Nate Rock's Virtual Sketchbook!

Marcus Brocket (AKA Brocket the Rocket) from The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow has teamed up with Nate Rockledge from the Nate Rocks series to bring you the Nate Rock's Virtual Sketchbook.

Hey guys! Brocket here. I'm your host for Nate's Virtual Sketchbook. Nate is amazing with a pencil, and it's awesome that I get to share his ideas with you!

Nate Rocks is on tour this month! So, don't forget to enter the giveaway for your chance to win a cool prize pack, plus there's a fun bonus contest at the end. Trust me, you don't want to miss out! Rock on ✌ ~ M

Nate Rock's Virtual Sketchbook

Hold onto your pants- here we go!

A giant tumbleweed nearly knocks me over, as I step out into the windy and desolate dirt road. A coyote howls in the distance. I look down. I hear the click of my spurs with each step I take. My sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers have been replaced with a leather vest, chaps, and cowboy boots. On my head is a wide brimmed Stetson hat. A giant rope lasso crosses my body. Up the road, I can make out what looks like a small town. I turn back around, but my bedroom door has disappeared. There is only barren desert behind me.

Out of nowhere, a white horse with brown patches wearing a saddle, approaches. The horse nuzzles my body with its soft nose. I place my boot into one of the stirrups and boost myself up onto the saddle.

"Giddy up," I say, taking hold of the reins. The horse breaks into a gallop, and we head into town down the dusty road.

Just as we reach the outside of the dingy saloon, a man comes crashing out of the front window, nearly hitting us as he tumbles to the ground. Glass shards and dust fly through the air. I jump off my horse and run up to him.

"Sir, are you okay?" I ask, reaching my hand out to him.

The battered man looks up at me weakly and whispers, "You better get in there cowboy, they need all the help they can get."

I adjust my lasso around my body, straighten my hat, and push open the swinging doors.

I can barely hear them creak over all the commotion. The scene is unbelievable: tables are overturned, people are screaming, chairs are getting tossed about chaotically, and women wearing long skirts are hiding behind the counter.

I spot the sheriff in the corner trying to break up a fight.

"Sheriff! What's going on?" I yell over the sound of breaking glass.

"Nate Rocks! Thank goodness you are here! Bandits are trying to take over the town. They've already captured Lady Madeline."

"Don't worry, Sheriff, we'll find her." I reach for my lasso, hold one end, and throw it up towards the ceiling. The powerful sound of the thick rope whipping through the air causes the room to momentarily stand still.

"Who wants to tell me where Lady Madeline is?" I yell into the crowd.

There is silence. The townspeople all step to the side, leaving me face to face with the ten burly bandits. I spot one of them reaching for a pistol in his holster.

"I don't think so mister!" I shout. In the blink of an eye, I direct the lasso toward him. The lasso wraps around the bandit, swinging him through the air, as if on a wild carnival ride. With the flick of my wrist, I release the lasso, causing the defeated man to slam against the wall before he crashes down to the ground. His gun slides across the floor behind the bar. The sheriff moves quickly to grab the pistol. He handcuffs the captured outlaw, as the other bandits look on in shock.

"Anyone else want to give it a try?" I ask, staring back at the others, no longer looking so tough and confident.

The group of nine remaining bandits start to back away from me and towards the door, hoping to escape.

"Not so fast!" I say. My lasso once again flies through the air, capturing the men with one fell swoop.

"Now, let's try this again. Who wants to tell me where Lady Madeline is?" I demand. I slowly circle the group of tied up men, staring each one of them in the eye. My spurs click with every step.

"She's...she's on tracks," one of them whispers through trembling lips.

"Sheriff, quick! We need to get over to the train tracks." I yell.

"You go Nate. The boys and I need to take these criminals over to the jail where they belong."

I run out the door and jump back onto my horse. I can hear a muffled train whistle from the other side of the mountain. The horse takes off in the direction of the sound.

"Faster, boy, faster." I shout. I hit the reins along the horse's side. The horse picks up speed and races towards the train tracks.

As we get close, I can hear a woman's voice shrieking, "Help me, please! Somebody, help me!"

"I'm coming, Lady Madeline!" I yell, not sure if she can hear me. "Faster, boy! We have to get to the tracks before that train makes it over the mountain!"

"Over here! I'm over here!" Lady Madeline screams, as she sees us coming towards her.

The horse stops abruptly. I leap off and run towards the beautiful woman wearing a long, ruffled yellow dress and boots. She's tied to the train tracks with a thick rope.

"Nate Rocks! You have to save me!" Lady Madeline cries.

"Don't worry, Ma'am, everything is going to be just fine."

I try to loosen the knot on the rope, but it won't budge. I pull harder, but still nothing. I look around- I need something to use to cut the rope. The train whistles again, slightly louder this time. I can see steam from the train's engine, as it reaches the top of the mountain.

"Hurry, Nate, hurry! The train is getting closer."

I grab a nearby rock, trying to cut the rope with its edge- no luck. Time is running out quickly, as the train descends the mountain and heads towards Lady Madeline.

My spurs click together. I take a step back to try to find a larger rock. My spurs- that's it! I rip one of my sharp spurs from my cowboy boot. The train whistles again, much louder this time.

"Please Nate!" Lady Madeline pleads, with tears in her eyes. She looks at the train heading straight towards us. With my spur in one hand I rip through the rope, releasing the knot. I untie Lady Madeline quickly, and she rushes into my arms knocking us both off the tracks just as the train whizzes by, blowing its whistle one final time before disappearing over another mountain.

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FUN BONUS CONTEST!

Is there a scene in a story that you would just love to see come to life? Send us one paragraph that describes a scene from your favorite middle grade book, and Nate will put his pencils to work. We'll choose a scene that we think is awesome and feature it on Fairday's Blog. Not only will you get to keep the sketch, but you'll be famous!  

You can send in your scene description to: haightjess@gmail.com.

Good luck, partner ;) 

Nate Rocks the Bandits is taken from Nate Rocks the World by Karen Pokras Toz. Check out our author interview!  

If you want to find out what's going on in Nate's head, stop by the Character Book Club and get ready for some hilarity! Don't worry, you don't have to eat the Sunday Surprise. ~ DMS  

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