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Monday, August 15, 2016

The House of Kane by Barbara Casey (Book Spotlight, Author Interview and Giveaway)



Today I'm kicking off the blog tour for The House of Kane! I love books whose plot centers around the theme of book publishing. Well, this one has it all: intrigue, betrayal, suspense and romance. The pages fly as you read it! The House of Kane was considered for a Pulitzer Award Nomination in 2007 and is currently being considered for film/TV options.

Look out for my review next week on Aug 24. And be sure to scroll down to read my interview with talented author Barbara Casey who's been involved in the publishing industry for over twenty-five years. Enter the giveaway too!

Book Details:

Book Title: The House of Kane by Barbara Casey
Category: Adult Fiction, 198 pages
Genre: Mystery / Suspense
Publisher: ArcheBooks Publishing
Release date: February 2014
Tour dates: Aug 15 to 26, 2016
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (There is some light profanity.)

Book Description:

Aislinn Marchánt, a writer and editorial consultant, is hired by the major New York publishing company, Kane Publishing House, to help determine why several submissions sent to them have mysteriously disappeared only to be published later by another publisher. Are the editors at Kane simply not being diligent enough with the in-coming material, or is there something more sinister going on? Working from her West Palm Beach home, Aislinn quickly becomes involved with the House of Kane as well as with Caldwell Kane, the man who hired her.

As Aislinn works toward uncovering the various layers of truth of her former husband, her elderly neighbor, and Kane Publishing House, she continues to research her own novel, the story of a love between two people that becomes fractured because of the misunderstandings created by two different cultures. Her research takes her to a botanica where a Santerian priest reveals the truth in her own life and a destiny that is joined to that of Caldwell Kane.

Praise for The House of Kane:

Simultaneously wise and poignant, exotic and suspenseful, House of Kane is a fascinating story of loyalty, treachery and the power of destiny. With an insider's view into the world of high stakes publishing, Barbara Casey weaves a masterful story that haunts the reader long after the final page.
​- ​Nancy Steinbeck, Author of The Other Side of Eden: Life with John Steinbeck

Barbara Casey's House of Kane is a touchingly tender love story, set in an intrigue-riddled
​publishing industry. Her characters are interesting and varied. Her story is refreshing and engagingly told. Aspiring writers will want to read House of Kane to tap her wisdom about getting into print.
​- ​John DeDakis, Former CNN Senior Copy Editor, Author of Fast Track

Buy the Book: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble




Interview with Barbara Casey


LCR: Can you describe your book's story in 20 words or less.

BC: Aislinn Marchánt, a writer and editorial consultant, is hired by the major New York publishing company, Kane Publishing House, to help determine why several submissions sent to them have mysteriously disappeared only to be published later by another publisher.

LCR: How long have you been working in the publishing industry? What do you love about it? What do you not like about it?

BC: I have been involved in the publishing industry for over twenty-five years. There are several things to love about it—such as the feeling of accomplishment when something you have written gets published. But over the years I have really enjoyed working with others, both as an agent and as a manuscript consultant, in helping them get published. That is very rewarding for me personally.

LCR: Are any of the events in the book based on true stories?

BC: I lived in West Palm Beach for a number of years, which is where my main character, Aislinn, lives. And like Aislinn, I did research on the ancient religion, Santeria, for a book I was writing. The House of Kane itself revolves around the publishing industry, so my years of experience certainly gave me the knowledge to write about it. Beyond that, however, the story is based on my research of lightning-strike victims, homeless military veterans, and my imagination.

LCR: The House of Kane is so engrossing and fast-paced that readers are tearing through the pages to get to the end. One reader lent it to her friend who devoured it in one day and then that reader lent it to another friend who did the same. What does it take to produce a book that is engrossing and recommended to friends?

BC: You are so nice to say that, Laura. Thank you. The highest compliment a writer can receive is that people love your book so much, they want their friends to read it as well. I honestly don’t know what it takes. All I know is what I like, and if it tears at me emotionally and keeps me awake at night thinking about it and worrying about my characters, then I know I am writing something worth reading because it has become real to me.

