Book Review: Maps of Fate: Book Two by Reid Lance Rosenthal

The Old West of America was a lure for many in the 1800s. Freedom and rumors of gold created a frenzy of movement, wagon trains were the mode of travel, and danger lurked at every turn.
In Maps of Fate, a novel by Reid Lance Rosenthal, we follow the amazing journey of a group of young men and women who are dreaming their own dreams and experiencing their own drama as the rush to settle the West is in its infancy.

We met the characters in Book one of the Threads West series, where the introductions took us back to their homes across the seas and their very reason for being in America. As the story continues, we tail them into the West following the trail of the ancestors of many who have settled in the Midwest and Western part of this country. The romance is thrilling and the danger is exciting, yet the story captures your imagination as it creates a strong fear of the unknown.

As we follow Zeb, Reuben and Johannes and the women they love as they carve out a piece of history, we meet the natives and the outlaws, both with their own quests. Life on the trail and the rigors of traveling with a wagon train are brought to basic relief as the story continues to unfold. Danger within the group creates almost as much damage as the dangers they face from the outside on this epic journey. We being to hear the rumblings of dissent as the story furthers. News makes its way West through the writings and newspapers, hinting of a war brewing between the North and the South.

Hostility and rage drive some, while glory and choice drive the others. The creak of the leather and the rumble of the wheels create the sounds and sights that bring alive an exciting saga. You can actually smell the smells, and hear the sound of the wind as the trail takes you deeper into the unexplored territories. Rosenthal has surpassed his previous work and given us such a complex telling you feel as though each and every story is true. The horror and danger are real, yet the excitement and challenge are the edge that builds the heroes of the time.

Reviewer: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-maps-of-fate-book/
Buy the Book: http://threadswestseries.com/

New Interview From "Romancing the West" Blog!

Reid Lance Rosenthall: Threads West #western

Threads West: 

Maps of Fate

by Reid Lance Rosenthal

Romancing the West welcomes Reid Lance Rosenthal this week! Reid, please tell us about your series.

Reid: The sixteen book Threads West, An American Saga series begins in 1855. It is the tale of disparate threads of lives--brave men and independent women--from locations around the globe, of different social origins, ethnicity and creeds. They are woven together into the tapestry of an emerging nation; a country offering opportunity and freedom and on the cusp of greatness. It is a sweeping, five generation, one hundred and seventy year story arc that will end with the last book of the series set in the real-time, contemporary West. Through the eyes of fictional characters the Threads West series accurately portray what transpired in our history, the evolution of our lands, our thought processes, morals and freedoms. So, too, will the contemporary novel portray in vivid reality—couched in nonstop adventure and romance—the current state of affairs in the West, and the United States. The Threads West series is the adventure and romance of America, her people, her spirit and the West. It is our story.

RTW: Why do you write Westerns? What aspect of life in the Old West intrigues you the most? Did you work that into the series?

Reid: Perhaps what drives my pen is my love of land, perhaps a genealogy that goes back four generations almost two-hundred years in land and cattle—including a goodly portion of that time by my ancestors in Europe. Perhaps it is the cowboy hat, the special feel and touch of a woman you care for, or the smell of horse leather and sweat. I love America and the West. I am enamored with romance, history, fiction, and all things western. They epitomize universal energies. So it makes sense that I love Historical Western Romance as a genre: the power of the land, the all-encompassing flow of steamy passion, heartfelt romance, and the intrigue of differing personalities line dancing on the stage of American History.

As a rancher, I am drawn by the power of the land. Alone and far from others, whispers of canyon breezes playin' oh so gentle ’cross my cheek, the smell of earth, sage, leaves and horse sweat might just be the only time I truly relax. It is those moments, high atop a windswept ridge, rifle nestled in the leather of the scabbard, that I am transported to ten thousand years ago where I am a native sojourner, clad in a hide loincloth and carrying a spear in quest of fresh meat for the clan. It is cleansing, and real, this time machine of earth energy. These are the feelings of which I write, and they are universal in their truth of any historical era, though less realized today than at any other time in man's “evolution.”

The American West has a special mystique—a romantic aura that is known worldwide. Some of this magic flows from its violent evolution, part emanates from the image of the cowboy, and a portion from the perception of values the historical west embodies. But underlying all those tugs to the hearts of many is the power of its open spaces, and the courage of its settlers.

In a Western, the tapestry of relationships is always the land. The intertwined twists are fascinating threads that the bind the conflicted men and women of the West back then, and now. I try to make the foundation of my stories that reality. There is intrigue, adversity, vicious duplicity, and triumphs that few know of, but which are always at play beneath the idyllic mosaics of inviting canyons and sundrenched plains.

RTW: If a person who had never read a Western asked you for a recommendation, what novel or movie would you recommend and why? What did the author do to bring the story alive for you?

Reid Lance Rosenthal
author

Reid: Actually, my taste in genres is wide and varied. The magic of Harry Potter, the action and history of Mila 18, Exodus, Battle Cry, and The Young Lions by Leon Uris. The Old Man and the Sea, and For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. These would be some of the works that I draw from stylistically. I have read each and every one of Louis L'Amour's Westerns; I have his entire collection. I have devoured Larry McMurtry's stunning Lonesome Dove and Max McCoy's three Spur award winners, one of which is Hellfire Canyon, and his Indiana Jones novels (and movies). I am stunned, and thrilled to have his very rare endorsement on the cover of Maps of Fate.

