Spotlight & Giveaway: Duke: Deputy Cowboy by Roz Denny Fox

Roz, Welcome and Thanks for blogging with us today!

Roz, Could you please introduce yourself to the readers here?

Roz: I'm Roz Fox who wrote my first six Harlequin Romance books as Roz Denny, then my next 40 plus books as Roz Denny Fox. Roz Denny was a combination of mine and my husband's first names.  When I began writing, I wrote in long hand and he input my books into the computer.  He got a big kick out of the fact when those first six books were shelved spine out, he got top billing.

What inspired you to write your first book?

Roz: I first gave my hand at trying to write a romance because my youngest daughter and her friends were consuming Harlequin and Silhouette stories.  I was a school secretary and put out the school newsletter.  The kids kept saying I should write a Harlequin book. About then a move with Denny's job meant I had some time on my hands, so I bought a ton of Harlequin books, joined an RWA chapter and took a college creative writing class where I met my first critique partners.  And I discovered writing a book wasn't as simple as I thought.

Which of your characters would you most/least like to invite to dinner?

Roz: Oh boy, a tough question.  My books are always about people I would love to have as neighbors or friends.  Maybe there are bits and pieces of people I've known at various times who have come to my home for dinner.  It's impossible to pick one over another.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or book?

Roz: I have been an avid reader as far back as I can remember.  Not so much a movie buff. As a teen I gravitated toward reading Westerns.  I loved Zane Grey, Max Brand, and later Elmer Kelton who I was lucky enough to exchange ideas with a bit when I lived for a while in Texas.
 
Please tell us about your new release "Duke: Deputy Cowboy".

Roz: My hero is a Hart cousin who was raised with his twin, Beau, on Thunder Ranch where when the series starts, Sarah Hart is the family matriarch.  Duke was a loner as a boy, and so is able to relate to Angie Barrington's son who is a shy, only child. Duke is a part time deputy for his cousin, Dinah Hart, and like all the men of Thunder Ranch, he spends a lot of his free time competing in rodeos.  It's unfortunate that Angie has an unhappy history with a rodeo cowboy, and she also runs an animal rescue ranch, some animals she's sure were abused by rodeo stock contractors.  It was fun fitting Duke into the dynamics of the strong, opinionated family, and in uncovering the strength of his love for Angie and her son.

3 words that best describe Duke and Angie's characters

Roz: hard-working, dedicated, grounded

What's Next? Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Roz: I recently finished a story for the Harlequin Heartwarming line.  It's untitled as yet and I'm not sure of when it will be out.  The line has two of my backlist books coming out in February The Western Dare, and The Boss Next door--both re-titled stories. I'm in the process of working on a new synopsis I'll send in for consideration.  I wish the ideas came as quickly to me as they did when I started my career.  Funny thing I'm always sure when I finish a book that I've already written all of the characters hammering at me to get their stories down on paper.  Then, luckily, I find another set in the recesses of my brain.

Giveaway: 1 lucky winner will win a copy of 'Duke: Deputy Cowboy and a Western-Style Christmas Ornament.

To enter giveaway please complete the Raflecopter form below and leave a comment for Roz.

 

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Roz Thanks for bringing Duke and Angie along to chat with us about Love, Live and Rodeo

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Duke: Working up the nerve to ask Angie for a date.
Angie: Deciding to leave Texas when I was pregnant and almost broke.
 
What trait is most important in a friend?
Duke: Loyalty
Angie: Trust
 
What do you most enjoy about your job?
Duke: Being a deputy is never boring, and it’s not all working at a desk.
Angie: I like making horse treats that are nutritious, but that horses love.
Part time at the school---I like the people I work with, and the kids.

Who do you most admire and why?

Duke: My cousin Ace, because he’s smart, easy-going, and accepts me as I am.
Angie: Sarah Hart, because she’s a strong woman and has held her family together through hard times and with a deep faith.
Name your biggest regret.
Duke: Probably that I never knew my mother.
Angie: That work sometimes has to come before spending time with my son.

What makes you angry or upset?

Duke: When my twin brother, Beau, nags at me to ride better in rodeos.
Angie: I get angry when people mistreat animals, or dump them like trash.
 
What trait would you like to change about yourself?
Duke: I worry too much about the family. I don’t like squabbles.
Angie: Oh my…a too short nose, a too wide mouth, a tendency to eat too much.

What is your most treasured possession?

Duke: I’d have to say my dog, Zorro
Angie:A silver cross on a thin chain that belonged to my grandmother.
 
What makes you happy?
Duke: Watching the sun rise on a clear day.
Angie: Seeing my son laugh.
 
Of what are you most afraid?
Duke: A concern that something bad may happen to someone in my family;
my younger cousin, Tuf Hart, is in the military, you know.
Angie: I worry most about my son’s safety. I know you have to give a child
space, but it’s hard not to be over-protective.