Blog tour for Virginia Smith's Third TImes' A Charm

Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Release: January 1, 2010 ISBN-10: 0800732340 ISBN-13: 978-0800732349 Retail: $14.99 Virginia Smith recently contracted her twelfth book in four years. Previous books in the Sister-to-Sister series include: Stuck in the Middle and Age before Beauty. In 2008 she was named Writer-of-the-Year at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Stuck in the Middle was a finalist for American Christian Fiction Writers’ 2009 Book of the Year Award. A Taste of Murder was a finalist for the 2009 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Ginny and husband, Ted, divide their time between Lexington, Kentucky, and Salt Lake City, Utah, escaping as often as possible for diving trips to the Caribbean. Admittedly, her adventurous outings are often as much fun as they are “book research.” The Grand Prize will be awarded to one fortunate person who leaves a comment at one of the blog tours participating in the KCWC Third Time's a Charm blog tour. It includes: The complete collection of Virginia Smith books, TEN in all (listed below), with a personal behind-the-scenes commentary written by the author - especially for this tour! Sister-to-Sister Series, including: Stuck in the Middle, Age Before Beauty, and Third Time's A Charm. Unforgettable Mayla Strong Books: Just As I Am and Sincerely Mayla. Classical Trio Series from Love Inspired Suspense: A Taste of Murder, Murder at Eagle Summit, and Scent of Murder. Murder By Mushroom Bluegrass Peril The Inspiration Behind the Main Characters: I was watching a DVD when I first envisioned Tori Sanderson. In Sweet Home Alabama, Reese Witherspoon is chic, petite, and more than a little headstrong. Plus, she’s ashamed of her upbringing, and therefore insecure even though she enjoys a successful career. That’s exactly how I pictured Tori as I wrote the first two books in the Sister-to-Sister Series. But Tori is several years younger than Reese, so as I wrote the opening chapter of Third Time’s a Charm, I was struggling to come up with the perfect visual image. One evening I saw an advertisement for “Samantha Who,” starring Christina Applegate. I jumped out of my chair and shouted, “That’s her! That’s Tori!” So I gave my character a curly perm to match Christina’s. I Googled the show’s cast and found Barry Watson, who became my model for the handsome handyman, Ryan Adams. And Mitch Jackson is modeled after Michael Weatherly, the gorgeous but suggestively inappropriate Tony DinNozzo on “NCIS.” Sounds like I’m a television junkie, doesn’t it? Not really, but I do like to have a visual image for characters as I write. It helps them come alive in my mind, and hopefully in the minds of my readers, too. Sisters, Shopping and a Search… Third Time’s a Charm The Satisfying Conclusion of the Sister-to-Sister Series Rel here:~ I've adored the first two books in this lovely series about sisters and can't wait to get into this one! My apologies to KCW Communications and Ginny for not having a review ~ the date for this tour didn't make it to my diary ~ sigh! Look for my review to come and for now, enjoy the interview below :) About the Book: There’s not too much in this world that a little retail therapy can’t fix—except maybe the empty hole in your heart from lost and undiscovered love. Tori Sanderson is no exception. Facing abandonment issues with her father, Tori sets out to find the real reason he left her. Along the way she discovers even deeper truths. Add in two matchmaking sisters plus a couple of attractive men vying for Tori’s attention, as well as a tempting job promotion possibility, and you’ve got one confused sister. Through it all, Tori searches for the love she’s been missing all these years. Author Virginia Smith, presents Third Time’s a Charm, the third installment of the Sister-to-Sister Series. Page-turning humor surrounding the lives of three sisters will once again engage readers, while somber self-discovery will unveil Tori’s struggles, and perhaps a few of your own. In a world with more than a few dysfunctional families, this story will ring true for many. Interview Questions: 1. This book is the third and final book in your Sister-to-Sister Series. How did you feel when you completed this last book? I felt a little sad, because I have lived with the characters for three years, and they’re very real to me. I’ll miss them. Plus, I wanted to leave readers with a good impression, so I was anxious for the last scene to be strong. I prayed over that last line for a long time, and when the words finally came, I got chills. They were absolutely the perfect wrap-up for the whole series. I still get tears whenever I read them. 2. Which of the sisters in this trilogy do you relate to the most? Why? That’s a hard question to answer, because there is a piece of me in each of the Sanderson sisters. But I’d have to say I relate most closely with Tori, because she is professionally ambitious, and she struggles to balance her career and her personal life. I did that for over twenty years, so much of her conflict comes from my experiences. 3. You've been contracted to write 12 times in the last 4 years. To what do you attribute this success and how would you encourage others who are doing everything possible to get published? Perseverance. I wrote for over twenty years before my first book, Just As I Am, was published. But I believed that the Lord gave me the desire to write, and even when my pile of rejections was growing (to an astounding 143 before my first publication!), I knew if He wanted me to write, I was going to keep writing. Even now – or maybe especially now – I trust Him for every story, every contract. Sometimes I still receive rejections, but I keep writing because He keeps giving me stories. 4. How is your relationship with your own sisters similar to Tori and her sisters? Did you pull from these sibling experiences when writing Third Time's a Charm? How? I sure did! Actually, my sisters were the inspiration behind the whole Sister-to-Sister Series. They are the most incredible women in the world, and I wanted readers to glimpse the relationship we have. And they were excited to have starring roles in my stories. It was funny watching them try to identify themselves in the books, because I took characteristics from each of us and mixed them up to create each of the Sanderson sisters. Tori, for instance, is a career-minded person, like me. She’s creative, like one of my sisters. And she’s a big flirt, like the other sister. Uh… I’d better not identify who that is, or I’ll start a family feud! 5. What's next for Virginia Smith? In May of this year I have a new book coming out from Steeple Hill. Researching A Daughter’s Legacy was a lot of fun, because it is set in a zoo! It’s my first straight romance, and was something of an experiment for me to see if I liked writing the genre. I loved it, and have a few ideas germinating in my mind for future romance novels. Then later in the year, Into the Deep will hit bookstores. That’s a romantic suspense novel with a scuba diving theme. It takes place partly in Key West, and partly in Cozumel, Mexico. Can you tell I have a lot of fun researching my books? For a more indepth look into the life of Virginia Smith visit the KWC blog.

