Last month we chatted about “The Wild Wild West
of…Florida?” After attending the Rolex
24 Hours of Daytona Sportscar Race, I realized there were similarities between
the drivers of today and their transportation and my characters from the old
west:
TODAY vs. OLD WEST
Horsepower vs. Horsepower
Leather seat vs. Leather
saddle
Gas pedal vs. Spurs
Brakes vs. Reins
Racing helmet vs. Cowboy hat
Tires vs. Good horse shoes
Grain alcohol for fuel vs.
Oats & grain as feed
Then awesome writer and editor Cheryl Pierson
mentioned that it might be fun to match up our old western heroes with racecars from today. And I
thought, why not? So—
I’ll start with my heroes:
Jake McCain (from Touch of Texas) – an SUV, because he’s dedicated to helping others.
Jaret Walker (from Touched by Love) – something from a NASCAR track, because he’s not
afraid to bump and bang his way into the life he wants
Will O’Brien (from Her Christmas Wish) – a pickup truck, because he is a cowboy
through and through
Jericho Hawken (from Coming Home) – a Ford Mustang, a classic muscle car with lots of
sex appeal
Franz Bittner (from No Less Than Forever) – a Mercedes G-Class SUV, because the good
doctor needs to get to his patients—and he likes the old-world style
Matthew Tate (from Wanted: The Sheriff – a Ferrari, because he loves the power and
speed—and he can afford it
Now it’s your turn. Choose a hero and the car
he’d drive. Ready? Go!
www.TracyGarrett.com
www.PrairieRosePublications.com
A unique comparison, Tracy. I can see the similarities of vehicles vs horses for heroes.
ReplyDeleteA couple of the most unique transportation for my heroes is:
From Curse of the Amber Tomb, Edward drives a Landrover Defender 90 (the same vehicle they use off road in the Serengeti of Africa) and, in Fly Away Heart, Rob Pierpont flies a WWI biplane. All of my Wilding heroes drive trucks and tractors if they're not riding horses.
A very fun article, Tracy. I wish you all the very best.
Good morning, Sarah. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteHow fun. Love the comparisons. Not sure what comparison I would make with my characters in Home, but pick-ups seem to feel the most at home for them. Doris McCraw/Angela Raines
ReplyDeleteDoris, my first pass through the heroes I put them all in pickups. lol Had to dig a bit deeper in their arcs.
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ReplyDeleteA 1966 Chevy Chevelle Super Sport, with a 396 engine, 4 on the floor, with mag wheels, glass packs on the muffler and cherry red was the only car for my two guys. The Manning twins, Marcus and Mathew. Both Vietnam War heroes in their own right. Only a car with a lot of muscle and power would do.
ReplyDeleteBarb, I can practically hear it coming down the street. :)
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ReplyDeleteThe vehicle match-up for my gambler protagonist, Neal Behlen, in the Wild Texas Christmas anthology (A Gift of Christmas Hope) might be a classic/vintage c. 1964 red corvette. He's somewhat of a show-off and likes nice "things" and is willing to spend money when he has it.
These are so much fun! Now I have to put my mind to it...my character, Jesse Nightwalker, from SWEET DANGER (cont. rom. sus.) has a scene where he's sure he is not going to be spared by the madman that is holding him and his beautiful neighbor hostage. He's going through his key ring telling Lindy what each key is for...that was a hard scene to write. He has just finished paying off his truck and he tells her he wants her to have it, and if she wants, she can trade it in for something she likes better...SOB!
ReplyDeleteI think for Nick Diamond in my story Hearts and Diamonds from Cowboy Cravings, maybe he'd drive an SUV of some kind--he's the oldest of the three brothers, so feels more responsibilities--even though he IS a hired gun. So he needs something that is a bit practical but something with the bells and whistles, as well. He's always careful but wants the best, too.
His brother, Brett, is a safecracker. His story was Spellbound in the Halloween collections. He is pretty practical too, but "fell in with the wrong crowd" for a while. So he would probably want something that was flashy--maybe something that would get him out of town quickly after a heist. I'd probably put him in a turbo charged Corvette.
And the youngest brother, Jake, is a gambling man--but he was also very well-educated in a Moravian mission school as a young man. He was in my story from the Christmas anthology, Wild Texas Christmas--the story was called Luck of the Draw. So I could see him in a Mustang convertible--he's a free spirit--more so than the two older brothers are. This is a lot of fun!
Thanks, Tracy--this is a great idea--you've got me thinking now!
Cheryl