A Different Drummer--almost here!

I've been talking a little bit about this story for several weeks. Not only is it my first new release for awhile, it is one of those that seems a bit special, one that almost wrote itself when the characters spilled their tale as quickly as my fingers could fly over the keys and take it down. So I can't help but be excited about it.

Then, too, it is always a treat to be a part of an Amber PAX collection and see what some other writers have done with the theme that triggered your own idea. We have done several PAX collections with song titles, so music is not a new area but this time we may have ranged a little farther afield if the titles I saw in the announcement of the April 21 release are a clue. Obviously the musical tastes of the five authors vary widely as do the stories that come forth. For more on this you can check out the AmberPAX blog where each new group of tales is featured for the two weeks after it is released. That's at www.AmberPAX.blogspot.com

Anyway, Jest first appeared in another music tale I did, part of a Heartsongs PAX which was treated as both an Amber Heat and Amber Allure release since the main romance was hetero but there was a f/f/f scene in it. The title of that one was Take It Easy and yes, the heroine did pick the hero up in Winslow, Arizona! I grew up in central Arizona and normally associated Winslow with the Santa Fe railroad since it was a division headquarters with a lot of related rail stuff but as a huge fan of the Eagles, I did love that song and it was one of the first things that popped into my mind when the PAX began to take shape. Stormy drove an eighteen wheeler instead of a flatbed Ford but ...well, you can always go back and read that one. It is on my backlist page at www.amberquill.com/AmberHeat. bio_ODare.html

Before Different Drummer began to shape up, all that I had of Jest was a brief scene where Tom Holden, hero of Take It Easy, introduces Stormy, the heroine, to the members of his band. Still this somewhat mysterious and unusual young man intrigued me, and even then I thought he'd probably have his own story in time. And now he does! A Different Drummer is definitely Jest's story, for my readers can now discover his past and a bit of what makes him tick. But it is also Greene's story, another off-beat and troubled character who appeared as Jest began to share his life with me. The two of them are definitely an odd couple, but that's what makes it fun!  This one is much more character-driven than are many of my stories but that was fun too. Tomorrow I will give you an excerpt of their initial meeting and an idea of how different the two of them are!

The Story Behind Workin' on the Railroad

I've been a train fan for a good part of my life. Both my grandfathers were railroad employees and my brother with whom I am very close just finished a long career on the maintenance side of the business. Most of us give little thought these days to the volume of material that travels by rail. Passenger traffic is of course far less than it was at one time but Amtrak still runs daily schedules on several routes and apparently fills most of their seats. I overheard a couple of men talking the other day and they observed how truck traffic is down on the Interstates while rail traffic seems to be up. This is probably a natural result of the rising fuel costs since a locomotive can move many more tons per unit of fuel than can a semi. I'm all in favor of that outcome even if I do not not care for the reasons!

Anyway, when Amber Allure planned a themed series built around a phrase and a picture ("working stiffs" was the phrase and the picture showing a hunky blue collar type guy, shirtless and sweaty. Yum!!) my first idea was to do a story about railroad maintenance. I had my own tech expert close at hand and also wanted to pay tribute to this segment of a key industry. Because the new technology has brought many changes to the main line railroads' procedures, I chose to use a small independent railroad that could not afford the complex machines and equipment so still relied on labor intensive practices.  There are quite a number of these 'short line' railroads scattered around the country that operate as a rule to serve a specific industry or facility such as a mine, an oil field, etc. I set my fictitious line in the "Four Corners" area where the states of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado come together in a neat square. It is rugged and an ideal place for such a company to function.

My two guys just kind of came out of the shadows and started talking to me. Alden had made a career of the work whereas Roane only intended to work for the summer to make enough money to cover his second year of college after his partying ways caused his grandfather to cut off monetary support. But as we all know, the best laid plans...

Just for fun here is a very old photo that I took long ago in Arizona's Verde Valley of a 'work train' that was in the area to fix some bridges and other structures damaged by summer flash floods. The guys lived in converted box cars made into bunk houses, called "camp cars" or "outfit cars." In more remote areas there was also a cook/dining car in the mix as well as other cars to haul equipment, machines and supplies.

This spot is now across the road from the depot and sidings used by the Verde Canyon Scenic Railroad but at the time of the photo, early 1960s, the line was a spur off the main Santa Fe routes.  I would recommend the Verde trip to any rail fan and also to those who want to see some gorgeous unspoiled scenery, wildlife and just have a fun time. The trip lasts about four hours and there are open cars where you can take in the scenery and photograph the fantastic vistas. Or you can travel in a closed coach in luxury! The URL for info and tickets etc is http://www.verdecanyon.com/  so check it out! I took the trip a few years back and cannot wait to go again!