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

 “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 -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.  Rosenthal says it beautifully.”

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

Book Review By -- Tethered Mommy

Posted by admin

Published in book review

I am so excited to tell you about this new series from Reid Lance Rosenthal.  The first book in a 6 part series, Threads West is set in 1855 and tells us about a group of people making their way from England to America.  We follow each of them from their origins, see how they all come together and meet and find out their plans for the New World and how they seem to coincide.

I love reading historical fiction and this book did not disappoint me in the least.  I realize that this book is set in 1855 so I wonder if the Civil War will come into play in later installments.  Either way, I am eagerly awaiting the next books in the series.

While I did enjoy this book, it seemed to not have much of a story and served more of an introduction to the characters and setting up some situations for later.  But then again, it was a smart move on Rosenthal’s part in order to keep us hanging on for more.  In my case, it definitely worked.

One very interesting aspect of this book was Reuben’s Jewish faith.  It seems he is taking pains to hide the fact that he is Jewish.  It is sad to know that Jews were not looked at in the same way as Christians.  As we know, this trend would just continue in history.

Also, I am very hopeful that the prissy Rebecca gets her comeuppance in a future book.  While I know she is focused on getting West, her attitude is something that I will glad to see taken down a few pegs once she sees just what the frontier is like.

Threads West is being compared to Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove.  While I never read that, I know that McMurtry is well-regarded author.  I feel that if Rosenthal continues on the same path, he will be just as popular, if not more.

Threads West by Reid Lance Rosenthal is available in paperback and e-book format.  Read more here about the characters, of which I only mentioned a few.

I was sent this book in order to provide a review.  This did not influence my opinion in any way.  All thoughts are 100% my own.

Westerns, History, And Steamy Sizzle! by Reid Lance Rosenthal

Westerns, History, And Steamy Sizzle! by Reid Lance Rosenthal

Mary has kindly asked me to share some pointers, ideas, and “how to’s” of writing Historical Western Romance. I’m flattered, particularly since in the     general scheme of things,I am a newbie author. First, some background on why and what I write.

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.

Combine these forces of land and love (or lust), mix in detailed historical fact, the West, the American spirit, and the interplay of strong, conflicted male and female impassioned personalities, and we have historical western romances!  It is not an oft written genre, and I am the only rancher/cowboy writing heated tales of the multi-cultural West.

The key, though—this newbie author believes—is to be able to write equally compelling versions of the same act from both the male and female POV! How do I insert myself in the skin of a woman and write from her vantage? A great female editor helps immensely, but most important is the accurate tap of direct and indirect empirical experience.  Fiction is but the shadow of real life.

I am penning the Threads West: An American Saga, eight-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 our story. 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.

The best way to approach this rather broad subject isto find its basic elements. First, the setting; second, the characters; third, the arc of the story—including the simmer and sizzle—and last, but certainly not least, the historical context.

I have an advantage when it comes to setting. 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 setting, the physical environment and specific era, of a western is all-important. I do quite a bit of photography and would equate a western landscape photo to the initial setting of a chapter. When a moment speaks to me—that that peculiar angle of the sun, sky prisms following rain, shadows creeping with the ever-changing angle of light—I’m compelled to capture, perhaps even catalog, the image. Many times, due simply to the wild and remote places where I spend many of my waking hours, I’ve been fortunate to record the vivid, mesmerizing power of the land.These are the scenes, and never to be repeated moments, that provide the visual underpinning in my writing. Mood.Setting.A snapshot of the earth. It’s all there visually, deep in the creative part of my soul. The pen becomes merely the shutter, and the paper the film. For aspiring writers of western romance I would say,know your locations. Go there. Breathe it, smell it, see it, feel it, let the energy of the place speak to you, and then translate that energy intothe written word.

Characters, of course, are key ingredients in any tale,any genre, whether true, half true, or pure fiction. When one is writing historical fiction, the characters must be true to their period. The writer needs to step into a portal and catapult themselves backwards in time. The characters must be authentic, and in my humble opinion, their inner and external conflicts, ambitions, passions and interactions, have to engender every possible emotion.

