. The trust shared between the FIGs and Carolina takes them on a journey to Italy, to the Voynich Manuscript, and to the truth of Carolina's past....It was an enjoyable book with lots of great twists in the plot. The way all of the characters' lives intertwined with each other was good. I enjoyed watching all of them learn new things and become great friends.

Savannah, Books with Bite Internet Blog Review

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I love a good mystery, especially when they include ancient cultures or hidden societies. Which is why I was interested in reading this book. And Barbara Casey did not let me down. She takes us on an exciting journey through history and gives us a taste of gypsy culture and tradition. This book was very well written tying in several characters different points of view. Her writing is very descriptive, so that I could easily imagine myself inside the story. The book also has important themes throughout it such as honor, courage, and friendship. These are all important topics for the intended audience which is young adults. More importantly, she also discusses life lessons such as not judging others, and the abandonment or feelings of loss that foster children experience. These are difficult topics to discuss, but Barbara does it in such a way that it becomes relevant for every reader.

ABCKidZ Internet Blog Review

NOTE: A complete list of reviews is available at www.barbaracaseyagency.com.

THE COACH'S WIFE - Mystery Suspense
JUST LIKE FAMILY - Contemporary Fiction
SHYLA'S INITIATIVE - Gothic Romance
THE HOUSE OF KANE - Contemporary Fiction/Mystery
THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES - Contemporary Fiction/Mystery (Young Adult)

My latest novel, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PRISSY, will be released in March 2013. Also an adult, character-driven novel, it deals with themes of spousal abuse, soldiers trying to redefine themselves after leaving the military, Southern culture, women in prison, and one very special little girl with the gift of prophesy.

I attended NC State University in Raleigh, UNC in Chapel Hill, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree, double major, in English and History from NC Wesleyan College. Prior to opening the Barbara Casey Literary Agency and writing full time, I was Director of Public Relations at North Carolina Wesleyan College.

FILM, TELEVISION, AND FOREIGN RIGHTS AVAILABLE FOR:

SHYLA'S INITIATIVE - Gothic Romance involving soul transference, mixed cultures, romance.

THE COACH'S WIFE - Mystery Suspense that centers around the NCAA Division 1 Basketball Championship, murder, scandal, love, behind the scenes of a major university athletics program.

THE HOUSE OF KANE - Mystery Suspense involving the book publishing industry, greed, deception, love, and ambition.

JUST LIKE FAMILY - Contemporary Adult Fiction about four elderly people from different backgrounds who decide to buy an old house, fix it up, and live in it just like family.

THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES - Contemporary Young Adult Fiction about gypsies, the Voynich Manuscript, and three highly intelligent teenage orphans who travel to Italy with their teacher in order to help her discover the truth about her past.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PRISSY (to be released March 2013) - Contemporary Adult Fiction about a little girl who somehow brings together an assortment of misfits (three Army veterans, a college drop-out, a young divorcee, the warden of a woman's prison, and a high school graduate accused of murder) through her special gift of prophecy.