When Carol Comes Acalling!

A few weeks ago an organization called American Christian Fiction Writers honored Jill Elizabeth Nelson with an award called The Carol. Jill wrote a fabulous Love Inspired Suspense called Evidence of Murder.

In the inspy world, winning a Carol is high praise. See, Carol is named after Carol Johnson, the editor who discovered Janette Oke and gave readers of Christian Inspirationals something to aspire too. The Carol is important because it’s our equivalent to the Newberry, the Edgar, and the RITA. I don't know about you, but I want want to know more about the author who earned this award. So, let's get to know Jill Elizabeth Nelson.

What did you feel the moment your name was called as a winner?

I was honestly speechless. I sat frozen with my hand over my mouth in utter disbelief. Let me clarify the backdrop of the moment, however. I was in my easy chair at home when I heard the news. My husband and I had just returned from the place we needed to be instead of ACFW that fateful weekend, and I checked the clock. Yup, it was about time for me to log onto the computer and catch the announcement of the winners. I had no inkling that one of them could possibly be me. The thought just wasn’t on my radar.

This was one of the few years I was unable to attend the ACFW conference. But missing my “moment in the sun” as a Carol Award winner didn’t feature as a concern in my head. I know the competition for these awards, and simply being a finalist was awesome. It never occurred to me I might actually win!

All finalists who were not going to be at the conference were asked to designate someone to accept in their place and provide that person with an acceptance speech. While I wrote mine and sent it to my editor, Emily Rodmell at Steeple Hill, I chuckled to myself, certain the words of thanks and appreciation would never be heard. It was beyond exciting that the joke turned out to be on me!

Ever since a goal-setting session at an American Christian Fiction Writers conference a couple of years ago, I’ve carried in my purse a blue, 3 X 5 index card bearing a list entitled, “Five ‘Impossible’ Goals for God to Make Possible.” One of those “impossibilities” came to pass with the receipt of this ACFW Carol Award. I had considered my goal of achieving a Carol to be somewhere in the nebulous cloud of my long-term future. God sure worked fast!


For you, what number published book is this?

My Carol Award-winning book is titled Evidence of Murder. This was my sixth published book. My eighth book, Legacy of Lies, released last month. Readers can find out more about my books, read excerpts, and enter a monthly contest to win a signed copy of my latest release at my web site: http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com


What made this book an award winner?

There are lots of variables in contest judging. As a veteran judge myself, I fully realize that there is a healthy element of subjectivity in the results. However, the plot of Evidence of Murder was particularly poignant in the situation of a survivor of a horrible crime seeking justice, but even more importantly, peace with himself and God. I don’t think it hurt any that I had a couple of cute pets in the story either. LOL.


What are your writing habits (how many hours/pages a day... research tips, etc).

I don’t generally set a daily word count or page count limit for myself—at least not until I’m closer to deadline. Then I do whatever it takes to get the book done on time. I do have the habit of re-reading and editing one or even several previous chapters before starting new material each day. The process allows me to get my head back into the story, as well as giving me a jump on the editorial process. By the time I print “The End,” my book is no longer a genuine first draft. Most chapters have been edited several times already.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I’ve dreamed of becoming a published novelist since I penned—er, penciled my first mystery in the sixth grade. Whenever I go out on speaking engagements, I like to tell my audience that if God can bring to pass a cherished dream for this nobody in particular from nowhere special, He can and will do it for them too!

UNDER THE MARSHAL'S PROTECTION

Today we're welcoming Dominic Sullivan, the hero of Under the Marshal’s Protection by Kathleen Tailer released 10-12-10. Wow, you've just had quite an adventure.


1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense.
Well even though my brothers became lawyers, I found myself pulled towards law enforcement, and have really found my niche working with my U.S. Marshal team. They are a very professional group, and the arrests we make truly impact the world around us. This last case had some incredibly far reaching consequences because of the drug counterfeiting ring. I mean, who doesn’t want to make sure that their medicine is safe? We had to succeed before more innocent people bought and depended upon counterfeit drugs thinking they were the real thing. Thankfully, God was with us and helped us put a stop to that ring – and at the same time showed us the leak that was working at the FBI who could have done even more damage in the future if he hadn’t been caught.