Each book and author has contributed to my own craft of western words and story, style and structure, some—like Uris and Hemingway—more than others. I read many of these books for the first time of a dozen re-readings in elementary school. Many is the night I would huddle under the blankets, dim light of the flashlight I had snatched from the kitchen tool bag, fading and flickering as morning approached. I eagerly turned pages of the books, once in a while poking my head out to study the approaching light from the East, filled with youthful resentment that my reading time was coming to an end for another night. You could say the genres of Romance, Historical Fiction, and Western chose me, and I chose them. A mutual love affair, no pun intended.

If folks have not read them, the books by any of the authors I have mentioned above will thrill and delight. And, the mini series, Lonesome Dove and North and South, and the movies, Gone with the Wind, Silverado, 3:10 to Yuma, Red River, Bad Day at Black Rock, The Magnificent Seven, and She wore a Yellow Ribbon are just a few of the fantastic—and realistic-western films that will entertain and inform.

RTW: Why must your protagonist take this particular story or journey? What does he or she have to prove? How does secondary characters or settings affect their journey?

Reid: The Threads West series is an epic saga. It breaks the traditional mold in some respects, one of those being the number of characters, and their very diverse origins-the stately row houses of London, cattle farms of Prussia, slums of Dublin, tipis along the Powder River, plantations in Oklahoma and the crowded streets of Shang hai, to name just a few. While there are three “absolute” primary characters—one man and two women, there will be, over the course of the series, more than fifty eight primary, and more than one hundred significant secondary characters. I try to write from the perspective of both genders, and the singular viewpoints of each of these diverse cultures. I have talked with elders in the Mormon Church. (Those threads of lives will be apparent in upcoming books, but were just introduced in Maps of Fate.) My editor is a specialist in Native Americans and her husband is a full-blooded Sioux. Though I myself am an adopted second son of a Mohican Chief (that is yet another tale) being able to be historically accurate to the “nth” degree in how the Western Indians tended to and felt about the most minute aspects of their lives, as portrayed in Maps of Fate, was invaluable. I have interviewed the offspring of slaves, descendants of mountain men and pioneers, and fourth generation Asians whose ancestors stowed away in the bowels of steamships in the 1850’s. Though I rarely do this in a blog, one of the more than fourteen hundred five star reviews and comments on the series might best sum up these thoughts:

“Reid Lance Rosenthal outdid himself with this novel. His settings and descriptions are stunning. I survived that snowstorm - felt the cold wet damp of the snow creep into the bones. The heat of the sun, warming a back, slashing through branches. The smell of a campfire, the tang of raw game, the stench of battle. I was there, traveling with that train every step of the way. What a trek! The plot is excellent. The weaving of the stories together and apart flows easily, creating an incredible depth of experience for the reader...But it's Reid's people that just blew me away. (I hesitate to call them characters - that would insinuate that he made them up...) They are as real - if not more so - as most of the people I have ever met. I know Rebecca better than most people I have ever gone to school with. People I worked with for years have never solidified in my memory the way Sarah and Zeb have...Maps of Fate flowed perfectly, without having to stop and think about where everyone was and when... I love that - running into people I know.

I felt a surprising sense of appreciation for the diversity of the author's people and plots. Every group - cultural, religious, racial...Following Eagle Talon's journey, Israel's escape, Black Feather's tragedy, as well as the wagon train's travelers, all of whom come from even more layers of origin, makes for a rich blend of experience, perspective, and understanding. Ironically, it is this attention to our differences that magnifies so greatly the similarities between us all. Americans may have started out on a million different paths, but it's the strength, determination, and perseverance that all American ancestors had in common, regardless of where they came from and how, that created your purpose. As a Canadian, and a proud one, I know that we have a similar heritage. But whereas we describe our country as a mosaic, we see yours as more of a melting pot. There's a lot to be said for that. And Rosenthal says it beautifully.”

Alexandra Brown

Romantic Shorts

Writing in the genres of the West, romance, and history is in some respects made easier by my fourth-generation land and cattle heritage, and my rancher avocation. I must admit, though from time to time, particularly over the last year, I become confused. Am I a rancher who writes, or an author who ranches? Right now I am a sleepless both!

There is a synergy that flows from ranching to my pen. The land is the true enduring character of the series, the perpetual anvil upon which the characters are shaped. That energy is as much a personality as are the characters who live in the pages.

RTW: Would you share an excerpt with us?

Reid: Delighted, Jacquie! Perhaps a few short excerpts from the very different perspectives of gender and culture might also give your great followers a feel of the scope of characters, action, romance and history in this story of us!

* * * * *

She felt the fire in the smooth caress of his fingertips as they traced across her breast, lingered, then continued down her hips and came to rest lightly, longingly, on the concave valley of smooth belly between her hips. The smell of him, and of them, mingled with the fragrance of sunbaked sage.

* * * * *

“That is called a holy iron. It is the weapon of the hairy-faced ones,” had been the response to his inquisitive tug on his father’s loin cloth. The memory dissipated, and the promise of the spring dawn and later lovemaking were carried away by the east breeze; only to be replaced by a feeling of foreboding deep in Eagle Talon’s spirit.

* * * * *

Mac lowered the spyglass. “It’s Zeb, and he ain’t wasting no time getting back.” His great bushy eyebrows furrowed in contemplation. “Reuben, tell folks to get out their rifles and gather in every other wagon. Get five men on horses, and come back up here. I’d choose Johannes, Charlie, John, Harris and that swine Jacob. He is always looking for a scrap.” He nodded down at the holstered Colt on Reuben’s hip, “I would take the thong off that hammer, son.”

* * * * *

“Don’t you dare ‘now Lucy’ me,” she wagged her finger at him, the digits crooked from years of manual labor. “You know it’s against the law for our kind to read.” Peeling the thick-glassed spectacles from one ear, and then the other, Israel ignored his wife, cleaned the lenses with his shirttail, and though about what he had just read: “New York—January 17, 1855—“Slaves Find Help In Escape.”

