Regulars to my blog will know that I adored this novel. So much so that it was the first review I posted on Amazon. It was also my first recommendation on this blog. In those early days of reviewing and blogging I was not in the habit of contacting authors, but I did contact Beth to see when the UK readers were going to get the chance to meet CeeCee.
That time has come
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Carol, thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today, I’m delighted to be here! Having my novel launch in the UK (one of my absolute favorite countries) is a thrill and a dream come true. My only regret is that I don’t get to meet all the terrific UK gals in person!
Please tell us a little about Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.
CeeCee is a 12-year-old girl who lives in a home where shocking and sometimes funny events are daily occurrences. CeeCee’s mother, Camille, is lost in a psychotic fantasy world, and her father is unable to cope, so it falls to CeeCee to take on the exhausting role of caregiver for her mother.
When Camille’s psychosis spins out of control and tragedy strikes, CeeCee wonders what will become of her life. The answer arrives when a vintage Packard roars into the driveway. The driver is Tootie Caldwell, a great-aunt from Savannah, who CeeCee’s never even heard of. Tootie volunteers to take CeeCee back to Georgia, and CeeCee’s father eagerly agrees. And as unthinkable as the relinquishment of his daughter seems, it just might prove to be the greatest gift he could give her. With only a few meager possessions, CeeCee climbs into her aunt’s car and they head South for Savannah.
That’s when CeeCee’s life goes from shades of gray to Technicolor. The world Aunt Tootie has created in Savannah leaves CeeCee wonderstruck, as does Tootie’s collection of eccentric friends. CeeCee’s summer is filled with adventure, and her view of the world is challenged in ways she could have never imagined. Surprising lessons are learned from the fascinating and diverse women that surround her, and each one helps CeeCee take her first timid steps toward healing so she can become a normal little girl.
Where did the inspiration for this novel come from?
I’m fascinated by mother/daughter relationships, especially those that are peculiar or strained. The intricate frailties and strengths of my own gender have always been a source of great interest to me—we women love and laugh and hurt and heal and forgive in remarkable ways. Plus, I’m enamored with the culture, architecture, and history of the American South. I wanted these elements to be the foundation of my story.
Though I was too young to know it at the time, the seed for my novel was planted when I was nine years old. I had taken a train from Ohio to visit my Great Aunt Mildred Caldwell who lived in a lovely old Greek revival home in Danville, Kentucky. From the moment of my arrival, it was culture shock of the best kind. There I was, a shy little farm girl who had stepped into a world of such beauty and refinement that I was awestruck. The genteel manners, the elaborate meal preparations, and the lively conversations that I witnessed during my stay in Kentucky made quite an impression on me. By the time my visit had come to an end, I promised myself that when I grew up I’d move to the South, and though it took a while, I finally made it.
Tell us how you came to be a successful writer
When I was a little girl I loved to create stories and characters. I also loved to make them houses out of shoeboxes that I’d decorate with pictures of furniture I cut from catalogs. By the time I was 5-years-old, I was drawing and painting and eventually chose to study art which segued into interior design. I became co-owner and president of an interior design studio, and though I loved my work, the dream of writing was with me every day. Then, when I nearly died from septicemia, I began to see things differently and my priorities shifted—dramatically.
After several years of contemplating how I wanted to spend the rest of my life, I made the decision to leave my business and go after my dream of writing a novel. It was the gutsiest thing I’ve ever done. There’s no formula to guarantee success, but I do believe hard work, dedication to the craft, and tremendous patience in combination with richly drawn characters played a role in my novel’s success. I also have a fabulous literary agent and publisher!
What are you working on now?
I’m just now completing my new novel that’s titled LOOKING FOR ME. I adore the story and can’t wait for publication day, which will be in early 2013. It’s an entirely different story from my previous novel, and a little teaser of the book is here: http://bethhoffman.net/a-teaser-from-my-new-novel-looking-for-me
What book is on your bedside table?
Right now I’m not reading because I’m totally immersed in finishing my novel. But I have a TBR list that’s out of control and I’m eager to dig in.
About the author: Beth lives in a quaint historical town in Kentucky with her husband and several furry, four-legged children. She loves animals, feeding the birds, reading, gardening, and laughing with girlfriends.
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a New York Times bestseller; foreign rights have sold to the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Indonesia and Korea. The book is also available through Bookspan in the Philippines and Canada
Visit Beth’s website at www.BethHoffman.net
You can also find her on Twitter (@wordrunner) and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saving-Cee-Cee-Honeycutt/257344499729
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