2. So, during the book you met Jessica Blake. Tell us a bit about her. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love? Were do I start? Jessica is amazing, and I was hooked the first time I saw her when she pointed that rifle at me on her front porch. When she got shot at the airport, I was terrified that I’d lost her before I had really gotten a chance to explore our relationship. Again, thanks to God, she is alive and well and we treasure each and every day together.

3. What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness? Well, I’m pretty good with the rifle and have aced my last few qualifying exams on the shooting range. I’m also very good with the physical training and like to keep in shape. My greatest weakness is probably that I’m not good at telling other people my feelings. I learned my lesson though when Jessica got shot – so now even though it’s difficult for me, I make sure to tell her I love her every single day. In my line of work, anything can happen, and I don’t want to leave things unsaid between us.

4. What scares you?
The scariest thing to me is losing those loved ones I care about. I’ve already lost my dad and I think about him all the time. Maybe that’s another reason I became a cop – to help protect those I love.
5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I used to play practical jokes on everyone, and although I had a lot of fun, I know it took some people a long time to take me seriously.
6. Where are you in your faith at the start of your story? I have to admit that I was struggling. I’ve had a head knowledge of God since I was a child, but I hadn’t applied it to much of my work before that drug counterfeiting case.

7. Where are you in your faith at the end of the story? God is amazing! He saved Jessica and I continue to see his hand in the little things that happen each and every day. I’m a new man in Christ and have drawn even closer to Him as Jessica and I have grown together in our faith.

8. You've got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant. Jessica and I agreed that the scripture reminded us to “let go and let God.” We both had trust issues and were often anxious when things happened that were out of our control. We continue to work on these issues in our daily walk with Jesus.

9. If you could be a dessert what would you be and why? Tough question. Let’s say a chocolate ice cream sundae with hot fudge topping, whipped cream, nuts and a cherry on top. If I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna go all out!


Thank you Kathleen for sharing Dominic with us. Can't wait to read this story!

FEATURED BOOK: UNDER THE MARSHALL'S PROTEXTION BY KATHLEEN TAILER

Entrap her own brother for a U.S. Marshal? Jessica Blake can't bear the thought, but what choice does she have? It isn't just the marshals who are after Michael. If his co-conspirators in the counterfeiting ring find him first, he won't live long enough to clear his name. And both the U.S. Marshals and the counterfeiters think the best way to get to Michael…is through Jessica. With danger on every side—for herself and for the only family she has left—Jessica has to make a choice. Can she trust U.S. Marshal Dominic Sullivan with her safety, her brother's life…and her heart?

Help! Where did my muse go?

Terri Reed here, jumping in on the fly again. I should be writing on my book that is due in two weeks and three days. I'm nearing the end but for some reason am procrastinating. Not sure why. The plot is solid, the characters are keeping me on my toes and the action is fun to write. So why am I so slow to get started this morning? Okay sending up prayers for the drive to get this book done and for the words to flow.

On another note I received my first reader mail on my November release, a novella in Holiday Havoc. Hearing from readers is always a treat even when the reader points out mistakes. How will I learn if I don't know I've made a mistake?
Not that this reader pointed out any mistakes, on the contrary, she loved the setting and had actually been to Cannon Beach Oregon many times and could see the book unfolding and she really liked the suspense plot, which eased my mind since I was a bit afraid this story was too dark.
Anyway, hope you all have a blessed day. I'm going to work now. I promise. I really, really am. Now!

Autumn in the Pacific Northwest

Terri Reed here. Today isn't my normal day to post but I saw that no one had so I thought I'd jump in. Today is the epitome of a beautiful fall day in the Pacific Northwest.

Cool, crisp air, sunshine streaming through the canopy of trees indigenous to the Pacific Northwest and apples, pumpkins and hot drinks(I'm a morning coffee then tea rest of the day drinker), all make for a wonderful October day.

But the best part are the colors of autumn. Everywhere you look there is an explosion of color. Reds, yellows, oranges, golds, shades of green. A visual feast.

