ABOUT ME



About me: My name is Roz Fox.  I started my writing career in 1989 using a pseudonym that was part my name and part my husband’s name.  As “Roz Denny” I wrote 6 books for the traditional Harlequin Romance line.  Then when my editor moved to Superromance, I submitted to them and we added my real last name of Fox.  That’s how I’ve been writing ever since as Roz Denny Fox.   My whole career has been with Harlequin, and I have written for several of their lines.  A lifelong reader, I read in most of the lines and I read outside of Harlequin—books that aren’t romance.
My goal as a writer was to sell one book.  But when you sell one, I guess it is human nature to hope it’s not a fluke.  So you have to try to sell book two.  Then you think, “if I sell a third book I can really call myself a writer.”  And hey, once you call yourself a writer that’s what you do—write.  Oh, but then you worry the ideas will go away.  We jokingly say ideas come from a big idea warehouse in the sky.  They don’t.  They come one at a time, maybe born out of people we meet, or in what we see, or through something we’ve read, perhaps in an obscure newspaper.  Most of my best ideas have popped in totally by accident.  I say, wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a great idea warehouse in the sky?  But there isn’t.  So I continue to be thankful when a new character comes to me in the night and says, “here I am, do something with me.”  “Find me a story.” 
The editors at Heartwarming have reprinted some of my back-list books and given them new covers and new titles, and it’s nice to see them have a second life.  My first new book for Heartwarming will be out later this year.  The heroine, Annie Emerson, just showed up to me one night.  She’s a social worker who goes home to a small town in Kentucky to arrange assisted living care for the grandmother who raised her.  Unfortunately, Ida Vance dies and leaves Annie with a run-down house in a dying town, and just enough money and guilt that she decides to stay and put things right.  At first her biggest opponent is police chief, Skylar Cordova who came to this town and this job with baggage of his own.  And so it goes…if I told you more about their story, you probably wouldn’t want to read “Annie’s Neighborhood.”  I hope you will read it and all of the other great books the Heartwarming editors publish each month for our reading pleasure.  Keep checking this blog site to find out what’s new.

Comments

  1. Roz, your story sounds great! I love rambling old houses and cleaning them up (I mean reading about cleaning them up) and memories and mysteries.
    Your books are great. My favorite is still the urn left in the middle of the road.

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  2. How awesome you've been with Harlequin for so many years!

    I have some of your SuperRomances and look forward to your Heartwarming stories.

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  3. Roz- your career is so inspiring! I love that you wish there was a warehouse of ideas in the sky but how grateful you are when characters come to you and demand that their stories be told :) You certainly don't need that warehouse with all of the wonderful books you've crafted over the years. I'm honored to be a part of the Harlequin Heartwarming line up with you!

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  4. Your new book sounds great, Roz. I love hearing how other writers come up with ideas. Especially when the characters demand their stories be told!

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  5. Hey, just checking in. I'm really happy to see my blog is up since Pam had to lead me through each step. So, thanks for the comments. Pam--that book you mention, Lost, But Not Forgotten, and another book, The Water Baby, both came from news snippets that haunted me until I took what little I knew and made books with happy endings. A baby's urn and a suitcase were found along the highway south of Tucson and occasional updates by reporters say the items were never claimed. The Water Baby came from an item in a California paper where a boat blew up, a child was rescued, but all else lost. I never heard the real outcome so I wrote my own. Thanks everyone for stopping by. Roz

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  6. Hi Roz,

    You know how much I love old houses and small towns. Your book sounds like my kind of read. This one is definitely going on my "Must buy" list. Of course, your stories are always a good read and I have many of them in my library. Thank you for being such an inspiration to us.
    Gail

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  7. Roz! Your book does sound great. I love small towns (as an escapee from L.A.) and can just imagine all the drama inherent in a young woman taking over her grandmother's place - especially with a handsome hero with his own baggage involved. I'm glad you can verify that there is no idea warehouse - I thought it was possible I alone didn't have the key. I get lots of ideas, but making them work requires such pain and frustration. Want to go into business? We'll create the Sky Warehouse of Ideas - and maybe we'll provide chocolate as well.

    Muriel

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  8. Hi Roz,

    I'd love to have access to an idea warehouse. Years ago I asked author Raymond Feist how he came up with ideas. He laughed and said his problem is how to narrow his endless ideas down to the list of those he has time to write. What a great problem to have. I need to claw and scratch for mine.

    Bill Allen

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  9. I'm fortunate enough to be one of Roz's critique partners, and I will say ANNIE'S NEIGHBORHOOD is a terrific book. Just as all of Roz's books, it'll warm your heart and make you feel good. :)

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  10. Roz, I can't wait to see your earlier titles re-released...the first one I ever read was The Water Baby, and I know you had a lot more already published when that came out.

    Hurray for a new chance to find 'em!

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  11. Hi, Roz! I loved your story idea when I first read it--your heroine reminded me a little bit of Erin Brockovich. As you wrote the full, did you find the characters taking you into any unexpected directions? (And I have to ask: who was that original editor who you moved with from line to line? Was it Paula?)

    So happy to have your stories in Heartwarming!

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  12. Hi Roz, your story sounds great. I haven't read this one so I'm looking forward to it. Congratulations on the Heartwarming release. And thanks for being so nice to me when I first started out. I always remember that. Best of luck with the book.

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  13. Popping back in again to thank everyone for comments.
    Victoria, it was Paula Eykelhof for sure. She bought my very first book and I feel blessed that she continues to guide my writing. I actually tell anyone willing to listen about how wonderful all of the editors in Toronto have been to work with over the years. An exceptional group of kind, caring ladies as well. Roz

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  14. Roz, I've read your books for years though I think there's some on the backlist I havent...yet. LOL. Your new Heartwarming sounds wonderful. Can't wait!!!

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  15. Hi Roz, looking forward to reading "Annie's Neighborhood". I'm so glad Harlequin is continuing the Heartwarming line. Especially when it means new books by such wonderful authors who are also my dear friends--you, Muriel and Janice. Keep up the good work, ladies!

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  16. I came on to comment on Muriel's blog and saw I had a few notes I didn't get back with. Syndi, thanks, and we need to arm-wrestle Ginger into sending Heartwarming a new proposal as they've reprinted her really great stories already.

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  18. Wow! I’m glad I stumbled upon your post, Ms. Roz Fox. Believe it or not, I grew up reading Harlequin romance novels. I secretly read my mom’s copies! Haha. Anyway, I hope you continue writing. As you said, ideas don’t just drop down from heaven, so I really admire writers like you.

    Julio Sporer

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