Though some adamantly disagree, men and women are very different creatures.  A woman is a woman, and a man is a man. In a novel, as in life, the personalities of both sexes project a certain individual aura and mystique.  Mystique is projected through dress, looks, speech, activities, interplay with the opposite sex, and lifestyle.  Aura is something deeper. It is the power of presence, the inner energy of the soul, the core primeval pulse, the promise of passion and torrid romance.  We all know people of either gender whose simple entry into a room changes the atmosphere.  One can almost palpably feel their life energy, enthusiasm, emotion, innate strength and sexual halo. I strive to ensure all of my characters, male and female, possess these qualities.  Some have a dark energy—others light.  But all are strong and vulnerable, each in a unique, gender-driven way.

Romance is popular because it is a universal energy. Who reading this has not had a love? 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, real-life romantic involvement is complex. There are highs, lows, intrigues, diversions, happy endings, and not so cheerful conclusions. I believe various characters need to experience all these if the romantic spine of the book is to have texture and authenticity.

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 sundrenched plains.

There is no one who has not stood on the beach, their feet in briny froth, looking at the sea, on a hill overlooking a vista, or peered far down a river to where it bends out of sight, that has not felt the tug. It is this universal energy which should be wound throughout. This “essence of the Earth” brings readers back to their very roots as a human being. Better yet, these universal truths remain constant in any historical era, though unfortunately less realized today than at any other time in man’s history.

The story an author wants to tell it is determined by an author’s goals. Perhaps the objective is simply to tell a great tale. Perhaps there is personal penchant towards a certain point in history the writer feels pivotal. Maybe the writer has messages which interweave subtly within the story-line. Or, it just might be they simply want to write a book and sell as many copies as possible. Each novelistcan answer this question for themselves.

Each author also has his, or her, own distinctive style. I write in the very old style of “converging threads” because I like it, and it has always intrigued me. It is,perhaps, one of the more difficult styles to employ because in reality you have stories within stories, as disparate characters meet, and their life threads intertwine. Their rendezvous must be realistic, believable, and not contrived. It can be a daunting task.

Other authors write more linear – a single story, more or less, with a singular set of characters. Manyseriesuse basically the same characters in different time periods and situations. A single novel has,simply, a beginning, and an end. An epic historical saga might be the most difficult. Not only does the writer have a multitude of characters (especially in the converging threads style), but there are generational offshoots of those characters, and new personalities which enter the fray which with each successive installment of the tale.

Picking and choosing the history, the macro historical dialogue, and the miniscule but important nuggets of personalized history, are all important. Mess up here, and you’ve undermined all your hard work.

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 consider the disintegration of the values of the old West and of our revolutionary forefathers. These are traitsthat 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, from many locations around the globe, different social origins, ethnicity and creeds, that weave together 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.  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, an 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.

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, and act as catalysts to the convergence of life threads but 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 TwoMaps of Fate plot) 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 precipitator 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.

My research sources are many and varied. They include print, web, nonfiction and historical memoir, and interviews. I often travel to specific geographic locations where my wandering feet have, for some reason, not yet trod. I’m extremely proud of—and humbled by—the eight national awards the series earned in the last year, including four in Romance, one in Western and, perhaps the most difficult, a Best in Historical Fiction from the Independent Book Publishers Association. It was a surprising pat on the back for extraordinary amounts of hours invested in research.

Because of the many little anecdotal twists in the novels, sometimes people ask me, “How could you possibly come up with that idea – how could you imagine that situation?” My answer is typically, “I didn’t have to. It is our history.” For instance, in Threads West, Book One of the series, the details about the captain’s dog, the woman who lost six children, the wild life and antics of the Mayor Ferdinando of New York, are all real, historical tidbits. Oftentimes, the best stories are hidden in thesenuggets of historical details.

