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My Lifetime Dream
The Maidservant in Cabin Number One follows a young woman trying to begin life anew as she puts the trials of her past life behind her and seeks employment as a maid in the tranquility of the mountains. Why choose this place and time for the setting of the story?
We had a cabin in the Lake Arrowhead mountains, and when I retired, I decided to fulfill my lifetime dream of writing novels. I read a story about an unsolved murder in one of the small towns up there, and it gave me the idea for the first book, The Man in Cabin Number Five.
My character, Annie Parker is turning eighty, and she wants to write about when she came up to the mountains to start over. She buys a series of 1920s cabins and discovers each one has a story to tell.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters’ lives?
Absolutely. I think everyone who writes, writes about memories, both good and bad, and then when you run out of those stories, you have to start making things up! For example, while I didn’t move up to the mountains after my divorce, I used that as the basis of book one, and carried the theme of starting over into each of the books.
Can fans of the The Guest Book series look forward to a fifth installment soon? If so, where will it take readers?
Absolutely! The Maidservant in Cabin Number One is really the beginning of the story; the history of the cabins before Annie bought them. And coming soon, Book Five, (of what was originally intended to be a trilogy) is the story of Annie until she turns eighty and decides to begin writing. It’ll be called Dear Noah.
Readers have asked if the series can be read as stand-alones, and, yes, they can. But for those who love this series, if you haven’t started reading yet, I’d begin with Book Four, The Beginning (The Maidservant) then go to The Man in Cabin Number Five, then The Girls in Cabin Number Three followed by The Starlet in Cabin Number Seven, and then finish it off with Book Five, Dear Noah.
The Maidservant in Cabin Number One
The Maidservant in Cabin Number One, by Chrysteen Braun, the fourth installment in The Guest Book series, is a poignant narrative set in the 1920s. It chronicles the journey of Ruth Ann Landry, a young maid in Seattle, who, upon turning sixteen, faces distressing circumstances in her workplace. Seeking a fresh start, she relocates to a Californian hotel, only to confront further challenges, including an unexpected pregnancy and subsequent job loss. Her path leads her to the tranquility of the mountains, where she takes up part-time work cleaning rental cabins for Jack Maynard. Here, the story teases the possibility of a new chapter in Ruth Ann’s life.
Unique in its structure, this book serves as a prequel to the series but is strong as a standalone story. It spans several decades, immersing the reader in the atmospheric details of life from the 1920s through the 1950s. The narrative deftly weaves through historical milestones like the Great Depression and World War II, offering a glimpse into Ruth Ann’s resilience and growth amidst these events. Her evolution is compelling and heartening from a frightened teenager to a flourishing businesswoman and mother.
The author’s addition of historical notes at the book’s conclusion enriches the reader’s understanding of the era. The pacing of the story offers a varied reading experience. The initial chapters, which focus on Ruth Ann’s early years, unfold with a deliberate, contemplative pace that allows for a deep dive into her character. As the story covers four decades in less than two hundred pages, it adopts a brisk tempo, efficiently traversing months and years. I feel this approach keeps the narrative dynamic but may leave readers eager for further exploration of certain moments. The conclusion of the story, while concise, invites readers to reflect on the potential for further development, adding an element of intrigue to Ruth Ann’s journey.
The Maidservant in Cabin Number One offers a rich historical tapestry interlaced with the personal growth and perseverance of its protagonist. While its pacing fluctuates, the novel remains an engaging exploration of a woman’s journey through several pivotal decades of American history.
My Grandmother’s Life
Augusta follows a thirteen-year-old farm girl forced into marriage and motherhood who, after being abandoned in the city, must find a way to survive for herself and her children. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
This novel is based on my grandmother’s life. The image of her on the cover was from a 2.5×3.5 inch daguerreotype. When my aunt Ivon gave it to me, she said it was taken on her wedding day, and she was wearing her eighth-grade graduation dress. EEEK.
You went into great detail to get the setting right, especially in regard to money, life in the city, and even the emergence of home appliances. Did you do a lot of research to maintain the accuracy of the subject?
I researched life in Arkansas at the turn of the twentieth century. Finding out what it was like for the very poor in 1920s Detroit was a surprise. My mother told me that my grandmother came to Detroit wearing a feed sack as a dress.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
My father was Buddy. He told me that his mother made him share, with other children, the goodies he received when he was in the hospital. I made a point of discovering what candies were popular at the time and what toys children may have received.
What is the next book you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My next book will be out in April 2023. Big Guy is a middle-grade children’s book. Like Black Beauty, this story is told by the horse. I trained horses and gave riding lessons for many years. The personalities that I convey are my imagining of the personalities of horses that I knew and loved.
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The historical novel begins in 1906 on a rural farm in Arkansas, where Augusta was raised on a hard-knock farm and married off to the widowed father of one of her classmates at the age of thirteen. They flee the failed cotton crops for factory work in Detroit, and Augusta must navigate city life alone as a new mother. Abandoned by her second husband, Augusta works as a waitress, but with four children to provide for, she is forced into a decision that will haunt her forever.
LITERARY TITAN 