"Holt's affection for the Texas landscape is evident on every page, and his novel evokes a time when children's imaginations had not been flattened by television. This sweet and simple story will appeal to those partial to a gentle tale of love."— Publisher's Weekly .

"A Promise to Catie is captivating, and the romance between Billy and his ghostly Catie is both a product and a reminder of that calmer decade of 'the quiet generation.'"— Dallas Morning News

"A Promise to Catie is a simple heartstrings-tugger that would be enjoyable to romantics of all ages."— Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"See dat dry moon up dere in de day sky? It gonna be full nex' Tuesday night. Das a good time for me to tell 'bout de spirits. . . . Billy, you gots yo'self a ghost. A real live ghost."

You've read ghost stories, but not like this one. When Billy Griffin moves from Dallas to the small town of Oakpoint, Texas in 1955, he thinks life will be simpler in the country. Instead, his life is turned upside-down by a series of inexplicable events. He has been living in the old ranch house only a few weeks when the silhouette of a woman appears in his bedroom window. Objects disappear from his desk. His sister Beth is bitten by a rattlesnake, then miraculously and mysteriously saved. Billy must call upon an old conjure woman, Hebronetta Sikes, to make sense of the events, but to do so he must get past her fierce companions, a Doberman and a German Shepherd.

What he does, who he meets, and what he learns will surprise you. Folklore, race relations, and small town life form the background of this unusual first novel.

Judd Holt has drawn upon his wide range of experiences as a Yellowstone Park Ranger, a teacher, a coach, and attorney to write this novel. A native of Denton, Texas, he currently practices law there.