I’m astounded by the success of the series and excited about the second book. I think, and hope, that I’ve met my goal of surpassing the high bar set by the first novel. The readers will determine that! Maps of Fate examines 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,North to Wyoming,releasing in late 2012. So, too, will the story, through the Indians’eyes, of the sad, dark blotch on American history which is the treatment of the First Nations.

The beginnings of the “taming” of the West, and the use, and abuse of its lands is yet another piece of this “tale of us” that germinates in Book Two. And, of course,Maps of Fate follows the evolving life threads, passions, loves, disappointments, tragedies, romances—and in some cases the pathos filled,lethal experiences—of the characters which the readers of Book One seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed. A new generation takes root in Maps of Fate. Their life threads hurtle through American history towards the cloth of their destinies and still subsequent generations of the series.

Advance Reader Copies of Maps of Fate will be released shortly. The book itself will launch in April in print at Barnes & Noble, Hastings, and many fine independent bookstores around the country, plus certain international locations. It will also be available on that date on Nook, Kindle and iTunes, and – with luck –audio.

We are having a great survey/contest with prizes beginning the day before Valentine’s Day.Everyone who has reserved a copy of the book on our sites will receive a free MP3 download of three chapters of Maps of Fate read by yours truly. I will make sure that my voice synthesizer is firmly in place!

Readers will also be able to reserve their copy of the very limited number of Advance Reader Copies, delivered digitally, and printable! I will personally sign and send a cover to each purchaser! The sale on our websites will begin February 28 for a limited 10 day period. This very unique offering willbe coupled with a two dollar gift certificate good toward buying the final print, or digital version, of Maps of Fate on or after its release date in April on Barnes & Noble dot com, or in-store. The ARC copies will only be available for an attenuated period,in very limited amount.

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, Mary, for this great opportunity to blog here on your site!

Blurb:

The adventure and romance of the West wrapped in a silver bolo of the American spirit. This is our story.

One saga spanning one hundred-seventy years of our history, brim full of adventure and sensuality and history. Eight sizzling reads. This American epic begins with Threads West, winner of seven national awards including Best Western, 2010, Best Romance 2011, and Best Historical Fiction, 2011. This #1 best-selling, first of eight historical western romances, is being compared to Lonesome Dove, Gone with the Wind and Centennial by reviewers, authors and readers alike.

Spanning 170 years and set in authentic locations on three continents and in the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the life threads of four generations of characters—whose personalities are forged by the land, it’s evolution and the promise of America—live, love, struggle, die, fail and succeed. In the beginning, they have neither country nor culture in common.  But the threads of the textured and conflicted lives of these strong women and driven men become part of the fabric of the undulating and magnetic landscape of the West, woven into the rich tapestry of an emerging nation.

The universal energies of romance and torrid passions shape relationships and enmities, creating a real and engrossing pattern of intrigue, treachery and deep love.  Through the characters’ eyes and senses we experience history, interwoven with little-known highly nuanced true tales.  Then brace yourself as the final novel, Summits,set in the contemporary West, pulls us into the tempestuous, real-time lives of the fourth generation.

Threads West, An American Saga is the adventure and romance of the West wrapped in the silver bolo of the American spirit. It is our story. It is the ongoing tale of us.

click here: Maps of Fate book trailer

Leave a comment and the lucky person will win Reid’s print book -1 Threads West.

 Join us every day of Feb. We are giving away a book a day.

 At the end of the month, four lucky winners who have commented the most throughout the month will win a pile of books.

So try not to miss a day.

Reid Lance Rosenthal is fourth generation land and cattle.  He owns interests in eleven ranches in three western states and Canada.  His long-standing devotion to wild and remote places and to the people–both past and present–who leave their legend and footprint upon the American West is the inspiration and descriptive underpinning of all of his writing.

