The Bayrose Files

Overview

Ambitious young journalist Violet Maris secures a coveted residency at a prestigious artists' and writers' colony in 1980s Provincetown, armed with a file of stories written by a dear, older gay friend. Her intention: to write a captivating exposé based on these narratives. However, Violet's promising start at the colony takes a dark turn when tragedy strikes—her friend, the true author of the stories, succumbs to AIDS. This loss plunges Violet into turmoil, compounded by the weight of the terrible secret she carries. Compelled to confess, she confides in a member of the colony's board with whom she has become romantically involved. The revelation of her deception leads to Violet's expulsion from the program, leaving her grappling with disgrace and searching for a path toward redemption and reconciliation—with herself and those she has inadvertently hurt.

Reviews

“Provincetown’s setting comes to life with its seaside, bohemian vibes and vibrant energy… A powerful exploration of artistic ambition, deception, and redemption.”
—Kirkus Reviews
 
“Young journalist Violet Maris tells a daring lie that launches her on a collision course with the truth about herself. ‘You just can’t trust a writer,’ Violet says. Trust Diane Wald to write a beautifully unsparing, rollickingly funny, tender story about fact and fiction, love and art, set in the creative hub of 1980s Provincetown. A great read you won’t want to put down.”
—Philip Bennett, former managing editor, The Washington Post
 
"The Bayrose Files is a gem of a book, taking us into the creative and complex world of an art colony, seen through the eyes of an impostor. The characters, story, structure, language, setting, and pacing are brilliant. The moral lessons are gentle, human foibles forgivable. I devoured it in a single sitting and remain in awe of Diane Wald's imagination.”
—Romalyn Tilghman, author of To the Stars Through Difficulties
 
“I gulped down The Bayrose Files in one sitting. What starts as a simple story of deception unspools into a tale of grief, love, and complicated regret. In prose that crackles, Diane Wald crafts a marvelous storyteller in Violet Maris. Violet is sharp, endearing, and deeply human. It was a pleasure to follow her every bad decision. Violet—and Wald—kept me guessing until the last page.”
—Miriam Gershow, author of Closer and Survival Tips: Stories
 
 “In The Bayrose Files, Diane Wald’s quirky narrator spins a strange story as oddly poignant as its setting: an artists’ community in early 80’s Provincetown. The moody, seductive atmosphere of this town and that time offers a fitting backdrop for this tale of betrayal and imposture. Violet Maris, named for the sea, tells a story of shifting currents, fogs of betrayal, emotional shipwreck, and ultimate confession. Wald’s story is smart and moving, a search for lost time and a reckoning with ghosts.”
—Cynthia Huntington, author of The Salt House and Heavenly Bodies
 
“With sympathy and warmth, vividness and keen humor, Diane Wald chronicles Violet’s painful and belated coming of age, while bringing to life a raucous, randy, dedicated cast of artists and writers. Long after The Bayrose Files ends, you will find Violet living on in your imagination: her ambitions, regrets, losses, and conscience pangs are keenly relatable, as is her journey toward authenticity, accountability, and living up to her heart’s potential.”
—Karen Holmberg, author of The Collagist

Author Biography

Diane Wald is a poet and novelist who has published four poetry collections, two novels, five chapbooks, and hundreds of poems in literary journals. Her most recent books are The Warhol Pillows (poetry) and My Famous Brain (novel). She has worked as an Associate Professor of English, a Dean of Faculty, and Donor Communications Director for a national animal welfare organization. She lives near Boston with her husband, the writer P. Carey Reid.