* * * * *

The farmer spoke in a cracking voice. “Whatever you want. Please, this is all we have.” The Smoothbore lay across Black Feather’s forearm, its muzzle pointing at the man’s head. “We already know that we can have whatever we want.” Black Feather let his eyes slip to the hysterical girl. Her gangly shape was just taking on the form of a woman.

* * * * *

Purchase links: Amazon, BN.com, 

RTW: What’s next? Maps of Fate is only the second part of the series isn’t it?

Reid: I'm astounded by the success of the Threads West, An American Saga series. The eight National awards, #1 best selling ranking achievements all caught me unaware. I am humbled, surprised and thrilled all rolled into one! Two books are out—Threads West (Book One) and Maps of Fate, the second novel. I’m hard at work on Book 3--Uncompahgre—where water turns rock red and its release is planned late this year. (More info at www.threadswestseries.com). Book 4, Moccasin Tracks is planned for early spring 2013, and Book 5, Footsteps, for late 2012. I am excited about Uncompahgre because I think, and hope, that I've met my goal of surpassing the high bar I masochistically set for myself with the first novels. The readers will determine that!

Like Book 2, Uncompahgre will examine slavery, from the viewpoint of the slave—a race yearning to be fully American, totally free and self-determining. Lucy and Israel, though elderly, have set their life sails for the winds of freedom. Through the eyes of a young Oglala, Sioux family, the tragic story of the Indians a sad, dark blotch on the pages of American history, further unfolds and will carry forward in the series. New characters, from what will be the Confederate States, Asia, and the Mormon settlements of Cache Valley will catapult into the tale.

And, of course, Uncompahgre will follow the evolving life threads, passions, loves, disappointments, tragedies, romances, and in some cases the pathos filled, lethal experiences of the European and American characters which the readers of Book One and Two seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed and bonded with. Their life threads hurtle through American history towards the cloth of their destinies and still subsequent generations in the balance of the series.

Uncompahgre releases nationally in December, at Amazon, Hastings, Barnes and Noble, and many fine independent bookstores around the country, plus a number of international locations. It will also be available on that date in Nook, and Kindle – iTunes to follow a few days later.

As is the tradition, the publishers are throwing a great Release Branding Day and contest, with terrific prizes. There will be upcoming information on our website and on Facebook. The first and second printings of Book One and Two sold out the mornings of their release, so the publishers have set up a reservation system and everyone who has reserved a copy of the book on our sites (no cost!) or purchases any one of the three novels on the Uncompahgre release date may enter.

In addition, every person who registers on the site (ten seconds, easy, private, no cost) prior to November 5, will be entered in a drawing. Winners will be announced in mid-November and there will be three each—signed copies—of Book One, Book Two and Book Three given away!

RTW: Anything else you’d like to add?

Reid: I knew this series was a big project when I began. But I have come to realize the undertaking is monumental. So—the introspective question becomes “why?” Putting aside my long held, deep need to write, to share, to tell the story, I am inspired by the cowboy hat, the special feel and touch of a woman you care for, or the smell of horse leather and sweat. I love America and the West.

As a rancher, I am drawn by the power of the land. As a man, I am intrigued by the energy of steamy passions and the enveloping flow of heart-felt romance. As an American, I am enamored of the unique spirit of America and her people, and the evolution of all these energies through the relatively short span of American History. Each author needs to choose those energies which call to them.

Having spent most of my time in the wild and remote (my nearest neighbor is 11 miles away) makes writing the setting and creating the theater in which the characters love, lose, triumph, act and interact, far easier. I cannot fathom how an author who does not live within such an environment possibly writes one of these novels. Being a rancher and a cowboy affords me great familiarity with the varying landscapes of the West, many of which I’ve walked or ridden across. The physical environment and specific era of a Western are all-important. Many readers who follow the series will know that most chapters begin with a description of the scene. It’s an ambiance that speaks to the characters, frames the moment, and (I hope) whispers to the readers. That peculiar angle of the sun, sky prisms following rain, shadows creeping with the ever-changing angle of light, is the written image on the page much as a photograph is the visual of film. These are never to be repeated seconds, the sensory underpinning of my writing. Mood, setting, a snapshot of the Earth, of the moment, of the motion, and the current. The pen becomes merely the shutter, and the paper, the film.

Living that life has tremendous advantages in writing detail, too. These are moments, scenes, feelings, history which I feel compelled to capture for the readers of today, and I hope of the future in some small part through my books, lest they be lost in the cobwebs of time. I know, first-hand how the whispers of a Canyon breeze play gentle across my cheek. I am familiar with the smell the earth, sage, last year’s leaves and horse sweat. I have felt, thousands of times, that primordial transport back through eons while sitting in the saddle, rifle in the scabbard, hunting for the table. I’ve heard the bawling of cows, smelled their sweet stench, and breathed their dust. The cool waters of creeks and streams have soothed me, the sun has kept me warm, the chill of windy winter nights have crept through my bones, and I have often experienced the wonder of stars that never end above the friendly crackle of a campfire. And, overall, I have felt the freedom of all that magic.

I am concerned about the future of America. The disintegration of the values of the old West and of our revolutionary forefathers distresses me. These seem to be traits that are slipping away, replaced by entitlement mentality, dependency on the red herrings of government rather than the tried-and-true traits of self-reliance, individualism, family and community. I hope this series evokes emotion, brings smiles and tells a story—but most of all it is my wish that it serve as a reminder—who we are, why we are and a rich and textured history—which while less than perfect—is the foundation of all of us.

Watch for Reid's Thursday article: Westward Expansion--Our Story.

