BETRAYAL ON THE BORDER - Jill Elizabeth Nelson - One Free Book

Welcome, Jill. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

In my stories, I love to demonstrate how the Lord can and does make the bitter into sweet and turn wounds into strengths. In my characters I illustrate how attitudes and choices determine whether rough patches, or even tragedies, either refine and improve character or twist and destroy it. The enemy of our souls sends bad things into our lives with the latter purpose. Those who look up and make the Lord their high tower find their inner lives soaring above their circumstances, which are inevitably temporary. 

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I had a call from my agent a few days ago. Love Inspired Suspense is contracting me for two more books. I don’t yet know when they release.

The first of the two, tentatively titled Shadow of Suspicion, features as the hero a secondary character from Betrayal on the Border—David Greene, a man suspected of murdering his girlfriend. The trouble is, even David doesn’t know for sure he’s innocent. Back when it happened he was a heathen with an attitude and a drinking problem. He was found passed out cold beside the dead body and no recollection of events.

The tragedy threw him into the arms of the Lord, but unless he can prove his innocence to himself and to a public that has already judged him, he might as well graduate to heaven for all the life he’ll be able to enjoy. His determination to uncover the truth endangers himself, as well as a woman he is growing to love and her young daughter.

Then the following book features a secondary character from Shadow of Suspicion, a beautiful but troubled woman seeking to overcome a dark and sad family heritage. I’m excited to write about the setting on Martha’s Vineyard. My readers and I will have lots of fun with rumors of buried treasure and pirate secrets.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

It would be awesome to spend time chatting with Matt Redman or Darlene Zschech—to learn about going deeper in worship with someone who is called and anointed in that area. I long for greater purity and power in my worship. I realize worship is more than singing and music; it’s a lifestyle, but there is something about music that ushers us deeper into the presence of the Lord.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

It’s a toss-up between Katherine Hepburn and C. S. Lewis. I have great admiration for Katherine Hepburn as an artist in her field, as well as a woman of dignity and strength. She carried on powerfully in her profession well into her senior years. I’d like to hear from her what fueled her passion.

As far as C. S. Lewis, his writing—both fiction and non-fiction—has been an inspiration to me from my youth to this day. He and J. R. R. Tolkein were great friends, and Tolkein has been an influence on my desire to become a writer since I was in grade school. The two of them and some other writers formed a group at Oxford called the Inklings. If I could attend one of their meetings as a mouse in the corner, I’d be overjoyed! Perhaps they carry on the meetings in heaven. Oh, goodie! I hadn’t thought of that until now.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Oh, my! I could paper the walls of my living room with my rejection letters before I started getting a few acceptances. Those early ones weren’t for novels. Not hardly! And they seldom came with any more pay than a few copies of the publication in which my work appeared. This is normal.

My dream to become a published novelist was born in my heart when I was in the sixth grade, but I was 46 before the dream came true. In between then and now, the dream was born and died several grizzly deaths, until finally my “fullness of time” came. When doing speaking engagements about my writing, I tell folks that if God can bring a dream to pass for this nobody in particular from nowhere special, He can and will do it for you!

Hang in there. Grow in your craft. Schmooze with fellow writers and people in the publication world. Be tickled with the small things—a published devotion, an article, a poem perhaps—on your way to that first cherished book contract.

Very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.

I had a great time writing this story about my ex-Army Ranger heroine and her investigative reporter hero. Here’s Betrayal on the Border in a capsule:

Former army communications specialist Maddie Jerrard may not remember the details of the deadly mission on the Texas-Mexico border, but she knows one thing. She's not the one responsible for the massive ambush that left only her and investigative journalist Chris Mason alive. Maddie is sure the culprit must be the only other survivor—Chris. Yet with suspicion—and danger—targeting them both, and a killer on their trail, partnering up is the only solution. But as Maddie and Chris get closer to uncovering the truth, they'll have to trust each other to make it through alive. 

Please give us the first page of the Betrayal on the Border.

If that off-white chunk of clay was craftsman's putty, Maddie Jameson would eat her tool belt. What was C-4 explosive compound doing on the kitchen table in this unit at Morningside Apartments? A chill rippled her insides.