Coming in 2010 from Revell ~ contemporary

Now it is Revell's turn to reveal what's in store for 2010!

Highlights for me are Sharon Gillenwater's book ~ I love her Scottish Highland books from many years ago, two new romantic suspense novels from Irene and Lynette and Ginny Smith's final Sister to Sister novel. That being said, I am really looking forward to Janice's Weddings by Bella series which debuts with Fools Rush In in September and I have just finished reading Stacy's Worth A Thousand Words which was very enjoyable!

To summarise, I can't wait to read them all - LOL!!

Your thoughts ~ Covers? Story lines? Can't wait for...?


Dreams That Won't Let Go by Stacy Hawkins Adams

Indigo Burns is excited. Her wedding preparations to the man of her dreams are under way, her career as a photographer is a success, and her family seems to be doing better than ever--all except her brother Reuben who nobody has seen in years. But that's about to change, because Reuben has decided to move back home to Jubilant, Texas. But Reuben's hope to find healing with his sisters doesn't seem to be working. Soon enough their lives intersect in dramatic, sometimes painful, and ultimately healing ways.

This insightful novel by an Essence bestselling author will pull in women readers from the urban market and beyond.

Releasing January, 2010





Jenna's Cowboy by Sharon Gillenwater

Jenna Callahan has a young son and rewarding work on her father's ranch. She's content. But she never expected to see Nate Langley back in town--the first guy she noticed, the one her father sent away all those years ago. And she never thought the attraction they felt would be as strong as ever.

Jenna's cowboy has some healing of his own to do, though, after two tours of duty in the armed forces. With the help of good friends, strong faith, and a loving family, he hopes to put the horrors of the past behind him--and become the man Jenna deserves.