CRITICAL IMPACT INTERVIEW

Today we're welcoming Deputy Sheriff Stu McCabe , the hero of CRITICAL IMPACT by Linda Hall and out in October.

Wow, you've just had quite an adventure.


1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense.

I've been a deputy sheriff here a few years, and mostly, I tell you, Whisper Lake is quite a quiet place to work. We're quite rural and located on the beautiful shores of Whisper Lake in Maine. And so when the order came down that the three communities around Whisper Lake were going to take part in a mock disaster. These happen all the time and personally, I've been involved in three. Maybe you've had one in your community - it's when the community stage a 'mock disaster' and the police, the hospital, Search and Rescue, EMTs - we're all involved. It's excellent practice to see how well our services are coordinated. This one was to be a 'bomb' in City Hall. Well, no one could have predicted that this 'fake' bomb would turn into a 'real' bomb, and that people would be killed! I was right there - right on the scene, eating a hot dog of all things, when the building blew.

2. So, during the book you met Anna Barker Tell us a bit about her. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love?

I'd met her at one of the planning sessions. No, let me back up a bit. I didn't meet her then. Seen her? Yes! But there were so many of us who came to those planning meetings that we didn't formally meet. Okay, let me back up even a bit further. When I saw her at the meeting drinking a cup of coffee, let's face it, she looked way out of my league. Boy, that was for sure!

Her job on the committee was to do the make up on the actors who were playing the 'victims'. It was her job to make up facials wounds and compound fractures look real. Little did anyone realize that Anna would end up with 'real' facial wounds and a compound fracture of her wrist.

And that's when I met her - when that building blew, with her trapped underneath it. I was first on the scene. I'd looked up just in time to see her stand right next to the building, when it blew up. I don't know what happened to my hot dog, I must have dropped it, because my sole focus was on getting her out!

3. What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness?

Strengths? Physically I would say I'm pretty strong. I'm kind of into extreme sports, mountain biking on steep trails, rappelling, climbing - just about anything like that. But, I know, that's not the question you are asking, is it? As for personal strengths, I like to think I'm loyal. Once I make up my mind to do something, I'll do it. As for weaknesses, maybe I'm a bit too impulsive. Sometimes I do things first and think later.

4. What scares you?

Not a lot. :) Oh, you didn't mean physically, right? Not a lot scares me on a physical level, which is a good thing because I'm a cop, but I guess what scares me on the inside is way worse. I'm afraid of being hurt again, the fear of being close. My wife died in a bomb accident in Iraq. She was in the military. And so to be where that bomb blew, I don't know, something happened to me - I knew I had to get that girl out.

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
That I could trust more. That I wouldn't hold back, I know it's because of what happened to my wife. And so I hold people away - all people, even the people I work for.

6. Where are you in your faith at the start of your story?

Pretty shaky, I would say. I didn't understand how God could love me on the one hand, and then have my wife die on the other.

7. Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

Much better. I'm much closer to God at the end. And I have Anna to thank for that. We grew pretty close during the course of the book - but it wasn't always a steady growth of a relationship. She had a bunch of issues to work through too. Turns out she'd been pretty hurt in her life, too. We had a lot to work through, but by the end of the story, both of us realized that God loves us. I guess that's the main thing we learned - that God loves us.

8. You've got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant.
Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

This verse means a lot to both Anna and me. Both of us have had to learn to 'wait'.

9. If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?

Pancakes with real maple syrup. As for why? I don't know. I just like them.


Thank you Linda for sharing Sheriff McCabe with us today. Can't wait to read this exciting story!

FEATURED BOOK: CRITICAL IMPACT BY LINDA HALL

The bomb wasn't supposed to be real. But the mock-disaster explosion to test emergency procedures killed two people in a small Maine town. And all evidence points to shy makeup artist Anna Barker as the prime suspect. When Deputy Sheriff Stu McCabe is assigned to investigate the case, Anna hopes he'll prove her innocent. But with a harrowing past of his own, Stu seems to trust no one. Something that might save both their lives when the real killer plans to make critical impact—again.

See. Ramona. Run.

OK, so you won't actually ever, EVER see me run. Trot, maybe. Maybe.

