Cabin III: Unlawful Assembly at Winding Ridge

From C. J. Henderson, author of two previous books in the Cabin series--a new novel set in the hills of West Virginia, a story about men and women and the secrets they keep . . . (DAISY AND AGGIE) started up the mountain, each carrying a bag with Aggie's meager possessions, although these days she had more clothing than she'd ever had. Joe was more thoughtful of the women's needs than Jacob had ever been. Under Jacob's care she'd posesssed only a few feedsack dresses. Now she had a few storebought ones and shoes that fit properly, and Joe had bought her a hairbrush, hand mirror, and comb. The mirror was the only one the women had ever seen except for the old one Daisy had allways cherished. It was so old and faded it gave a distorted view, revealing only a hazy image. They opened the door--it had no lock on it when Booker had rentd it and it had none now. Daisy gasped. "Look at this." The cabin was spotlessly clean, and it looked more like a room pictured in a magazine than Aggie's cabin. "I've done died an' gone to heaven, so I have," Aggie said with her hand over her heart. "Tell me I'm not dreamin'." Daisy walked around the one-room cabin and touched everything, while Aggie stood and stared. The Bookers were apparently gone for good, as thier personal items were gone. Even though they had left the generator running, the best thing was they had left the lovely furniture behind--maybe because they had discarded the old homemade furniture Aggie had used all her life.

C.J. Henderson was born on Christmas Day. Her father, a coal miner, was a storyteller who kept his listeners spellbound. Raised on stories about C.C. Camp, Ponds Murder Farm, and other fearsome tales that came straight from her father's mind, C.J. began telling her friends stories of her own, oftentimes getting into trouble for frightening the other children.

After high school C.J. married and became the mother of two sons. During the marriage she attended college, and at her father's urging, studied real estate and became an agent. The knowledge gained from her real estate career led to a position with a utility company in which she leased property. That work took her into remote mountainous areas of West Virginia, where she met many colorful characters. Often C.J. had to wait in her car for property owners to show up for appointments. As she waited, appointment by appointment, the novel came alive on her legal pad.

C.J. is now a real estate broker operating her own company and working on more novels.