The F.I.G. Mysteries
by Barbara Casey
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GENRE: Mystery
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BOOK SERIES BLURB:
THE F.I.G. MYSTERIES
Dara Roux, abandoned when she was 7 years old by her mother. Exceptionally gifted in foreign languages. Orphan.
Mackenzie Yarborough, no record of her parents or where she was born. Exceptionally gifted in math and problem-solving. Orphan.
Jennifer Torres, both parents killed in an automobile accident when she was 16. Exceptionally gifted in music and art. Orphan.
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BOOK BLURB – THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES – BOOK ONE:
Known as the F.I.G.s (Females of Intellectual Genius), three high-spirited 17 year olds with intelligent quotients in the genius range, accompany their teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, to Frascati, Italy, a few weeks before they are to graduate from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. Carolina's purpose in planning the trip is to remove her unusually gifted, creative students from the Wood Rose campus located in Raleigh, North Carolina, so they can't cause any more problems ("expressions of creativity") for the headmaster, faculty, and other students – which they do with regularity. Carolina also wants to visit the Villa Mondragone where the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, was first discovered and attempt to find out how it is related to a paper written in the same script she received on her 18th birthday when she was told that she was adopted.
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BOOK BLURB – THE WISH RIDER – BOOK TWO:
When Carolina and the F.I.G.s return to Wood Rose, Dara decides that she wants to try to locate her birth mother when she learns that she might be living in New York City. Carolina, Mackenzie, and Jennifer accompany her and their search leads them to a secret dangerous shadow world hidden deep beneath Grand Central, constructed in what Mackinzie identifies as chevroned magic squares—N X N matrixes in which every row, column, and diagonal add up to the same number—and cloaked in the discordant B flat minor key music that only Jennifer can hear.
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BOOK BLURB – THE CLOCK FLOWER – BOOK THREE:
The three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—graduate from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents. This means they will be separated from each other and from Carolina, their much-loved mentor and teacher who is “one of them,” for the first time in their young lives. They vow to try living apart for one semester, in the so-called real world that doesn’t include the orphanage; but if things don’t work out, they will come up with another plan—a plan where they can be together once again. Dara is invited through Yale University to take part in an exciting archeological project in China. Jennifer, once again visualizing black and white images and the unusual sounds of another cadence that seem to be connected to Mackenzie, is engrossed in creating her next symphony at Juilliard. Mackenzie, because of her genius at problem-solving, is personally chosen by a US Senator to get involved in a mysterious, secret research project involving immortality that is being conducted in a small village in China—not too far from where Dara is involved with the archeological site. Once there, however, she finds herself facing a terrifying death from the blood-dripping teeth of an ancient evil dragon. Her best friends, the FIGs and Carolina, rely on their own unique genius and special talents to save her as she discovers the truth of her birth parents.
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BOOK BLURB – THE NIGHTJAR’S PROMISE – BOOK FOUR:
Jennifer Torres, one of the three FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius) who is a genius in both music and art, is the last to leave the closed rehearsal for her upcoming performance over Thanksgiving break at Carnegie Hall when she hears something in the darkened Hall. Recognizing the tilt of the woman’s head and the slight limp of the man as they hurry out an exit door, she realizes it is her parents who were supposedly killed in a terrible car accident when she was 15 years old. Devastated and feeling betrayed, she sends a text to Carolina and the other two FIGs—THURGOOD. It is the code word they all agreed to use if ever one of them got into trouble or something happened that was too difficult to handle. They would all meet back at Carolina’s bungalow at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women to figure it out. As soon as they receive the text, because of their genius, Dara starts thinking of words in ancient Hebrew, German, and Yiddish, while Mackenzie’s visions of unique math formulae keep bringing up the date October 11, 1943. And as Carolina waits for the FIGs to return to Wood Rose, she hears warnings from Lyuba, her gypsy mother, to watch for the nightjar, the ancient name for the whip-poor-will.
In their search for “The Nightjar’s Promise” and the truth surrounding it, Carolina and the FIGs come face to face with evil that threatens to destroy not only their genius, but their very lives.
