It’s The Focus, Stupid!

The editor’s fingers drummed on top of her desk, her eyes steady, friendly enough, but not kind, “You have been claiming you’re going to get four books out this year—three of your novels and the next Land for Love and Money.”

I felt myself blink. “Yep!”

“Where are they?”

I launched into my mantra. “Well, the Sandy storm shut you folks down, and then I decided to rewrite the last third of Uncompahgre and, hell, this is only December…”

She brusquely cut me off, “Are you making improvements to your ranch this year?”

I felt my eyes widen. What the @**# does that have to do with this? “Yes—irrigation and field work on two fields on the spread…”

“Just two?” she interrupted me again with a wry smile.

“Yep. Try to do more and nothing will get installed.”

She nodded. “Exactly. So if that’s true for the cowboy and his ranches, what makes you think it’s less applicable to the author and his books?”

Of course, she was right.

“It’s the focus, Stupid.” That has been my grimaced message to myself in the mirror the past month.
There’s a host of things to attend to on the ranch side of my equation, compounded by the morons in Washington DC – and I include all of them, both parties, left or right. But that is yet another tale. And then there’s life, and the never ending promotion of the books.

When I finally do sit down to write, and those first several paragraphs setting the scene are on the page, it’s as if I’ve stepped through a portal. I am on the stage, it is 1855, and there is the smell of sage, gunpowder, perfume and the land. The characters smile, nod their heads as if they have missed me, and begin to again tell me the story. Then I can write like the wind – three to six thousand words a day, and sometimes more. The problems are two-fold. First, finding the time to sit down and do the first two transportive paragraphs. Second, now that the single cell in my thick cowboy skull has acknowledged that more focus on fewer books, and a set schedule taking into account the incredible myriad of mandatory steps will actually result in more “walk” and less “talk” in getting the highest quality books out and into your hands!

It wasn’t until we sat down during January and really mapped out the schedules to some of the smallest details (though even then not to the nth degree) that I realized how right they were. There are more than one hundred critical steps between story concept and the pages in a reader’s hands. The Cowboy had blissfully and woefully underestimated.

I’ve tipped my cowboy hat back and I’m scratching my forehead vigorously. “What the hell was I thinking?”

So in summary, apologies for getting Book 3 out later than I wanted or you anticipated, but taking a step back now means ten steps forward in the future. Adjusting the Uncompahgre release results in a schedule and structure critical to a realistic two Threads West books per year—still more than the typical big series schedule of a single novel per annum.

Yes, I write because I love to write. I pen because I have a story to tell.  I bond with the characters that live in the pages because they are me, and you, and real people we all know. I immerse myself in the tale because there are multiple messages on many levels that I want to send. But above all, I write because you like to read.  Thoughts, comments, or what have you are welcome!

Extremes of Thread West Country ...

This was only a few week ago.... 



THE EXTREMES of threads west country…dumping again and woefully behind on digging out from the first one. 14 inches since 9 this AM, dumping, equipment still mostly in mercury retrograde and getting close to 4 feet on the level. The ranch house seems mighty comfy considering thoughts of the Donner party in wagons stranded high in the pass at 8,000 feet way back when!

Equine VIP Horses Digest, “Equine VIP Interviews Author Reid Lance Rosenthal”

Author Reid Lance Rosenthal took time to speak with Equine VIP during a whirlwind of press surrounding his 2nd book release “Maps of Fate”.

His first book “Threads West” has been compared to McMurtry’s
Lonesome Dove and to Michener’s Centennial by reviewers and readers. Threads West won eight National Awards including BEST Historical Fiction, BEST Romance and BEST Western to name a few. It’s easy to understand why the public is excited about his new book! Reid’s 2nd novel is the next episode of the epic series that tells the tale of multi-generational men and women from a diverse origin. Set in 1855, it’s the saga and adventure of an emerging nation and gripping tapestry and romance of personalities of the West.

YOU ARE A 4TH GENERATION LAND AND CATTLE RANCHER – WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO ADD BEST SELLING “AUTHOR”?
Horses are a big part of my life as a ranch owner. Sometimes when I disappear to write and promote my books, my horses wonder if I’ve forgotten them! At 9 years old I was already writing short stories, but it was much later while riding my horse “Tramp” when I sat down looking at the landscape around me and took my pen out. It was a magical moment.

YOU’VE BEEN TITLED A “COWBOY ROMANCE WRITER”. ISN’T THAT UNUSUAL?
It seems I’m in a class by myself! There are no other “cowboy” romance writers and very few males writing romance novels. The few male writers out there are writing under a female synonym. I write in the genres of “historic, western, romance” because I’m fascinated with the western landscape and its influence on generations of its settlers. Land is the source of many energies; the catalyst of greed and conflict, the backdrop of love and romance and the American spirit. Even an urban dweller can find a vista of a pounding sea and feel this energy.

