Jill Elizabeth Nelson – Romantic Interview & Excerpt – Part 1 of 1

Shannon here: Romantic suspense author, Jill Elizabeth Nelson shares how she met her husband, how her characters meet, and an excerpt from her latest release: Betrayal on the Border. Comment on any post this week to get your name in the drawing for a copy. Deadline: Dec 15th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Jill:

When You Know That You Know by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

• How did you meet your spouse?

Doug and I met at a community Bible study I was leading. He was newly on fire for the Lord, and he heard about the study through a friend of a friend. Several weeks after he first started attending the study, I looked across the room at him, and it was as if the Lord dumped a bucket of love for him over me. It was one of those “know that you know” moments. It took him several more weeks to hear that still, small voice—probably because he was getting over a former girlfriend. But when he also knew we were meant to be, we began dating intentionally.
Lots of folks go out with each other to test them out and see if they are the one. There can be a lot of uncertainty in the process. Lots of self-consciousness and insecurity. When you already know this is for keeps, time together is more about getting to know this wonderful person the Lord has handpicked for you.
I’m not saying this is the way the Lord does it for everyone. Maybe we required a bit more direct Holy Ghost meddling to make it happen. But here we are over thirty years later, four children raised, grandchildren in the picture, and planning our refirement (not our retirement). It’s our hope and desire to enter full time ministry in our Golden Years.

• How do your hero and heroine meet?

When the hero and heroine first me in Betrayal on the Border, Maddie Jerrard was the communications officer for an Army Ranger team and Chris Mason was the embedded reporter assigned to cover the collaborative operation of an international team charged to take out one of the worst drug cartels near Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The team is betrayed to the cartel by someone on the U.S. side. Maddie knows it wasn’t her, so the traitor must be the only other survivor of the massacre—the man who makes her heart trip over itself, Chris Mason.
After recovering from her injuries and receiving a discharge from the Army, Maddie is soon on the run from a ruthless and faceless enemy who wants her dead at all costs. For a year, she employs all of her training to stay alive. Then Chris tracks her down and steps back into her life. He is anything but trusted and welcomed, but now they are both in the crosshairs of a killer. Their romance blooms like a desert rose under the heat and friction of high-speed danger.
I had a lot of fun writing these two characters, including the following poignant and ironic moment when Maddie and Chris come face to face over a year after the massacre:
Excerpt from Betrayal on the Border by Jill Elizabeth Nelson:
The engine revved and the Cutlass sprang forward. Maddie skidded to a halt feet from the grill, bitterness coating her tongue. Someone sat behind the wheel. No way to discern more than a silhouette in the dimness, but whoever it was couldn’t be a friend. She had no more of those.
Maddie whirled and ran. The vehicle followed, and a voice called her full name—her real name. Sure, they’d mock her identity in the end. No bullet for her. Just a hit and run with her own car. A greasy spot on the pavement.
She wasn’t about to let them win that easily. As she ran, her hand dove inside her pack and closed around the handle of a 10 mm Glock pistol. She tossed the pack and disengaged the safety on the pistol.
“Maddie!” the male voice called again. Too familiar. And impossible!
Her racing feet jerked to a halt, and she pivoted on her heel, Glock extended in both hands. The Oldsmobile’s tires locked, and the car skidded toward her. The scent of burnt rubber met Maddie’s nostrils as she leaped up and forward. The vehicle rocked to a halt, bumper coving the spot where she’d been standing. She landed atop the hood on her knees and the knuckled of one fist. The other arm trained the Glock on the driver.
He lifted his hands, palms out, lips pressed into a tight line.
Blood pounded in Maddie’s ears and blackness edged her vision. It was him.
The most gorgeous man on the planet. He was supposed to be dead, but he was alive. She should shoot him.
About Jill: Award-winning author and writing teacher, Jill Elizabeth Nelson, writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith. Jill is a popular speaker for conferences, writers groups, library associations, and civic and church groups. She delights to bring the “Ahah! Moment” to her students as they make new skills their own. Her handbook for writers, Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View, is now available at http://amzn.to/IvQTkj. Visit Jill on the web at: www.jillelizabethnelson.com or look her up on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillElizabethNelson.Author or Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JillElizNelson. Her current release is Betrayal on the Border from Love Inspired Suspense.
About the book – Betrayal on the Border: 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. The culprit must be the only other survivor—Chris. Yet with suspicion—and danger—targeting Maddie and Chris, 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.
Come back Dec 5th for Staci Stallings!