Not everyone would recognize the remnants from the construction of a pipe bomb. To the untrained eye, the dab of C-4 could be mistaken for putty and the bits of wire and lengths of sawed-off pipe merely scraps from a handyman project. But then, not many apartment-maintenance workers were ex-army rangers with Maddie's skill set—or a history that meant she must keep her head down and her eyes peeled.

Those who hunted her were relentless and ruthless, and she was damaged prey. She needed to see them coming before they got to her.

Not that she ever knew exactly what hired assassin would be after her. She could bump into one on the street and not know it until he tried to take her out. Everyone was a suspect. If only she could figure out why she was marked for death. Had she seen something the night of the attack a year ago on the Rio Grande? If so, her head injury had erased it from her memory.

Was she the target of the bomb these Morningside tenants had been making? If the three attempts on her life within the past year were any clue, she'd be an idiot to think otherwise. Where was the bomb planted? Her caretaker's apartment on the premises? Maddie's mouth went dry. There could be collateral damage. Dozens of people—including children—lived in this building, and a bomb didn't care who it destroyed.

Dear God, please don't let innocent families be hurt because of me.

I love your writing. I can hardly wait for my book to come. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can visit me on the web at: www.jillelizabethnelson.com or look me up on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JillElizabethNelson.Author or Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JillElizNelson. I love to hear from readers. 

Thank you, Jill, for the insightful interview.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Betrayal on the Border (Love Inspired Suspense) - paperback
Betrayal on the Border (Love Inspired Suspense) - Kindle


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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SEASON OF DANGER - Hannah Alexander - Jill Elizabeth Nelson - Free Book

Welcome back, Cheryl (Hannah Alexander). How did your story for the collection come about?

I had heard from a family member of a friend about the growing homeless population in Hollywood, not only the down-and-outers who can’t hold a job due to drugs and alcohol abuse, but families who lost income because of job cuts and can’t pay their mortgages. Whole families sleep in cars. Children wander the streets. This is not only happening in Hollywood, but in the rest of the country, and the world. I wanted a hero and heroine who care dearly for those who have lost so much, and then for the suspense I thought it would be fascinating if someone decided to hurt the heroine by attacking the homeless. That’s how my story began.

Are these stories connected in some way? If so, how?

I don’t think Jill and I actually knew our novellas were going to be in the same anthology. The only connection our stories have is that they’re set at Christmastime and they’re Love Inspired Suspense stories with heroes and heroines who have a shared desire to help others.

What are you reading right now?

I’m actually reading the anthology! I seldom go back and read what I’ve written once the book is out, but this time I decided to do so. And this time there’s a bonus of another novella to follow!

How many other books have you had published?

I think twenty-three, but after awhile one tends to lose count, because one book was published twice-once with 100,000 words, the next with 60,000 words, so there was a lot of extra work done on that one. I also wrote an online short story and had six out-of-print books placed back in print, so I don’t count those.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a collection?

Since Jill and I didn’t have to collaborate, just write romantic suspense novellas set at Christmas, the biggest difficulty for me was keeping it short. 30,000 words is a whole lot less space for a story than 100,000 or even 60,000.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

It got us together online, which is fun.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

Don’t look down your nose at those who aren’t as well off financially as you are. Someday you may be walking in their shoes. On the other hand, if you’re one of those who are struggling to make ends meet, or if you’ve failed to make ends meet, if you’ve done all you can to make it and you can’t, don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help.

Please give us a peek into your story.

Tess has retreated from her career as a talent agent and returned to her family rescue mission to help out and to grieve the murder of her fiancé on the night she was planning to break the engagement. Sean Torrance has inherited the most popular radio station in the region, but despite his busy life and family wealth, he isn’t too busy to help out at the mission. He and Gerard, Tess’s brother, were cops together in Corpus Christi. He and Tess both have painful pasts that draw them together, but when someone starts poisoning the regulars at the mission, they’re both on the lookout for who might want to hurt them.

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Make it credible. You’ll lose your readers if you don’t make your words, your characters and your story credible.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

www.hannahalexander.com

I also twitter and Facebook from time to time.

Thanks so much for having me, Lena!

Now we're going to talk to Jill Elizabeth Nelson (no kin to me). Welcome, Jill. How did your story for the collection come about?