Maps of fate Wow! action, heat, surprises, suspense... (Barnes & Noble Review)

Wow! action, heat, surprises, suspense, good, evil and descriptive passages. After reading Book One, Threads West, I was already hooked on this author, the series and the book, but the writer has outdone himself with this second novel. Loved the new Indian and black characters, and that intriguing renegade. laughed, I cried, had a few hot flashes. Delicious! Wonderful attention to detail, character development. Bring on Book three!

Interview With Jean Henry Mead of "Writers of the West"

Reid Lance Rosenthal writes historical western romances. His Threads West, An American Saga series has won eight national awards including Best western (USA Book Review) Best Historical Fiction (Independent Book Publishers Association) and four awards in Romance--including Best Romance from the Indies. Few men write romance novels but the Wyoming rancher's Threads West series has been successful.

Reid, how did your Threads West series come about?

Perhaps what drives my pen is my love of land, perhaps a genealogy that goes back almost two-hundred years in land and cattle—including a goodly portion of that time by my ancestors in Europe. Perhaps it is the cowboy hat, the special feel and touch of a woman you care for, or the smell of horse leather and sweat. I love America and the West. I am enamored with romance, history, fiction, and all things western. They epitomize universal energies. So it makes sense that I love Historical Western Romance as a genre: the power of the land, the all-encompassing flow of steamy passion, heartfelt romance, and the intrigue of differing personalities.

I am penning the Threads West: An American Saga, a sixteen novel series, not only because I want to write and keep the promise a nine-year-old (me) made to himself many years ago, but because the series is ourstory and one we should never forget. It is the ongoing story of us. I hope the story entertains, and serves as a touchstone for troubled times, perhaps a guidepost moving us forward into the future.

How would you categorize your series?

It is American history through the eyes of fictional characters—strong men and independent women—the times, events, and changing landscape shaping their lives, personalities, relationships, bitter losses, torrid passions and exulting triumphs.

Combine these forces of land and love (or lust), mix in detailed historical fact, the West, the American spirit, and the interplay of powerful (though not all “good”), conflicted male and female impassioned personalities, and we have a historical western romance! It is not an oft written genre, and as far as I know, I am the only rancher/cowboy writing heated tales of the multi-cultural West.

I am intrigued by universal energies. As a rancher, I am drawn by the power of the land. As a man, I am intrigued by the energy of steamy passions and the enveloping flow of heart-felt romance. “But why Romance?” question some with a raised eyebrow. Who reading this has not had a love and has not had some aspect of their lives driven by that emotion? Obviously there are many shades of romance, the dastardly and forced, the purely physical and somewhat cold, the heart hot, sparking passionate—though temporary, and the true love—deeply sensual and long-lasting. Who of us has not experienced one or more of these? And, as we all know, romantic involvement has often driven both history and life.

As an American, I feel the unique spirit of America and her people, and the evolution of all these energies through the relatively short span of American History. Combining the major categories of Historical Fiction, Romance and Western is the unique combination of genre that allows such a tale to be told in full.

Running a cattle ranch is a full time job. How do you find time to write?

This author thing is akin to taking on a second full-time career. Phew! Time, energy, and focus are needed to run and operate the ranches, particularly when spread out over long distances and in the current economic tempest enveloping the county. Fortunately I love that business too, and if affords me the opportunity to intertwine my passions and love of the land with a vocation. Ironically, it also gives me great fodder for writing backdrop, scenes, and places in which the action of the novels transpire.

I muse at times whether I am a rancher who writes, or a writer who ranches. In the most simple terms, I am just me. As with all others who share this planet, I have my shining, and less illustrious sides. I am a Triple-A type personality and with that comes both the good and less than good, inherent to those who suffer the same 24-7 demeanor. Yes, I am driven. I believe dreams are but the precursors of reality. One has only to make them so. I love the land, its special energy, solitude, space, and soul succor. Alone and far from others, whispers of canyon breezes playin' oh so gentle ’cross my cheek, the smell of earth, sage, leaves and horse sweat might just be the only time I truly relax. It is those moments, high atop a windswept ridge, rifle nestled in the leather of the scabbard, that I am transported to ten thousand years ago where I am a native sojourner, clad in a hide loincloth and carrying a spear in quest of fresh meat for the clan. It is cleansing, and real, this time machine of earth energy. The hum of it brings me back full circle to my very roots as a human being. It often creates a synergy with, rather than a division from my writing. The land, its energy, moods, resources, and opportunities, always shapes the lives that play upon its stage, and that is particularly true in America, circa 1850’s. These are the feelings of which I write, and they are universal in their truth of any historical era, though unfortunately less realized today than at any other time in man's history.

Living that life has tremendous advantages in writing detail, too. I know, first-hand how the whispers of a Canyon breeze play gentle across my cheek. I am familiar with the smell of the earth, sage, last year’s leaves and horse sweat. I’ve heard the bawling of cows, smelled their sweet stench, and breathed their dust. The cool waters of creeks and streams have soothed me, the sun has kept me warm, the chill of windy winter nights have crept through my bones, and I have often experienced the wonder of stars that never end above the friendly crackle of a campfire.

And while that experience makes writing easier, and faster, it is still a boat load of work to run a ranch, and a boat load of work to write a novel. The two together invokes that famous line from Jaws, “I need a bigger boat.”

My schedule changes with the seasons. From October 15 –December 1 is hunting season. It is virtually inviolate, except for this year as I finish up the third novel, Uncompahgre– where water turns rock red. Those are special times with family and friends. It is primal tradition. Is meat for the table. 99% of our diet is game.