This passion fuels each novel in the widely acclaimed historical romance series,Threads West…An American Saga.  The first novel of the eight part saga has been compared to McMurty’s Lonesome Dove.  Each ensuing book unfolds the riveting tale of an emerging nation, an evolving west, and the land forged personalities of the driven men and women whose American spirit built a great nation.  The western landscape fuses personalities from uncommon origins, and weaves lives into generational tapestries of lust, duplicity, enmity, love and triumph.  Threads West is the tale of America and her spirit.  “It is your story,” Reid whispers. Then, raising his voice to match his passion, deep tones booming, he reminds us, “This is the ongoing story of us.”

Contact Email: authorsitereid@aol.com

Website: www.threadswestanamericansagaseries.com

www.reidlrosenthal.com

www.threadswestamericansaga.com

www.mapsoffate.com

www.facebook.com/threadswest.

Contrary to the Image

“The writer.” Those two words conjure up various images for different people. For some it’s a cluttered studio with tall windows and soft diffused light. For others piles of manuscripts litter the floor and books burden every shelf. For me the vision is of an oversized desk which faces large windows framing an expansive view of wild country. 

A computer sits in the middle of the smooth surface. Its screen glows with a document half filled by text, the cursor blinks in assumed anticipation. Wadded up papers, full of thoughts gone awry, are scattered on the rug. Half-empty coffee cups stand sentinel here and there. The wall clock begins to tick in syncopation with the neon cursor. The writer, hunched over the keyboard, is dressed casually. His forehead rests in his hands, fingers splayed at the temples, thinking. 

My reality, although I now have the coveted study replete with desk and view, is very different. First, I can’t type, as many of you have been so kind to point out. To be more specific, I type with relative speed, but with so many inaccuracies that a two year old who uses one finger would be more proficient. 

Next, for whatever reason, I can’t be creative when I’m sedentary. I walk in circles on the patio and pace back and forth speaking into the recorder. I find that microcassette tapes, although outdated technology, serve my purpose well. They allow me to dictate as I drive and on occasion my story-line is punctuated by a vehement curse as someone cuts me off at ninety miles-per-hour. 

The micro-recorder has become a bridge between my big paw/little key syndrome and the frenetic lifestyle I lead. Which reminds me, it’s time to finish up this blog and get it to my assistant who can truly type. End of tape!

“Can’t get enough!”

“I’m generally a non-fiction guy. In fact I haven’t read fiction in the last 25 years – other than Rosenthal’s Threads West. My only problem with his writing is that I can’t get enough of it. It’s not just fiction, but historical facts through the eyes of intriguing and diverse characters whose personalities reach and grab your gut, and I appreciate that! It’s a great read – guys, gals, young, old! My only complaint is that even a short wait for the next in the series is just too long.”

~ Randy Ganther, Author (Maximum Success™ and Little Book For Huge Success™), St Paul Minnesota

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!
 

A Cozy Reader's Corner Reviews - Interview with Reid Rosenthal

I am happy to have Reid Lance Rosenthal, author of "Threads West" on my blog today! I hope you enjoy the interview as well as learning a little more about his debut novel!

Tell us a bit about you. How did you become an author or take an interest in writing?

REID: I'm fourth-generation land and cattle. I own interests in a number of ranches in three Western states. I've always been enthralled by the land, its energy, moods, preservation, and the way it involves and shapes the lives that play upon its stage.

My interest in writing stems from long ago, when I was nine. We were taking a family vacation to the Virgin Islands. St. John had just been declared a National Park and we planned a week of camping on the beach in part to celebrate my sisters third birthday. A mongoose ate her birthday cake, but that is yet another tale. As penance for my playing hooky, my fourth grade teacher assigned me the task of keeping a daily journal with the admonition that I would have to read it to the class upon return.

