Notes from Leigh

I’m not very good about keeping my website up to date, but I will try to keep readers abreast of the situation at Drochester until something is settled. If you would like to write Dorchester, go to their website at www.dorchesterpub.com and click on the customer service tab on the top right.

In August of 2010, Dorchester released Rose, Fern, Iris, and Laurel from the Seven Brides series with new covers at the bargain price of $4.99. These books were given new ISBN numbers which means companies like Amazon may not realize they are reissues of earlier books. Some of my regular readers who have standing orders for my new books have already been sent these books and are understandably unhappy.  Please see that this does not happen to you.

Dorchester had intended to release Daisy, Violet, and Lily in the spring of 2011 at the same bargain price as Rose, Fern, Iris, and Laurel.  With their changeover to digital publisher, I don’t see that happening.  That’s unfortunate because those last three books are now out of print.  Copies available on Amazon and other sites are often advertised at higher prices.  I would hope you would be able to find any book you’re missing in a second-hand bookstore or at a yard sale.

As many of you know, I didn’t write The Cowboys series in chronological order. Since so many of the boys were about the same age, I had to figure things out one book at a time. The chronological order is Jake, Ward, Buck, Drew, Sean, Chet, A Texan’s Honor, Matt, Pete, Texas Tender, Luke, The Mavericks, Texas Loving. I did my best to catch you up on all the families, but the Maxwell clan is much bigger than the Randolphs. By the time Eden got married, there were twelve couples with nearly forty children.

The Night Riders was supposed to be a seven-book series. Texas Homecoming, Texas Bride, and Born to Love were the first three books in the series. Someone Like You (Rafe’s story) and When Love Comes (Broc’s story), are the next two.  I have completed contract negotiations to write the last two books for Sourcebooks.  Texas Noble (tentative title) will come out in April of 2011.  The last book, as yet untitled, will be out in October of the same year.

My backlist is available once again, but the books can only be purchased from the Dorchester website at www.dorchesterpub.com or through the call center at 1-800-481-9191.  Your favorite bookseller can purchase these books for you, but be aware that Dorchester requires all orders to be paid up front.  They will accept no returns.  Not all of my backlist is still in print.  To find out if certain books are available, get in touch with the call center or email me at Leighgwood@aol.com.  I have a few copies of most of my books.  If you would like an autographed copy or just a list of what I’ve written, send me your address either by email or by letter to P. O. Box 470761, Charlotte, NC 28226, and I’ll send you the list.

I want to thank all the readers who’ve written to tell me how much they’ve enjoyed my series, to ask where they can find books they’re missing, and who wrote my publisher asking that I be allowed to finish the series. Writers can’t exist with readers. I’m very fortunate to have each and every one of you.