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Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Twelve-year-old CeeCee is in trouble. For years she’s been the caretaker of her psychotic mother, Camille— the crown-wearing, lipstick-smeared laughingstock of an entire town. Though it’s 1967 and they live in Ohio, Camille believes it’s 1951 and she’s just been crowned the Vidalia Onion Queen of Georgia.

The day CeeCee discovers Camille in the front yard wearing a tattered prom dress and tiara as she blows kisses to passing motorists, she knows her mother has completely flipped. When tragedy strikes, Tootie Caldwell, a previously unknown great-aunt comes to CeeCee’s rescue and whisks her away to Savannah. Within hours of her arrival, CeeCee is catapulted into a perfumed world of prosperity and Southern eccentricities—a world that appears to be run entirely by women.

While Tootie is busy saving Savannah’s endangered historic homes from the wrecking ball, CeeCee encounters a cast of unforgettable, eccentric characters. From the mysterious Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in an outdoor tub under the watchful eyes of a voyeuristic peacock, to Oletta Jones, the all-knowing household cook, to Violene Hobbs, the loud-mouthed widow who entertains a local police officer in her yellow see-through peignoir, the women of Gaston Street keep CeeCee entertained and enthralled for an entire summer.

But CeeCee’s view of the world is challenged in ways she could have never imagined: there are secrets to keep, injustices to face, and loyalties to uphold. Just as she begins to find her ballast and experiences a sense of belonging, her newfound joy collides with the long-held fear that her mother’s legacy has left her destined for destruction.

Laugh-out-loud funny, at times heartbreaking, and written in a pitch-perfect voice, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a spirited Southern tale that explores the intricate frailties and strengths of female relationships while illuminating the journey of a young girl who loses her mother but finds many others.

I absolutely adored this book and I think Beth Hoffman is a writer who is going to be delighting readers for years to come. But this particular post is about much more than just her novel, SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT, it’s about her journey as a debut novelist. Beth recently guest-posted on The Book Lady’s Blog about the importance of book bloggers and the impact they have on the success of a book. Essentially book bloggers are readers who like to share the good books they’ve read. Read the essay here and check out Beth Hoffman’s website here.

This is just to say that I am getting very excited about a certain Book Blogger Convention that will be taking place in New York City on May 28th. You won't be surprised to learn that the fine readers/writers behind My Friend Amy, Galleysmith, Maw Books, Linus's Blanket, MotherReader, The Book Lady's Blog, and Hey Lady! Watcha Readin' are masterminding this event, nor that some truly terrific book bloggers, agents, and authors are already registered. I'll be there, too, on a panel now being crafted. I'll be the one who is happiest, above all else, to finally be able to thank some angel-winged people in person.