Judges today have a lot of control and clout, but nothing like in the 1800s. And except for federal judges, they have to answer to the people who elect them. In the past, state judges were appointed by the governor and wielded a lot more of power. In addition to hearing cases, they could:
- Appoint Deputy U.S. Marshals (the president appointed U.S. Marshals)
- Form a posse
- Notify a traveling hangman that he was needed following a verdict
- Oversee hangings if a sheriff either refused or couldn’t
- Step in and take over for a crooked sheriff and/or appoint a new one until election time
- In some cases, he could form a sort of task force (or single person) to handle a particular problem
- Choose jurors
- Oversee census taking and other duties of a lawman if there was none
So you see, they were pretty powerful and answered to no one. As a result, there were a lot of corrupt judges. But the majority were dedicated, followed the law, and did their jobs well.
I’ve never written a judge hero…until now.
In my March book, Crockett Legend is a judge working out of Quanah, Texas. Quanah is only forty miles from the Lone Star Ranch so he spends a lot of time on the ranch, traveling back and forth by train.
However, the Legends’ neighbor the Mahones have started a feud with them, killing their cattle and shooting at range riders. The feud ramps up when Joe Mahone dies under mysterious circumstances and Joe’s only son, Farrel, accuses them of murder.
Crockett has always loved Paisley Mahone only now she’s taken a stand with her brother in the feud and she refuses to talk to him. Crockett doesn’t give up and hopes she’ll soon see reason. It takes a hilarious matchmaking talking parrot to bring them back together.
The theme of this story is things aren’t always as they seem, and perseverance is crucial when it involves softening a woman’s heart. This concludes the Lone Star Legends series but never fear. I’ve started a brand new series that I think you’ll love.
I’m a little sad that I’m leaving the Legend Family behind. I’ve done three series using them in various degrees. That’s ten books.
Question for you: How do you feel about the length of a series? Do some get too long? At some point, do you ever feel they’ve run their course? I sometimes do.
A Man of Legend comes out on March 29th. It’s available for preorder now HERE. Please don’t confuse this with the first book of the series – A Cowboy of Legend. The two are completely different.
I’ll have more next month about A Man of Legend and some giveaways so watch for that.
Right now I have a sale to announce. The Mail Order Bride’s Secret is at $1.99 and will be the rest of the month. If you missed it, you can get it cheap. Click HERE. This is Book #3 of Outlaw Mail Order Brides. She came with a secret that would destroy the man she’d come to love.
Here in the Texas Panhandle, we do love our cowboys. There's just something about a man in a Stetson and jeans that makes my heart beat faster. I'm not much of a cook but I love to do genealogy and I'm a bit of a rock hound. I'm also a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of historical western romance. You can contact me through my website and I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. HAPPY READING!
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I believe it is how the story lines are written. As long as there are great stories for the character’s I do not care about the length of the series. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Thanks for coming, Miss Debbie. Always a treat to see you. You’re probably right in that it’s how the story lines are written and if they keep the stories fresh. But for me, most tend to get stale after a while. It’s like the author just changes the names. The first series I became addicted to was Bertrice Small’s Skye O’Malley. They were so good and I couldn’t wait for a new one to come out. Have a beautiful day, Debbie.
I think it depends on how fresh each story is and if the tropes are a little different. Some are best in three or five, but some can be more.
denise
Good morning, Denise! Thanks for coming over. Freshness is a must and to keep them fresh each one needs a different trope. Some series have like fifteen or sixteen books and I don’t see how the author does it. I know for me as an author, I get so tired of writing about the same family. It grows a little tiresome. I need that freshness also. I hope your day is filled with beauty and love.
I do think some series get too long and I loose interest.
Absolutely, Debra. Sometimes I really love a series and live in anticipation of the next one but it keeps going and going and I just want the author to let go and move on. Same with a TV series. Sometimes they run their stories into the ground and I quit watching. I also hate back and forth stuff. They let two characters almost commit then pull them back, repeating that over and over. Nope. I’m done. Thanks for coming, Debra. I always enjoy seeing you.
I love series. Some do get too long, but it depends on the author. Some can continue a series with fresh new plots (like you do), others just seem to repeat the same old theme and let’s the series get stagnant.
But overall I love series whete characters from previous books are brought back in with the new characters & plots.
I loved your new book and Crockett was a great judge. Love you my sister friend.
Good morning, Miss Tonya. Always a pleasure to see you. I totally agree. Same old stuff doesn’t work and won’t hold a reader. And I grew to feel that I couldn’t sustain this series at the high level it was. I needed a break and write something different. I may go back to the Legends eventually but who knows. Thank you for liking A Man of Legend! Crockett and Paisley belonged together. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it, but I knew I had no choice but to figure it out. That’s one reason I threw in the talking parrot. That bird really helped a lot and of course saved the day. Enjoy today’s beauty and find blessings around you. I love you dearly, sister friend.
Good morning! There are some authors that can continue a series forever. They are the authors that can come up with plots for each book that keep you riveted. They’re also the authors that a character or more that you don’t want to do without. The Stokers are a family that I don’t want to go on and on.