The other times of year each have their own peculiarities. In the spring the ranch comes to life, ditches must be cleaned, irrigation equipment checked, the all-important water – the lifeblood of crops livestock and wildlife and fisheries – must be tended to. From time to time there is farming – replanting fields, and no till drill to increase vegetative population within a transect. Summer is the time to make sure things grow, look after yearlings scattered in the high country munching on mountain power grass and gaining weight. It’s the pounds that a rancher sells, not “the cows.” Then there’s late summer and early fall. Harvest time, the inevitable breakdowns of machinery, the chugging and diesel smoke of swathers, balers, and hay wagons. Late fall, after hunting season is maintenance time. The structures are tended to, the fences (which always seem to succumb to falling trees, high water, rambunctious yearlings, or stampeding elk) are inspected. Problem areas are noted for attention the following spring.

On the other side of the spectrum is the writing. I do love to write, and I am immersed in writing this series. I am especially thrilled that an exponentially growing number of folks are enjoying it – the story, the messages, the history, and the universal energies. My writing time is generally those times when it is dark out. Dark makes already difficult ranch work virtually impossible. I probably accomplish 50% of my writing between December 1 and March 15 of each year. The rest of the time are stolen hours from five to eight or nine in the morning or, my most productive writing time – from eleven pm to three in the morning. It makes for long days and short nights. It’s a good thing I never much liked to sleep!

None of this is a complaint. Both full-time careers nurture different parts of my soul. They are interrelated. In a way I write what I do as a touchstone to the past for Americans. I’m convinced that our history is the guide post to the future. Ironically perhaps, my tackling this ambitious sixteen novel series will help preserve not only the overall American spirit, but this particular facet of our values – an all important cornerstone of the American psyche, history, and spirit.

I might add that sleep is nothing more than a necessary evil!

Why did you decide to set Threads West, first book in the series, in Europe? Briefly tell us about the plot.

I have several messages in my novels which I try to relate seamlessly within the context of simply a good read and enjoyable story. I want readers to recall our roots, remember that the nation is a rich and textured tapestry of many cultures, religions, creeds, and values, and to consider the disintegration of the values of the old West and of our revolutionary forefathers. These are traits that appear to be slipping away, replaced by an entitlement mentality and the crutch of government, rather than the tried-and-true values of self-reliance, individualism, family and community which are undeniably the foundation of the Old West.

The Threads West series begins in 1855. It is the tale of disparate threads of lives. Book One’s characters hail from Prussia, England, Ireland, Denmark, Norway and America. They have neither culture nor social origins in common, but they are twisted by fate into a common destination--America. In Book Two new characters of different ethnicity and creeds weave together with the Book One cast into the tapestry of an emerging nation; a country on the cusp of greatness, offering opportunity and freedom.

The last book of the series will be set in the real-time, contemporary West. I strive to ensure the historical novels in the Threads West series accurately portray what transpired in our history, in the evolution of our lands, our thought processes, morals and freedoms. So, too, will the contemporary novel portray in vivid reality—couched in sizzling romance and nonstop adventure—the current state of affairs in the West, and the United States. The fictional series is, in essence, a historical anthology of true life. If the series evokes every imaginable emotion, inspires passions, and delights readers, that’s great. But, if by chance, the tale reacquaints folks with the basic principles that form the foundation of this enthralling experiment we call the United States of America, then I will be truly satisfied.

Book Two, Maps of Fate,begins the examination of slavery, from the viewpoint of the slave—a race yearning to be fully American, totally free and self-determining. This is a theme which will carry over into Book Three, Uncompahgre – where water turns rock red. Also Maps of Fate begins America’s story through the eyes of an Oglala a Sioux family--the tragic tale of the Indians. This sad, dark blotch on the pages of American history begins to unfold and will carry forward in the series.

And, of course, Maps of Fate follows the evolving life threads, passions, loves, disappointments, tragedies, romances, and in some cases the pathos filled, lethal experience of the characters which the readers of Book One. Their life threads hurtle through American history towards the cloth of their destinies and still subsequent generations of the series, which begin to emerge in Book Three.

The sixteen books will arc over one hundred seventy years and five generations. The novels are divided into five eras, the Maps of Fate (1855-1575),North to Wyoming, Canyons, Coming Thunder, and Summits Eras. Each will span a different period of years, the Summits Era being the last books in the real time west

You've given some hints—but why “western” as the foundation for History and Romance? Why did you become a western romance writer?

In a Western, particularly a Historical Western, the land shapes personalities and destinies. It is the enduring stage upon which the characters act out their interactions, ambitions, greed, duplicity, loves, loyalties, and opportunities. The tapestry of western relationships is always the land. The intertwined twists are fascinating threads that the bind the conflicted men and women of the West., back then, and now. I try to make the foundation of my stories that reality. There is intrigue, adversity, vicious duplicity, and triumphs that few know of, but which are always at play beneath the idyllic mosaics of inviting canyons and sun drenched plains.

I believe the American West has a special mystique—a romantic aura that is known worldwide. Some of this magic flows from its violent evolution, part emanates from the image of the cowboy, and a portion from the perception of values the historical west embodies. But underlying all those tugs to the hearts of many is the power of its wild lands and open spaces, and the courage of its settlers.

The pull of western imagery is known around the globe--the land of the West, its special energy, solitude, space, and soul succor are at the core of this attraction. It is cleansing, inspiring, and real, this time machine of western earth energy. It brings us back full circle to our very roots as human beings, and that truth is universal.

The setting, the physical environment and specific era, of a western is all-important, and unique. I would equate a western landscape photo to the initial setting of a chapter. That peculiar angle of the sun, sky prisms following rain, shadows creeping with the ever-changing angle of light the vivid, mesmerizing power of the land. These are the scenes, and never to be repeated moments, that provide the visual underpinning to the draw and writing of the Old West and the backdrop to the passionate interaction of the characters. The pen becomes merely the shutter, and the paper the film.

