A warm welcome to author Mark Wildyr who is visiting us today here at Love Bytes.
Welcome Mark 🙂
Thanks to Love Bytes for allowing me to guest blog about the release of my new novel, JOHNNY TWO-GUNS, by Dreamspinner Press on Friday, March 18. Let me tell you a little about myself before we take a look at a scene from the book.
Born in a small southeastern Oklahoma town, I was a nerdish, tubercular child who tended to live in books rather than the real world. It took the U. S. Army (following my college graduation) to prove to me I could do anything anyone else could do. After marching over the hills of southern Germany for a year, the military sent me to Colorado where I met the wife I lost to pneumonia in 2009. By then I had found a permanent home and business career in New Mexico, tried and given up on oil painting, and returned to my childhood interest in writing. In many of the sixty Wildyr short stories, one novella, and seven novels, you will find historical themes and cross-cultural relationships. Today, I live a quiet, still somewhat nerdish existence, but I do try to give back to the literary community by teaching a free writing class every Monday afternoon.
Blurb:
When vacationing Denver architect Roger Mackie rolls into a quaint old trading post in Montana’s Bitterroot Mountain Range to gas up his car, it’s the start of a life-changing journey. Lean, handsome Chippewa Johnny Two-Guns is looking for a ride. He’s on a mission to recover some clan treasures. Roger is immediately smitten and drives Johnny all the way to Arizona.
Although the two successfully build a friendship, Roger is unable to initiate the intimacy they both seem to desire. A second visit gives Roger another chance to draw Johnny out of his shell. The payoff is spectacular, leading to a week of sex and discovery, during which Johnny’s innocent enthusiasm shows Roger a new side of love between men. But trouble is on the horizon for the new couple, as fate seems set against them. And what does the sudden appearance of sexy young architect Brad Beaver portend for the future?
The following scene takes place in Chapter 1 shortly after Roger Mackie, a Denver architect, meets a young Chippewa outside of Butte, Montana and agrees to give him a ride to Arizona in exchange for help driving and some conversation. They are heading south down I-15 toward Las Vegas.
*****
As we passed steadily through southern Montana, Johnny patiently answered questions about rodeos and cowboys. He’d done some team roping with his cousin. He liked to be the heeler, that is, rope the hind leg after the header drops the noose around the steer’s horns. He allowed as to how he was a decent bronc rider, but the rough stock was too much like busting horses to saddle—something he did at home to earn extra money—so that didn’t grab him so much. Eventually he looked slightly startled, as if he’d realized he was talking a lot. He sort of dried up after that, answering questions in a word or two instead of giving detailed explanations.
After another little silence, we flashed through a wide spot in the road I took to be a village. Shortly thereafter, I spotted a road sign and calculated we’d make Pocatello before quitting for the day. Then I picked up where we’d left off. “Well, if you don’t like sports, I’m sure you like girls. They’re kind of a sport.”
He ignored my effort to joke. “They’re okay, I guess. Not around them much.”
“Good-looking guy like you ought to be dating heavy.”
He ducked his head and gave a quick grin. “Not much.”
“Then I take it you’re not married.”
He chuckled, transforming his face again. “Not hardly.”
“Girlfriend?”
He shook his head.
“No? Come on, now. Isn’t there someone you’re a little sweet on?” For some reason a dew of sweat popped out on my upper lip. Probably should stop baiting the kid, but I found myself unable to stop.
“Well, my cousin has a friend. Bessie. I kinda like her.”
“She like you?”
“Yeah, I think so. Cousin says she does, anyway.”
“Your cousin says? Man, you oughta ask her yourself.”
He blushed; at any rate, his complexion got darker. “Couldn’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Just couldn’t, that’s all.”
“You kissed her yet?”
Johnny grabbed for the radio knobs and switched stations for no apparent reason I could see. Then he studied the horizon out the right window again. A motel road sign flashed by, extolling the virtues of the Sleepy Time Motel in Idaho Falls.
Then he seemed to realize what he’d done. He glanced over at me. “I can turn it back if you want.”
“No, that station’s okay.” I just wanted him to keep talking. That deep man’s voice coming out of a slender kid was music enough for me.
“Once.” His voice was almost inaudible again. “I kissed her once.”
“She does it once, she’ll do it again. Have at it.”
“Plan to when I get a chance.”
“And that’s it? That’s your only girlfriend?”
“Just need one, don’t you?”
I laughed then, louder and longer than the remark warranted. He joined in, and pretty soon he thought it was funnier than it really was too.
*****
Do you get the feeling Rog is riding with a true innocent? Here are some links where you can learn a little more about me and my writing.
Website and blog: markwildyr.com
Email: markwildyr@aol.com
Facebook: markwildyr
Twitter: @markwildyr
The following buy links:
Again, thanks to Love Bytes for allowing me to guest post this blog. And thanks to you for reading.
Mark
Not only does he sound like a true innocent, he sounds like someone you truly want to be friends with, someone like in the “good old days” before kids grew up before they should and life was simple and friends were true. I love the cover and that was the first thing that made me want to read the story.