Interview with Delores Fossen
Interview with Delores Fossen
Today it is our privilege to bring you another All About Cowboys interview. This time we talked to western romance author, Delores Fossen. Delores Fossen is no doubt a recognizable name to longtime cowboy romance readers and we are delighted to share our recent interview with her, where we find out even more about the cowboy code and the role it has played in Fossen’s own work.
MEET DELORES FOSSEN
USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, has sold over 70 novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.
ALL ABOUT COWBOYS
An exclusive interview with Delores Fossen
Author of Lone Star Christmas
We often hear about “the cowboy code,” what do you think it is and how do you think it pertains to romance heroes today?
Delores: I was raised around cowboys, and I think their code is a way of leading a decent life based on respect and hard work. Principles such as never going back on your word and helping others in distress definitely apply to romance heroes today. I want my heroes to be standup guys, and true cowboys are just that.
What part of that code do you think appeals to romance readers and why do you think it resonates the way it does?
Delores: According to the code, cowboys must respect women. I think respect is the foundation for a relationship and romance.
How do you think this code of ethics helps you in creating the emotional entanglements the heroes in your stories face?
Delores: I believe it sets up a conflict for the cowboy when he’s faced with showing respect vs. doing the right thing. The right thing isn’t always easy, and it often requires a lot of courage. Some of the best shining moments in a story are when the hero has to step outside his comfort zone and still remain heroic.
Have you ever intentionally written a hero that went against “the cowboy code” and if so, why did you choose to take that route and what kind of impact did it have on your hero’s emotional journey?
Delores: I sometimes write heroes that bend the rules, especially in my romantic suspense books. They want to respect the law, but sometimes the way to get true justice is to break the rules. In my Harlequin Intrigue, Outlaw Lawman, the hero, Marshal Harlan McKinney had a motto of “Never mistake the law for justice.”
What do you think is the major appeal of the cowboy romance hero?
Delores: The cowboy is a great package deal. All that honor, hard work and respect rolled into great fitting jeans. 😊
If you could choose one trait that defines a cowboy romance hero in your mind, what would it be and why?
Delores: Again, I think it’s when a hero is faced with doing what’s right. I want my cowboy heroes to be honorable and true, but I also want that to test or cost them in some way.
Who is your ultimate cowboy hero and why do you love him?
Delores: I love Longmire. Walt Longmire’s not perfect, but I think he’s a prime example of what being a cowboy means.
Do you have a favorite cowboy book or cowboy quote to share? (We’ll take cowboy-themed recipes, too!)
Delores: I love reading cowboy stories so it’s impossible to choose just one. Some of my favorites are by Lori Wilde, Larry McMurtry and Jennifer Ryan.
You can find or purchase OUTLAW LAWMAN on Amazon *Affiliate Link*
Have you read Delores Fossen’s latest release?
Lone Star Christmas
384 Pages
HQN Books
Sept. 25, 2018
A family crisis brings him home…
Just in time for Christmas
Cattleman Callen Laramie has no intention of returning to his hometown of Coldwater, Texas, until a Christmas wedding and a family secret convince him he has no choice. And when he’s reunited with his childhood crush, the girl who’d always been off-limits, Callen knows leaving might not be so easy this time.
Shelby McCall is as pretty as a Christmas snowfall, and Callen wants to kiss her under the mistletoe…and the Christmas tree…and the stars. But once Shelby knows the whole truth behind this homecoming, will their holiday fling come to an abrupt end? Or will she accept the gift of his heart?
Coldwater, Texas (Book One)
Romance | Contemporary | Western
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