ARE YOU SURPRIZED BY ALL THE ATTENTION AND AWARDS YOUR BOOKS ARE RECEIVING?
I just hope people like the books and get the message – that is what
makes me smile! I had to go sit by a creek for a while when Max McCoy
the author of 4 Indiana Jones, 18 other novels and screen writer for
Steven Spielberg’s “Into The West” asked me if he could write a review. I am honored, and I’ve been told the number of Awards my first book received hasn’t happened in 86 years.

MAPS OF FATE IS YOUR 2ND BOOK IN A SERIES – WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH EACH BOOK?
I love to write! Half of my time is spent on the ranch and horses,
and the other half is spent writing and researching. Pleasure equals work,and work equals pleasure. I try to balance both. However I spend about 95% of my time on a book before it’s released. When I sit down to write, the characters live in the pages of each book and take a journey of self exploration. I’m fascinated with American traits and values of the Old West and hope each story pulls at your heartstring with a universal message. Each book has a story that needs to be told. A touch stone to the past and guide to the future.

HAVE YOU BEEN APPROACHED BY HOLLYWOOD YET?
I’m in early discussions about a movie or mini-series. It’s hard for me not to get choked up watching the Youtube trailer for Threads West!

HOW CAN OUR READERS LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BOOKS?
http://www.ThreadsWest.com

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.

REVIEW - THREADS WEST

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
Outdo Yourself Challenge(59/200)
50 States Challenge(Missouri)
Immigrant Stories
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.19)

"Threads West" by Reid Lance Rosenthal
Product Description(Amazon.com)
The romance of America, her people, her spirit, and the West. The ongoing story of us. 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.
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Rockin SR Publishing (October 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982157614
ISBN-13: 978-0982157619

MY THOUGHTS: While reading this book it so reminded me of Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. It is also the first book of a six book series. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. This books starts with the characters in the book. It gives you the info on each one and their reasons for immigrating to America. Johannes, Reuben, Sarah, Zeb, Inga, Jacob, and Rebecca all travel to America on board the SS Edinburgh. They are all headed to St. Louis to join up with a wagon train. Some for gold and riches, others to just get a foot hold in the new frontier. All their lives are intermingles together and they all have one thing in common. To settle a patch of the frontier for themselves or family. Beautifully written, this book makes you want to travel in a covered wagon. I highly recommend this book. If you can get your hands on a copy, do it!

MY RATING: 8-12 

[This is a free review book.]

Threads West is a gem!

After reading a few chapters of Threads West, you'll discover a "favorite new author." Once you've read the book, you'll agree this saga will be considered one of the great literary works of our time!

This author writes in full technicolor-a true artist with nouns and verbs, painting a story with a pen. incredibly gifted. His style of writing captures a reader's attention and won't let go! It stimulates the physical senses so we can feel, taste, smell, hear and see vivid pictures of the characters and setting which he so meticulously describes. Characters that are interesting and diverse with complex lives become artfully merged with one another to create this really remarkable and unforgettable story.

And yes, I do believe I'm beginning to display signs of mild obsessive behavior for this author's work and the Threads West book series! So please Reid, have some mercy on us who are now unsuccessfully fumbling through other books searching for that magical place you've taken us to, and get the second book to the printer-pronto!

~Nancy K.

.....A journey of gathering suspense.....

"Diverse characters interwoven with highly visual prose flow into a journey of gathering suspense.  One senses the tightening thread that binds them will unravel with both delicious and devastating results.  Rosenthal delivers!"

~ JOSEPHINE ELLERSHAW ,  - #1 International bestselling author - UK/US/CN

Speaking Gig At Los Alamos Middle School

I had the great privilege to address about one hundred and fifty great kids and teachers of the Los Alamos middle school in January. The message of the universal energies of the land, romance, the American spirit, and self-reliance formed the core of the presentation. We talked about the undeniable fact that we are all from elsewhere but are bound by those chunks of “soul food.” Fun stories brought laughter, applause, great interaction and over half an hour of terrific questions. Those kids definitely got the concepts! It was a total delight. Thanks to Peggy Durbin of Ottowi Station Bookstore and Museum, for setting up the event and the “Los Mos” school system for hosting it. Los Mos rocks!