With an emphasis on simple acts of love, Jenna's Cowboy gives romance readers what they want most: a love story with a Texas touch.

Releasing January, 2010





Swinging on a Star by Janice Thompson

Bella Rossi's life is nearing perfection. She's got the perfect guy, she's running a successful business, and she's about to plan her most ambitious wedding yet, a Renaissance-themed fairy tale come true, complete with period costumes and foods, horse-drawn carriages, and even a castle. There's just one hitch. The best man just happens to be Brock Benson, Hollywood's hottest and most eligible bachelor. Oh, and did we mention he's staying at the Rossi house to avoid the paparazzi?

With all the pressure surrounding this wedding, Bella's not sure she's going to make it through. Add her starstruck sister, her feuding aunt and uncle, and a trio of large, sequined church ladies with even bigger personalities, and you've got a recipe for disaster--and a lot of laughs. This hilarious romantic comedy is sure to delight both fans and new readers alike.

Releasing January, 2010





Third Time's A Charm by Virginia Smith

Tori Sanderson has the professional opportunity of a lifetime. If she can prove she's executive material, she's in line for a big promotion. But there's only room for one new account executive, and her co-worker has his eye on the job--and on Tori. Her matchmaking sisters have a handsome handyman in mind for her. But how can she consider romance when she couldn't hold on to the one man who was supposed to love her forever--her own father? The time has come for answers, and Tori decides to search out the father who deserted her twelve years ago. While Tori may find the answers she craves, will she ever be able to love again?

A heartwarming story of sisters, retail therapy, and love that endures, Third Time's a Charm is the satisfying conclusion to Virginia Smith's Sister-to-Sister series

Releasing January, 2010





Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason

Samantha Cash is the FBI's secret weapon. Her methods are invisible, and she never stops until the case is closed. When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, Samantha is assigned to help local chief Connor Wolfe find the killer. And he has two problems with that. There's her faith--in God and herself. And then there's the fact that she looks exactly like his late wife.

As they get close to an answer, the case becomes personal. The killer seems to be taking an interest in Connor's 16-year-old daughter, who thinks her dad is getting way too protective. Can't a girl just have some fun?

Too Close to Home ratchets up the suspense with each page, and will have readers cheering for the characters they love as justice is served and love grows even in the face of danger. Read this one with the lights on!

Releasing April, 2010

In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon

FBI special agent Nick Bradley has seen his share of kooks during his fifteen years with the Bureau. But Rachel Sutton is an enigma. She seems normal when she shows up at the FBI office in St. Louis--until she produces a tattered Raggedy Ann doll she found and tells him she thinks something is wrong because of a strange feeling of terror it gives her when she touches it. Nick dismisses her, only to stumble across a link between the doll and an abducted child, setting in motion a chain of events that uncovers startling connections--and puts Rachel's life on the line.

Filled with palpable suspense and a touch of romance, In Harm's Way is the final installment of the thrilling Heroes of Quantico series.

Releasing April, 2010

On tour with Virginia Smith's Age Before Beauty

Desperate to stay home with her baby, Allie Harrod launches a new career. Sure, she dropped out of Girl Scouts because she was lousy at cookie sales, but makeup is different, right?

She'll do anything to make enough money to cover her share of the household bills, but how can she focus on her business when her list of problems is growing? None of her pre-baby clothes fit, her checking account is dwindling, and her mother-in-law has decided to move in! To top it off, her husband's attractive coworker suddenly needs his help every weekend.

Middle sister Joan insists that God has the answers to all her problems, but Allie isn't so sure. Can she really trust him?

