Combining Women's Fiction with Romance, Cozy Noir Mystery and Suspense.

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Guest Book Series

The Guest Book Series by Chrysteen Braun is a Toasty Reads Bookish Event

February 6, 2025

Title: The Guest Book Series Author: Chrysteen Braun Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Women’s Fiction, Cozy Noir Mystery When seven 1920 era cabins in Lake Arrowhead, California are restored to their original vintage charm, the new owner has no idea that the cabins have their own stories to tell. The Man in Cabin Number Five (The Guest Book Trilogy 1) Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret and Linda Holmes’s Evvie Drake Starts Over. When Annie Parker discovers her husband’s infidelity, she doesn’t let it destroy her. She packs her bags and heads to Lake Arrowhead, California, the mountainside town where her family used to summer. Immersing herself in the restoration of seven 1920s-era cabins, Annie begins to put the pieces of her life back together. But starting over is never easy.Alyce Murphy needs closure. When she discovers her father did not die from a heart attack, as she’s been led to believe for the last 30 years, but in a murder/suicide, she is determined to uncover the truth of his death. But when she visits the cabin where her father ended his life, Alyce has to accept she may never know the true story.Annie is looking toward her future while Alyce needs to put the past to rest. In parallel stories, both women are drawn to the rustic mountainside cabins as they search for the missing pieces—but they soon discover that the cabins have their own stories to tell. The Girls in Cabin Number Three (The Guest Book Trilogy 2) In book two of the Guest Book Trilogy, eighty-one-year-old Annie Parker recounts taking on, against the wishes of her new love Noah, an out-of-town design project that leads her down a path that is more than she bargained for. Back in Lake Arrowhead, California, a long-awaited mystery is buried in […]

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Dear Noah, The Conclusion - book 5

Noah, The Conclusion

December 3, 2024

A Sneak Peak at Chapter One You might wonder how, after so many years, I can still recall the first time I laid eyes on Annie Parker. It was a Monday, and I was on my way back from the lumberyard when I stopped to check in on Sam. He’d been like a second father to me after my parents died, and now it was my turn to look after him. The door to one of the cabins was open and I could tell by the extra car in the drive that he had a guest.  The air was so still, my boots crunching on the gravel echoed as I made my way down there.  “Hey, Sam,” I said, leaning on the doorjamb. A suitcase was sitting on the bed, and Sam and a young woman turned to look in my direction. My heart turned over and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. In that split second, I took in her large dark eyes and her pouty mouth. There was something about her that drew me in. Tight jeans and a red knit sweater completed the picture—and I lost my train of thought.  “Oh, Annie,” Sam said. “This is Noah Chambers. He’s a local, and since my wife died, he seems to think he has to check in on me.” “I heard that,” I said.  Sam shook his head but chuckled. He then opened a cupboard, took out some towels and set them on the bed. “But I do appreciate it,” he whispered with a crinkled smile. They both stood there as if waiting for me to say something else, but it was hard for me to focus on what to say next. What I wanted to say was, ‘I can’t believe you’re so incredibly beautiful.’ But the woman […]

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Author to sign books set in Lake arrowhead mountaineer article

Alpine Mountaineer – Author to sign books set in Lake Arrowhead

November 21, 2024

Readers who immerse themselves in the Guest Book trilogy – The Man in Cabin Number Five, The Girls in Cabin Number Three and The Starlet in Cabin Number Seven – by Chrysteen Braun will recognize many of the landmarks mentioned. Lake Arrowhead and its surrounding area almost become another character in the books. Braun will be at Timberline in the Glen on Friday, Nov. 29 from 1 to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. where she will be signing her books.At the signing event she will be featuring her latest book, Dear Noah, the fifth book in the series which brings the story to a conclusion. All of her books, including the fourth one, The Maidservant in Cabin Number One (the beginning) will be available at Timberline in the Glen. The books, Braun said, “are set in Lake Arrowhead and the mountains, where our first cabins in Skyforest and then Cedar Ridge were the inspiration for my books. Every time we came up, I felt a connection that made me want to write books I wanted to read. If I wasn’t at our store, At the Cabin, at the intersection of Highway 18 and Kuffel Canyon Road, I was writing.” The series – which now includes five books but began as a trilogy – begins when Annie Parker, who has just had her 80th birthday, decides to write about a time in her life when she was starting over. She moves to the mountains and restores a series of cabins built in the 1920s and soon discovers they each have a story to tell.In the first three books, Annie meets the son and daughters of the guests who stayed in the cabins in the ‘20s and ‘30s. “They know what most of us […]

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NN Light's Book Heaven presents Chrysteen Braun

N. N. Light’s Book Heaven presents Chrysteen Braun 

September 12, 2024

I’m an author, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and an ovarian cancer survivor, almost in that order. When I was twelve, I wrote my first novel, no doubt a terrible one, but I typed it up myself and presented it to my mother. I have no idea what the story was about, or whatever happened to it, but it was my first claim to fame as an author.

