Jill Elizabeth Nelson – Story Behind the Story & Excerpt – Part 2 of 2

Jill Elizabeth Nelson shares the inspiration behind her latest Romantic Suspense, New Year’s Target, a novella in the 2015 New Year’s anthology entitled Countdown to Danger from Love Inspired Romantic Suspense. Comment or answer the question at the end of any post dated Jan 20 – 22 to enter the drawing for a copy. Two winners will each get a copy. Deadline: Jan 31st, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Jill:
I wrote New Year’s Target in order to illustrate the healing power of Christ in a relationship, particularly in one that has never been anything but enmity. Even though Cassidy Ferris and Tim Halstead sensed a chemistry-type of attraction in their early years, the factors that kept them apart were legion.
First of all, ever since grade school, Tim and his brother picked on Cassidy and her female cousins in that childish, heckling sort of way that becomes a bad habit after a while. At least on Tim’s part, it was never outright bullying, just annoying pranks.
Cassidy, a tough, tall tomboy, was able to defend herself, but some of her cousins were more delicate, physically as well as emotionally. Cass always felt it her responsibility to rush quite capably to their defense or visit revenge on the brothers, which hardly made her a romantic interest to either of the Halstead boys.
Second, the Ferris family always disapproved of the slum-lord type of housing business run by the Halstead family. The Ferris’s are Christians with Christian standards of business, but the Halstead’s want nothing to do with faith or church.
Third, tough times in the Ferris family and a shameful cover-up led to tragedy and death during Cassidy’s high school years. A death that the Ferris family blames on the Halsteads.
So, you can see, any romance between a Ferris and a Halstead must overcome mountainous odds and involve deep healing between, not only the couple, but the family groups as well. Such a challenge made a fun story to write. I hope my readers think so too.
Here’s an excerpt. The first line belongs to Tim.
Excerpt from New Year’s Target:
“Are you nuts? Let the cops handle that.”
“I am a cop.”
“Oh.”
Amusement flickered in those extraordinary eyes.
A whole row of tumblers clicked into place in Tim’s new impression of his old nemesis. Cassidy, a cop? Of course. The career choice fit with her get-the-bad-guy-and-make-him-pay personality, as well as her natural athleticism.
He crossed his arms. “I’m not helping you move, except onto a stretcher. You’re going to the hospital. You may be a cop somewhere, but I’ll bet you’ve got no jurisdiction here.”
“Seattle.”
“You never left the hometown?”
“I’m still around . . . and in a position to be a real burr under Halstead Enterprises’ saddle. But I’m sure you know all about that. Enjoyed a run-in with Trace a few weeks ago. Didn’t he give you my regards?”
Tim’s insides turned to stone as their gazes dueled.
“My office is in California. Trace and I don’t see much of each other.”
Her sudden blink betrayed surprise. Tim hid a grin. Gotcha! Such moments were rare as golden hen’s teeth with this female. A sour taste invaded him mouth. Disliking her would be less bothersome if he didn’t find her so admirable . . . not to mention attractive.
Conversation stalled, but their gazes seemed welded together. Cassidy had always been striking, and she’d grown more so with the passing years. Cute was not a word anyone would apply to this woman. But then, cute had never interested him.
* * * * * *
Cassidy and Tim deal with a whole array of issues in this novella-sized story—everything from divided family loyalties to the question of being unequally yoked (believers to non-believers). And they encounter a variety of surprises and revelations in themselves, in each other, and in other people they thought they knew. The result is a whole lot of change going on in ways that reverberate back through family history and forward through the futures of two families, as well as a very special couple who defy the odds to fall in love.
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 enjoys speaking at conferences, writers groups, library associations, civic and church groups. She delights to bring the “Ahah! Moment” to students as they make new skills their own. Her bestselling handbook for writers, Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View, is 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. A novella entitled, New Years Target, in the anthology Countdown to Danger, was her January 2015 release from Love Inspired Romantic Suspense.
About the Book – New Year’s Target:
New Year’s Target is a novella in the 2015 New Year’s anthology entitled Countdown to Danger from Love Inspired Romantic Suspense.
When a sniper shoots at Cassidy Ferris on a ski slope, the wounded police detective is shocked by her rescuer’s identity—her childhood nemesis, Tim Halstead. As the threats escalate, they must join forces to uncover why a killer has targeted them both.
Question: Were you a tomboy or girly girl as a kid?

Come back Jan 26th for Michelle Griep!