VIV LOVES FILM has signed an exclusive representation in respect of the collected literary works of JUANITA CASEY, including her first novel: THE HORSE OF SELENE originally published in 1971 and reissued by TRAMP PRESS in 2022.
Casey was a pioneer amongst Irish writers, as well as a poet, an artist, a horse breeder – and at one point, a circus horse master. This rich life is detailed in her autobiography AZERBAIJAN! AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Tramp Press describe THE HORSE OF SELENE as “… a cult classic ready to be rediscovered by a new generation of readers. Drawing on her own life and speaking for her marginalised community, Casey offers a feminist and class-conscious story that explores the eternal choices of youth, between the comfort of a stifling domesticity and the promise and risk of the unknown, characterised in the incomparable wildness of the West of Ireland. The bestselling Casey takes her place alongside such writers as JM Synge and Kevin Barry – the missing connection between the two.
The New York Times reviewed “The Horse of Selene as “a remarkable first novel by a remarkable woman.”
THE SEAGULL a short story and part of Casey’s HATH THE RAIN A FATHER was a GCSE set text in the 1980s.
All images (c) Sheba Tobias. All rights reserved.
Emma Topping, Founder of Viv Loves Film says: “Juanita Casey’s works contain a rich range of culturally significant, era-defining works from one of Ireland’s most important feminist authors. As a proud Irishwoman, I am delighted and privileged that we are representing the works of this trailblazer. We look forward to collaborating with our screen and stage partners to bring these deeply relevant and timely works to audiences old and new, globally”
Juanita Casey’s daughter Sheba added, “Juanita Casey has often been described as a person ahead of her time. The life she led was many faceted, ever changing, brimming with unusual experiences and colourful characters. She lived on the periphery, not fitting into any category of society, but she enjoyed the capacity of being able to engage with anyone. The paradox would enable her to relate and understand people from all walks of life. She had a thirst for knowledge and her interests were many and varied. Her vivid and descriptive writing is borne on a racing tide of insight, intellect, experience, humour, and the sometimes absurd nature of existence.”
Dublin based publisher Tramp Press has said, “We are overjoyed by this exciting development. We are honoured to have had the opportunity to reissue Juanita Casey’s ground breaking The Horse of Selene and to see new readers take it to their hearts. One thing that struck us about this novel was the strong visual sensibility that we think would transfer beautifully to stage or screen. Anything that helps to bring Casey’s immense contribution as a pioneer among Irish writers to the fore is a wonderful development, and Viv Loves Film is a terrific match for Casey’s legacy.’