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EXCERPT ONE:
FROM THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES – BOOK ONE:
"Ouch! You're standing on my fingers!" This from the petite girl with a long, blond ponytail, wearing a nightgown, most of which was pulled up between her legs and tied into a knot at her waist to keep it from getting tangled on the limb where she was perched. Somewhere above her the sound of a saw and splintering wood filled the darkness followed by a stream of profanity repeated in several foreign languages for emphasis.
"It doesn't look right. It's supposed to have a rim and a dent." Clinging to a 12-foot ladder as she pointed the flashlight first this way and then that, the heavy-set girl wearing a nightshirt buttoned at the neck offered this with a slight lisp.
The girl with the blond ponytail giggled.
"What do you mean—dent?! Let me see that picture." The tall black girl completely hidden aimed her flashlight toward the magazine that was being thrust upwards through the thick branches in her direction.
"And the top is supposed to be rounded—like a button mushroom," the girl in the nightshirt added, the word "mushroom" sounding more like "muthroom."
"That's because it's circumcised," supplied the girl with the ponytail, from which she removed a small twig and a handful of leaves.
"Shekoo, baboo!” More profanity. “Okay. I know what to do." The tall black girl disappeared back into the upper-most branches of the tall plant that was more tree than bush. After several additional minutes, the sawing, crunching, and clipping sounds finally gave way to the more gentle sounds of tiny snips. And then, silence.
"That's it; everybody down."
The petite girl, with the magazine that had been overlooked in the last confiscation and now wedged firmly under her armpit, started the perilous descent first since she was nearest to the ground, followed by the tall girl. The girl in the nightshirt eased her way down the ladder juggling pruning shears, a hand saw, and scissors. Once on the ground, the three girls stood back to admire their work.
"That is one honkin' Peni erecti," said the tall girl causing a fresh explosion of giggles. "Let's get out of here." After quickly rolling down the legs of her pajama bottoms, the tall girl grabbed one end of the ladder and, along with her two friends, lugged it and the other tools back to the shed that housed lawn maintenance equipment. Task accomplished, they returned to their rooms, and to their individual beds, careful not to disturb the other dorm residents, the floor monitors, their suitemates and, most importantly, their slumbering dorm mother, Ms. Larkins. Within minutes, they fell into a deep, peaceful sleep—the sleep of innocent angels.
It would soon be light; and Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women would start another day.
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GUEST POST:
IT’S A “JUST BECAUSE”
All of my life I have been fascinated by those things for which there is no explanation. As a young child, I was full of questions which my grandmother was more than willing to at least try to answer. Failing that, it was just one of those “just because.” As a writer, that same fascination continues, and I often include things that have no reasonable explanation into my stories. The F.I.G. Mystery Series is a good example.
In Book 1, The Cadence of Gypsies, I introduce the Voynich Manuscript, considered to be the most mysterious document in the world. Along with that, I add the mysterious gypsy culture that includes potions and spells that I have researched.
In The Wish Rider, Book 2 in the F.I.G. Mystery Series, I explore the little-known area deep underground of Grand Central Terminal in New York City, a secret society that actually exists there, and the obscure language of hoboglyphs.
In Book 3, The Clock Flower, I take my readers to a small province in China where the research into mortality involves the simple dandelion flower, and an ancient archeological dig site reveals some of the same hoboglyph markings that were found in Grand Central Terminal’s secret underground in The Wish Rider, Book 2 in the series.
Book 4, The Nightjar’s Promise, deals with the theft of priceless art that took place under the orders of Adolph Hitler during World War II. I connect this theme to Jennifer in order to help explain her special gifts as an artist and musician.
Of course, my main characters—Dara, Mackenzie, and Jennifer—defy explanation given the fact that each F.I.G. has an IQ in the genius range, and all three have developed a unique skill that enhances their coping abilities in a world where they are so different.
I truly love the F.I.G.s and their devoted mentor, Carolina. In each book I have tried to tell their unique story and give an explanation of something that really can’t be explained. I will write more books about these young women that will include mystery, drama, and things that simply cannot be explained—just because.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Originally from Carrollton, Illinois, author/agent/publisher Barbara Casey attended the University of North Carolina, N.C. State University, and N.C. Wesleyan College where she received a BA degree, summa cum laude, with a double major in English and history. In 1978 she left her position as Director of Public Relations and Vice President of Development at North Carolina Wesleyan College to write full time and develop her own manuscript evaluation and editorial service. In 1995 she established the Barbara Casey Agency and since that time has represented authors from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan. In 2014, she became a partner with Strategic Media Books, an independent nonfiction publisher of true crime, where she oversees acquisitions, day-to-day operations, and book production.
