Notes from Leigh

I’ve been asked by hundreds of readers whether I’m going to write more books in The Cowboys series about Bret, Hawk, Zeke, Will, and Eden. I had planned to finish all the Cowboys -- I have outlined stories for all of them -- but my publisher decided I needed to start a new series. They were concerned that thirteen books were too many for one series. The original plan was that I would come back and finish the Cowboys after I'd finished a new, shorter series.

The Night Riders was supposed to be a seven-book series, but it got cut short when distributors, wholesalers, and chain store book buyers decided series didn't sell and they weren't going to buy any book that even looked like it was part of a series. Texas Homecoming is the first book in the Night Riders, Texas Bride, the second. Born to Love was the third and last of the series.

I next contracted to write three books about western brides. The first two were The Independent Bride and The Reluctant Bride. However, before I could begin the third, reader response was so great that my publisher decided to let me finish The Cowboys. The Mavericks (Hawk and Zeke) came out in December of 2005 followed by A Texan’s Honor (Bret Nolan) in July of 2006. The last two books in the series, TEXAS TENDER (Will’s books) and TEXAS LOVING (Eden’s book) are scheduled for January 2007 and April of 2008. If you would like to thank my publisher, or ask that I be allowed to finish The Night Riders, please contact them at dorchpub@dorchesterpub.com.

I feel I need to explain that this decision was based, at least in part, on the problem of keeping the backlisted books in a series available. When a potential reader picks up a book and realizes it’s part of a series, they tend not to buy it unless all the previous books are available. Distributors might do this for Nora Roberts or John Grisham, but they aren’t going to devote that much shelf space for an author at my level. (Read that as midlist). I would like to thank everyone who wrote my publisher. Readers have power. You just have to make your wishes known.

The Seven Brides were written in chronological order ( Rose, Fern, Iris, Laurel, Daisy, Violet, Lily), but the Cowboys weren't. The chronological order of the Cowboys is Jake, Ward, Buck, Drew, Sean, Chet, Matt, Pete, Luke. Dorchester has kept these books – as well as all other books I’ve written for them – in stock. If you're having trouble purchasing any of these books through your local bookstore, call 1-800-481 9191 or go to the Dorchester web site at www.dorchesterpub.com . If you would like a list of all the books I’ve written, send me your address to: P. O. Box 470761, Charlotte, NC 28226

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THE COWBOYS

As many of you know, I haven’t written The Cowboys series in chronological order. I wasn’t trying to be difficult. 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 for the first nine books is JAKE, WARD, BUCK, DREW, SEAN, CHET, MATT, PETE, and LUKE. Things get more confusing after that. Chronologically, THE MAVERICKS, which came out in December, 2005, is the 12th book in the series. The books which were published immediately after it A TEXAN’S HONOR (July 2006) and TEXAS TENDER , Will’s book, (January 2007) actually take place before THE MAVERICKS. I’m only telling you this because Zeke and Hawk appear in both books still unmarried. If this is confusing, I apologize. This is just the way my brain works. It drives my family bonkers, too.

You will be relieved to know that TEXAS LOVING (Eden’s book, April 2008) is actually the last book chronologically. I’ll do my best to catch you up on all the families, but the Maxwell clan is much bigger than the Randolphs. I can’t promise a lot.

I want to thank all the readers who’ve written to tell me how much they’ve enjoyed this 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.