We are so pleased that Reid enjoyed speaking with the students at the Los Alamos, NM, Middle School on January 28. Speaking for nearly two hours to a rapt audience of about 100 seventh and eighth graders, Reid discussed self-expression and the creative process, self-reliance ("If you need a hand, look at the end of your arm"), and the universal energies of the land and romance. The students may not have known it then, but they were also getting a free writing workshop. The students' questions to Reid were thoughtful and full of insight. He was unfailingly respectful of and interested in the kids. He and I were especially pleased when several students remained after the talk to discuss their own writing with him. 


The signing the evening of January 28 was a delight. As I told Reid, our customers prefer to talk the authors' ears off, and that seemed to suit him perfectly. Several of the students from the morning's talk came by for books. Of course, we always have some shy customers who call a couple minutes before the signing is scheduled to end and who ask in a fraught whisper, "Is he still there? Will you have him inscribe a book to Richard?"
A good customer to the store came in this morning and wanted to know whetherThreads West would be a good selection for her book club. I told her it would be perfect.


Thank you for your support. We look forward to seeing Reid again.
Sincerely,
Peggy Durbin

LIMITED Time, LIMITED Amount, Holiday Season PRINT Special

We figured it out! Originally, we offered 100 large (32 X 24) “Vanguard” prints at $90, plus postage, to the first hundred folks who reserved them. These are pretty well spoken for but, if you have reserved your print of “The Vanguard,” we are now going to pay your postage for the Holidays! This special will apply over and above the price goody you've already received.  And, more good news, Debbie Sampson, the nationally acclaimed artist of this spectacular painting, and the fine folks at Rockin’ SR Publishing, have agreed to expand this amazing give-away to include another 200 prints, first come, first serve—but only if the order is placed by December 12, 2011.  This is a limited time, limited quantity treat for Threads West fans. These 200 additional prints will be available at the holiday price of $90, and includes shipping if your order is placed by December 12. After that, we simply can't guarantee Christmas delivery so we must maintain this cutoff date.  And remember, you folks who have already reserved your print will also enjoy the added benefit of free shipping if you complete your purchase by December 12!
All prints will be mailed in sturdy cardboard tubes, ready for matting and framing, numbered and signed by both myself and Debbie. Prints to the contest winners will also be going out pre-Christmas for your enjoyment, or to give as a gift.

In addition, we now have two sizes of prints, 11 X 17 and 24 X 32! However, our Special Holiday applies only to the 24 X 32 size. For exact details, easy to fill out order form, and to offer any comments, please go to http://www.mapsoffate.com/content/art/. We will ship to a third-party if you wish. The form allows you to fill out that information. Please be sure the name, address and zip code are complete and correct. These first class prints of Debbie’s spectacular painting will add just the right touch to your or your gift recipient’s home or office. One-of-a-kind, never to be repeated—when they're gone, they're gone!  With the shipping included this is close to a 40% discount on the 24 X 32 edition.  Order “The Vanguard” now and put a little of the West’s romance and adventure on your wall!

Enjoy! THANK YOU!

A Holiday Special On Top Of A Holiday Special Equals EXTRA SPECIAL

It's getting to be the holiday season. Advance notice concerning our one of a kind, Maps of Fate Holiday gift certificates, personalized and signed by me, was just posted Monday! (http://www.mapsoffate.com/blog/blog/141111030559/The-Good--The-Not-Quite-So-Good--and-The-GREAT.htm) Now we want to tell you what Rockin’ SR Publishing and nationally acclaimed artist Debbie Sampson have planned for the Holiday season.  Prints of her incredible oil painting, “The Vanguard” especially painted for the cover of Maps of Fate, are now available.

We've been amazed at how many folks have reserved prints. Production has begun and the purchase page will be posted shortly. The print contest in which so many of you graciously offered your comments and votes, specified the first 100 (24x34) prints would be priced at $90 per print, plus postage, each print personally signed by myself and Debbie. Debbie has given me repeated instructions on how to properly sign (somehow I think she's nervous I might screw up). Now, thanks to Debbie and the Publisher, and as a BIG thank you for your patience in waiting for the release of Book Two, we’re offering an additional Holiday Print Special!

Details are about to be finalized. Stay tuned for more specifics to be posted at 1:00 PM Eastern this Friday, November 18. Don’t miss out on this limited Maps of Fate Holiday Print Special!
 

Threads West: An American Saga by Reid Lance Rosenthal

 I've always been fan of a good western, and mix western and romance and I'm hooked. Recently, I got the chance to read Threads West: An American Saga. It's book one in a new series of six books from Reid Lance Rosenthal. They say you write what you know, and in that case... I would say the Rosenthal has lived and loved the American West!

USA Book News National Best Book Awards ... Threads West is a WINNER in the Fiction & Literature: Western category and FINALIST in the Fiction & Literature: Romance category.