Sorry, I'm late blogging today. I actually had a great one in mind, but then I fell asleep over corrections for my April book, HOUSE OF SECRETS, and woke up late for work.

See. Ramona. Scurry.

DEEP breath. I have a meeting at one, and I've just finished moving into my new apartment. Got home yesterday to find that they had ripped out the bathroom floor (long story), so my eyes are a little weepy from the dust. Need to go see my daughter tonight, and this weekend is the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, which is HUGE. Love it. A premier literary event for the area and a number of Christian authors are participating this year, which is a really nice foot in the door. I'm speaking on a panel Sunday: "Cops, Kilts, and Vampires: The Many Faces of Romance."

In between sessions, I need to run to my house to clean and try to get it staged for selling. I also have two writing deadlines, and my brother is coming down from Virginia next week, so I need to find time to see him and my mom.

See. Ramona. Pant.

But, in my experience, life is a rollercoaster for all of us. While I'm swarming around, so are most of my friends. We dash about, trying to grab as much of life as we can.

So here's hoping you can take a breath this weekend. Inhale. Snuggle up to God and just say...thanks. For everything.

See. Ramona. Pray.

Amazing What God can do.

A couple of weeks ago when we went to church with my daughter and her husband our pastor talked about what happens after we die. I was fascinated with the message and thought our pastor gave me some new insight. When we went to dinner after church (we do a Saturday night service) I commented on the wonderful things pastor said. My daughter informed me that I told her all that when she was a child. Huh?

She told me about the time she was frightened of the concept of forever and couldn't go to sleep. I remember the incident. She told me I said the same thing that night to her as pastor had said. I remember comforting her, but not what I said. I can only marvel at the wisdom God gave me to comfort her. And it was God, not me.

It's it wonderful that God can use us to comfort others when we don't have a clue? Has that ever happened to you?
Leann Harris

Steeple Hill Editor over at Seekerville

Terri Reed here, over at the Seekerville Blog my editor Emily Rodmell is a guest today. Here's the link. Stop on by to see what she has to say about Love Inspired books.
http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com

Favorite crime show

What is your favorite crime show? One of the shows I'm been enjoying is new this year called The Glades on A & E channel. It is filmed on location in Florida and I love the male star's character in the show. Very capable detective but doesn't know quite what to do with a woman he is really interested in. I also like shows like NCIS, Burn Notice, Bones Psych (for the crazy humor) and The Mentalist. So what are your favorite crime shows?

Betrayal in the Badlands Interview

Today we're welcoming Isabel Ling, the heroine of Betrayal in the Badlands, by Dana Mentink, available in October.
Wow, you've just had quite an adventure.


1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense. I had a rocky childhood and rather than face my past I ran, leaving my sister behind. I’d just started to try to repair my relationship with her when she died under mysterious circumstances. I returned to her horse ranch in South Dakota to settle her affairs only I got much more than I bargained on.

2. So, during the book you met Logan Price. Tell us a bit about him. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love? Logan is a pararescueman who was injured during his last deployment. When we first met, I dismissed him as alternately aloof and bossy. Over time I learned that he’s had just as many obstacles to overcome in his life as I have. I fell for Logan when I realized he really did want the best for me, in my faith, in my life and in my future.

3. What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness? I’m a quiet person by nature but I am determined to catch my sister’s killer. I know that God is bigger than anything obstacle I can face in this world and I know He’ll sustain me.

4. What scares you? Loving someone and losing them.

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would have been more courageous and stayed by my sister’s side.

6. Where are you in your faith at the start of your story? I’m still stuck in the past with the consequences of my bad choices. I’ve asked God for forgiveness but I’m not fully trusting that He’s forgiven me.

7. Where are you in your faith at the end of the story? Feeling the incomparable joy that comes from loving and trusting the Lord.

8. You've got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant.
Psalms 56:8 says, Thou hast taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Thy bottle; Are they not in Thy book?

God knows where I’ve wandered and has counted ever bitter tear I’ve shed.
He doesn’t keep us from the pain, but he stays with us through every moment along the way.


9. If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?
I’d be a dark chocolate square, sweet with an edge of bitterness that only makes the flavor more intense.

