I See My Books As Movies

While I write my books, I see them as movies and hear the music. In WALKER: THE RODEO LEGEND, I saw my wounded vet suffering in the hospital before returning to Wyoming. When he did arrive, he hung out in Markton, Wyoming, at an old motel for a few days, and ate a meal or two at a dive before contacting his older brother Jesse at the CODY ranch to let him know he was back. I think of these as my mood pieces.

Those two segments of my film didn’t make it into my final, polished creation and ended up on the cutting room floor. Neither did my title, RODEO WARRIOR. (Tears) I think maybe they were my favorite segments because, to me, they caught the flavor of this particular western, and summed up the feelings of this all American hero rodeo cowboy who’s been carrying around baggage for a long, long time.

I told you I hear the music as well as visualize the movie in my head. My first scene showed Walker lying in his hospital bed recovering from his IED wounds. His nurse, who has already fallen under his spell, comes in to take his vitals and flirt with this former rodeo hero, hoping he’ll bite, but no such luck. He’s so morose, she wants to cheer him up and turns on the radio to a country western station. Below is the song being sung by a female vocalist. (I wrote the words) When the song is over, he mutters, “That’s a flattering opinion you have of me.”

Hey rodeo fans, can you hear me? Better hold your sweetheart tight.
There’s an exciting new bulldogger coming into town tonight.
He’s hot out of the box, and he’s hot with the women,
He’ll mess with your gal, consider that a given.
Tall, dark and sexy, handsome as sin,
He’s the rodeo warrior lover who’s about to gallop in.
If you don’t want a broken heart before daylight,
Keep your gal out of sight and locked up tight.
Better put her in the barn and throw away the key,
Don’t let him near her, or believe you me,
He’ll take her for a horseback ride, And rob you blind,
Before he throws a steer, and leaves your gal behind.
He’s a charmer, he’s a talker, he’s a no-strings guy,
He’s the rodeo warrior lover, in town on the fly.

The other segment that didn’t make it into my movie shows Walker at the local dive. He’s just come into Markton. Since he doesn’t want company, he tells the waitress to find him a table away from everyone. “Right back here, cowboy,” she says before turning on the old juke box, picking the song that suits him to a T. For her understanding, he leaves her a fat tip at the end of the meal. Below is the song (again written by me)

Hey, Wanda? Bring the blue plate special, I’m eating alone tonight.

Put me in the corner, away from the light.
If anyone should ask for me, you know what to say, all I want’s the blue plate special, everyone else just stay away.
Don’t come any closer, don’t sit down with me, don’t tangle with me, honey, just leave me be.
I want the blue plate special, without the company.
Other gals have tried, much braver than you, save yourself the trouble, I’ll give you a clue. I want the blue plate special, I don’t want you.
You don’t want to be around me, you don’t know who I am, you think you have the answers, but honey, I don’t give a damn. I want the blue plate special, did you hear me? Scram!
Hey, Wanda? If anyone should ask for me, you know what to say. All I want’s the blue plate special, everyone else just stay away.

Hope you enjoyed this little insight into Walker’s psyche before he rejoined his family and met the love of his life. Read the whole Cody series and thrill to the challenges and joys of this first family of Rodeo.

Rebecca Winters