Interview with Roz Denny Fox

I’d like to welcome our guest today, Roz Denny Fox. It’s a pleasure having you come visit us at Much Cheaper Than Therapy, where chocolate is plentiful and advice is free. So grab some chocolate and a lounge chair. Your therapy session has begun.

I understand you have a new release out called Looking For Sophie. Can you tell us a little bit about your fabulous new book?

The year prior to the start of the story, Garnet Patton’s daughter, Sophie, was kidnapped from her preschool by Garnet’s ex-husband. Garnet, a high school teacher in Alaska, faces a long summer without Sophie. Friends know she needs to stay busy or she’ll fall apart. Work and friends have been her salvation.

In Atlanta, GA, detective Julian Cavenaugh gets a call from his mom who lives in a nearby small town. Julian’s dad, a postman near retirement, is sure he’s found a little girl pictured on one of the missing children postcards he gets each week to deliver. He thinks the child is living with a new family on his mail route. The problem is—Julian’s dad thought that once before and he goofed. It caused a huge controversy in town and Julian’s father almost lost his job.

Julian elects to take a well deserved vacation to see if his dad is right or wrong. The jaded bachelor cop, who comes from a large, happy family, personally thinks his dad is wrong again. But he will do what it takes to protect the really good-hearted man. And Julian certainly doesn’t expect to feel anything for a stranger, a woman who is working and socializing with friends instead of exhausting every resource looking for her daughter.

Looking For Sophie is a very interesting title. How did you arrive at that name?

My working title was: The Atlanta Detective. The title was changed after the book was written, from a list of possible titles I sent to my editor.

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book?

I talked to some cops who have worked domestic kidnappings, did some digging into missing children where the person making off with the child is a non custodial parent, and I chose settings I’ve visited as I always try to do.

What character did you like writing about the most, and why?

I liked all of the characters in this book, primary and secondary. Each had a special role to play. I tried to go deep into the hearts and souls of all the players, because I knew from the beginning that I wanted this book to have an unconventional ending. And I was worried about how it would be received by readers. I’m grateful that the letters I’ve received to date have all been positive. And readers have shared their own touching stories and said the book caused them happy tears.

If your book was made into a movie, what actor would you like to fill your hero’s shoes?

I’m not sure since I’m not an avid movie goer. The hero would have to be someone with quiet intensity, but who has a lot of heart.

Do you have any authors that inspired you?

So many stretching back to the individuals who wrote Nancy Drew stories and others I consumed as a kid. When I started writing just to see if I could, I lived in Seattle. I was fortunate to have met so many wonderful and encouraging writers who helped me along my journey. I credit any success I have to Harlequin editor, Paula Eykelhof, who I’ve been privileged tow work with throughout my writing career.

What do we have to look forward next?

I’ve recently finished two Superromances. Both only have working titles to date. One features a heroine who suffers from memory loss. Her mother lied to her about her background. The other has a hero and heroine who fell in love and married as teens, had their marriage annulled, but meet again as adults through an odd circumstance.

Thanks for inviting me to talk about my career and about Looking For Sophie,

Roz!

You're welcome!

To celebrate her book release, Roz is offering an autographed copy of Looking For Sophie to one lucky commenter on today's blog.

Bio: While working as a secretary at an elementary school in Phoenix, Roz freelanced a series of self-help articles and a short story. Her youngest daughter and friends, all voracious readers, were consuming Harlequin/Silhouette books. The girls badgered Roz to write a romance. A move to Seattle in 1986 opened the doors to do that when she took a college creative writing class and met other writers who introduced her to Romance Writers of America. She attended her first national conference and came home to write the book that would be her first sale to Harlequin Romance in 1989 under the pseudonym Roz Denny. After Roz's sixth traditional romance, her editor moved to Superromance, and she invited Roz to submit a longer, more mainstream-style book.

With Superromance, Roz added her real last name, (Fox). Her thirtieth Superromance will be released in December 2007 under Roz Denny Fox.As well she=s written three books for the Harlequin American imprint, two Signature Selects, and in August 2007, her first Harlequin Everlasting Love.

Check out author’s website at www.korynna.com/RozFox.

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