Thank you Dana for sharing Isabel with us. What an exciting story!!

FEATURED BOOK: BETRAYAL IN THE BADLANDS BY DANA MENTINK

Isabel Ling returned to the barren Badlands of South Dakota to bury her sister—but she stayed to find answers no one wants to give. Cassie's death was no accident, and Isabel will find the killer, no matter what she has to do. And no matter who stands in her way.The one thing former pararescue soldier Logan Price wants is to avoid the kind of trouble Isabel brings. Yet he can't deny his attraction to her. In this desolate, treacherous land, Isabel needs all the protection she can get—and all the love that Logan can give.

Make a Difference Tour

As y'all read this I'm on my way to the Make a Difference Tour in Corbin, KY. I can't wait to see some of my favorite artists like Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Tobymac, and Jason Gray. Oh, and Max Lucado is speaking, too!

The whole night is all about doing big things that we were created to do. We have a great God, who has equipped us each to to make a difference in someone's life. Max Lucado's new book is called Outlive Your Life, and that's what he'll be speaking about at the show. So that's got me thinking. What kind of legacy am I leaving, not just in my writing but with my life? And how can I use my books to serve others through more than messages of hope and faith in God?

I've heard about a lot of authors who give away their books to people going through chemo or other extreme medical treatment. I've also seen members of my local Christian writers group collect books to send to men and women in the military.

It's amazing how simple these acts are and how, done with love, they show Jesus to others. And these acts leave a legacy of love. I don't know about you, but I sure want to leave that kind of legacy. So what do you think about outliving your life? What are you doing to leave a legacy?
-Liz Johnson

Research at the FBI Citizens' Academy

So I'm in the Indianapolis FBI Citizens' Academy and loving it. But I'm sure those who know me are far from surprised :-)

The evenings are often filled with lectures about different efforts of the local office from gangs to white collar crime to terrorism and violent crimes. This week's session was very interesting. The first hour focused on the application of the use of deadly force policy. As an attorney, I loved the parsing of phrases and figuring out how to apply that to real life situations. It really was an eye-opening session.


But the best part was when they walked us across the street to a conference room where they'd set up a training simulator that they use with FBI agents. One at a time we were handed a modified Sig 228, which was hooked into a machine that somehow read where we shot and told us if we'd hit, nicked or missed the moving target. There were approximately 20 different scenarios that they ran us through. In each case the student was supposed to decide whether to use deadly force and then attempt to shoot.


I bracketed my guy and probably winged him -- not terrible considering I've never held anything more than a paint ball gun. But it was interesting to watch my response and the response of my classmates. One gal nailed her bad guy. This guy was not getting back up. But the rest of us gals for the most part bracketed and nicked them.


While an interesting exercise, it also reinforced how much is affected by how someone responds. In these video scenarios, the bad guys weren't actually responding to our shots. I would think that would change in real life.


Anyway, I continue to love this experience. I've decided I fall firmly into the geek category as I take detailed notes about everything. I just never know when I'll get to use some tidbit or other in a book.

Two Conference in Two Weeks!

L to R:  Debby Giusti, Missy Tippens, Michael Hauge
and Janet Dean at ACFW.

by Debby Giusti

On September 16, I flew to Indianapolis, Indiana, for the American Fiction Writers Conference. The Friday to Monday event was filled with great workshops and lots of opportunities to visit with friends. I had some story revisions to do so I had to mix work with pleasure, but that didn’t stop me from making the most of the weekend.

Hollywood screenwriting guru Michael Hauge presented a two-part workshop on Plot Structure. Mr. Hauge will also be the featured speaker at the Georgia Romance Writers Moonlight and Magnolia’s Conference I’ll be attending this weekend. Hopefully after spending so much time with the plot wizard, I’ll be able to absorb his expert advice and apply it to my own writing.

I also attended Terri Blackstock’s Suspense workshop at ACFW. Terri said readers like the adrenalin rush they get from reading suspense. They want to read as if they were a detective, trying to put the puzzle pieces together to solve the crime. She also talked about the importance of adding “red herrings” to suspense stories. The term, she explained, originated in the 1800s with the publication of a detective novel that had a police chase using dogs. The bad guy covered his tracks, literally, with the scent of raw fish. No doubt, red herring!