So it makes sense that I love Historical Western Romance as a genre: the power of the land, the all-encompassing flow of steamy passion, heartfelt romance, and the intrigue of differing personalities, all laced with the American spirit.

How does it feel to have the first book in your series #1 in sales in three genres?

I'm astounded and humbled by the success of the Threads West, An American Saga series. I did not expect it. I am excited about the third book, Uncompahgre—planned for a pre-Christmas release--because I think, and hope, that I've met my goal of surpassing the high bar set by the first novels. The readers will determine that!

Each and every of the eight national awards the series has earned (including Best Western, 2010 USA Book Review, Best Romance 2011--Indies, and Best Historical Fiction, 2011 IBPA) and #1 best-selling, rankings in more than twelve categories and genres was a delightful shock. And the comparisons by national reviewers to Lonesome Dove, Gone with the Wind and Centennial obviously makes me smile widely (“Are they talking about my books”I ask myself incredulously). But, at the same time this increases the pressure to write the balance of the series and write it well.

Where and how do you conduct most of your research?

Historical research is a must. In some ways it ties in with getting your feet, your mind, body and soul to the location to experience it before you write. Research is both fascinating and tedious, exhilarating and surprising, mandatory and time-consuming. It was a far bigger task than I anticipated. I have researchers now that work with me on many facets of those specific points of history I want to touch on in delivering the story, creating the interaction between the characters, and describing the universal energies which drive them. I pay special attention to historical facts and details which move the plot along, act as catalysts to the convergence of life threads and at the same time help me convey my message.

I did virtually all the story-line research on the first novel, Threads West, by myself. I had important help from several researchers on details of dress, circumstances and some great historical tidbits, and gave them credit in the book. But, I wanted to learn what was entailed. I thought I was familiar with this special moment in American history. I was mistaken. 1855 maybe one of the most pivotal years in the history of this country, certainly of the West. The great westward migration was in its infancy. The breach of the 1854 Kansas/Nebraska Act, and the Compact of 1850 between the states were stirring the winds of war. The later turmoil between the northern and southern states, (part of the Book Two Maps of Fateplot) was beginning to darken the rhetoric of both sides. Native Americans had rightfully lost trust in the promises of the white man and the broken treaties of the years prior. Gold would soon be discovered in Colorado, becoming the real precipitate of the tidal wave of westward migration that began in 1858.

The Singer sewing machine had just been invented, foreshadowing the Industrial Revolution. The repeating rifle, other than the 1855 Colt cylinder model, had not yet been released. It was this point in time that American and the world breathed in, held their collective breath, and exhaled with a rush toward the Great Plains and the Rockies.

On the first book I did all the research myself. There were several gems that were unearthed by another researcher who was given credit in the book. She came up with some good ones – Capt. Kennedy, his dog, the saving of sailors, the poor woman who lost six children on the Edinburgh crossing. All true. People’s eyes widen in surprise when they ask me “How did you possibly think that up”, and I reply with a smile, “Didn’t have to – it really happened.” It is the nuggets of real events—big and small—and actual personalities which most intrigue me.

As another example, historical figure, Mayo Ferdinando Wood of New York, circa 1855. That research I did myself. There are conflicting historical tales about this man. That he was – to be kind – a corrupt rascal, is undisputed. It got to the point, though I only briefly mention it in Threads West, (the first book of the series) where he was on such outs with the rest of the city and the City Council that he had his own police force which battled constantly with the city’s police force. A municipal civil war. There are historical references here and there as to his philandering’s, but much of that I had to interpolate. I’ve known many men in powerful positions. Their wiles with the opposite sex is almost universal. Judging from his pictures he was not an attractive man. While his power and his own personal police force I’m sure got a few gals between the sheets, others, including several female characters in Book One, Threads West, tried to resist his overtures and some – very clever (just like in real life) – not only blunted his advances but turned his ardor to their own advantage.

While writing Maps of Fate the new publishing group which took over the series (they are terrific) provided me with two researchers, one specializing in period clothing, and the other in general history across a very wide spectrum. Both of these ladies did a fantastic job. They put together the general. I did further research of my own to come up with some interesting tidbits (the Grattan massacre, the obnoxious lieutenants’drunken interpreter’s insults resulting in the massacre of an entire platoon by the Sioux around Fort Laramie in 1854). I talked with elders in the Mormon Church. Those threads of lives will be apparent in upcoming books, but were just introduced in Maps of Fate. My editor is a specialist in Native Americans and her husband is a full-blooded Sioux. Though I myself am an adopted second son of a Mohican Chief (that is yet another tale) being able to be historically accurate to the “nth” degree in how the Western Indians tended and felt about the most minute aspects of their lives, as portrayed in Maps of Fate,was invaluable.

Maps of Fate not only reacquainted readers with the characters they knew and had come to love and follow, but introduced new characters – a renegade, his captive, the Sioux, and an older black couple –slaves setting the sails of their lives for freedom. I try hard to write from the perspective of each character based on personal experience, interviews and research. We are all shades of gray. In the worst of us there is a redeeming quality. In the best of us there is a dark facet. But, we are all Americans and it is together as a people that we built this country. It is the threads of disparate lives from uncommon social origins, locations, and backgrounds that made this nation great. Hence the name of the series.

Advice to fledgling western romance writers?

I am laughing. Write!

The setting, and creating the theater in which the characters love, lose, triumph, act and interact, is critical. I cannot fathom how an author who does not live within such an environment possibly writes one of these novels. Learn your locations!

Pick an area in your house that is “the writing sanctuary.” My preferred writing atmosphere is pacing around the kitchen and living room of the old ranch house, digital recorder in one hand, coffee in the other.

