Questions About Underneath The Honeysuckle Vine: Beyond Cedar Cove (Beyond #1)

by Cynthia Ulmer (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Underneath The Honeysuckle Vine, please sign up.

Answered Questions (5)

What do you hope readers take away from Carin’s journey?

Cynthia Ulmer Carin is a confused, and misunderstood child. Many look down on her because they consider her illegitimate. And poor Carin has no idea what illegitima…moreCarin is a confused, and misunderstood child. Many look down on her because they consider her illegitimate. And poor Carin has no idea what illegitimate means. She's bullied simply for being her. She struggles to understand why, which is a plight of too many in today's world also, for various reasons. But she persists. I want readers to realize how important they each are, and others are too, regardless of parentage, or anything else. But they are important just because they exist. (less)

flag

What came first for you—the characters or the plot?

Cynthia Ulmer This is the first book in the follow-up series, Beyond Cedar Cove. But it wasn't supposed to be. Originally, The Broken Circle was going to be first. …moreThis is the first book in the follow-up series, Beyond Cedar Cove. But it wasn't supposed to be. Originally, The Broken Circle was going to be first. I had so many problems getting it going. Plot lines failed me, and I grew so frustrated, I put it all up, and got on with life. I was going through my closet one day when I found a story I'd started about a little girl named Carin. My son worked with a person named Carin, pronounced Car-in, and I wondered if she was made fun of because of her name. I'd only written the first paragraph or so, where Carin is making the necklace under the honeysuckle vine and Meg is calling for her. At the time, it was a stand alone story, that only had a beginning. The day I found it, I realized that Meg was the name of a very minor character in my first series, The Cedar Cove Chronicles. She's only mentioned once or twice. But her sister, Linda and her cousin, Nancy are prominent antagonists.
Those short paragraphs started me thinking and Underneath the Honeysuckle Vine became the first book in my Beyond Cedar Cove series.(less)

flag

What inspired you to write Underneath the Honeysuckle Vine? Was it based on real experiences or people?

Cynthia Ulmer All of my books have some basis in real life. Whether I experienced it personally, or heard about it from friends and family, it's all rooted in reali…moreAll of my books have some basis in real life. Whether I experienced it personally, or heard about it from friends and family, it's all rooted in reality.
My first book, Todd, is set in 1943 and deals with a man who punishes his children by threatening to drop them into a water well. I was only going to write that one book, but ideas kept coming and the story of the Jansan's and Cedar Cove grew into a six-book set. The first book was set in 1943 and by the last book, the family was in the late 1950's. Honeysuckle takes place in the early 1960's, still following people connected to the Jansan's as they move through time. The next book, The Broken Circle continues where Honeysuckle leaves off. I am currently working on the third book, Shattered, which takes place during the Vietnam War era.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's but listened to tales of the past with great interest. I love history. Not the numbers and statistics, but the stories of the very real humans who made that history possible. (less)

flag

Meg is a complex and often difficult character. What was your approach to writing her?

Cynthia Ulmer My characters come to me. Meg is a narcissistic brat who thinks the world owes her because of who she is. When she was expelled from modeling school, …moreMy characters come to me. Meg is a narcissistic brat who thinks the world owes her because of who she is. When she was expelled from modeling school, her family didn't take her side but were ashamed of her actions. Her family cares about appearances, and Meg puts them into a position of disgrace, which deeply bothers her grandfather, who is more like Meg than she wants to admit. Meg is on a mission to get back the privileged life she believes she deserves, no matter her actions. I wrote her from the viewpoint of how hard would you fight to get back the reputation you thought you had? (less)

flag

Why did you choose to set the story in a Southern town like Cedar Cove?

Cynthia Ulmer I'm from the south. I've grown up here and it's in my blood. I followed the old lesson of "write what you know."
I grew up with people like Meg, knew k…moreI'm from the south. I've grown up here and it's in my blood. I followed the old lesson of "write what you know."
I grew up with people like Meg, knew kids like Carin. I saw kids bullied and not believed by teachers and bus drivers, who punished the person doing the bullying and the child being bullied in the name of fairness. (less)

flag

Unanswered Questions

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more