In my thirties, back when there were only electric typewriters and word processing programs (no computers), I began writing a more mature novel, and stored it on discs. But business, children and life zapped my creative energies, and I set my creative work aside; but this time, I saved it. (It’s in a box somewhere in a closet)

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Chrysteen Braun with her book and quote

The Diverse Experiences Shaping Chrysteen Braun’s Writing

July 17, 2024

Chrysteen Braun’s “Cabin” novels, a blend of historical fiction, romance, and mystery, inspired by the picturesque Lake Arrowhead.

Chrysteen Braun discusses her journey from construction to writing, the inspirations behind her novels, and how life experiences shape her story-telling.

Chrysteen Braun, an award-winning author and native Californian, has led a life as diverse and rich as the stories she pens. Born and raised in Long Beach, Chrysteen’s journey into the world of writing began at the tender age of twelve with her first novel. Although the details of that early work have faded, the dream of becoming a writer never left her.

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Lake Arrowhead's Inspiration Chrysteen Braun

Lake Arrowhead’s Inspiration

July 17, 2024

From Novelist Post Chrysteen Braun’s diverse career and life experiences inspire her novels, blending historical fiction, romance, and mystery, set against the backdrop of Lake Arrowhead’s serene mountains. The Setting Behind the “Cabin” Novels Award-winning author Chrysteen Braun, a native Californian, has led a life as diverse and rich as the stories she pens. Born and raised in Long Beach, Chrysteen’s journey into the world of writing began at the ten-der age of twelve with her first novel. Although the details of that early work have faded, the dream of becoming a writer never left her. At eighteen, Chrysteen found herself amidst the vibrant chaos of Hollywood, working for Capitol Records. Her task? Ordering album covers for the Beatles’ iconic “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Despite her initial skepticism about the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” this experience was just one of many that would later color her writing.When career decisions loomed, Chrysteen joined her family’s construction business, eventually becoming a licensed flooring and general contractor. For nearly fifty years, she and her husband Larry dedicated themselves to remodeling and interior design, a legacy now carried on by their daughter. Yet, the call to write never truly faded. In the early 1980s, Chrysteen rekindled her passion for writing by joining an Orange County writers’ group alongside then-unknown author Elizabeth George. Althoughlife and business took precedence, she continued to write articles on remodeling and interior design or local newspapers. Retirement offered Chrysteen the perfect opportunity to reinvent herself and dive back into the world of fiction. A member of the Southern California Writers Association and OC Romance Writers, Chrysteen draws inspiration from her second home in Lake Arrowhead, California. Here, she opened a home decor store aptly named At The Cabin, and the serene mountain setting became the […]

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Readers House Editor's Choice

Reader’s House Editor’s Choice

July 13, 2024

MAN IN CABIN NUMBER FIVEby Chrysteen Braun“Chrysteen Braun’s ‘Man in Cabin Number Five’ intricately blends mystery, nostalgia, and vivid ima-gery, delivering an immersive and captivating read.” Man in Cabin Number Five by Chrysteen Braun invites readers into a captivating world where vintage charm meets hidden mysteries. Set amidst the picturesque backdrop of 1920s cabins in Lake Arrowhead, California, this novel follows Annie Parker, the new owner, as she disco-vers the secrets that lie within the restored cabins. Braun skillfully weaves together the stories of two women: one looking towards her future and another uncovering the truth behind her father’s demise, shattering the illusion of a natural death with the revelation of a murder-suicide. As the plot unfolds, readers are drawn deeper into the intricacies of these characters’ lives, eagerly tur-ning pages to uncover the next twist in the tale. What sets Braun’s work apart is her ability to in-fuse each page with palpable atmosphere, transpor-ting readers to the tranquil setting of Lake Arrowhead with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. From the rustic charm of the cabins to the lush beauty of the surrounding mountains, every detail is meti-culously crafted to immerse readers in the story. Chrysteen Braun’s background in interior design adds an extra layer of authenticity to the narrative, lending depth to the portrayal of the restored cabins and the world they inhabit. Through her writing, Bra-un effortlessly blends elements of women’s fiction, mystery, and relationship dynamics, creating a com-pelling read that will resonate with fans of the genre. Man in Cabin Number Five is the first instal-ment in The Guest Book Trilogy, promising readers an enthralling journey filled with suspense, heartache, and unexpected revelations. With its engaging storyline and well-developed characters, this novel is sure to leave a lasting imp-ression on anyone who ventures into its pages.