My journal was written on the wide blue lines of a tablet with the ancient thick blue ink of the old octagon pens. On my first day back in class, hands trembling, I read to my classmates and Mrs. Darling, my teacher. I had convinced myself that no one really wanted to hear a tale of our vacation. Much to my surprise when I looked up there was complete silence, mouths were gaped, eyes were riveted on me, and my teacher clapped. It was then I realized I could tell a story and people wanted to hear it. It was on that day long ago that I promised myself I would write books. I was later blessed with teachers that exhorted me to do so, helped me hone my skills, and with insistent prodding built my confidence level in my prose. I had a double major in college – Forestry and Journalism, with a specialty in editorial writing. Some of my short story compositions did well in competitions, such as the Hartford Courant. That was as far as my early writing progressed.

It was two years ago that the man decided to keep the self-promise a nine-year-old boy had made to himself decades prior.

Please tell us a little bit about Threads West.

REID: Threads West is the namesake and first book of a six-novel series, Threats West, An American Saga. When completed, the story will consist of two thousand to twenty-five hundred pages over the various volumes. This epic 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 in the wild 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. Threads West is of the adventure and romance of the West wrapped in a silver bolo the American spirit. It is a tale with a message. The adventure, romance, duplicity, ambition, failure and success is our story. I sincerely hope in addition to enjoying the read, readers are transported, and reminded of the roots of our nation. I believe this is the time for us to step back, remember, and then move forward again with the values of the Old West.

Did you have any specific inspiration that contributed to writing Threads West?

REID: My goal of writing books and telling a story, combined with my absolute belief that the two most primal energies in human existence are romance and the incredibly powerful energy of the land. Combine these two primal basic forces into a great tale and people will empathize, relate, understand and enjoy. Mix in historical fact, and the interplay of conflicted personalities with all their authentic flaws and stay true to the message of uncommon threads of lives that weave together into the tapestry of an emerging nation, and I believe the result is a great story with a lesson. The inspiration for all my writing, landscape photography, and the source of my energy and passion is the land. Threads West is more than just an adventure and romantic story of characters and successive generations. It is about the evolution of America, the West, and the anvil of the land upon which these personalities were forged.

Who was your main support system when writing this book? Did you have anyone who specifically gave you strength or advice while writing Threads West?

REID: I believe in the old frontier attitude which is, “If you need a hand, look at the end of your arm.” I don't consider writing Threads West, or even tackling the monumental task of the entire series with its thirty-eight characters over four generations, and one hundred seventy years of historical fiction one that requires strength or courage. In fact I am delighted to write this story, honored that it has received acclaim and awards, and stunned at its sales success. More than that, the hundreds of comments that we've received and continue to receive convince me that it has struck that median chord between romance, adventure, and good old-fashioned American patriotism. More than its best-selling rankings, greater than its awards, it is the far more significant impact of the book which makes me smile and instills in me the enthusiasm to write the rest of the series which I'm currently engrossed in.

However, being a neophyte, what I don't know about books and publishing is exponentially more than what I do know, despite my learning curve. I have a terrific team, with many great people who know the ins and outs of writing books, publishing, and getting the novels in front of people. A terrific proofreader, a fabulous editor, graphics people including my daughter, first-class distributor, and a tiny but great publisher with the foresight to afford me what was supposed to be a “part-time” publishing assistant, who now works double overtime!. No matter how fluid my pen, how great the idea or story of the saga, none of this would be happening without the other members of the team and I thank them mightily.

Have you always written historical fiction or do you have other genres which you write about?

REID: Since this is my debut novel it is also my first venture into historical fiction! During the course of the series I will also be releasing is my first nonfiction book, Land For Love and Money. It is based on my extensive 40-year career dealing with ranches and land of all types, sizes and nature in many states and three countries on two continents. It will be the A-to-Z handbook for millions of landowners and millions of one of wanna-be landowners anywhere in North America. That book will be presented in anecdotal form -- some stories hilarious, some unbelievable -- a complete what to do and what to avoid guide about land located anywhere, be it a one acre cabin site on the Great Lakes, a coastal retreat in the Carolinas, a 20 acre horse place in Northern California, or a thousand acre spread in the Rockies. It will be accompanied by a CD-ROM with actual worksheets, contract provisions, conservation easement excerpts and checklists that I have developed over my long-time land career.