Ms. Casey has written over a dozen award-winning books of fiction and nonfiction for both young adults and adults. The awards include the National Association of University Women Literary Award, the Sir Walter Raleigh Literary Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, the Dana Award for Outstanding Novel, the IP Best Book for Regional Fiction, among others. Two of her nonfiction books have been optioned for major films, one of which is under contract.
Her award-winning articles, short stories, and poetry for adults have appeared in both national and international publications including the North Carolina Christian Advocate Magazine, The New East Magazine, the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, the Rocky Mount (N.C.) Sunday Telegram, Dog Fancy, ByLine, The Christian Record, Skirt! Magazine, and True Story. A thirty-minute television special which Ms. Casey wrote and coordinated was broadcast on WRAL, Channel 5, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also received special recognition for her editorial work on the English translations of Albanian children’s stories. Her award-winning science fiction short stories for adults are featured in The Cosmic Unicorn and CrossTime science fiction anthologies. Ms. Casey's essays and other works appear in The Chrysalis Reader, the international literary journal of the Swedenborg Foundation, 221 One-Minute Monologues from Literature (Smith and Kraus Publishers), and A Cup of Comfort (Adams Media Corporation).
Ms. Casey is a former director of BookFest of the Palm Beaches, Florida, where she served as guest author and panelist. She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. In 2018 Ms. Casey received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas. She makes her home on the top of a mountain in northwest Georgia with three cats who adopted her, Homer, Reese and Earl Gray - Reese’s best friend.
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CONNECT WITH BARBARA:
Website:
http://www.barbaracaseyauthor.com
Blog:
http://www.barbaracaseyagency.com
Email:
barcafer@aol.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/barbara.casey.370
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-casey-a9527667
BookBub Author Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/barbara-casey-c75c3ba0-bbc2-4fbb-aa2b-90da9ad49679
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/697572.Barbara_Casey
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS – THE CADENCE OF GYPSIES – BOOK ONE:
Amazon Kindle eBook:
Amazon Paperback:
Amazon Hardcover:
The Book Depository Paperback:
https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Cadence-of-Gypsies-Barbara-Casey/9780982081280
BAM! Books-A-Million Hardcover:
https://www.booksamillion.com/product/A16446511361
BookBub Book Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-cadence-of-gypsies-by-barbara-casey
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9309485-the-cadence-of-gypsies
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BOOK BUY LINKS – THE WISH RIDER – BOOK TWO:
Amazon Kindle eBook:
Amazon Paperback:
Amazon Hardcover:
Barnes and Noble Paperback:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wish-rider-barbara-casey/1123789597
The Book Depository Paperback:
https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Wish-Rider-Barbara-Casey/9781942314448
BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Wish-Rider/Barbara-Casey/9781942314448
Kobo eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-wish-rider
BookBub Book Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-wish-rider-by-barbara-casey
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30209458-the-wish-rider
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BOOK BUY LINKS – THE CLOCK FLOWER – BOOK THREE:
Amazon Kindle eBook:
Amazon Paperback:
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36624546-the-clock-flower
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BOOK BUY LINKS – THE NIGHTJAR’S PROMISE – BOOK FOUR:
Amazon Kindle eBook:
Amazon Paperback:
The Book Depository Paperback:
https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Nightjars-Promise-Barbara-Casey/9781942314691
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53214120-the-nightjar-s-promise
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Barbara will be awarding a $50 Amazon/Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the book tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway**This post contains
affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small
commission to help support this blog.
This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome
giveaways on here**
Barbara ~ Good morning! Welcome back! It is so great to have you here again! Congrats on your exciting new book series and good luck on the book tour! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Ally, I am really looking forward to spending time with you and your bloggers again. Thank you so much for your kind words and for your interest in THE F.I.G. MYSTERIES. My best to you.
Delete~Barbara
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThe books sound great.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rita. And I am glad you are following my tour.
DeleteI really enjoyed the excerpt and look forward to reading the book.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alexander. And thank you for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comment, Sherry. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDelete