- What attracted you to the 1920s period as the setting of your novels? The main character is based on my grandmother Ruby’s young life, which took place in the 1920s.
2. Are there similarities for the struggles of women today? Women today can take jobs that were predominantly men’s jobs, but there are still barriers to break. The women of the 1920s laid the groundwork for things to improve for women who wished to enter the workforce. Interestingly, on June 5, 1920, The Women’s Bureau was established in the U.S. Department of Labor. The Bureau serves many purposes, but one crucial one deals with wage-earning for women. We have more women in political offices, both local and national. We have women lawyers, doctors, astronauts, and even high-level commanders in our armed forces. In January of 2023, Fortune 500 reported that for the first time, 10 percent of Fortune 500 companies’ CEOs are women. As the saying goes, “Women have come a long way,” and the next threshold is a female president of the USA.
3. Is your character Ruby Dinsmore based on anyone you know or know of, or strictly a culmination of women of that era? Yes, Ruby Dinsmore is based on my grandmother, Ruby Harris. She was a trailblazer. Her friends in both books, Rise a Girl’s Struggle for More and Ruby Takes Chicago, are certainly fictional composites of women from that era.
4. Did you plan the books as a series before you began writing? No, I did not plan on writing a series, but as my publisher, Anne O’Connell from O.C. Publishing, pointed out, she heard from enough readers that they wanted to know what happened next in Ruby’s life that I needed to write a follow-up. The request touched me.
5. Do you have a message for modern young women in these books? Yes- the same as my grandmother taught me – be persistent. Go for your dreams. My grandmother and mom would say if you want something, you have to be willing to work hard for it, no matter how hard it gets. Keep going till the doors open. My mom called it – “Having fire in the gut.” You have to believe in yourself. I wrote these two books to remind girls and everyone to discover life, discover yourself, and live. If a woman born in 1904 can go after her dreams despite the obstacles in those days, then indeed, a woman in 2023 can go after her dreams no matter how long it takes.
6. What other passions apart from writing do you have? I enjoy singing, acting, and helping others in need.
7. What other genres do you write? I enjoy writing children’s books with various themes: love yourself just as you are, kindness, peace, imagination.
8. How did growing up with five brothers shape your personality and outlook? When I was little, I always asked my mom (also in the workforce) if she would give me a sister; that did not happen. She brought home boys, and now I would not have it any other way. It was great to have five brothers. My two older brothers were my protectors, and my younger brothers were my live baby dolls. My older brothers taught me to understand how boys think without them realizing it, and my younger brothers made motherhood come naturally to me. When I came home with my first child, I was not nervous; I knew exactly how to care for a baby.
9. Can you share some of your humanitarian projects? When I lived overseas, it was easy to work with various charities. I met this wonderful woman with an amazingly kind heart, and she opened the door for me to work with her on several projects and to work with Free the Children in Kenya. In Ethiopia, we worked with a school and orphanage, which I had the opportunity to visit a couple of times. In Uganda, the same amazing woman arranged for us to work with Queen Sylvia’s Charity Nnabagereka Development Foundation. We worked on several projects with various schools. Working in these three countries was an honor, a privilege. Our team might have given back, but trust me, the people of the communities enriched our lives even more.
10. How can readers find you and your books? You can find my books on Amazon & Barnes and Noble.
Summary:
Ruby Takes Chicago, is the sequel to Rise! A Girl’s Struggle for More. It’s now the 1920s, and a young Ruby Dinsmore leaves her hometown of Oilton, Oklahoma, and heads for Chicago to make her dreams come true. In the first book, Ruby, born in 1904, grows up wanting to be a businesswoman and does everything she can to make it happen. At the end of Rise!, Ruby’s family realizes her dreams can only come true in a larger town where a young woman with a college education would be accepted in the workforce. Once in Chicago, Ruby is surprised to learn that, even in a big city, society as a whole is still reluctant to accept women working outside the home. Determined to stay true to herself, she takes on the challenges of life in tumultuous times of Prohibition, protests, and women’s rights marches. Ruby meets like-minded women, and together they break through the barriers until Ruby lands the perfect job, all amidst discovering the joys of life and love, and heartbreak…and love again.
Amazon.com: Ruby Takes Chicago: 9781989833384: Floyd Boehm, Diann: Books
Reviews:
“Step back to the time of ‘The Charleston’, speakeasies, and the Jazz Age as one fearless young woman navigates the changing social mores, economic opportunities, and mindset of the 1920s in America. A page-turning fictionalized account of a trailblazing independent woman.” Aimee Ravichandran, founder Abundantly Social.
“A captivating tale of a young woman’s brave journey from a small town to 1926 Chicago. Amidst dreams and determination, she discovers her place in the world. This beautiful story offers timeless lessons that resonate with the reader long after the final page.” Lucia Matuonto, Author and host of The Relatable Voice.
Bio:
Diann Floyd Boehm is an award-winning international author. Diann writes children’s books and young adult books. In addition, Diann writes books to inspire kids to be kind, like themselves, and to “Embrace Imagination”. You can find all her books on Amazon. Diann’s Story Garden YouTube Channel gives children the opportunity to hear different children authors read their stories. Diann is the co-host with Dr. Jacalyn on USA Global TV. Diann continues to be involved in various humanitarian projects with multiple organizations. Diann was born to parents of George and Mabel Floyd in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but grew up in Texas with five brothers. She has traveled extensively to many parts of the world and has lived in the Philippines and Dubai.
Keep in touch with Diann by joining her newsletter: www.Diannfloydboehm.com.
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