It does take a special author to do this though so most series do not need to continue for very long. Your an awesome series writer and there are some of your series that I hope you return to some day!
Good morning, Stephanie! Great to see you. I hope you’re improving more each day. I agree that with some series I just want to say “Enough already.” I felt my books were on the verge of becoming like that. I was tired of the Legends myself and needed a break. I may return to them some day or I may not. For now, it’s over. Enjoy this gorgeous day before it turns cold again. Love you dearly and big hugs.
I think series can get too long although I do love seeing some of the some people again in other books. There comes a time when you get tired of that and want something new. That also depends on the author of the book and how well they write the story.
Good morning, Quilt Lady. I’m smiling big. So happy you’re here. I personally think four is a good number for a series but I’ve seen fifteen or sixteen in a series before. Nope. Too much. And Janet Evanovich used the entire alphabet in her series. As an author, I begin to tire of the same people and want something new. That’s the case with my Legends. Have a lovely day and do something fun.
I think it’s according to the series and if the authors have kept their characters real. The Men of Legend series is such a great series, beautifully written. I’ve NEVER been bored with any of your books, actually I think each book has got better keeping me on the edge of my seat !!! The Man of Legend is your best book yet, I had tears when this book ended, the Men of Legend series will live in my heart as one of my favorite !!!
Thank you so much, Rose Ann. That means a lot to me. They had a good run but it’s time to say goodbye. I have other worlds to create and new characters to breathe life into. I know I’ll always cherish the Legends and keep them in my heart forever. I wish you a beautiful day. Do something special and fun. Love and hugs.
I think some can get too long and I lose interest, although sometimes I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Good morning, Karijean! Thank you for coming over. If an author can’t keep a series fresh, they need to end it. As an author, I was getting tired of writing about the same family. I was losing my enthusiasm and knew it was time to end the series. Have a lovely day and try to do something fun.
I don’t mind a longer series but don’t repeat things ad naseam that we’re part of other stories
Thank you so much for coming, JCP. I, too, hate repetition in books and in TV shows. Have a beautiful day. Love and hugs.
I definitely feel some stories are too long or the particular issue being played out becomes mundane. This is not the case for most story lines however. On the other hand there are a number of books I have hated to see end. An author can definitely play a scene or incident to death sometimes. For the most part I can get lost in most every book I read. Thankyou so very much for your endless entertainment. Being able to create such interesting stories and characters is a very admirable attribute.
Good morning, Judy. I’m happy to see you. I think we can all agree on the fact that an author has to keep a series fresh and different or readers will stop reading. I feel that way about TV series as well. Some I love in the beginning then they fall flat along the way. Thank you so much for the compliment. I’m happy in knowing I’ve brought you entertainment. We’ll see what’s next. I do love the new series I’ve started and hope to announce more about that in the coming months. Enjoy your day.
I’ve read the Tales of the Grace Chapel Inn series, well, most of the books, anyway! There are over 43 in the series! Those I like, as they’re all written by different authors, some authors have written more than two in the series. I do think there can be too many books, though, and won’t mention the one that comes to mind first!!! However, now I don’t read any of that author’s books, as she then went on to the kids from the original series! Just too much for me!
Hi Trudy. Thanks for stopping by. Wow, 43 books in the series! That’s a lot. But maybe what helps there is that they’re written by many authors. That keeps things fresh. There does come a time when things are too much. I’m glad I’m stopping with this book and convinces me even more why I should. Thank you for speaking your mind. Have a great day.
I love your stories they each keep getting better. I loved the old west to see people overcome their differences is very thrilling. You could start another series then go back after a while to your other series.
Hi Miss Emma! Glad to see you. Thank you for the compliment and suggestion. I could wind up going back to this series after a long break but I don’t know. I really think it’s done. Have a beautiful day and see blessings around you.
I generally commit to reading an entire series. I don’t care about length as long as the story doesn’t drag on. I do not like “same ole…same ole” stuff. I will dump an entire series if the first book drags. I don’t offer much grace I guess. Ha! The Legends will remain in my heart. All of them unique. Thank you Linda Broday for adding to my book shelf. Love you!
Miss Kathy, I love seeing your name pop up. I’m truly blessed to have you for a reader and I pray I never disappoint. I don’t blame you for dumping books. Life’s too short to spend with books that don’t interest you. Move on the next one. Stay warm and well. Have a blessed day filled with love.
I agree with you, Linda. Some series just drag on too long. Sometimes, less is more. But then you have a prolific writer like Janet Evanovich who just keeps writing the series and is hugely successful at it, but I suspect she’s the exception.
Ten books, though – you are going to feel sad when MAN OF LEGEND is released!! I felt sad when my 3 book series was done. 🙂
Hi Pam. I never did read any of Janet E’s books but they seemed to sell well. I truly think Outlander has run its course. I never did finish the series. It just got kind of repetitious. Yes, I will feel sad to see the Legend family go, but I know in my heart it’s time to end it. I got a little tired of the same characters and want to write something new. And now I have that with a new series and also the Love Train book. I can’t wait to start it. Have a good day filled with tons of inspiration.
When a series is long, I tend not to get all of the books.
