Dear Readers,

Losing a member of the family is always hard. And our golden retriever, Regan, was very much a part of ours. We adopted her when she was just eight weeks old, and had her with us, until she died of complications of cancer at age thirteen and a half. We knew she had been ill for over a year, and we were able to keep her comfortable and happy right up until she made the transition into dog heaven, and I am grateful for that, as well as the many, many days we spent together.

Regan inspired many of the pets in my novels. She was my constant companion. My walking buddy. My helper in the kitchen. She will forever be a part of my heart and she will be deeply missed. Below is a photo of Regan, taken at age nine, still wearing her full ‘winter coat’, as she enjoys one of the first days of spring in our backyard….

Dear Reader,

I recently hired a new web designer—the fabulous Susan Martin of madcaphijinks.com—and began work on a new website.  (If you like the look of it, and the ease of using it, thank Susan, since she has an uncanny knack for taking my romantic notions and oft-distracted ramblings and turning them into something truly wonderful to behold.)  And she has also suggested I be more timely with my updates, and I have promised her—and now you—that I will.

This process has also forced me to take a look at everything on the site, including my list of favorite things.  And while the majority of the items are still the same, I do have a few new favorite things, especially when it comes to books and tv shows, and movies.   As for the rest, I still can’t get enough chocolate or Mexican food, or fresh fruit—i.e. whatever is in season.  I am an absolute sucker for old-fashioned romance.  And I love to spend time in the kitchen, trying out new recipes, and perfecting the old. 

So, take a look, and make up your own list of favorite things, and ruminate, like I just have, on how… the more things change, the more they stay the same….

Best of luck,
Cathy Gillen Thacker

Dear Readers,

Over the years, many of you have written to me, expressing frustration because you would like to read a particular novel of mine, and can’t—because the book is out of print.

Well, good news, for all of you who currently own e-readers, and or are thinking of purchasing one.

Harlequin is publishing e-versions of many of my back-listed, or previous novels, including the incredibly popular books set in Laramie, Texas featuring members of the McCabes, the Carrigans, and the Lockharts.

They have also reissued The Deveraux Legacy series—set in the incredibly romantic and ‘southern’-- Charleston, South Carolina. And The Brides of Holly Springs series, set in North Carolina, about a family in the wedding business.

Also out are two other Texas-themed series. Made In Texas: Families of the Lone Star State is a series set in the Trans-Pecos area of southwest Texas, and explores the many different ways loving families can be formed.

The Lone Star Dads Club centers around five guys, who are in business together in Fort Worth, Texas. They are all wildly successful, single, sexy, and determined to be great dads. Striving to raise families on their own, they support each other in both professional and personal matters, the way good guy pals do.

There are two longer novels (aka single titles) that are also in ebook form. TEXAS VOWS is the story of Sam McCabe, a grieving widower, and his five boys, and the grief counselor Kate Marten who moves in with them temporarily and turns their lives around. Later, in the series, The McCabes: The Next Generation, all six of their (now grown up) kids are given love stories of their own.

THE HEIRESS tells the story of the secret love child of the Deveraux family, Daisy Templeton and Jack Granger, the man sent out to contain her, before scandal breaks.

Two other books, SNOWBOUND BRIDE, and BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS, are back by popular demand.

The e-books are available at Barnes and Noble, the eHarlequin bookstore on the web, and any other place that sells electronic books for your version of the e-reader.

The books are coming out fast, so I’ll do my best to keep the list updated for you using this symbol .

Happy reading!

Cathy Gillen Thacker

Dear Reader,

The best thing about being single is the independence.  The freedom to do what you want, when you want, without answering to anyone.

The nicest aspect to family and friends is the emotional connection.  Knowing that there is someone there for you whenever, however you need them.

For many of us the dilemma then becomes how to forge and maintain ties without losing either our autonomy or the liberty we cherish.

Emily McCabe would like to settle down one day, if she can find the kind of enduring love her parents, Shane and Greta McCabe (A COWBOY’S WOMAN) discovered in their wildly improper marriage of convenience, years before. The only problem is she doesn’t want anyone telling her what to do, and the one man… the only man… she has her eye on, thinks she needs ‘taming’….! Dylan Reeves has zero interest in marriage, and has in fact sworn he will never be tamed by any woman. Emily doesn’t know about that, but she does know that the lonesome horse whisperer has one of the kindest hearts she has ever known, and would be so much happier if he just belonged to a big family, like hers. Obviously, they have nothing in common. Which is what makes him the perfect candidate for the pretend boyfriend she needs. The only question is, what will it take to make the very sexy Dylan Reeves say yes to her outlandish proposal? Happy reading! Cathy Gillen Thacker

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Pets add so much to our lives, and my golden retriever has enriched my world so very much.

I'll never forget the first time I saw her. My husband, daughter, and I had gone to the breeder's to pick out our new puppy. It was Christmastime, and there they were--nine fluffy little golden retriever puppies. All adorable, all four weeks old. I thought there was no way we were going to be able to pick out just one--I was in love with all of them! But as we sat on the floor in the family room, getting to know the little scamps, I noticed one little puppy had hidden behind a chair. She was smaller than the rest, and was peeking out from time to time, before scooting back to safety. Of course, I had to know more about the shyest puppy there, and so did my husband and daughter. We coaxed her out from her hiding place, and got her to sit on our laps. Once there, she did not want to leave. So we began to wonder.... is she the one meant for us? A week later, we went back to visit the puppies again. As soon as we arrived, the shy little puppy came out of hiding, made a beeline for us, and climbed onto our laps. The decision was made--she had chosen us as surely as we had chosen her. We named her Regan--it means queenly, or reigning queen, and that suited her well.

