Bestselling author releases surprise novel inspired by a Taylor Swift song and dedicated to her high school friend of 35-plus years who died recently. The novel has a message for us all about what matters most in life.

KENNEBUNK, ME / ACCESS Newswire / June 4, 2026 / On June 1, Dr. Patricia Leavy surprised her fans by releasing her novel, Cowboy Eyes, without any advance warning, just two months after publishing her last novel, Twinkle of Doubt. Leavy is under a massive contract with She Writes Press, distributed by Simon & Schuster, to release two novels a year through 2030. With titles coming out every spring and fall, her fans did not expect this latest drop, released through her own indie publishing company, Paper Stars Press.

The novel follows Cassy and Colt, two young dreamers who meet by accident at a Houston country club where neither belongs. The two spend an unforgettable night together until they're chased off the grounds and wind up running in different directions. Six years later, they bump into each other in Los Angeles, and Colt hatches a plan to make their dreams reality. Is cowboy spirit enough to make it in Hollywood? When you're always hustling to be someone does it change who you are?

It's the inspiration behind the novel that's gotten people's attention. Last summer when Leavy was traveling abroad, she learned on Facebook that her high school friend of over 35 years, who was also her first love, had died unexpectedly. The dedication reads in part, "You were never able to be the hero of your own story like you hoped, so I've made you the hero in mine." Leavy fondly remembers a night decades ago when as teenagers they walked from town to town talking about their dreams. This would be the impetus for the opening chapter of Cowboy Eyes, when two teenagers, schemers and dreamers, spend an unforgettable night on a golf course talking about their plans for the future.

Leavy got the inspiration that helped her transform a memory into a fictional novel from Taylor Swift's song, "Cowboy Like Me," from the Evermore album. Leavy says, "I already loved that song but one day I heard it and something clicked. As I listened, a new story unfurled in my mind. I played it on repeat for hours, days, and months. I've always been inspired by art and artists. Sometimes it's a painting, or a film, or in this case a song. When an artwork is truly great, it can serve as a portal to many stories. That's true for "Cowboy Like Me" and so many of Taylor Swift's songs, which is why so many people see their own lives in her lyrics, and so many artists create entirely new stories inspired by them." Leavy has been inspired by Swift's songs before and also cites singer Tori Amos as a frequent muse.

Leavy shares another connection with Swift. Around the time Swift announced her intention to re-record her early albums, Leavy struck a ground-breaking deal with her then publisher, Brill, regaining the rights to her massive catalog and negotiating a better deal for other authors. She too has since revised and rereleased multiple creative works. Leavy recently delivered the keynote address at the Women Who Create Conference at Cambridge University in England. In her talk, she praised Swift for fighting for her art and inspiring others to do the same.

Cowboy Eyes has received high praise. Award-winning author, Laurel Richardson, said, "Cowboy Eyes is destined to become a modern classic." Jessie Voigts, the founder of Wandering Educators hailed it as, "a tour de force." Author Jessica Smartt Gullion said, "It's an absolute must-read for anyone who has ever been told their dreams were too big for the world they were born into." The Book Revue gave it 5-stars calling it, "The kind of novel that reminds you why you started reading."

On the day of release, it shot into Amazon's Hot 100 in multiple categories, and within hours became the #2 New Release in Contemporary American Fiction.

When asked what she hopes readers take from Cowboy Eyes, Leavy cites psychologist Carl Jung and says, "That the privilege of a lifetime is to become who you really are." She adds, "And if you're lucky enough to find people who truly see you for who you are, treasure them."

Dr. Patricia Leavy is a bestselling author and internationally known scholar. She is widely considered the world's most visible proponent of arts-based research. Leavy was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Founding Director of Gender Studies, and Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology at Stonehill College. She has published over 50 books, earning critical and commercial success in both nonfiction and fiction, and her work has been translated into numerous languages. Her books have earned more than 100 awards. Recently, her novel Shooting Stars Above was featured on People "10 Romance Books to Read After Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. "Leavy has received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established "The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research." In 2026 the Firebird Book Awards honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her website is https://patricialeavy.com/.

Cowboy Eyes is available here

Review copies available to media upon request. Please direct all inquiries to Dr. Leavy's assistant, Shalen Lowell at shalenlowell@gmail.com.

SOURCE: Paper Stars Press