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The Starlet in Cabin Number Seven

September 28, 2023

Chapter One 1981 It was my second year up in the mountains, and I couldn’t believe how quickly it’d become the end of February. I was hoping the new year and the rest of winter would bring us only a pocket full of challenges since the previous year had presented us with many. Just to tease me, a gust of ice cold wind blew my sweater open, and I pulled it tight around me. We’d just come off an unusually heavy snowfall, and all the roads were piled high with berms that would keep some people locked down until they could get a snowplow to dig them out.  This latest storm downed power lines in various communities, which left those of us without generators, with no power.  “I don’t remember this from last year,” I said to Sam.  I’d bought the cabins from him last year, and I was still learning about the B&B and mountain life. He’d lit the fireplace to warm up the office, and I set out food bowls for our camp cats, Jezebel and Socks, who gladly made their way inside.      “Well, it probably happened, but it didn’t last long. It happens regularly,” he said. “Sometimes we’re down for twenty minutes, and sometimes a day. The good news is you can always store your refrigerated foods outdoors when it’s so cold.” If we could make it through the rest of this winter without too many repairs, the next thing on my list was to get some pricing to install a generator large enough to run all the cabins if need be. Thankfully, we were between guests, so it spared us having to creatively heat and light the cabins. That night, Noah and I bundled up and sat in on the sofa in front of his fireplace; the glow […]

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The Habits Code

April 11, 2023

Most people who know me tell me they’ve always thought of me as being a good businesswoman. What they always saw was the duck sitting in the middle of  the pond, basking in the sun and looking pretty; what they never saw, was that that duck was paddling like hell beneath the surface. Merriam Webster describes success as “a degree or measure of succeeding” or a “favorable or desired outcome” and “the attainment of wealth or favor.” There are many paths that can lead you down that road to success. And success means something different to each of us. It could mean wealth, happiness, recognition and/or financial freedom…. In my lifetime, I’ve taken turns down roads that didn’t lead me to any of these.  When the recession hit in 2008, we lost over half our home remodeling business income overnight. Then it seemed the next month we lost another half, and believe me, that didn’t leave us with much to work with. But I was younger then, and giving up was never an option. When I was asked to write this chapter for The Habits Code, the idea was to share one habit that helped make me successful. As I made copious notes, I realized there was never just one habit, but many that kept me going. The first one was perseverance. Even when I was at my lowest, I woke each morning and forced myself to put one foot in front of the other. I did my hair and make-up, just like every other day, and drove to our office, knowing I had my work cut out for me. I thought of myself as a movie star, ‘always on’ and I maintained a positive attitude, had a smile on my face, was cheerful when a prospective client called or […]

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The Girls in Cabin Number Three

December 9, 2022

CHAPTER ONE It was 1981 and springtime in Lake Arrowhead, California, and there was still some snow on the ground in areas where the sun hadn’t melted it. Berms were now covered in dirt, and small grainy volcanic rock lined the roads up the mountain, looking dingy, needing a fresh layer of snow to be pretty again. Daffodils and tulips that had been planted over the years popped up along the roads into town. Every once in a while, it was obvious which ones had multiplied on their own, for they spread naturally in random clumps. Clusters of them emerged from the small gardens in front of each of the cabins too, and soon I’d finish filling in with spots of other annual color. I’d purchased the B & B, actually a series of seven cabins, the summer before, when I’d come to the mountains eager to clear my head. I hadn’t come with the plan of moving up, but I’d also not dreamed I’d find out that my husband David had been seeing someone else. I knew it would not solve all life’s problems, but the entire lifestyle here made me realize how easily I could start over. I didn’t have to run away; I could simply live where no one knew me. Once I made up my mind, it hadn’t taken me long to come up with the serendipitous idea to buy the cabins I stayed in and get a new perspective on life. We had a guest coming in the afternoon, and the only vacancy we had was Number Five, now called Cedar Cove Cabin. As a rule, I always checked the cabins out before guests arrived, just to make sure everything was in order. The moment I opened the door to Five, I took in the […]

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about chrysteen

Chrysteen Braun is a native Californian, born and raised in Long Beach. She wrote her first novel when she was twelve, and while she can’t recall what it was about, she always thought she could become a writer.

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