Friday, February 5, 2010

"Third Time's A Charm" Book Review & Register for a Huge Giveaway!

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM
by
Virginia Smith




MY REVIEW:
Virginia Smith's Sister-To-Sister series has been a true delight and I hate to see it end. The whole thing is very clever. First we meet the middle sister and see family dynamics from her side. Then in book #2 we get inside the head of the oldest sister and see from her perspective and now in Third Time's A Charm we finally get to see things from the eyes of the baby of the family. And what a perspective it is. I loved watching Tori grow and change in this book. She is totally different from her sisters and that individuality really shines through in this book, but being unique is good - especially if you are willing to change. Of course Tori didn't think she needed to change at the beginning... but things can't always stay the same. Virginia wraps up this series masterfully and makes all 3 of these books a permanent addition to my keeper bookshelf!


INTERVIEW WITH VIRGINIA SMITH...
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 KCWC blog.

This terrific interview and review copy of this book were provided by Kathy Carlton Willis Communications.

There is also a HUGE contest provided by Virginia Smith and Kathy Carlton Willis!!

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

SO LEAVE A COMMENT TODAY!!!

24 comments:

Merry said...

Fun contest for Virginia's terrific books! Please add me, thanks.
worthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com

Annette W. said...

Wow! Great prize!

Thank you.
derekannette at gmail dot com

Holly said...

These books sound like they'd be great fun to read.

Holly
oceandreamerfla(at)aol(dot)com

Virginia Smith said...

Thanks so much for the great review! Since these books are so close to my heart, I'm glad to know you enjoyed them as well. And thanks for participating in the blog tour, too.

Edna said...

I love to read Virginia's books, please enter me into the contest
I follow you on Google


mamay2730(at)charter(dot)net

Jennifer said...

what a awesome giveaway!

Anonymous said...

I would love to be entered in your draw. Thanks.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

ooo! I really really want to read this series! I love the fact that she didn't give up after waiting for forever to get published! Perseverance is the key. Awesome giveaway!

Jennafraugh(at)gmail(dot)com

Mystica said...

The inspirations behind the books sounds really interesting and a book inspired by a zoo should be a lot of fun!

Please count me in for this huge giveaway.

mystica123athotmaildotcom

EVA SB said...

Sibling interaction is always an interesting subject. I look forward to reading this book.

Simply Stacie said...

Please count me in.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Anna Weaver Hurtt said...

Wow, awesome giveaway!

writer_weaver at yahoo dot com

Susan Stitch said...

Virginia's books are great, and this sounds like a fabulous contest! Please include me in the drawing. Thank you, Susan

likes_to_stamp@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

Please enter me in the book drawing. I can't wait to read the sister to sister series.
cynthiakchow (at) earthlink (dot) net

Lady Araujo said...

All that I've read about this book today were wonders.
Please, enter me.
marthanadnny(at)hotmail(dot)com

Gin said...

please enter me. I'd love to read
these books!

le15307@msn.com

Jan said...

What a great giveaway, and please count me in. Thanks!

alongtheway at telus dot net

misskallie2000 said...

Awsome giveaway. Pls add my name. Thanks.

misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

Cherie J said...

Enjoyed the interview.Would love to read these. Please enter me. Thank you!

cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

ReadingRobin said...

I have not read any of these, sounds like fun books! Thanks for the chance to win them ALL!
cmrobin at bellsouth dot net

Jolene said...

I read Stuck in the Middle and enjoyed it. Would like to read the others. Please enter me in the drawing

Jolene

Anonymous said...

Woohoo! I;m really hoping i win this set, I'd love to share them with my sister!

rebornbutterfly (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

Anonymous said...

please count me in....thanks

karenk
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)Com

Janna said...

I pulled a name and sent it in to Virginia's publicist - I'll be notified if the name I pulled is the big winner!

Good luck rebornbutterfly!