My take:~

Virginia Smith writes with such authenticity about the struggles a young mum faces trying to balance her own expectations and those of others, that I was squirming in my seat. Having also experienced the gamut of emotions Allie faces as she juggles motherhood, work, her man and her mother in law, it is both fun and frightening to read! Age Before Beauty is an engaging story that also touches on the serious matters of body image, painful family historys and distrust in marriage. Both Allie and her husband Eric display imperfections that we see everyday in our own lives and their tentative journey towards faith is realistically penned. Virginia has provided another insightful instalment in her Sister~to~Sister series and the glimpses into Tori's story leave no doubt it is bound to be a doozy!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Stuck in the Middle

Interview with Virginia

Visit Virginia's website and blog

Buy the books at Amazon or Koorong

Getting to know Virginia Smith

Virginia Smith is an author, speaker and devoted scuba diver :) She has touched a cord with many readers with her genuine and loveable character, Mayla. You can read Mayla's story in Just As I Am and the newly released, Sincerely, Mayla. Available now from Kregel.

Now enjoy some fun facts from Virgina:~

If you could have chosen your own name , what would it be?

I've actually thought about that lately. When my first book came out, I went to the bookstore and saw it waaaayyyy down toward the end of the Christian fiction shelves. I told my agent if I could change my name, I'd publish under Abigail A. Abbott, so my books would be right up front!

Your first pet's name?

Pip. She was a beagle, a hunting dog, that my dad found racing after a rabbit on our farm when she was a tiny puppy. Nobody claimed her, so we got to keep her. I remember pressing my face through the slats on the pet gate Mom set up to contain her in the laundry room when she was being trained, and Pip bit me on the nose. I walked around with scabs on my nose.

Your best friend's name in primary (elementary) school?

Jennifer Lynn Gregory. She was cute and smart, and she wore her long hair in curly pigtails. The first time I spent the night with her I was surprised to discover she slept in rollers so her pigtails would curl.

Did you have a special toy that went everywhere with you when you were young? Please describe.

Oh, yes! I had a “Sister Belle” doll. But when I got her, it came out Peekabells, so that's what I called her. Peekabells went everywhere with me. She has a hard plastic head and a stuffed red body. I say “has” because for my 40^th birthday my mother found one on eBay and bought her for me. She's in my bedroom.

If you were stranded on a desert island what one object would you want with you? (Besides your Bible of course)

Ibuprofen. I'm sure my back would be aching from all the work I'd have to do building a Swiss Family Robinson-style treehouse.

Favourite food?

Just one? Okay, I love chicken and dumplings the way my mom fixes them.

What's your favourite ice cream flavour?

Pralines and cream.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a lawyer, and work my way up to judge. When I was in 7^th grade, my social studies class we held a mock trial, and I was selected to be Judge Jezabell Justice. It made a huge impression on me.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I'd spend some time traveling around Ireland. My husband and I were lucky enough to spend a couple of days in Dublin a few years ago, and we fell in love with the country. I want to see ALL of it!

Besides God, who has influenced you the most?

My mother, without a doubt. She has always told me that I'm unique, special, that there's nobody else like me in the whole world, and God has special plans for my life. She encouraged me to explore my gifts and talents to discover those plans.

Favourite book?

There is no way I can name just one. No way! But I love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe because it had such a profound impact on me as a child. It taught me about Jesus' sacrifice for me.

Favourite movie?

Again, I can't possibly pick just one! I love science fiction and fantasy, so right up near the top of my list is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Also the Star Wars movies - all of them. And Notting Hill. And 28 Days - that's a powerful movie.

Where's the most interesting place you have been?

London, England. I adore British history, and I've been to London three times. Each time I fall more deeply in love with the city. I love walking down the street past buildings that have been around longer than our country has been a nation!

What's your most fervent prayer?

That God will keep me focused on Him, and not let me become distracted by all the stuff that goes on in my daily life.

What's the bravest thing you've ever done?

Become a parent. I didn't realize it at the time, though. But now I know raising another humabeing - caring for them, teaching them, molding their lives - is such a huge and scary responsibility.

What gift have you received that you will always treasure?

My husband, because he loves and supports me without question. He believes in me, and his confidence that I will succeed in whatever I do is precious.

