An elected member of the Texas Institute of Letters, Mike Cox is the author of fourteen nonfiction books. Over a freelance career of more than forty years, he has also written hundreds of articles and essays for a wide variety of publications.

His most recent book, The Texas Rangers: Wearing the Cinco Peso, 1821-1900 (2008) received excellent reviews and has been a best-seller among books about the Old West.

A former award-winning reporter, he was a longtime spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety and later communications manager for the Texas Department of Transportation before retiring in 2007.

These days he devotes full time to his freelance writing, while finding time to pursue a little fishing and hunting. He lives in Austin with his wife and daughter.