Just as at ACFW, seeing old friends and making new ones will be the highlight of the M&M Conference this weekend. What are your favorite conferences and what do you look forward to the most when you attend writing events?

Wishing you abundant blessings!

Debby Giusti
http://www.debbygiusti.com/
http://www.crossmyheartprayerteam.blogspot.com/
Visit Seekerville (http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/) for our October Birthday Bash. Great blog interviews, lots of fun and giveaways, including a Kindle loaded with Seeker books! Be sure to stop by on October 5th when Steeple Hill Assistant Editor Emily Rodmell provides tips on getting published. Hourly giveaways, including the four Love Inspired Suspense September releases!

Snow-Kissed Reunion

Terri Reed here on an unnaturally humid night in the Pacific Northwest. I wanted to tell you all about an online one of my dear friends is doing over at eHarlequin. Melissa McClone writes for Harlequin Romance. She writes sweet romances that touch the heart. Melissa and I met close to seventeen years ago. Our friendship developed quickly. We had several things in common, Jesus as our Lord, children close to the same age and both loved writing. Melissa had a very successful career writing for Silhoutte Romance before the line closed. She transitioned over to Harlequin Romance nicely and still writes with the same heartwarming, sweet style as she always has. Pop on over to this link and read the first two chapters of her online read.

http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html;jsessionid=3FCA0614E9B17BEE3DF367A3E578724C?articleId=1538&chapter=1

And keep an eye out for her upcoming release

When snowboard designer Sean Hughes sees Zoe Flynn hitchhiking at the bottom of Mount Hood he recognizes a free spirit—much like himself!

They hit it off, and Zoe ends up agreeing to pose as Sean's girlfriend at his family's Thanksgiving. But following an accident and a misunderstanding they're soon stuck with each other for the Christmas holidays!

Zoe's girl-next-door looks make Sean wish their charade was a romantic reality, but Zoe is hiding something…and he has until the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve to discover her secret!

Hawaii Five-O

My husband and I are not real TV people. Well, he is, but it's all about ice-road truckers, and Do It Yourself, and This Old House, and Dirty Jobs (I'm definitely using Mike Rowe as a hero in a future book) I never get to watch television, at least not like a normal person. I have to buy the DVD ten years later. I watched all the Gilmore Girls, a season at time, well after the show ended. Even now, I get my doses of NCIS, Bones, and CSI in out of order, years old, segments.

But, we both were looking forward to the new Hawaii Five-O and actually planned to watch it, made time that is. One of the things we do as a couple is late at night we watch old DVD's. Our favorite is Adam 12. We watch a lot of Dragnet, too. So, you can imagine how we felt about a real prime time drama meeting our critiera.

Unfortunately, it didn't.

I so wanted to enjoy it. I was wary about the characters. I thought in carrying on a tradition that worked, they should use more Hawaiians. But, like Ann Rice, I've been wrong before, so although my husband and I discussed it, we were willing to give it a chance.

Tonight we may watch it, but we're not looking forward to it like we were.

And I've thought about it. See, television already has primetime kick-butt police high dramas that supply gore, extreme witt (the kind that comes from the mouth and not the brain), and the ultimate bad guys. What television doesn't have is a police show that goes back to what the old Hawaii Five-O had. Good detective work, mostly by the book, with a leader who relied on his team and his gut and who did it while commanding respect. (I'm wrong. There were some episodes of Law and Order that did.)

Watching the two main characters, McGarritt and Danno, physically fight each other, verbally abuse each other, and solving a intense crime much too easily - didn't work for me.

In the end, Danno (Caan) had more soul than McGarrett, although his not liking Hawaii seemed like a desperate ploy to throw in an unnecessary conflict. McGarrett (O'Loughlin) came across a bit too bullying. I'd rather see real leadership.

As for the two supporting characters. Chin Ho Kelly comes with a reasonable motivation for joining the team. But, Kono seems to join for no reason other than I need to prove I'm kick butt and a girl. Come on, guys, give her a real reason to join.