I was recruited by the publisher to write the counterpart to Hannah Alexander’s novella and was pleased and honored to do it. My adult girls inspired the story concept for Mistletoe Mayhem. They both have dogs and love their pets so much they are a part of the family. Imagining how my girls might feel if someone tried to hurt the animals provided the germ of an idea that grew into my novella, Mistletoe Mayhem, in the Christmas anthology, Season of Danger.

Are these stories connected in some way? If so, how?

Quite by chance both of our stories feature poisoning as a method of murder. After my mom read the book, she asked if we had collaborated on that element, but I had to confess the commonality was unplanned—at least by us. I’m a bit amazed by the striking similarity and how we each developed an entirely different plot around a shared murder weapon.

What are you reading right now?

 Read? Who has time to read! LOL. Just kidding. I do read, but my reading time is curtailed now that I’m writing the books that other people read. I used to devour half a dozen or more books in a month. Now I’m doing well to read one a month. I recently enjoyed James Rubart’s intriguing and unusual Rooms. Big thumbs up on his books for people who like a Godly supernatural twist to their stories. Another recent read that I relished (alliteration intended) was Race Against Time. I thoroughly enjoyed the Alaska setting, since I have a sister living there, and the writing team of Kimberley Woodhouse and her teenage daughter Kayla does an awesome job of telling a stirring and exciting story. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.

How many other books have you had published?

Mistletoe Mayhem is my ninth published book. Four of those nine were full-length Love Inspired Romantic Suspense titles. I recently turned in the manuscript for another LI Romantic Suspense entitled Betrayal on the Border, where we join a former Army Ranger (the heroine) and a television news reporter (the hero) for a wild ride pitted against drug runners.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a collection?

I didn’t find anything difficult about the process. This has been one of my most enjoyable writing experiences. The writing team that goes by the pen name of Hannah Alexander is witty, wise, warm, and professional.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

I’ve never written a novella before—well, other than the first book I penned—er, penciled—in the sixth grade. (I did finish the manuscript, which is a watershed moment in any writer’s life, but not a shred of those scribbled in notebooks yet exist, and the world is grateful.) Nor have I ever been given the opportunity to publish a story specifically targeted to a holiday. Teaming up with another writer on a fiction anthology was also a new experience for me, one that was pleasantly hassle-free. These firsts were awesome opportunities and more milestones on my path of life.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

Mistletoe Mayhem is about letting go of bitterness and learning to trust again. The heroine must surrender hurts and doubts in order to finally recognize and open her heart to the man the Lord has sent her. The villain fails to surrender his bitterness and anger and becomes a murderer in his twisted quest for “justice.”

Please give us a peek into your story.

A romance-shy veterinarian and a widowed health inspector hunt the killer who used mistletoe extract to poison pets and people in a Tennessee mountain town.

After being jilted by her fiancé, Kelly Granger buries her broken heart in her work as a veterinarian in her home town of Abbottsville, Tennessee, located in the Great Smoky Mountains. She and her assistant, Tim Hallock, battle to save community pets from a violent and mysterious illness. Is this sickness a danger to humans? Her question is answered when state health inspector Matt Bennett is sent to investigate local eating establishments—including Kelly’s sister’s restaurant—for the cause of poisoning among the patrons. Kelly refuses to believe that her sister served toxic mistletoe extract to her customers—yet mounting evidence points in that direction. Kelly puts herself in harm’s way, facing down a vicious dog and even more vicious people, to uncover a common denominator between the human and animal illnesses.

Matt has his hands full keeping up with the feisty Kelly, as well as proving himself worthy of her trust—and hopefully, her love. Unless she has her heart set on Tim. The question won’t matter if his investigation sends Kelly’s sister to jail. She’ll never have anything to do with him then. They need to uncover the truth. But will the answer cost them more than their romance? Will it cost them their lives?

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

A new writer receives a lot of advice, and there are many voices echoing in their ears (other than the characters in their heads). I would say there are two pieces of advice that go hand-in-hand. First and foremost, learn to write well. This is a growth process and doesn’t happen overnight. Nothing worthwhile does. It requires diligence and practice, practice, practice.

The other part of the equation for someone seriously seeking publication is to network in person and online with other writers, as well as editors and agents, through writers groups and conference attendance. I wouldn’t be published today without those elements added.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

My web site is recently updated and includes a contest page with an opportunity to win a signed copy of Season of Danger. I also give away books by other authors on my web site blog. Sign up for the RSS feed to receive notification when a new post is up. http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com.