Are you planning to write a sequel to Threads West?

REID: In fact, there are five sequels! Each of those is of course the sequence of books in the series. Book Two is now being written. Excerpts can be found at the end of Book One. The second novel, Maps of Fate, is scheduled for pre-order beginning in late February and release in March. The third book, North to Wyoming, is scheduled for release in early fall 2011. The Threads West, An American Saga epic will boast four historical Western romances. The last books of the series will be set in the real-time of the contemporary West. All the books are based on real and authentic locations. The final books in the series will have as their backdrop working ranches that exist in the here and now of the West amidst the pulse of politics, land butchery, and a difficult economic environment that affects all of us.

What was your favorite scene when writing Threads West? 

REID: I can't honestly pick a favorite scene. Readers might notice that I begin virtually every chapter with a description of the setting. This creates mood, physical presence, and I hope, draws the reader onto the stage on which the characters act out their story. I must admit, though, that that that particular style is as much for me as it is for the readers. Those opening paragraphs transport me. My soul and mind steps through a time portal where I am on that stage buried somewhere in the background busily transcribing the tale as the characters show and tell.

My two most favorite tasks in a novel is the descriptions of places or landscapes, and romantic interaction between the characters. I must admit that there are times when I mention that second favorite, i.e. the passionate romance, and folks glance furtively at the cowboy hat perched on my head and then quizzically back at me. The cowboy writing romance? Yes. (I am laughing).. I am a romantic guy! More importantly, romance, and the energy of location, the power of the land, and the way those two universal primal forces shape destinies and personalities have always intrigued me.

Is Threads West your first book? What was it like to see your debut book, a dream for most, in print and on the bookstore shelves? 

Threads West is indeed my first book. It is difficult if not impossible to explain the range of feelings, emotions, and excitement, nor the width and breadth of the smile which creases my face when I see that cover on the best-selling page, or on bookshelves in the few bookstores that have received their copies of the book thus far next to books with the names of authors that have become familiar to me over the years. Grisham, Patterson, Follett, Roberts, and others. I sometimes chuckle to myself. I'm sure they ask “Who the hell is this on the bestseller page or on the bookshelves with us? Who is this guy in the cowboy hat?” Or perhaps they don't even notice! I'm under no illusions. The success of Threads West has not elevated my name recognition as an author much above “Reid who???” However, I am far less concerned with my name recognition than I am with people enjoying Threads West and talking about the book. In some strange way I personally feel far less significant than the novel itself. It is all great fun, a huge challenge, and a fascinating learning experience. I wouldn't trade it for the world. In the truly macro sense it is more than being an author, and more perhaps than just the book. it is about fulfillment of a dream. I never fail to forget how fortunate I am to have achieved so many dreams of my life, particularly this one because it was such a long time coming and is so major. The only other thing ever published other than short stories in long forgotten Literary Reviews or magazines decades ago in high school and college is a fun little short story called End of the Circuit , a contemporary Western romance that seems to have brought smiles to many faces. However, tackling a novel is far different than writing a short story.

Do you have any other titles in the works? Should we expect to see more from you?

REID: I assume you mean above and beyond the daunting but highly anticipated task of finishing the next five books in the series, Threads West, An American Saga, and the release of Land For Love and Money. Threads West is about 240 pages. While it is one of six books, the novel is only about ten to fifteen percent of the prose that needs to find its way to paper. I have lots of writing to do! And the prospect delights me! As to other titles after these major projects? I do have some ideas. Several for fiction works, and one nonfiction undertaking which I think would be fascinating. But first things first. I will focus on my current projects, enjoy the process, and attempt to tell a great story with fine wordsmithing that readers relish. I love colloquialisms. They are pure Americana. I will use one again. “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

What are your favorite books?

