CATLIN — Brian “Rooster” Cox is the first to admit he doesn’t have a “silver pen.” But he has something just as important — a good story.

“When you read it, you picture it as a movie,” Cox said of his first novel, “7 Knights.”

Although it’s getting good reviews, Cox downplays his writing talent, and considers himself an actor rather than a writer. In fact, his dream is that “7 Knights” will become a movie.

For his day job, Cox, 36, is a physical education teacher at Southwest Elementary.

In the book, recent West Point graduate Walt Tyler is plunged into the fight of his life when terrorists begin killing off the hidden network of Templar Knights, led by seven vital figures. The clandestine establishment was intended to protect Christians during the last days.

The attack on the knights can mean only one thing: the antichrist is coming. The knights try to find out how the centuries-old secret has leaked and who’s trying to kill them. Their desperate flight takes them on adventures across the world and the United States.

“It’s really kind of a guy’s book,” Cox said, adding there are Harleys, football, war, terrorists — a lot of action that appeals to men.

Cox, an active Freemason and master of the Masonic Lodge in Catlin, is a member of several Masonic bodies, including York Rite (Knights Templar), Scottish Rite (32nd Degree) and a Noble of the Shrine.

Having that Masonic background helped, but he also did a lot of research for the book.

Getting started

Cox said he first became interested in the Masons through his friendship with Roy Patten of Catlin. Patten, 93, is a 70-year member of the Masonic Lodge.

While fishing, Patten would tell Cox about the Masons, and he was so intrigued that he joined the lodge, a fraternity made up of men who want to help people. The Catlin lodge, for example, raises money to help children.

Cox delved into the history, and that led to the idea for a movie.

Patten has read “7 Knights,” and said, “It’s a very good book. My name is in it.”

The Roy Patten character in the book is a Secret Service agent to the president. That pleases the real Patten, who was a switchman for the Wabash Railroad.

In fact, most of the characters in the book are named after real people from the Catlin area, including the late coach Don Lashmet.

“It was fun, coming up the names and being creative like that,” Cox said. After he wrote a 40-page screen treatment for a movie, he went to Los Angeles in 2006 to pitch it. He met with Brad Wilson, who used to run Robert Duvall’s film company. Wilson loved the story, but said it would cost too much to make.

Back home, he shipped copies of the treatment to several places, but all were returned unopened with a note saying they don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts.

So, Cox decided to turn his screen treatment into a book. He wrote 200 pages, and let it sit for a year. Then, he edited chapters while sitting in a deer stand during bow season, and finished 240 pages.

He didn’t want to self-publish, so he sent the manuscript to various publishers. Again, the packages were returned unopened, just like the screen treatment. One, Tate Publishing in Mustang, Okla., accepted it.

“They sign 3 percent of what they read,” Cox said. “That tells me I have a good story.”

It took another year of editing and layout before the book was ready.

History lesson

His fellow Masons like the book, and they said they’ve learned a lot about the history. The book appeals to people who aren’t Masons, as well.

Cox’s goal remains to sell the movie rights, and he’d like to play the main character in the movie.

Cox has done several commercials, including one with Jeff Foxworthy, and has agents in Nashville, Tenn., and Cincinnati.

Because acting is his first love, he said of his book, “I never thought that was something I’d ever do.

“I don’t have that silver pen, but you can read the story and enjoy it. It would make a great movie.”

As for the sequel, Cox has most of the story line completed.

Cox and his wife, Julie, Danville District 118 reading coordinator, have two children, ages 1 and 4. He’s a 1993 graduate of Catlin High School, and a member of the Catlin Church of Christ.

FYI

Brian Cox’s book, “7 Knights,” is available through www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore, www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com

To contact Cox about speaking engagements, e-mail him at 7knightsnovel@gmail.com. His website is http://www.7knights.tateauthor.com



Book signings

--6-10 a.m. Sept. 17 during the Masonic Lodge pancake and sausage breakfast, 107 Sandusky, Catlin.

--Oct. 1 at the Catlin alumni banquet at the Beef House.

--Oct. 7 and 8 at the Masonic Grand Lodge convention in Springfield.

--Cox also will appear Sept. 19 on the Anne Dill morning show on WCIA-TV.