Fourth—devote time to your writing. Easy to say—hard to do! I am both a night owl and an early bird—that helps!

Last, use technology!

Your social media links.

Twitter -- @ReidLRosenthal

Facebook --  www.Facebook.com/RomancingtheWest

www.Facebook.com/ThreadsWest

I hope these musings, albeit from a newbie author who freely admits he knows little and has much to learn, have been of some help or stirred some thought. Thank you, Jean, for this great opportunity to appear here on your site!

 

http://writersofthewest.blogspot.com/2012/10/reid-lance-rosenthal-writes-romantic.html

 

 

 

"Interesting characters, evocative scenery and thoughtful history..." (Reader review)

An enjoyable Western adventure story, Reid Lance Rosenthal's Maps of Fate takes the mixed cast of characters from book one of Threads West on a wagon train across America in the late 1850s. Readers really don't need to have read the first book to enjoy this story, and I never found myself referring back to it. While there are lots of characters, the structure of the wagon train keeps them well-defined--who lives in which wagon, who rides with whom etc. Nicely drawn details of everyday living bring the world to life, from how to circle wagons to the problems of crossing a river, from jerky fires to women's laced boots, Kentucky long rifles and the feel of a horse's "warm, moist muzzle" brushing a character's cheek.

I liked the sense of North America about to contract as railroads promise development. Slavery's becoming a national issue. Immigrant Jews are moving West. And Indians struggle with broken treaties as wrong-doers on both sides erode their sense of trust.

The novel follows the wagon train to journey's end in a small town, with miles yet to be traveled, maps to be studied and claims to be set, but the story still has a pleasing sense of completion, even as characters come to the fore. Book three will, I'm sure, be just as interesting.

I enjoyed book two more than book one in this series. The history, while not completely accurate, was pleasingly evocative. The writing, while occasionally wordy, felt appropriate and kept me turning pages. The characters became deeper, making me really care about them. And the dialog felt true to life. An enjoyable Western, sufficiently complete to satisfy, complex enough to build genuine mystery and character, and sufficiently incomplete to leave the reader wanting more, this one's a good solid read, evoking a life long gone in a world of possibilities.

Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

By 

S. Deeth "Sheila Deeth"

Dr. Veronica Anderson of Wellness for the Real World interviews Reid Lance Rosenthal

Dr. Veronica Anderson of Wellness for the Real World interviews Reid Lance Rosenthal on his new book, “Threads West: An American Saga.” -- For more visit: http://www.ThreadsWest.com

My office remains hopeless

As I dictate this I am wandering through the ranch house. I stop at my writing desk. Despite my best efforts it has now become just as cluttered as the other flat surfaces on various levels. There is an array of blogs, new web pages, contributions to four websites, Land for Love and Money, coming out June 26, 2012 (www.landforloveandmoney.com) the evolving manuscript of Book Three of the Threads West series—Uncompahgre—where water turns rock red.

I stare at pages and wonder, “Let’s see, did I do those re-writes?” My eyes glaze over at the scribbled edits on this and that manuscript for both fiction and non-fictional.

My writing desk has become a storage place for outlines, blogs and revisions. The breakfast bar in the kitchen is now home to the amended copies of the Land for Love and Money and the third book of the Historical Western series. My office remains hopeless. I believe that somewhere under the piles of papers there’s a short story or two. I’ve run out of floor space to pile papers and documents. I have to move papers to sit on the couch.

My new mantra has become, “I’m enjoying this creative process.” I gaze cross-eyed at a pile of paper with so many red-line edits that it’s difficult to see the original print.

“I think I will work on Uncompahgre,” I argue with myself. “No I really need to get those blogs done.” (sigh). Nope need to put the final touches on the Green for Green Workbook for Land for Love and Money.”

And finally, “I think I will just go fishing for a couple of hours!”

Featured Author!!!

 Interview with Featured Author: Reid Lance Rosenthal 

(conducted by: Terri Zinchiak and Kim Haight)

"We would love to make this interview a two-parter with a personal section and a book section. We want to know more about who you are. We think folks will find it enlightening and we know you as quite a charming cowboy! (Additionally, we sent Reid a few more questions, which we will post next week.) Thank you Reid for your time with us."   
                                       

Q:  "We know you are about to be a Grandpa again. Tell us how you felt the first time you held your first grandchild."

A:  "I AM a Grandpa again---Riley Hazel, 6 lb, (and way cuter than Grandpa!) Thoughts? Feelings? A wonder at the continuum of the energies of the universe—and a renewed determination that they have a shot at the same, or a better America than I enjoyed growing up!"

(After we sent/submitted the interview questions - Reid became a proud grandpa of a gorgeous granddaughter!) 


Q: "We all know you studied writing at CSU (Colorado State University). What sport(s) did you play in High School and which positions?"

A: "I lettered in tennis—and never won a match—I was the throw away—don’t laugh! Football—linebacker. I was better than decent, and wrestling—state championships!"

Q: "Now for something more serious…your ranch in Wyoming. We saw the pictures…did your ranch and historic buildings weather and survive the fires?"

A: "They did—barely! A rough, scorching, dry summer. Three fires all around us over the past two months, but so far (knocking on unburned wood) no damage to us! Now in the wee hours of a high country Wyoming day the glow of a half-moon shines orange down the sliver of remaining creek, and my friend, the great horned owl, is screeching night greetings, “all is well”."

Now for the Book – Business Section

Q: "In Thread West Book One and Two, we know the characters have many personality traits (especially the male characters) that you possess, but who would you say you are most like and why."

A: "There is a bit of me in all of them—male and female, but all are based on real personalities I, and I’m sure most readers have known through life."

Q: "Many of us know you have a great love for/of our Country. Please tell our readers the correlation to what you hold dear about our Nation and how they tie into the beliefs of those characters in your book."