I also have an author page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JillElizabethNelson.Author, and readers can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jnelson57.

Thank you so much, Cheryl and Jill, for sharing your new book with us.

Readers, here's a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
Season of Danger: Silent Night, Deadly Night\Mistletoe Mayhem (Love Inspired Suspense)


Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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Jill Elizabeth Nelson - WITNESS TO MURDER - Free Book

Welcome, Jill. Tell us about your salvation experience.

I came to Jesus with all my heart at summer Bible camp when I was about ten years old. But then my faith went dormant through some rather wild high school and college years. When I got out of college and was casting around for direction in my life, I realized I was tired of feeling lost and alone. I scooted right back into the arms of Father God, who was patient and faithful all along, even when I wasn’t.

How did you and your husband meet?

At a home Bible study. It wasn’t love at first sight, but almost. At about the third or fourth meeting, I looked across the room and knew that I knew that I knew he was the one for me. We were married within the year. Going on 29 years later, we’ve raised four children and are enjoying our precious first grandchild.

James and met three months and three days before we married, and we'll celebrate 45 years together later this year. Now Jill, you’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

I’ve been on a couple of writers retreats with fellow Minnesota authors, and they were so awesome, I would go with all of them again in a heartbeat. But that’s more than four. It might be fun to go again to the Denver area and meet up with my dear, gracious friend and awesome author, Donita K. Paul. We’d want to include her up-and-coming author daughter, Evangeline Denmark, and our mutual bud, Megan DiMaria. That’s only three, but I’m sure they could invite someone else along. I go to writers’ retreats to fellowship with like-minded, wacky writers so we can uplift and encourage one another. We share our hearts, as well as have an all around hilarious time.

Yes, I've only been on a few of these, but they are awesome. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

I love, love, love to talk about my passion for Christian fiction. Most recently, I was invited to do a session at a librarians’ retreat in the Twin Cities. This was primarily a secular group, but the librarians had noticed how the “inspirational fiction” flew off the shelves, so they wanted to hear more about this phenomenon. Most were quite flabbergasted to see for themselves the quality and variety that Christian fiction has achieved. This branch of fiction is no longer limited to prairie romance and nothing like the sermonizing between book covers that they had assumed. It was awesome to be able to visit that epiphany on such an influential group in the book world.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

I don’t know that this is the most embarrassing thing ever, but it’s the most recent embarrassing thing. My husband and I and another couple went camping at a nearby state park for Memorial Day weekend. So here we are all settled into our side-by-side campsites, just about ready to enjoy a meal of grilled chicken, when a monster-sized camper stops on the road beside our sites and a puzzled-looking man gets out. He approaches us and asks, “Are you sure you have the right camp sites? Our names are on the reservations tags.” Sure enough, we look at the green tags on the posts by the sites, and the names aren’t ours!

What happened? I made the reservations weeks in advance . . . the only trouble is, I made them for the weekend AFTER the holiday. Memorial Day fell early this year, so I got my dates mixed up. Oh, man, that was an uncomfortable situation!

What could I do but apologize to everyone concerned—my husband, our friends, the people whose sites we were squatting on. I’m thankful they were all so gracious about it. We had to pack up and move out, of course. The good news (and something of a miracle on a holiday weekend) is that the park manager got us a couple of sites on the other side of the campground. These sites had full water, sewer, and garbage hookups, but they rented them to us for the same price as the electric-only sites we had before. Praise the Lord!

The world is full of nice people, if we only look around us. People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

First of all, get beyond the wishing phase and start. Second, persevere through the work of it. Third, finish the book. If an aspiring author can actually get that far, then there’s hope that maybe some years down the road, they’ll actually have something publishable. (Most folks never get past the wishing phase.)

That's a true, but sad fact. Tell us about the featured book?

I so enjoyed writing a multi-cultural adventure set in my home state of Minnesota. Multi-cultural, you say? Swedish and Norwegian perhaps? No, a bit more diverse than that. My heroine is half Norwegian, half Nigerian—a pretty interesting combo that plays quite large in the story.