LEGACY OF LIES INTERVIEW

Today we're welcoming Nicole Mattson, the heroine of Legacy of Lies by Jill Elizabeth Nelson, September 2010.

Wow, you've just had quite an adventure.


1. Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be in the midst of such suspense.

I lost my policeman husband in the line of duty only six months ago and needed a safe haven to heal. Since my parents are also gone, my grandmother’s place seemed like a sure thing. How could I have guessed that I would find the bones of an infant buried in her back yard or be embroiled in the reopening of a fifty year old kidnapping and homicide case?

I could never suspect my grandmother or deceased grandfather of such a horrible crime—or any crime! And yet mounting evidence pointed the accusing finger at my family—stirring doubts in my heart, drawing anger from the town’s people, and reaping vengeance from Ellington’s founding family. The circumstances were simply overwhelming and so hopeless-looking. How could we unravel the truth about a tragedy so ancient the legend has become knit into the fabric of a community?

2. So, during the book you met Rich Hendricks. Tell us a bit about him. What was your first impression? When did you know it was love?

Rick is the police chief in Ellington, and he was first on the scene after I called in my grizzly find. I pegged him right away as the kind of cop my husband was—conscientious about his job, and decent and honest in the way he treats people. Some cops take advantage of their authority, throw their weight around, and expect favors. Like a certain deputy I could name.

Unfortunately for the little zing in my heart at our first meeting, there was no way I could allow myself any feelings for another cop. Losing one husband to a risky occupation was quite enough, thank you very much. Besides, he was investigating my grandparents as possible kidnappers and baby-killers. Not a promising scenario for romance.

True love does tend to overcome the odds though. That poor dead infant from the past nearly kept us apart, but it was what Rich said about a living baby in the future that ultimately stole my heart, willy-nilly. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Well, one of them.

3. What strengths/skills do you have? What is your greatest weakness?

I have a degree in business administration and a healthy level of self-confident. I’m also self-sufficient and a tad stubborn. Runs in the family. Observe my grandmother, and you’ll understand what I mean. ;-) I’m determined to help my grandmother’s sewing shop become profitable again, but that will mean some fundamental changes in how it’s run. Way easier said than done. Note the stubbornness mentioned above. Change is a dirty word to that dear woman.

4. What scares you?

Losing the last of my family, as well as my family’s good name, to scandal and prison.
5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I might like to be a little less cautious and skeptical.
6. Where are you in your faith at the start of your story?

I’ve been a lifelong believer, but my faith was on rocky ground after so much death in the family. It’s scary to feel like you’re on the precipice of being alone in the world. My trust factor was pretty low—in God and in my fellow man, and I was a little at loose ends as far as my purpose in life.

7. Where are you in your faith at the end of the story?

I embraced life again. Many of my nearest and dearest may live on beyond the veil, but our separation is only for a season. As long as I’m still here on this earth, I need to believe I have a good purpose in God’s plan, then go ahead and live it with gusto.

8. You've got a scripture at the beginning of the story. Tell us why this scripture is significant.
It’s tempting for believers to become cynical about bad people getting away with bad things. But the Bible promises us that, even if it looks like they’re getting off Scott-free, no one escapes justice forever—not unless they put their sins under the blood of Jesus Christ.

9. If you could be a dessert what would you be and why?

I’m apple crisp ala mode: down-home, a little sweet, a little tart, and multi-layered.

Sounds like an exciting read! Thank you Jill for sharing Nicole with us today.

FEATRUED BOOK: LEGACY OF LIES BY JILL ELIZABETH NELSON

Evidence from a decades-old murder is the last thing Nicole Keller-Mattson expected to find in her grandmother's backyard. The finger-pointing and accusations aimed at her family were easier to predict. Everyone in Ellendale is eager to blame the Kellers—but after an attack leaves Nicole's grandmother in a coma, only Nicole can clear the family name. With the assistance of police chief Rich Hendricks, she stands a chance of solving the mystery…if she's willing to accept Rich's help. Nicole lost her husband in the line of duty—trusting another cop is too painful. But not trusting Rich could be deadly.