The romance of America, her people, her spirit, and the West.The ongoing story of us. 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 has gotten rave reviews, and it's easy to see why. Rosenthal is an incredible talented writer, effortlessly creating a picture in your mind of the characters and the places. There is everything a classic western needs: trains, saloons, wagons, guns, cowboys, horses, and more. It reminded me at times of one of my favorite shows in years past, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Threads West definitely has a genuine western feel, and characters that draw you in. Being the first of a six-part series, I expected there to be some loose ends at the end, and I was right. It leaves you wanting more, but being the first in the series, I'm sure that was the author's intention.

I only really found one issue with this novel. I know that sex is a staple in most secular romance novels, but it is still something I can do without most of the time. I've always felt that to create the romance without those type of scenes is harder and more effective. That being said, I do appreciate it when authors at least write the sex scenes in a gentle way. In Threads West, however, I felt that the sex was kind of just thrown in and came off feeling rather harsh. It may have been the author's intention to show the harshness and unmerciful feel of the old American west, but it definitely was not my cup of tea.

Apart from this issue, I really enjoyed the book, and the addictive storyline will keep readers coming back for more throughout the six-part series. Snag your copy of Threads West: An American Saga on Amazon for $10.17 (paperback). Find out more online at www.threadswestamericansaga.com.

Threads West Review: By Midwest Book Review -

The allure of the west brought many people out there, but their success was greatly varied. Threads West: An American Saga, is the first in Reid Lance Rosenthal’s series about a four generations of Americans as they looked westward and the travels they made to clam their own bit of prosperity and life, forming the America spirt and the will to succeed. With plenty of intriguing characters, Threads West, is a novel well worth reading for those with a love for the old west. 

Buy the Book! http://threadswestanamericansagaseries.com/content/bookstoresoverview/

Maps of Fate - It Begins!

The Threads West team is hard at work, immersed in the details of the up-coming Maps of Fate, the second book of the six novel Threads West, An American Saga series. I am engrossed in the writing of the next installment of this saga of the adventure and romance of the West wrapped in a silver bolo of the American spirit. 

Maps of Fate will span a period from 1855 to the early 1870s. The threads of lives of new characters will enter the arc of the story. You will be introduced to the generation who will eventually succeed the courageous, independent but conflicted personalities that comprise the vanguard of unforgettable characters that fuel the tale begun in the #1 Best Selling, Multiple Award Winning first book, Threads West. 

This is the initial of a number of excerpts from Book Two. The life threads of the original characters, seven of whom hail from Europe, have begun to twine together. The wrenching combustion of their interactions, journeys, romance, tragedies and triumphs hurtles them with ever-increasing velocity towards their destinies in the wild and untamed spine of America, the Rocky Mountains. 

The Emancipated 

From a Chapter of Maps of Fate—Book Two of Threads West, An American Saga 

    The whisper of the river entwined itself with an almost imperceptible breeze that drifted down valley from the west. The silhouettes of mountain peaks towered sharp and dark against a sky that had almost lost its day glow. The luminescence of the coming moon shadowed silver above the ridge lines. 

    The medium-height, slightly overweight figure of a man, his short, curly salt-and-pepper hair dully reflecting the slight sheen from the emerging lunar light, turned to a small, slightly hunched female figure. “Lucy, keep that mule quiet. We didn’t walk all this way as freemen to have no trouble now.” 

    “I’ll sure enough keep him quiet, Israel. What do you think we should do? I’m hungry. Do you think it’s safe?” 

    There was a silence as the two peered intently upriver to the dim but beckoning glow of oil lamps from a ranch house’s windows. Other than the bright points of Venus and the first night stars, there was no other visible light. 

    Israel spoke slowly, thinking. “Well, this is the edge of the country. We sure are a long way from Oklahoma. This ain’t no plantation and I’m bettin’ all that grows here is hay. You can hear them cattle. It’s going to be cold tonight. These thin clothes of ours ain’t going to be much help with winter coming on. We’re about out of food, and I lost my last fishhook yesterday. I don’t see as we have much choice. We have to take our chances.” 

    Lucy continued to stroke the muzzle of the mule and laid her free hand lightly on Israel’s forearm. “You’re my man, Israel. I’ll do what you think.” 

    They gazed for a moment at the halo of light a mile or so out. “Maybe folks this far out will be happy to have company.” There was a tinge of doubt edged in the hope of her tone. 

    “Well, let me do the talking, woman. And if there’s any sign of trouble, we’ll just back our way out of there somehow. Let’s tie off the mule before the house. They don’t have to know we have a critter just yet.” He squeezed her arm and smiled grimly into the darkness. “One thing I’ll tell you, we’ll freeze to death and starve before we are slaves again.”