Old Friends, I’m shedding all New York Publishers and going solo with a new crew. Just formed a company called Make A Hand, LLC. We have two new books, music and more for friends who have supported my work over the years. The two new books and a re-print are coming out in hardcover.

The Spirit of Dogie Long is a novel about an infant boy who is found by a trail crew on a cattle drive from New Mexico to California in the 1870s. During his first 12 years, the crew teaches him how to handle himself with honesty, compassion and integrity among cattle, horses and cowboys, the Cowboy Way. The first three chapters were published by Western Horseman Magazine in serial form over 10 years ago.

Serpentine, a novel that Hank Azcona and I wrote is about a band of street urchins in a Mexican border town. Like all streets, these can be dangerous avenues for the adventures of 12-year-old boys and girls. In this book, mean people bully and prey on them, but they manage to escape and best of all, keep their innocence. Serpentine was accepted for publication by the University of New Mexico Press, but never published. The reader who recommended it compared it favorably to Huckleberry Finn.

Steeldust was first published as two books in 1986-87, then again in 1997 as a limited edition in one volume. The books are now so scarce that they are hard to find and expensive to buy. In the early 1900s Thoroughbred horses that had quarter horse characteristics were called Steel Dust horses for their ability as sprinters. Many breeders believe that the foundation stud for the first quarter horses was a great horse called Steel Dust. This story is set in Arizona and northern Mexico in the early 1920s. Steeldust, Bill Shane’s top horse, is stolen and his sweetheart is kidnapped by an enemy who runs to Mexico with them. Bill goes after them alone.

These three books will be published by Make A Hand in hardcover.

We are also producing music albums of original songs based on the two new books: The Spirit of Dogie Long and Serpentine. All the music meets with my total approval. Illustrations are being done by my son, Billy Pat Brown, who is also understandably enthusiastic about it and Curtis Fort who illustrated the special edition of Steeldust.

You are one of my old friends who have bought my books since they first came out. Make A Hand and I ask you to order these new first edition signed books now. The books will be sold individually for $25 plus $5 for shipping and handling. A tax of $2.40 per book will have to be charged only for Arizona purchases. Production of the books has already begun, so we do not expect much delay in the mailing of the hardcover books.