Guest Post: Songs for a Cowboy by L.C. Chase

I’m one of those people who needs music playing the background while I write . . . and work and clean and just about everything. It helps me focus. Often when I’m writing a song will come on that resonates with the story or scene or character, and when it creeps out of the background and clicks into place in the story, I know it’s meant to be. A prime example was while I was writing my latest release, Pickup Men. “Ain’t Gonna Lose You” was playing just when Tripp was vowing that very thing to Marty. It stuck, and every time I heard that song afterwards, it took me right back to Tripp.

I don’t have a big playlist for this story, but the songs I do have all mean something to the character’s they represent. The first two songs in the list here became Tripp and Marty’s songs. Even now when these songs come on my shuffle, I can clearly see them, hear their voices, and get a sense of what’s in their hearts. So without further adieu, the playlist!

Ain’t Gonna Lose You, by Brett Dennen

This is Tripp’s theme song. The poor man had a rough go of it when he was younger, and the events of that time colored his perceptions and dictated his actions for the rest of his life. Until Marty, that is. When faced with losing Marty forever, he has to go back and find the strength to overcome his issues, because there is no way he’s going to lose the only man he’s ever loved.

They can make me turn my back on my friends
Send me away to San Quentin
Put me in a hole, a thousand times again
But I ain’t gonna lose you
No I ain’t gonna lose you

I can’t stand
The thought of another man
No I ain’t gonna lose you
Ain’t gonna lose

Powerful Love, by Chuck & Mac (by the way, Looper was a pretty cool flick)

This is Marty’s theme song. He loves Tripp more than is good for him, but when he finally realizes that fact he makes the hardest decision of his life. Sometimes love just isn’t enough. And by the way, Looper was a pretty cool movie.

I guess I’m a prisoner, and you got the key, baby
I know I’ll never be happy, till you love me, and set me set me free
So, baby, try it my way, oh, and please
Don’t make me wait too long

Because I love you
With a love so powerful
Oh, so powerful
Well, I love you
With a love so powerful
Oh, so powerful, that it’s wrong

Marty has a thing for setting a different ringtone on his cell phone for all of his friends and family, and each tone reflects that person’s personality in some way. Once you get to know everyone they all make sense. So, let’s kick these off with Tripp’s tone . . .

Back in Black, by AC/DC

This became Tripp’s ringtone because if you’ve ever been to a rodeo, chances are you’ve heard this song when it’s time for the highlight event to start: the bull riding. These men are tough, and just a little bit crazy, taking on two-thousand-pounds of beef, so it’s no surprise these rides are counted in with a solid blast of heavy metal.

James Bond Theme Song

One of Marty’s best friends is Kent Murphy. Kent is a lean five feet eleven with classic aristocratic looks, blond hair and blue eyes. He’s often the voice of reason in the trio and the protector. Laid back and somewhat suave, he needed a tune that was a little more polished . . . which was how the James Bond theme came to mind.

Misirlou, by Dick Dale

I didn’t think he would be, but Bridge’s song took a little longer to define itself, even though I had a clear idea of who Bridge was. He’s the joker of the three, lighthearted and playful, but loyal to a fault. He’s a big solid guy with messy sun-streaked blond hair, that California surfer look. Misirlou is originally a Greek folk song made famous in 1962 America by Dick Dale with his classic surf rock version, then later through the tres popular Quentin Tarantino movie, Pulp Fiction.

Bonanza Theme Song

How this tune came to be the ringtone for Marty’s family, well . . . That was how I saw them – a tightknit ranching family that stuck by one another no matter what, and made sure everyone whose paths they crossed felt welcome and respected. Yes, I’m old enough to say that I used to watch Bonanza when I was a kid. A really little kid. And it was mostly reruns. Yep. But seriously, Michael Landon was a cutie.

And there you have it, a few songs that went into the making of Pickup Men. The only one I didn’t get a ringtone for was Eric. He was more of a removed secondary character in this story, but his role was important. We’ll be seeing a whole lot of Eric in the next book in my Pickup Men series, and I’ll definitely have his ringtone ready.

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Title: Pickup Men by L.C. Chase
Pickup Men Series Book One
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, M/M, Romance
Length: 166 pages/Word Count: 44,700

Summary:

It takes a pissed-off Brahma bull named Shockwave to show rodeo pickup man Marty Fairgrave the cold hard truth about champion bull rider Tripp Colby: Tripp will never leave the safety of his closet or acknowledge Marty in public. Sometimes loving someone just isn’t enough, and after a year of hiding what they are, Marty finally sees the light—and it’s no longer shining on Tripp.

Tripp Colby would do anything for Marty. Well . . . almost. He’s never loved anyone before, and isn’t quite sure how to handle it now. But he knows Marty is his everything, and in order to win him back, Tripp will have to overcome his darkest fears and step into the light.

But no matter Tripp’s intentions, the cost might be too high and the effort too late for these two cowboys to ride off into the sunset.

This title is #1 of the Pickup Men series.

Read my review of Pickup Men HERE.

Purchase Links: Riptide Publishing * Amazon * ARe

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Author Bio

Artist by day, author by night, L.C. Chase is a hopeless romantic and adventure seeker. After a decade of road tripping on three continents, she now calls the Canadian West Coast home. When not writing tales of beautiful men falling love, L.C. can be found designing book covers of said beautiful men, reading, drawing, hiking the trails with her goofy four-legged buddy who, if he were human, would be a stand-up comedian, and fighting her root beer addiction.