What is your favourite Bible verse (or "one" of your favourites)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Tell us how you got into scuba diving

I was living in Florida at the time, and some friends from work decided they wanted to learn. Eight of us signed up for the classes together. The idea was that we were all going to become certified and take a trip together. Only five of us made it all the way to certification, and of those five, I think I'm the only one who fell so in love with diving that I stuck with it. One girl got certified, and on her very first recreational dive she jumped into the water and realized she was surrounded by a whole school of sharks. She got out and never got in again. I don't really blame her, do you?

Sincerely, Mayla:~

How much of Ginny Smith is in Mayla Strong?

A LOT! And I poured myself into her. In Sincerely, Mayla, she learns some lessons about manipulating others that I've struggled with. The cool thing about writing a character that has so many of your own traits is that you can “do over” things you've done in the past. For instance, have you ever second-guessed your response to someone by thinking later, “If only I'd thought to say this!” I've done that with Mayla time and again. There are many things Mayla says to her friends that I wish I'd said when I had my chance.

Any of your own piercings we should know about?!

Haha! No, I don't have anything pierced except my ears. But my son does wear a silver stud just below his lip. Does that count?

What do you hope readers take away from this story?

I hope people enjoy spending time with Mayla. I want them to laugh and maybe even shed a tear or two before the book ends. I strongly believe that fiction should entertain, not preach, so I hope all of my books are primarily entertaining. But because I am a Christian, and because Mayla is a Christian, elements of God's grace show up naturally in the story. So if someone wants to learn a thing or two, they can. But mostly, I just hope they like the story!

What's up next in your writing schedule?

I have five more books contracted and in various stages of completion. In October, the first of a mystery/suspense series will hit bookshelves. It's called A Taste of Murder, and will be followed by Murder at Eagle Summit and Scent of Murder next spring. Then in February 2009 the second book in my Sister-to-Sister comes out, Age before Beauty. I'm writing the third right now, as well as working on an idea for a new series.

Thanks so much, Virginia, for a peek into your writing life :) It's been fun!

Relz Reviewz Extras:~

Reviews of Sincerely, Mayla and Stuck in the Middle

Enter my Sincerely, Mayla giveaway

Virginia's website

Buy Sincerely, Mayla at Amazon or Koorong (Aust)

Blog Tour for Sincerely, Mayla by Virgina Smith & Open Giveaway

Publisher's Synopsis:~

Will Mayla Strong’s life ever resemble normal? Just as she settles into a great place with God, everything else falls apart. In the course of a single week she loses her job, wrecks any chance at a relationship with Pastor Paul, gets the cold shoulder from her friend Stuart, and learns that Lindsey—the teenage sister of her late friend Alex—needs a place to stay. What good is being a control freak if nobody will do what you tell them?

Taking advantage of her newfound “vacation time,” Mayla flees to her grandmother’s house in Florida. But one by one, her problems follow . . . literally. In this touching sequel to Just As I Am, quirky Mayla Strong comes face-to-face with the responsibilities and joys of friends and family. As she tries to help her loved ones, Mayla begins to realize that God has all the answers—the trick is letting go long enough for Him prove it.

My take:~

Virginia Smith has a winner on her hands with her latest release Sincerely, Mayla. Dealing sensitively with intense subject matter including homosexuality and abortion, Virginia still manages to create a comfortable and joyful feel to her story. Mayla is an engaging character who invokes understanding and compassion as she faces her personal frustrations while supporting and caring for her eclectic family and friends. Mayla's faith journey is not without difficulty or disappointment but it is also filled with revelation and hope. Not having read Just As I Am did not put me at a disadvantage but I was so taken with Mayla, I will be sure to see how her story began. Sincerely, Mayla will make a great summer read!

Available now from Kregel

To purchase this book, click here

Giveaway

Post a comment by midnight Wednesday 21st May to be entered into the draw to win a copy of Sincerely, Mayla.

This giveaway is open to all my readers :)