Here’s the short blurb about the story:

Poised for an interview, TV reporter Hallie Berglund walks into a murder scene instead. The victim’s boyfriend stands over the body, murder weapon in hand. Hallie couldn’t stop the crime, but as the star witness, she’ll see the man brought to justice . . . right? Not according to her colleague Brody Jordan, who is convinced the police—and Hallie—are targeting the wrong man. To prove it, he’ll need Hallie’s help. The victim was wearing a bracelet handcrafted by Hallie’s long-dead mother. Now Hallie is the only one who can unearth the secrets of the past—and bring the sinister truth to light.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Channel Six television news reporter Hallie Berglund put her fight foot on the bottom step of the swaybacked porch, then stopped cold. The hairs on her arms prickled. What was that awful noise coming from inside the house? Some kind of music? This century-old Victorian was rented by four University of Minnesota coeds, but even if they liked punk rock, they wouldn’t listen to this. And why was the front door several inches ajar?

Careful to keep the heels of her pumps from clacking against the wood, she walked up the remaining two steps, but angry creaks from the porch boards announced her arrival. Whoever—whatever—was inside gave no indication her approach had been heard. The noise progressed in decibels.

Hallie frowned. There had to be a logical explanation. On the telephone, Alicia Drayton had sounded eager, almost desperate, to do the interview as soon as possible. The part-time fashion model and full-time student had said her roommates would be out all afternoon—a perfect opportunity for the two of them to talk privately.

The sound continued—long, drawn out. Like something a person would hear on a dark and moonless night, not in the balmy afternoon of a cloudless June day. She doused the impulse to back away and wait for her cameraman to catch up with her. She was a reporter, and she needed to find out what was going on. Sooner rather than later.

That's a real hook. I can't wait until I receive my copy of the book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

My web site is http://www.jillelizabethnelsoncom/. I run a monthly contest for signed copies of my books and regularly give away other people’s books on my blog. Sign up for my newsletter for extra chances at freebies and to keep up on what’s next in the pipeline.

Thank you, Jill, for spending this time with us.

Readers, here's a link to order Witness to Murder:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. The only notification you'll receive is the winners post on this blog. So check back a week from Saturday to see if you won.

If you're reading this on Facebook or Amazon, come to this blog to leave the comment:

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Author - Jill Elizabeth Nelson - Evidence of Murder - Free Book

Today, we're featuring Jill's first Love Inspired suspense novel. Welcome, Jill. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I’ve written about hearing God’s voice, discerning light from darkness in a gray, confusing world, and trusting God in spite of the odds, but I’m biggest on pointing people toward hope. Seizing and clinging to hope despite obstacles is a bedrock theme in Reluctant Smuggler, the third book in my To Catch a Thief series of romantic suspense. You’ll find threads of the hope theme in everything I write. In Evidence of Murder, my February 2009 release for Steeple Hill Romantic Suspense, the deeply wounded hero must find reason to hope again, with the assistance of the heroine, even as they battle a faceless monster out to kill them. It was a challenging, fun, and personally moving book to write.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

In June 2009, Witness to Murder releases from Steeple Hill Romantic Suspense. One of the secondary characters from Evidence of Murder becomes the main character in this one. I'm excited to take readers into the world of TV journalism, as well as a touch of the exotic from another continent. Here's a teaser: After a TV news reporter discovers a bracelet handcrafted by her long-deceased Nigerian mother on the wrist of a murdered fashion model, she digs to find the mysterious connection between herself and the murder victim. Her search for roots disturbs buried secrets that a killer will do anything to hide.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

I’d have to say Francine Rivers. She’s a writer I admire very much. Her work inspires me to become better and better. Maybe one day I can write classics like Redeeming Love and the Mark of the Lion series. I’ve never had the privilege of meeting her in person, but I hear she’s a humble, wonderful person and a joy to be around. I think I’d like a bunch of that to rub off on me!

I met Francine when she was the keynote speaker at the first ACFW conference we had in Denver. She's everything you've heard and more. I admire her walk with the Lord as much as I love her writing. How long have you known that you wanted to be novelist?

