Interview and Giveaway: Joanne Kennedy - Cowboy Tough

1. Instead of the usual introduction tell me 3 silly things about yourself :)

JK: Let’s see… I am an absolute nut about birds, and seeing a new species can make my day (in Wyoming, I often have to settle for a new breed of chicken at the State Fair). I write about cowboys and love horses but ride incredibly badly (I fall off a lot). And I practically live on Dreyer’s Slow Churned Caramel Delight ice cream (no explanation needed!). 

2. Could you tell me about your new book Cowboy Tough?

JK: Cowboy Tough stars Mack Boyd, a rodeo cowboy who’s called home by his mother. She’s in financial trouble, and needs him to help turn their working cattle ranch into a dude ranch. Their first project: win a contract from Art Treks, Inc., a company that promotes painting tours of scenic locations. The ranch’s backcountry is scenic enough for any artist, but can they make the trip go smoothly? Artists are a lot harder to herd than cattle, but once he meets the talented artist who leads the group, Mack’s determined to make it work.

Cat Crandall just quit her steady job in advertising because she wants to travel and put her talent to use—but she was hoping to go to Italy or France, not Wyoming. Still, the scenery is attractive…and so is the wrangler!

3.  What made you want to read western romances?

JK: Living here in Wyoming is an inspiration. You can drive ten minutes in any direction and find spaces so vast you feel like the horizon is unreachable. It makes you want to get on a fast horse and just run (without falling off)! I wanted to give readers that feeling, and I also wanted to write about the people here. Cowboys have done their jobs the same way, with the same equipment and clothing, for over a century. They’re strong, determined men whose old-fashioned values are born out of the challenges they face every day.

4. Tell me why Mack is the cowboy to read about this month.

JK: Mack has a lot of the qualities you’d expect in a cowboy. He’s honest and straightforward, hardworking, and looks pretty danged good in Wranglers. But he’s also the father of a teenaged girl, and he’s a great dad. That’s a quality that drew me to my own cowboy; I loved the way he lit up when he talked about his daughter. I think being a caring father is one of the most attractive qualities a man can have.

5. Who would your perfect cowboy be?

JK: The one I live with every day! He’s a sky cowboy, not a horse cowboy – he flies jets. He’s the kindest and most compassionate man I know; a great dad and a wonderful husband. 

6. What’s up next for you?

JK: I’m working on a series, The Cowboys of Decker Ranch, about three men who were adopted as foster kids by the same rancher. He taught them about love and family, but they have a lot to learn about trust—and about women. 

All my previous books have been stand-alones, and I’ve been surprised how much fun it is to write a series. Creating my little towns and the surrounding ranches is way more fun when I know I’ll be coming back for the next book, and the next. Hopefully it’ll be fun for readers, too!

Thank you so much for inviting me to visit, and thanks for highlighting so many other great romance books! You’ve helped me discover lots of great reading material. I’ll be checking the comments all day long and answering any other questions readers might have.

Thank you so much Joanne :)

Giveaway

1 copy Cowboy Tough

1. US and Canada only

2. Ends March 4th

3. Just enter :)

COWBOY TOUGH BY JOANNE KENENDY – IN STORES FEBRUARY 2013

She’s hardly a cowgirl…

Cat Crendall left a successful advertising job in New York to teach art workshops in the wild west.  The Boyd Ranch is hardly her dream destination, but if the outing’s a success, the company will send her to more exotic locations.

But once a cowboy…

Mack Boyd was in the middle of the best bronc-riding season of his life when his mother asked for help with an artists’ retreat at the ranch.  Mack might be able to ride a wild stallion to a standstill but he can’t say no to his family.

Cat and Mack are complete opposites…but when the ranch is threatened financially, can they set aside their differences and work together?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Kennedy’s lifelong fascination with Wyoming’s unique blend of past and present inspires her to write contemporary Western romances with traditional ranch settings. In 2010 she was nominated for a RITA award for One Fine Cowboy. At various times, Joanne has dabbled in horse training, chicken farming, and bridezilla wrangling at a department store wedding registry. Her fascination with literature led to careers in bookselling and writing. She lives with two dogs and a retired fighter pilot in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information, please visit http://joannekennedybooks.com/ and on Facebook.

To Purchase Cowboy Tough

Amazon

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IndieBound

Chapters/Indigo

Discover a New Love

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