We took Regan home when she was nine weeks old. We sat up with her, nights, when she missed her mama and littermates too much to sleep. We've attended puppy obedience classes with her, {now, those were a riot} vacationed with her, logged countless miles walking with her, and cared for her when she was sick. She's my constant companion when I am writing, and a big buddy to everyone else in the family, as well.

These days, she is a very outgoing personality. At thirteen and a half, she has a little white on her face, and arthritis in her gait, but her spirit remains indomitable. When I look in her eyes, I know how much love there is in this world of ours...

The enclosed photos are three of my favorites. The first was taken when Regan was a year old, enjoying the wonder of her very first snowfall. The second, snapped a year or so later, is Regan relaxing on her favorite place on the deck, while watching over the newly planted tomatoes, and her backyard. The third was taken recently, and shows Regan curled up contentedly on her cushion, napping, while I write nearby.

Regan is the inspiration for many of the retrievers in my books. And she is also the reason I wrote, A COWBOY UNDER THE MISTLETOE….a story about the wonder of Christmas, and the miracles that can occur, when we open our hearts.

Happy reading,

Cathy Thacker

Dear Readers,

For many in Texas, football isn’t just a sport, it’s a religion… And nothing makes a game day more special than crispy tortilla chips paired with the ever popular Texas layered dip, guacamole, and chili con queso. Here are a few of my favorite recipes.

Go team!

Cathy Gillen Thacker

Dear Reader,

Christmas is a holiday that stirs strong emotions and mine have run the gamut.  There was my first Christmas as a new bride—very romantic.  My first Christmas hundreds of miles away from my family—highly sentimental, and not necessarily in a good way.  Our Christmases with our children when they were young and impossibly excited were very joyous indeed.   The Christmas immediately following the passing of my father was achingly bittersweet.  There are years when the holiday spirit seems determined to elude me—although I always find it eventually.  And years when I am overrun with merriment and anticipation weeks before the actual day.   I never know how the season is going to start—that sort of depends on what is going on around me.  I always know how it’s going to end, with celebration and appreciation, love and family. And the same is true of the residents of fictional Laramie, Texas. 

Event planner Noelle Kringle realizes she has spent too much time dwelling on her losses and is determined to do better and make this a holiday to remember for her two and a half year old son, even as she goes all out to help a beloved friend who is going through her own tough time.  Detective Kevin McCabe laments the lack of a wife and kids of his very own.  His strategy for avoiding the holiday blues is to stay busy, first by doing the guy thing and going fishing alone for two weeks and then by concentrating on police work and charitable endeavors.  Neither figure on a life-changing holiday romance…. But then, the best presents are always a surprise… I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.  For more information on this and other titles, please visit the book list and series guide. Happy holidays and best wishes, Cathy Gillen Thacker

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Dear Reader,

What makes a good father?  To answer that question, I have only to look as far as my own dad.  He was always there for me.  Or to put it in today’s slang, “He showed up.”  It didn’t matter whether I had a fall from my bike or a piano recital or the birth of my first child.  He was always there to bandage a knee, cheer me on, or share in the most incredible joy I’ve ever felt in my life.  He showed up.

Nate Hutchinson wants to show up, too, but he doesn’t have a child of his own until an old friend leaves a posthumous request that he bring up her son. This is no baby.  Landry is a fourteen year old boy with a mind of his own.  Landry doesn’t understand why Nate would want him and he’s not much interested in sticking around to find out why Nate does. Enter Brooke Mitchell.  She loves and protects her 13 year old son Cole fiercely—even when scandal threatens. With Brooke and her son there to help, Nate and Landry begin to see what they too can have, if they dare to become a family.  The question is, can they do it on their own?  Do they even want to try, given the fact that the two boys have become like brothers?  As for Nate and Brooke… something wonderful is happening there, too…    Happy reading! Cathy Gillen Thacker

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Dear Reader,

Spring is the season of renewal. And what better way to add new energy and excitement to your life than by falling in love and making a lifelong commitment to another person?

At lease that’s the way Jack Gaines’s long-widowed mother feels. Sixtysomething Patrice is engaged to be married. Jack would be happy for her if he believed his mother was truly in love with Dutch.

But something seems missing in their relationship. And Jack, burned by his own matrimonial “mistake,” does not want to see his mother enter into an ill-advised union. She’s had enough heartbreak in her life. As her son, it is his duty to protect her. Enter Caroline Mayer, wedding planner extraordinaire. Although Caroline has ruled out a happy-ever-after romance for herself, she loves fulfilling the dreams of others by making their wedding the happiest day of all. Caroline and Jack are at odds from the beginning. He wants to stop the wedding. She wants the nuptials to go off without a hitch. Ehst they don’t expect is to fall in love themselves along the way… I hope you all enjoy winter’s end and experience a little spring fever and a lot of love.  In the meantime… Happy reading! Cathy Gillen Thacker

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