At least since the sixth grade. That’s when my love of reading morphed into a passion to give others the same pleasure I received from reading a good book. The dream of becoming a published novelist has been born and died several unsung deaths over the course of my life. Then at about the turn of the century, the passion flamed once more, and evidently it was the Lord’s timing for it to come to pass. Several years of concerted effort and three full manuscripts later, Multnomah Books picked up my To Catch a Thief series, and the dream came true! Wherever I go on a speaking engagement, I like to tell people that if God will bring a cherished dream to pass for this nobody-in-particular from nowhere-special, He will do it for them too.

You aren't from nowhere. I've often wondered if since you're from Minnesota, and my father's family is from there, could we be kin to each other. Maybe some kind of cousin. What can you tell authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Write, write, write; grow in craft; study the market; network with writers, editors, and others in the industry; don’t despise the day of publishing small pieces, and persevere, persevere, persevere! As long as you know you’re obeying the Lord’s plan for your life, it doesn’t matter how long it takes for that first book to be contracted. Oh, and don’t jump ahead of God and try any shortcuts. Believe me, they’ll just end up being longcuts. Patient endurance is the ultimate virtue in this business and brings great rewards!

Excellent advice. Now, tell us about the featured book.

Here’s a teaser for Evidence of Murder: When a new business owner finds on her property photos of a decade-old mass murder, she and the surviving son of the massacre become targets of a desperate and powerful killer.

I chose my home state of Minnesota as the setting for the book, and took the opportunity to explore fun and exciting areas—from the Twin Cities, to the Mississippi River, to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. I also had a blast researching new careers. The hero rents houseboats on the Old Miss, and the heroine is gearing up to open the doors of her dry cleaning business. Dry cleaning is a lot more interesting and involved than one might think. And the heroine, with her own background of tragedy and struggles with faith, makes an excellent foil for the suffering hero.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My web site is http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/. I offer a book review blog, plenty of opportunities to win books, my speaking topics, personal details, an appearance schedule, and of course, a page chock full of information about my published and upcoming books. The books page contains video and audio material, as well as excerpts.

Thank you, Jill, for spending this time with us.

Readers, you can order the book using this link:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Don't forget to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won.

Author Jill Elizabeth Nelson - RELUCTANT SMUGGLER - Free Book

We're talking to Jill about her third book in the To Catch a Thief series--Reluctant Smuggler, a truly wonderful read!

Welcome, Jill. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I’m so thankful for all the great things the Lord has done and is doing with the gifts and talents He’s given me in the area of writing. For most of my life, my ultimate goal was to be a published novelist. That has happened, praise God! On speaking engagements, I like to tell my audience that if God can bring a dream to pass for this nobody-in-particular from nowhere special, He can and will do it for them too. Now I’ve had to set a new goal—to reach that “tipping point” in readership where I begin to have regular bestsellers. I don’t desire such a thing for my glory at all, but so that the truths He flows through me into entertaining stories reach the most people possible.

I know what you mean. That's what I want as well. Tell us a little about your family.

My first and only marriage to a great guy is going stronger than ever. We’ve been husband and wife for almost 27 years, and have raised four children—two boys, two girls. The eldest (a son) is married, but no children yet. Three of my four kids have dogs, so they tease us that we have “grand-dogs.” The canines may be cute and friendly, but they are so not the same thing as grandchildren! LOL.

That's the truth. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your teenagers. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I’ve been an avid reader all my life. Immediately prior to getting my first book contract, I was the “Senior Inspirational Reviewer” for Romantic Times magazine. As such, I read and reviewed 12 – 15 books per month. However, book deadlines have seriously curtailed that aspect of my life. I’m lucky to read one book a month strictly for pleasure, and when I’m hot and heavy into a manuscript, I actually avoid reading other authors’ work so as to keep my “voice” pure. I just turned a manuscript in, and as a reward to myself, I’m taking the next ten days or so to read and enjoy some of those books on my TBR (to-be-read) pile. Then it’ll be back in the swing with the book that’s due September 1.

What are you working on right now?

I just turned in Evidence of Murder to Steeple Hill romantic suspense. Here’s a teaser: When a new business owner discovers on her property photos of a decade-old mass murder, she and the surviving son of the massacre become the targets of a desperate and powerful killer. I hope that whets your appetite!

Next is a project tentatively entitled, Witness to Murder. One of the secondary characters from Evidence becomes the central character in a nail-biter about a TV news reporter who walks in on a murder scene with the killer still standing over the body. Or is he the killer after all? She reluctantly teams up with the sportscaster from her station, a man she has reason to detest, in order to discover the truth, and they both step into danger more grave than they had guessed.

