1. Tell us a little bit about your current release, Cowboy Fever.
JK: Cowboy Fever is about a former Miss Rodeo Wyoming who returns to her hometown to start a therapy riding center for children with disabilities. When she runs into the boy next door, she discovers that her old, forbidden flame has turned respectable, and he’s determined to win her heart. This book means a lot to me because many of the scenes are based on my experiences volunteering for a therapy riding program for children with autism.
2. What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
JK: I hope they bond with the characters and feel like they’ve lived in my world for a little while. My books are fast-moving and have lots of humor, but there’s a lot of emotion there too. There are parts of this book that make me cry every time I read it, and hopefully it will strike that deep a chord with readers, too.
3. If you were a superhero, what special power would you have?
JK: I would help children with autism communicate, and help people understand them and how they see the world. I would somehow make life easier for them and easier for their families.
4. What books or authors have most influenced your life?
JK: There are so many! But the two authors that made me want to write contemporary romance were Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Kristan Higgens. Both of them have that combination of humor and warmth that I strive for in my own books, and both create characters that are so vivid you feel like they’re your friends by the time you finish.
5. Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.
JK: My next contemporary Western romance is Tall, Dark and Cowboy. It’s about a former trophy wife who finds out her ex is a criminal and flees to Wyoming for help from an old friend. To her surprise, her geeky high school pal has turned into one hot cowboy while she wasn’t looking—and when everything goes wrong, she realizes he just might be Mr. Right.
Tall, Dark and Cowboy will be released in November, and I have two more cowboy romances slated for 2012. Those two involve rodeo as well as ranching, and I think readers are going to like my new heroes and the women who love them.
She Thought She Had It All…
A modeling contract with Wrangler got this Miss Rodeo Wyoming a first-class ticked out of town, but somewhere along the way Jodi Brand lost her soul. When she gets back to her hometown, her childhood friend Teague Treadwell’s rugged cowboy charm hits her like a ton of bricks…
He Believed He Wasn’t Good Enough…
Teague is convinced Jodi’s success lifted her out of his reach. Now he’s got to shed his bad boy image to be worthy of the girl next door…
But whoever heard of a beauty queen settling for a down and dirty cowboy…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joanne Kennedy has worked in bookstores all her life in positions ranging from bookseller to buyer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and has published three books with Sourcebooks Casablanca: Cowboy Trouble, One Fine Cowboy, and her latest, Cowboy Fever. Joanne lives and writes in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where she is working on Tall, Dark and Cowboy (November 2011) and two more contemporary Western romances. For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/ .*All comments are entered for a chance to win a print book prize pack including Cowboy Fever*
Oh Ms Kennedy, This one sucked me in. I have a special place in my heart for therapy horses and programs. Kudos to you :)
ReplyDeleteToo sweet! Kudos for writing about kids with special needs and therapy horses.
ReplyDeleteSounds fantastic. I can't wait to read it. Autism is such a broad spectrum and there is so much that we still don't knwo about it. Prayers for all those whose life has been touched by ASD.
ReplyDeleteThank you, romance reader! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I loved writing this one so much.
ReplyDeleteEmma, thanks. I really admire people with disabilities who strive to create productive, independent lives for themselves, and their families, too. They add a new dimension to the books, though I'm still all about the hot cowboys, too!
ReplyDeleteSara, thanks for your prayers! I know so many people who have been affected by autism. You're right - it's such a broad spectrum that there are no easy answers. But horses sure do seem to help!
ReplyDeleteMs Kennedy, You are right, horses do seem to help in many cases. I recently watched a docu story called The Horse Boy. Made me cry. A wonderful story.
ReplyDeleteDo you plan to write more stories that shed light on special needs and/or autism?
Joanne, You are very welcome. I have been spreading the news like crazy about the release of this one to all my friends...okay fine...anyone who would listen. I just loved it
ReplyDeletei always enjoy a yummy cowboy or two in my stories...i read all from contempory, paranormal, historical etc...but cowboys (and i finding rockstars) are the most yummy favorites
ReplyDeletethis will be going TBR
I rediscovered western romances several years ago. Sheesh, I had really missed out on a lot of great books.
ReplyDeleteI look forward in reading Cowboy Fever.
Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
Sara, I read the book "The Horse Boy." It was really moving - a great story.
ReplyDeleteRomance reader, I can't thank you enough! Word of mouth is really the way romances sell. You can advertise all you want - it's readers talking to other readers about books they love that helps us keep going.
ReplyDeleteChele, if you like rockstars, be sure to check out Olivia Cunning's books! And booklover, if you're new to Western romance and enjoying it, you have lots of great books ahead of you! Be sure to check out Lind Lael Miller and Jodi Thomas - two of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteSara, I'm sorry - you asked me a question and I didn't answer it. I didn't consciously set out to write about people with disabilities, but I've met so many that I admire that it just kind of happened. Hopefully I'll find that kind of inspiration again - you never know!
ReplyDelete