Driftless Spirits by Karen Ringel

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I’m excited to welcome Karen Ringel to the blog with a special guest post all about her character Charlotte Burke! Charlotte’s story is full of mystery, adventure, and a touch of the unexpected, as she navigates strange dreams, hidden journals, and a journey that could change her life forever.

An Interview with Charlotte from Driftless Spirits

In today’s post, Karen lets Charlotte take center stage in this fun character interview. From her quirks and secrets to her hopes and dreams, you’ll get to meet Charlotte in her own words and discover what makes her story so captivating.

1. Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your life in the story?

Hi, I’m Charlotte! I grew up in the Chicago suburbs, the only child of two loving parents who retired to Florida after I finished college and started my first job in marketing. I’m thirty now and have worked in the same company for most of the time. I’m practical and frugal but lately I’ve been feeling stalled out in life. I’ve also been having a strange, recurring dream for the last two months. I find myself in an old house that feels familiar even though I’m sure I’ve never been in one like it before. Upstairs there’s a back room with a writing desk, a journal, and a framed picture of an elderly woman. In most dreams, she’s just been sitting there, looking out the bay window, but in the latest dream she is standing and offering me keys. The next morning, I woke up with my car keys in my hand. That’s going to be the start of something big, I can feel it.

2. What is your favorite hobby or pastime, and why?

I grew up camping with my folks and I still love it. Maybe it’s just the fond memories but I am a bit of a tomboy. There’s a sense of accomplishment in hiking to the top of a big hill to see the scenic overlook or crawling through a cave to see what’s inside. I don’t mind getting dirty to satisfy my curiosity. Usually once my curiosity is piqued, I have to investigate.

3. Who is the most important person in your life, and how do they influence you?

Besides my parents, the biggest influence in my life is my best friend, Ivy. She’s an attorney who works in a company, mostly drafting and reviewing sales contracts. She works really hard and her career success shows it. Sometimes I envy her ambition. I introduced her to camping and we make sure to take at least one trip together every summer. We also meet almost every Saturday morning to catch up, either at a coffee shop or a diner. I’ve been telling her about my recurring dream and she insists it’s my subconscious pressing me to get away and figure out what I want next in life.

4. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far in your story?

Have you ever suddenly realized that you feel restless? Everything is fine. My job is fine. My apartment is fine. There’s food on my table and the bills are paid. Still, I’m unsatisfied. I’m a creative person who isn’t creating enough. I’m a curious person who isn’t discovering enough new things. Ivy understands and says a roadtrip of self-discovery will put me back on track. It might, but there’s something about that dream. It feels so real. I think the house exists, but how do you find a house you’ve only seen in a dream, and only from the inside and in the dark? Finding the house feels like an insurmountable challenge, like finding a needle in a haystack. I’m going to do it anyway.

5. If you could change one thing about your past, what would it be?

Oh, that’s always a tough question, isn’t it? If I had job-hopped more, would I feel in such a rut in my career today? If I spent more on fun things or decorated my apartment with more color, would life feel a little less bland? Still, I’m very practical and it’s hard to imagine what I’d change that would make a huge difference. I’ve done a lot right and nobody’s perfect. I just need to figure out where to go from here.

6. What motivates you to keep going when times get tough?

The only way to get through tough times is to march forward. “Well begun is half done” is a saying that keeps me moving. I’m very punctual and organized. If something upsets my apple cart, I do my best to smile and adapt, but there’s no point in waiting for things to get better. I’ve only recently realized how complacent I’ve become. Now that I realize it, I won’t sit still.

7. Do you have any secrets or quirks that people might be surprised to learn?

People might be surprised by how many pictures are stored on my phone. My curiosity sometimes gets the best of me. I take a lot of pictures, not just selfies but of anything that catches my eye as unusual. I can’t say that’s gotten me into trouble yet, but I have a feeling that someday soon it might.

8. What’s your favorite place in your world, and why do you love it?

Is it strange to say my favorite place is my blue jeep? It suits my tomboy nature and it’s carried me to many adventures with Ivy. It will take me on my roadtrip to find the house.

A close second is the diner we meet at for Saturday morning pancakes. I love diners, the more local the better. Every good diner has its own special character. Maybe it’s the marketer in me, but I notice the details and the care each owner puts into creating their place.

9. If you could give advice to readers, what would you say?

Take stock of your life every now and then and watch for signs that tell you where to go next. You’ll understand what I mean about signs when you read my story. They give you a gut feeling that you should usually follow.

10. What are your dreams for the future?

Well, right now I’m obsessed with solving the mystery of the house in my dream and the woman in the picture. Who is she and why am I dreaming of her? But, more generally, I’m ready to make some changes in my life. I hope after the trip to find the house that I also find a new purpose. Right now, I feel a little driftless.

Driftless Spirits (Secrets in Casten’s Horn) by Karen Ringel

About Driftless Spirits

Driftless Spirits (Secrets in Casten’s Horn) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting: The Driftless area of Wisconsin, in a fictional town called Casten’s Horn Publisher : Casten House Books Publication date : October 30, 2025 Print length : 280 pages Paperback ISBN-13 : 979-8231084883 ASIN : B0G11YHMBK Digital ASIN : B0FXN5T913

Charlotte Burke can’t shake her recurring dream.

Over and over again she dreams of finding a mysterious journal on a candlelit desk while wandering through a strange house in the middle of the night. Every dream has shown her a framed picture of an old woman sitting at the same desk, except the latest version. Last night, the woman stood and offered Charlotte a keyring. In the morning, Charlotte woke up with her car keys in her hand.

Her best friend is worried but skeptical when Charlotte insists the house is real. The dream is metaphorical, Ivy says, reflecting Charlotte’s restless state. Ivy gifts her a journal and urges her to take the trip her subconscious is demanding before she wakes up behind the wheel. A roadtrip of self-discovery will help Charlotte figure out what she really wants.

Charlotte agrees to the roadtrip but not for Ivy’s reasons. To her, the house, the journal and the woman in her dream are all too real. She sets off to do the impossible. If she can find the house and uncover its secrets in time, she might save far more than her driftless life.

About Karen Ringel

In 2020, Karen Ringel retired from an engineering career to settle in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin with her husband. After taking some time to adapt to the rural lifestyle, she started creating the fictional Casten’s Horn, imagining how a small town might have been founded in the secluded valley she lives in. Always a researcher at heart, her books include references to real bits of history and traditions in an effort to enhance her stories. She writes what she likes to read: small-town mysteries with a cozy feel.

Author Links

Author Website
Goodreads Author Page

Purchase Links

Universal Link
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Print
Apple
B&N (ebook and print)
Kobo

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

March 23 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
March 23 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
March 24 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 25 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 26 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
March 27 – Hall Ways Blog – SPOTLIGHT
March 28 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
March 29 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
March 30 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
March 31 – Salty Inspirations – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 2 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
April 3 – Because I said so – adventures in parenting. – REVIEW
April 4 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
April 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

---

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here

Thank you so much to Karen Ringel for sharing Charlotte’s story with us. If you love character-driven cozy mysteries with a touch of adventure, add Driftless Spirits to your TBR today! Feel free to explore the blog for more guest posts, cozy interviews, and inspiration.

As always, thanks for stopping by for some Salty Inspirations! —Michelle❤️