REID: I can honestly say is that I can't choose a single favorite title. I was a voracious reader when younger’ flashlight under the covers and novels carefully hidden in my school books during class, the whole nine yards. There are so many terrific authors and fine books. I'm honored simply be called an author. Sometimes I pinch myself when I'm introduced as such.

I've been influenced by many great writers. Crane and Hemingway's detailed descriptions of scenes and circumstances have always enthralled me. Crane’s Red Badge of Courage and Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea would be among my two favorites. Leon Uris and his brilliant renditions of converging threads of lives has had a major effect on my presentation. His novels, which I read more than once in my late teens, Exodus, Battle Cry, The Young Lions, and Mila 18 are among my top ten favorite reads for sure. McMurtry’s and L’Amour’s gritty portrayal of the thoughts, ethics, and personalities of the West have most certainly afforded me yet another high bar to scribe to. Lonesome Dove which remarkably a number of national reviewers and readers have compared Threads West to, and a number of L’Amour’s books are also among favorites. I often notice others smile when I mention that amongst my favorites is the Harry Potter series. Based on the quizzical glances flashed in my direction when I mentioned my addiction to Harry, Muggles, and Hogwarts it is apparently difficult for some to imagine a cowboy engrossed in witches, wizards, and far off mystical places. JK Rowling’s series is wonderfully detailed, and is the quintessential struggle between good and evil, employing as "magic" or what my friends in the Star Wars Trilogy (another favorite) , would term “The Force”.

What is the worst book you've read?

REID: I can’t say with certainty what the worst book I've ever read is. Truth be known, if a book is that bad I simply snap the cover, set it down and never pick it up again. No sense wasting daylight on a bad story or horrible writing. Generally I tend to like books that get lost in the profound ephemeral, with repeated wanderings that deviate far and wide from the central arc of the story. I am just a novice, but it is my opinion that a great tale can stay true to its story line and still convey a message with subtlety, taste, and almost imperceptible cadence.

What is your preferred writing atmosphere, for example, you listen to music, watch TV, go to a coffee house or library?

REID: I am laughing. My preferred writing atmosphere is pacing around the kitchen and living room, digital recorder in one hand, coffee in the other. A close second is the cozy interior cab of a one ton Ford as it screams down the highway from ranch to ranch, many of those trip durations of 8 to 10 hours. I would estimate that at least half of Threads West was dictated driving at 90 mph -- and if any state trooper is reading this, I meant 75! Many times I've missed the next exit or turn, so engrossed have I become in the story the characters are telling me. On a few occasions my startled glance in the review mirror has revealed the winking lights of a patrol car. Generally the officer has asked me why I didn't pull over for the last thirty miles. The looks I get when I explain I am writing a book are priceless. All my writing is done via dictation. I can type -- matter-of-fact, around a hundred words per minute. Unfortunately, there are at least thirty typos per line. I've become somewhat infamous for my e-mails after pounding keys with my big paws. Spell check would take longer than the original writing.

Are you a night owl or early bird?

REID: I am both. Sleep is nothing more than a necessary evil. I would prefer to be catching winks three days at a time followed by six weeks without any rest. The majority of my writing is usually done from about 10 o'clock at night to 3 o’clock in the morning. Secondary productive timeframe would be six or so in the morning to perhaps ten a.m. Then the reality of daily life, business and the ranches takes over. Once in a while I've stepped through that time portal I described and I'm reluctant to remove myself. On those occasions I can go three or four days without any sleep whatsoever.

Do you have a favorite reading -- writing snack?

REID: Elk, chocolate, and coffee are the primary food groups in my opinion. Everything else is a derivative. I would hasten to add that chocolate is relegated to that fine dark European chocolate, or my favorite, which are Nestle’s semi sweet morsels. It's a fine day indeed when the local grocery store has bags of those on sale.

Do you have an author you look up to?

REID: I look up to all authors. It is a feat to write a book, get published, and then engross oneself in the hard work that comes thereafter. If anyone thinks that your job is complete when you put the last comma in the last sentence they are sadly mistaken. The work has just begun. So, to authors everywhere of any type in any genre, fiction or nonfiction, I give a nod and a pull of the wide brim of my cowboy hat to them. They -- all of them -- have my great respect.