LCR: The House of Kane was considered for a Pulitzer Award. That's quite an honor. Can you describe to us what that meant to you as a writer? An agent?
BC: It makes me feel that others like what I write. It is a confirmation that I am a writer. Every writer is different, but I tend to keep everything within. I don’t even share what I am writing with my husband until the book is actually published. Then he gets to read it. So, to get acknowledged in such a way is certainly an honor, but at the end of the day, I write because I love writing and not for any recognition or award.

LCR: You have written several genres from middle grade, YA and adult fiction and non-fiction. Which do you find the easiest to write? Hardest? And why?

BC: My first love is writing fiction for adults. However, when my publisher asked me if I would be interested in writing a nonfiction book for a line he was publishing, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I picked Kathryn Kelly to write about, the wife of “Machine Gun” Kelly during the Prohibition Era. I really enjoyed doing the research, finding small, tiny details about Kathryn and how she was behind all of their illegal activities, exploring the FBI “Vault”, and just learning about that period in history. In nonfiction, all of the facts are there. The writer just needs to creatively put them all together into a good story.

In fiction, there is also research involved and facts need to be accurate; however, it is more liberating in that the imagination plays such a key part in the process. Incidentally, Kathryn Kelly was published in February of this year, and it has been optioned for a television mini-series and major film.

LCR: As a writer, what is your advice to aspiring writers?

BC: Write about what you are interested in and write about something that hasn’t been written about already. Be original rather than try to write something similar to what is already published.

LCR: As an agent, what is your advice to aspiring writers?

BC: First impressions really do count. So if you are going to submit something to an agent or a publisher, make sure it is as perfect as you can write it. Check the submissions’ guidelines of the agencies and publishers you want to contact, and follow those guidelines. Also, referring to your previous questions, when Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code was published, my agency received over 1000 manuscripts to consider with the word “Code” in the title.

LCR: If you could travel back in time, where would you go?

BC: I have traveled throughout Europe, and I especially loved visiting Italy as well as Great Britain. Perhaps I would travel back to the Elizabethan Era—the Golden Age.

LCR: If there was one thing you would want readers to remember about you, what would it be?

BC: I think I would rather they remembered my books, and that they really enjoyed reading them.

LCR: Barbara, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me!

BC: Laura, thank you again for your interest and for taking the time to interview me. My very best to you and your bloggers.


About the Author:



Barbara Casey is a partner in Strategic Media Books, and president of the Barbara Casey Agency, representing authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. She is also a manuscript consultant and the author of numerous articles, poems, and short stories.

Her award-winning novels have received national recognition, including the Independent Publishers Book Award. Her novel, The House of Kane, was considered for a Pulitzer nomination, and The Gospel According to Prissy, also a contemporary adult novel received several awards including the prestigious IPPY Award for Best Regional Fiction. Her most recent young adult novel, The Cadence of Gypsies, received the Independent Publishers Living Now Award and was reviewed by the Smithsonian for its list of Best Books.

Ms. Casey makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with her husband and three dogs who adopted her: Benton, a hound-mix, Fitz, a miniature dachshund, and Gert, a Jack Russel terrier of sorts.

​Connect with the author: Website


Enter the Giveaway!





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8 comments :

  1. An interesting premise & a great interview.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mary. It was a great interview, and I really enjoyed sharing a little bit about my writing.

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    2. Yes, this was a great interview. Barbara is not only a wonderful person but she is multi-talented. Thanks for stopping by!

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  2. This novel sounds captivating and enthralling. Thanks for this great feature and giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. If you get a chance to read it, I would love to hear from you.

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    2. If you like books with a plot centered around the book publishing industry this novel does not disappoint!

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  3. I love to read various types of fiction and this book seems very interesting.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting! I appreciate your feedback.

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