A: "The characters, all of uncommon backgrounds, are evolving, becoming imbued with the American spirit, beginning to understand the opportunity of freedom, and recognizing the power of the land. It is the story of us—a touchstone we need to remember and use as our guide post to the future."

Q: "Give us a tiny glimpse of where you may go in Book Three, a new character maybe? Just a hint/teaser if you will."

A: "Ah! Look for hints, eh? Yep—new characters…and Gold, cattle, passion, love, the new generation, adversity, tragedy, triumph and again the threads of different cultures converge, winding ever tighter that tapestry that is America."

Q: "Now for a touch of fantasy…lol…(your readers can only imagine where your mind is racing to). If you could bring one “old world” value, into present day…what would it be and why?"

A: "Self-reliance—and the freedom it engenders."

Q: "Last question…hold onto your cowboy hat! What is the biggest fish you have every caught…no sorry, that would be a question for me…lol…Now really…Last question, what has been the most fun thing you have experienced since becoming a published author?"

A: "Without a doubt—that readers enjoy the story—relate, know and feel for the many characters and get the message. And, of course, clamor for the next book in the series!"

"Our readers would love for you to tell us something about your book, Land for Love and Money. One fiction, one non-fiction. This book is very  near and dear to your heart. Briefly, tell us what moved you to write this…(everyone wanting to purchase land, or land based real estate—even if just a 1/3 acre building lot, this is the book you should read—even your town home sits on land…you will love this book!)"

"This is the anecdotal instruction guide to the very big picture—love and money--the heart and wallet of real estate. It is my hope it helps millions thoroughly enjoy and profit from their real estate—and avoid the pitfalls I have tumbled head first into from time to time. And, yes—those stories are in the book, too!"

"Thank you Reid for your time and thoughtful and humorous answers. We have thoroughly enjoyed having you on the www.kilteddesire.com site as our SECOND Featured Author!"  Terri and Kim.

*PLEASE Click on Book covers tae Purchase fae BN.com

Thread West, An American Saga - Book One

The romance of America, her people, her spirit, and the West. This first book and namesake of the six-novel series is being compared by reviewers and authors to Lonesome Dove and Centennial. The tale bursts with the adventure, romance and promise of historical America and the West. The epic saga of Threads West begins in 1855 with the first of four richly-textured, complex generations of unforgettable characters. The separate lives of these driven men and independent women are drawn to a common destiny that beckons seductively from the wild and remote flanks of the American West. They are swept into the dangerous currents of the far-distant frontier by the mysterious rivers of fate, the power of the land and the American spirit. Their turbulent journeys are heartbreaking quests intertwined with romance and adversity, passions and pathos, despair and triumph. This is not only their story. It is our story. It is Threads West, An American Saga.

Threads West, Maps of Fate - Book Two

The adventure and romance of America, Her people, Her spirit, and the West. The ongoing story of us.

Second book of the #1 bestselling, Threads West series, recipient of eight National Awards—Western, Romance and Historical Fiction! Compared by reviewers, authors and readers alike to Lonesome Dove, Centennial, and L'Amour.

Set in 1855, Book Two continues the page-turning tale of four richly-textured, complex generations of unforgettable personalities. Suspense builds as they hurtle towards unknown destinies, propelled by one adventure, danger, romantic twist and encounter to the next.

Forged in the crucible of history, shaped on the anvil of a dangerous land, the threads of their lives and torrid loves interweave with the evolution of the West. Armed conflicts, the rancor of slavery, and the discovery of gold, all create lethal surprises when the characters are forced to defend their lands, their loved ones, and their honor. The tragic story of the Indians begins to unfold. New characters with dark hearts, lost souls, and hopeful innocence, color the tapestry of this epic saga. Others, in search of place and rightful freedom, catapult into the story.

An unexpected convergence of events sets in motion the thrilling, yet heartrending Conclusion of Book Two, setting the stage for the passionate tumult of the third book of the series.

Threads West, Uncompahgre - Book Three

(coming soon - pre-order now!) 

In Book Three, Uncompahgre - where water turns rock red, the men and women of the saga have reached their initial destination: pre-Denver, Cherry Creek. Now they are each faced with life altering decisions — to return to Europe or crest the Rockies to settle in the remote Uncompahgre Valley, extreme SW edge of the Kansas Territory. Some must decide to pursue or abandon torrid love affairs that have flowered on the dangerous journey from Europe and across America. The elderly slave couple, Oglala Sioux family, and renegade — and his young, traumatized captive introduced in Maps of Fate are woven ever more tightly to the arc of the story — their tragedy, passion and triumph-filled tales weaving into the cloth of a collective destiny.

The brave, passion-filled characters of Uncompahgre try to establish or maintain life in this unknown wilderness, all swept unknowingly into the tumultuous vortex of momentous changes shaping the United States and the West between 1855 and 1875, the years ensconced in the Maps of Fate era of novels of the series. Land, love, gold, culture and the burden of family responsibility shape them as this vanguard of generations loves and struggles in the beautifully vibrant but unforgiving landscape of the West. The personal conflicts inherent to these brave, passion-filled characters are exacerbated by a nation in transition, the budding enmity between North and South, deep bonds and lethal enmities with Native Americans and the accelerating melting pot of diverse cultures that marks this magical moment in American history.

On the front range of the Rockies, a newly spawned Denver City, built on the banks of Cherry Creek, booms with the impact of gold discovered in the Pikes Peak area and the Ouray, San Juan and Uncompahgre mountain ranges. The fires of deadly tumult between the states sweep west. The "resolution" of the "Indian Problem" leaves families and hearts broken, forever staining the pages of American history.