Favorite sport?

REID: I am a highly physical man. My passions are also my “sports”. I generally like more solitary pursuits. I never was partial to neighbors. Hunting, riding, fishing, river floating, and skiing -- particularly the steep, the deep, and the trees, and weightlifting.

What is the one thing you would change about being an author?

REID:  Nothing.

The translation of the moment into words; it might be a moment of the moods of land, or a moment of interaction and romantic interaction treatment characters. But the description of the scene, a peculiar angle of the sun, bursting sky prisms falling rain, shadows creeping with the angle of the waning sun. I am compelled to capture the image in every way possible. Many times, due simply to the wild remote places where I spend many of my waking hours – right time, right place) -- I've been fortunate to record with my camera and my memory the power of scenes so vivid as to be mesmerizing. The thrill of knowing I have recorded a split second that is never, ever to be repeated as to the angle, time, or season, makes all doubly exciting and satisfying. Translating those images to paper and projecting them into a reader's mind and heart is incredibly satisfying. It is those never to be repeated moments that underpin the script portion of my writing. When I write of mood, setting -- a section of the earth -- it is all there in a picture somewhere deep in my soul. My pen becomes merely the shutter, and the paper the film.

How do you react to bad review?

REID: I haven't had the opportunity to gauge my reaction. With thousands of comments by readers, authors and others, and reviews received, only a very few have been negative. I don't have a problem with a negative review. It is impossible and unrealistic to expect every person who reads a book, any book by any author, to 100% like it. If reviews are honest, well-intentioned, from the heart and not nasty, more power to them. It is only when a negative review is posted our of mean-spirit or done for alternate purpose that I object. I believe that is a huge preponderance of comment whether by professional reviewers, author peers, or -- in my opinion the most important -- the readers for whom the book is written or positive that I am well satisfied that the work is well received.

What you do with your time when you're not writing?

REID: This author thing is like taking on a second full-time career and job. Time, energy, and focus are needed to run and operate the ranches, particularly when spread out over long distances. Fortunately I love that business too, and if affords me the experience to intertwine my passions and love of the land with a vocation. Ironically, it also gives me great fodder for writing backdrop, scenes, and of places in which the action of the novel transpires.

Do you have a New Year's resolution?

REID: To write like a fiend, ride like the wind, ski as if in an elevator shaft full of bubbles, love big, dream grand, smell, taste, sense, and enjoy life and family, and to smile just as much as I can as often as possible.

Did you have any specific inspiration that contributed to writing Threads West?

REID: 1855 is a magical moment in American history. The great Western migration was in its infancy. The later turmoil between the northern and southern states was just beginning to darken the whispered rhetoric of both sides. Native Americans had rightfully lost trust in the promises of the white man. The main treaties of years prior, and indeed the compact between the states regarding abolition, had all been broken by one or the other party just within the previous twelve to twenty-four months. This was the beginning of the Industrial Revolution though no one knew that, Revolvers were invented just years prior and the repeating rifle was several years from rolling out from the factories of arms manufacturers. It was the year that the world -- and America -- breathed in, held their collective breath, and readied to exhale with a rush towards the Great Plains and the Rockies.

Life is half-art, half science. Emotions mix with the knowledge. The energy input and output of the spirit blends with the progression of the mind. That's why the influences on my writing all flow from the land and personal interaction with real people and personalities I've known -- you might call that the science portion of my words. The art ingredient or presentation is also one of many influences. The weave of Western relationships is always the land. The intertwined twist of ranch and romance are fascinating threads of the driven men and feisty women of the Old West. The foundation of my stories is that reality. There is intrigue, adversity, vicious duplicity, and triumph that few know of, but which are always at play beneath the idyllic mosaics of inviting canyons and sun-drenched plains.

Thank you Reid!