Hi Colleen, you know when they come out so quickly with hardly any space in between I stop reading a series because it’s too hard to keep up. Have a great day, sweet lady.
Hello Linda. I am looking forward to this 3rd book in the series. Time to get my pre-order in :-). It really depends for me as to the length of the series, and I always like to start at the beginning and never look ahead for it to be ruined by spoilers. Sometimes everything about a book needs to be wrapped up in a standalone or a short series. But for some I am content if it goes on and on. I’m sure as an author it’s hard to find the perfect place to stop before it gets repetitious or formulaic. Even if I’m reading about the same people or the same place I want new things to happen. Have a wonderful week.
Hi Sally, I’m so happy to see you. I hope A Man of Legend doesn’t disappoint. The thing an author does run into with long series is the battle to keep each one as fresh and exciting as the first. I tried very hard to keep them from becoming dull. When I begin another book in the series, the first thing I ask myself is what have I not written about. I sure didn’t want that to happen. We all want fresh stories and new people. Have a lovely day, my friend.
I loved Crockett as a judge. And he was so young. We think of judges as being old and stuffy. He was far from that. I do think series can run their course. I know authors with upwards of 12 books in a series, and still going. I would have a hard time, as a reader, sticking with one that long. Great post today, sister!
Hi Jan, I think Crockett turned out okay even though he was young. But it wasn’t out of reason back in those days for a young man to accomplish things while very young. Temple Houston, son of Sam, became a lawyer when he was only 19 and won a seat in the Texas legislature when he was twenty. Long series usually become stagnant and that’s one reason why I don’t write any longer than four books. That’s enough. I hope you have a good day and find something exciting. Love you, sister.
I love reading a series and if the books are engaging, it could be 20 books long and I’d read them all. Thanks for such a great post today!
Hi Shanna, I think the success of a long series depends on the author and whether or not he/she can keep them fresh. You have no problem there. I LOVE your stories. Have a great rest of your day, Filly Sister.
I love all your series that I have read. I like a series that is 3 or 4 books. After that it is hard for me to keep up and get all the books. I love the ones with family or characters introduced in previous books and revisited later. Love your blogs and love you sweet lady!?
Hi Miss Ruth! Wow, great to see you, dear friend. I like a shorter series best. I can’t remember a one of mine where I didn’t bring back recurring characters. I just love that and glad you do too. Blessings and love, sweet lady.
I think some series go on long past when they should end. However, it really depends on the author’s writing. If the books begin to just repeat the same things, I get bored. I’m looking forward to A Man of Legend.
Hi Rosemarie. Thank you for coming. I hope you’ll like A Man of Legend if you get to try it. I, too, think some series should end long before the author does. Thanks for weighing in. You have a great rest of your day.
I’ve never read a long series, 5 or 6 books is long enough for me. I like stand alone books more.
Thanks for weighing in, Connie Lee.
I love book series, and as long as they keep on being interesting and good books and they keep my interest, I will keep reading them. The longest series I have read was 7 books and I loved the whole series. I enjoyed reading your post, it is so very interesting, I guess there will always be corrupt people and also some very good dedicated people that care and do their job well. Have a great week and stay safe.
Alicia, thank you so much for coming. Yes, there will always be corrupt people and that’s why justice is so satisfying. But I think the good outweighs the bad. Seven books in one series is pretty long. I’m glad you enjoyed them all.
I love series. Three to four books in a series is about the right length for me. There are exceptions, but most of the time that is just right. However, those that go on for many volumes and years tend to lose my interest. It is hard to keep up the continuity. I like the way you have done your series. Those involving the Legends are all interconnected but complete within the series. They are richer if you have read the previous series, but it isn’t necessary to understand and enjoy them.
Best wishes for a successful release of A MAN OF LEGEND. I am sure it will be a wonderful, if sad, conclusion to the Legend’s story. I am sad to see them go, but look forward to what you are now putting together.
Pat, thank you for the best wishes for A Man of Legend. My last Legend book. Yes, it’s sad. Thank you for the compliment on how I did the interconnected series and just having the original family pop in now and then. That worked for me. A bored writer puts out boring books. I never got bored. Always changing things up. Stay warm and have a beautiful day.
Hi Linda, I love reading your books & the series are never too long. You keep them interesting & me turning the pages. Whenever you are ready to end one of your series, I’m sure you will decide when it will be. Have a blessed day.
Lois, thank you for coming and thank you so much for the compliment. I’m so glad you enjoyed all the Legends. Stay tuned to see what’s coming next.
I love reading books in series! To me if it is a Great Author and the story keeps me wanting to know what happens to the characters, But I love to read! So to me The longer the series the better Have a Great Day!
Sarah, thank you for coming over to weigh in. Reading is really one of the best pastimes there is. And the most satisfying. I hope you continue to find good series.
I love reading series. Usually I like series to run for 6 – 10 books. That length gives to time to really get into the characters, but doesn’t believer the plot.
Thank you for coming over, beemama5. There really is nothing like a series and out of my 33 books, only one was a single title. The series far outsell the others. The characters in series books become like family. You can learn much more about them. Stay warm and dry. It’s turned a little cold here today in Texas.