Mimi: The Perilous Journey of a Free-Spirited Texas Woman

Description

Mimi: The Perilous Journey of a Free-Spirited Texas Woman tells the extraordinary true story of a Texas debutante who lived a life few could imagine.

A niece of Texas Senator John Tower, Mimi’s journey takes her from tragedy and privilege to the dangerous heart of the Mexican drug trade.

After losing her mother at a young age and surviving a horrific lake accident, Mimi pursued her studies in California before settling in Dallas with her first husband. She earned degrees in art history and ceramics from Southern Methodist University and later made her mark in Houston, organizing a groundbreaking sculpture exhibition that drew national acclaim in the 1970s.

A 1976 trip to Big Bend with future governor Ann Richards deepened her love for Far West Texas and led her to purchase a ranch in Mexico near Lajitas, Texas.

There, Mimi’s path took a darker turn. Her romances with drug dealers, including the notorious Pablo Acosta Villareal, pulled her into a dangerous world of smuggling and violence. When Acosta was killed in a dramatic shoot-out, Mimi’s own life was at risk. Reinventing herself once again, she fled to California, where she worked as a casting agent before eventually returning to her beloved Terlingua, where she now runs a coffee shop and hotel.

A gripping story of reinvention, survival, and resilience, Mimi blends Texas history, border intrigue, and the complexities of a fearless woman’s life. It is both a cautionary tale and a celebration of strength in the face of peril.

Binding Type: Paperback
Author: Bill Wright
Published: 03/31/2026
Publisher: Texas Christian University Press
ISBN: 9780875659633
Pages: 118
Weight: 0.37lbs
Size: 0.28″ H x 9.00″ L x 6.00″ W

About the Author
Wright, Bill: – Bill Wright is an accomplished businessman, author, and photographer whose travels have taken him around the globe. Over the course of his career, he has published fourteen books, most recently Mimi: The Perilous Journey of a Free-Spirited Texas Woman, released the year he turned 93. Wright divides his time between Abilene and Fort Davis, Texas, where he enjoys the company of family, friends, and his rescued goldendoodle, Brie.