Evocative Art

The Guardian 

The work of artist, David DeVary , inspired me this week.

                             Rusty                    Rodeo Rider          We're Comin' Thru              
I'm working in my Eclipse Heat series wip, Trouble in Disguise right now. These pics helped me "find" and develop my heroine, Beau (Miracle) Beauregard, a woman disguising her identity to pursue her career as a bounty hunter.
Trouble In Disguise (Snippet):

His name was Robert McCallister, his handle, The Deacon. Vetted by his kinship to Charlie Wolf and her own instincts, Miracle Beauregard made sure their paths crossed often, which wasn’t that hard, since he took it upon himself to give her advice whenever he could. He’d been waiting in front of the Sundown Sheriff’s Office three weeks  before and laid into her.

“Rock salt? Kid, I hope you know that’ll swell up and jam your gun if you’re not careful. And what the hell are you doing chasing bounty with that kind of ammunition?”

“I aim to leave ‘em alive fer ya to redeem their souls later, preacher man,” she’d drawled.  He was so dadblamed bossy, she’d had to prick his temper some, just for the fun of it. He’d rumbled, actually growled, making him seem even more like a bear. She’d loved it.


But there wasn’t a thing bear-like about him on the day she saw him cut down Luke Johnson in a shoot-out. The outlaw had been in a bar in Abilene. She’d been tracking him for a spell and had the paper on him. Johnson didn’t know her. Shucks, she could have surprised him and taken him out without leaving him dead. Deacon just inserted himself in the mix and took over.

As soon as he came through the saloon doors, Johnson recognized him and went for his gun. The outlaw got off his shot but not before Deacon drew his weapon and delivered a bullet that struck the man over his heart. McCallister’s movements had been smooth, steady and fast as a snake strike. All had taken place in less than the time it took to fry an egg.

Deacon ignored her, crossed the floor and slung the dead man over his shoulder, carrying him from the bar. Before she left town, Mari  made it a point to step in the bounty hunter's path. “McCallister, Johnson was in my sights. Ya got in my way in there.” She included a slab of honey and advice with her complaint. "Coat the wound in this, it'll heal it." 

When he stood staring down at her home remedy, she said, “’Twon’t take but a dab of that to fix up that bullet crease.” She resisted the urge to take the honey and smear it on his cheek herself. Johnson’s bullet had come real close to sending McCallister to meet his maker.  “Bears like honey,” she added. “Ya can eat the rest.”


She felt silly after she told him that and made a point of leaving Sundown right after. But, the pattern for their encounters was set that day. Boss me, you’ll get back the same.

How about you? Does art inspire you? Certain songs get your muse flowing, your thoughts perking?

Website  /  FB  /  Twitter