Wow! Bring them on. You'll have to come back for an interveiw when they release. What outside interests do you have?

My church, of course, as well as a weekly prayer meeting at our house. We’re reaching unexpected people in our community! For recreation, our family loves to camp during the summer. Of course, at our age, my husband’s and my idea of “roughing it” is our elderly but well-preserved motorhome. I adore waking up in the morning to birdsong in the peaceful woodlands. We also like to take walks at home and when we are camping. Other interests include working puzzles of many varieties and outdoor grilling. In my family, I’m the griller. I particularly enjoy putting together a good shish-kabob.

Yum! How do you choose your settings for each book?

The criteria are different for every story. Generally, I start a story idea with a character in a certain situation. The setting is an outgrowth of whatever works best to place that character in the needed predicament and to carry them through the story.

For my latest release, Reluctant Smuggler, I was looking for an exotic location that wasn’t too far out of the United States, so my main characters could travel in and out of the country with relative speed. Mexico worked wonderfully in that aspect, as well as providing a spooky backdrop in the Mayan ruins. Human trafficking between the U.S. and Mexico and South America is rampant, so Mexico worked well in that regard also.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Well, I’d say Jesus Christ, except He’s not a historical person, He’s a NOW person.
Possibly the Apostle John, the revelator and apostle of love. The love-walk is probably the most vital component in our Christian witness, as well as our success in life. I actually do expect to spend time with John in eternity.

As do I. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I would have liked a more realistic expectation of how long it takes to break in. This is not a moment that comes fast or easy, but with perseverance, determination, and patience, it does come!

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Rest. To “labor” to enter into His rest and stay there, regardless of what occurs in the natural realm. When I walk in that “rest,” I allow the fullest scope of His working in and through my life. Our worry-prone flesh and the perilous times we live in work against our walking in the peace of the Lord, but it IS doable, or He wouldn’t command us to do it. Stay in the Word, stay vitally connected to a healthy body of believers, and spend time in His presence. Those are my keys to maintaining rest.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

1. Write—a lot! Write—regularly! Write—even when you don’t feel like it!
2. Get connected with other likeminded writers through online and in-person groups.
3. Don’t despise the day of small things. Get published in shorter pieces, even if it’s just regular blogging online to start with. Build writing credits and creditability in the industry as someone who can complete a project and do it on time.
4. Attend conferences to meet writers, agents, and editors. Oops! That was four. But I can’t see leaving any of those components out.

Tell us about the featured book.

Reluctant Smuggler is my personal favorite of the To Catch a Thief series, and I hear that a lot from readers too. Many things that have been building in Reluctant Burglar and Reluctant Runaway come to culmination in Reluctant Smuggler. Also, as I mentioned in an earlier answer, I chose an exotic setting that was quite fun to write, as well as an issue of human trafficking that I care a lot about. I dedicated Reluctant Smuggler to the International Justice Mission, an organization that battles slavery and exploitation of the helpless throughout the world. You can check them out at http://www.ijm.org.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

That’s easy. Just hop on over to http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com. I’ve got some cool stuff on the site. My Stealth and Wealth page contains an art matching game. Playing the game will get a person’s name in the hat for a monthly drawing for a signing copy of Reluctant Smuggler. Also, my TCAT Books page has a variety of fun features. My publisher came up with an awesome animated ad for Smuggler that’s posted there. I also recorded myself reading the first chapter of Smuggler. At the click of a button, anyone can satisfy their multi-tasking little heart, and fold the laundry or do the dishes while listening to Chapter One. There are also traditional print excerpts of the other novels, as well as a video trailer for Reluctant Runaway. Those are just a few highlights of my web site.

Also, for anyone looking for signed copies of any of the series for themselves or as gifts, my books are listed with Signed by the Author. Go to http://www.signedbytheauthor.com, plug in one of the titles in the search bar, and voila!

I, too, have books on Signed by the Author.

Thanks, Jill, for spending time with us again. It's always a joy to have you.

Readers, now you have two chances to win a copy of Reluctant Smuggler. One on her site and one on this blog. Just leave a comment to be in the drawing.