New Historical Novel Recounts True Story of Colorado Woman Who Chose Global Adventure Over Convention

Kay Perrin’s “The Spinster I Once Knew” Draws on Family Diary and Memories to Portray Clara Schattinger’s Life of Independence and Later Seclusion

United States, 14th Aug 2026 — About the Book: Dr. Kay Perrin has published her debut historical novel, “The Spinster I Once Knew,” based on the true story of her great-aunt Clara Schattinger (1887–1986). The book follows Clara’s path from a Colorado ranch childhood through a life of deliberate independence.

While her siblings pursued traditional paths, Clara earned a degree in education and taught in Denver before accepting a position as a Guest Ambassador on Pacific cruise ships. Her travels began in Hawaii and extended to ports including Bombay, Cairo, and Paris. During her years at sea she received promotions, formed relationships, and encountered unexpected circumstances that included additional duties later examined in an official investigation.

A telegram regarding her mother’s injury brought Clara back to Denver. She remained there for the next 41 years, caring for her aging parents and living in quiet seclusion in a modest brick house near the State Capitol. Decades after her death, a hidden travel diary resurfaced. Using Clara’s own words together with family accounts, Perrin reconstructs the contrast between the adventurous years and the long period of private life that followed.

The novel examines themes of ambition, resilience, family duty, and the personal consequences of choices made outside conventional expectations. It presents Clara as a woman whose experiences raised questions about independence and the lasting effects of personal decisions in the early and mid-twentieth century.

Key Highlights:

• Based on the true story of Clara Schattinger (1887–1986), reconstructed from a rediscovered travel diary and family records.
• Traces Clara’s transition from Colorado teacher to Guest Ambassador and later Director of Guest Ambassadors on Pacific cruise ships.
• Documents her global travels and involvement in shipboard events that led to formal questioning by federal investigators.
• Details the impact of family responsibility when Clara returned to Denver and remained for more than four decades.
• Explores the contrast between her independent early life and years of quiet seclusion.
• Written by Dr. Kay Perrin, who researched and reconstructed her great-aunt’s experiences after retiring from a career in public health education.
• Addresses questions of personal freedom, duty, and legacy through a factual-based narrative.

About the Author:
Dr. Kay Perrin is a retired Associate Dean of Public Health at the University of South Florida, where she served on the faculty for 26 years. After an earlier career as a registered nurse, she earned her Master’s and PhD in Public Health from the University of South Florida. She has authored five public health textbooks and contributed to the development of Florida’s first undergraduate public health degree program. As a Fulbright Scholar, she taught nursing and supervised student rotations in Pune, India. In retirement she has turned to historical fiction to document and share her family’s history.

Availability The book is available in eBook and print formats through major online retailers, including Amazon at https://a.co/d/0h2t6L95.

Media Contact

Organization: Writers Cliques

Contact Person: Kay Perrin

Website: https://kayperrin.com/

Email: Send Email

Country:United States

Release id:48078

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