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June-July 2008

  In This Issue:
A This 'n That Note
Mayla Takes the Internet by Storm
Launch Party for Stuck in the Middle
Check Out Cool Blogs
Books I've Read Lately
Finally

 

 

  
A This 'n That Note from Ginny!

Dear Friends,

Ah, June, a month of flowers and weddings and gardens and the beginning of the summer vacation season! Speaking of vacations, when you read this eNewsletter my husband and I will be enjoying the Mexican sun and the beautiful turquoise waters of the Caribbean. (Check my website in a couple of weeks for pix.) If you know anything about me, you know I’m an avid scuba diver, and I’m eager to do some diving in Cancun. But I’m also going armed with a stack of books, and I intend to indulge in a glut of pleasure reading.

If you’re like me, sometimes you stand in the book store staring at rows of books and wondering which one will be worth the investment of your hard-earned money. That’s why I love this time of year. The Christy Award finalists were recently announced, and I have a ready-made reading list. For those of you who haven’t heard of the Christy Award, it is given to recognize “excellence in Christian fiction written by contemporary authors.” It’s like the Oscar of the Christian fiction industry, and carries as much prestige and honor. If you want to know what books I’m taking to Mexico, you’ll find them among those listed here.

What constitutes a good Christian novel? If we conducted a poll, we’d probably have as many opinions as we have people because fiction is subject to individual tastes. One of the sad results of becoming a writer and studying the craft is that I rarely read a book these days where I don’t notice the author’s technique. Instead of the story, my attention becomes focused on how the author managed to convey the character’s sense of humor, or whether or not the chapter ending compels me to turn the page and keep reading. These days, my definition of a good book is one that is so captivating, so beautifully written, that I am drawn into the story and forget all about the author. And because I’m a Christian, I also love to see God’s truth woven seamlessly into the story. Not preachy, never didactic, but as subtle and powerful as God’s grace is in my daily life.

As you approach this summer, I hope you’ll discover some truly awesome books that captivate you and take you to places you’ve never been.

May all your dreams come true, my friend!

 

Virginia Smith

 

Mayla Takes the Internet by Storm!

 

During the week of May 12th, Mayla hit the streets--uh, I mean, the ‘net--when Sincerely, Mayla went on tour. What a great week. The participating blog hosts got really creative and sponsored a terrific bunch of reviews, unique interviews, and contests. I answered questions ranging from where I came up with the idea for Harvey the rabbit to what flavor I would be if I was an ice cream cone. Here are a few comments from the reviews:

“Sincerely, Mayla is probably Smith's best book yet. Mayla is a flawed, yet loveable character because she is genuine, especially when it comes to her relationship with God. ... Sincerely, Mayla shows that you don't have to be perfect to show people Jesus through your life. You just have to live sincerely and let Him abide in you so people will see Him in your eyes. What a beautiful illustration of an eternal truth.” Edgy Inspirational Author

“I devoured this book in a couple of days as once you’ve met Mayla she drags you along willingly or otherwise to experience all her adventures and foibles as a young woman learning about real life.” May 13, 2009, Bibliophile’s Retreat

“Sincerely, Mayla, is available! It is a captivating story and Virginia maintains her high standard of writing excellence. … Smith isn’t afraid to face tough issues and she does it with style. I’m reminded again that God provides us with a diverse selection of people here on earth to enrich our lives and to prepare us for eternity.” May 13, 2008, Grace Lessons

“I laughed out loud, shed some tears, and was gripped by the entire story. Virginia has the natural ability to dig deep into character emotions and get to the heart of the matter. Mayla is one character I won’t soon forget!” May 14, 2008, Sherry Kyle

 

Congratulations to Jim Cook, who won the writing contest sponsored by Pix-n-Pens with his futuristic short story, “Dolphin Link.” In this fun contest, which was part of the blog tour, the entries had to contain the words grandmother, unemployed, vacation, dolphin and pregnant. I was impressed with the creative stories all the writers came up with. Click over to Pix-n-Pens and look at the entries posted for the week of May 12th to read them.

If you’d like to check out the awesome interviews and reviews and contests, the blog tour list is still available on Kregel Publication’s website.

 

Launch Party for Stuck in the Middle

 

I wanted to do something special for the release of the first book in the Sister-to-Sister Series. The book is set in Danville, Kentucky, the beautiful town where I grew up. In early April, the wonderful folks at Danville’s Community Arts Council helped throw a party to launch Stuck in the Middle. Thanks to all who braved the rain and flash flood warnings to come to the party. Didn’t the cake turn out well? The local Kroger bakery reproduced the book cover in icing. It was almost a shame to eat it!

If you’d like to know how this party impacted me deeply, you can read about it on Faithchick.

Check Out This Cool Blog

In my ongoing search through the blogosphere for cool blogs, I came across one I think is really unique. Craftie Ladies of Suspense is a blog created and maintained by seven authors who write suspense novels for Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired Suspense line – the publisher for all of my mystery novels. This blog features a healthy dose of the stuff blog readers love – the authors’ musings, tips on writing, book reviews, and author interviews. In addition to those offerings, these ladies have started doing something really different: they interview the heroines of the books being featured. For instance, on May 13th they interviewed Felicia Trehan, the main character in Robin Caroll’s book Bayou Judgment. They’ve got some great interviews scheduled in the upcoming months, including one in October with Jasmine Delaney, the heroine of my next book, A Taste of Murder. Next time you’re surfing, check out Craftie Ladies of Suspense.

Have you found a cool and unique blog? I want to know about it! Send me an e-mail with the link, and maybe I’ll feature it in an upcoming issue of “This ‘n That.”

 

Books I've Read Lately

If you’ve looked around my website lately, you know I have a book review page. I confess I don’t update it on anything resembling a regular basis, but I do update it with books I’ve read and enjoyed lately. The more observant among you will notice that I tend to have flurries of activity. That’s because I typically don’t read novels when I’m writing a novel. The stack on my bedside table grows until I’ve typed The End and then I indulge myself. Some of the books I read are not yet published, and those I don’t review on my website. But if the book is available, and if I’ve enjoyed it, I post a review. My recent reviews include Embrace Me by Lisa Samson, Where the Truth Lies by Elizabeth Ludwig and Janelle Mowery, Goldeneyes by Delia Latham and Winter Haven, by Athol Dickson. I’ve also read a couple of nonfiction books lately, such as Rattled by Trish Berg and Between You and Me by Mike Wallace. One of those books has gone on my “Top Ten Favorite Books of All Time” list. Want to know which one? I invite you to check out my reviews here.

And Finally ...

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