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
Showing posts with label historic romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label historic romance. Show all posts
Monday, September 17, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Old West Of America.... (Blog review)
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.
The description of the characters is flawless, creating a feeling of knowing. You love them or hate them, but the feeling is real. The romance is fierce and gentle at the same time, but the savagery is just as abundant. The interaction of the group draws you in as you become immersed in their daily lives and begin to dream their dreams. Where you could only imagine what life at this time in history could be like, you now can begin to live it through the characterization of this wonderful group.
The story is exciting, the suspense is bold, and the period setting is sensational. You can smell the sage, and are startled with the unexpected sounds as you travel with the team. The sounds and sights are so real you begin to place yourself in the scenes, viewing the happenings as they occur, reeling with the danger and feeling the fear and adrenalin as you too take this journey.
If you love a great story and love history this is a fantastic work. If you enjoy romance, suspense, danger and action this would be a great book for your library. The work stands on its own, but the saga is certainly worth the read. The beginning sets the stage, but you can join up anywhere. Be prepared to become engaged, as Rosenthal sets the stage for another leg of this fascinating journey.
Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Book-Review-Maps-of-Fate-Book-Two-by-Reid-Lance-3822177.php#ixzz24wljWDBr
Monday, April 23, 2012
“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
Friday, February 17, 2012
Book Review By -- Tethered Mommy
Posted by admin
Published in book review
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.
Monday, February 13, 2012
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.
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.
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.
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
www.facebook.com/threadswest.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Interview of Reid Rosenthal, author of Threads West - Part Two
Eve Paludan: Reid Rosenthal, author of Threads West, welcome back to Jodie Renner's blog for part two of this interview! I’m sure readers want to know more about the creation of the Threads West series and about your life as a fourth-generation land and cattle owner. Can you tell us more about who you are and what you do?
Reid Rosenthal: In the simplest terms, Eve, I am just me. As with all others who share this planet, I have my shining, and less illustrious sides. I am a type Triple-A 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.
But 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. 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 history.
Eve Paludan: That kind of vision into the past is truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing what makes you tick. Could you talk more about living off the land, as our pioneers did and how that translates into modern-day conservation?
Reid Rosenthal: He who lives on the land, lives off the land, and he who calls the land his home is by definition a steward of that little piece of the planet. The conservation and enhancement of resources is fundamental to good stewardship. Love the land and it will love you back. I strive in my fiction writing to first pen a great story, a page-turner that is both a mirror and a portal.
Eve Paludan: I love that! What a visualization with seeing messages from the past and then they reflect on the present.
Reid Rosenthal: Yes, there are messages in my writing, subtle and subliminal in some respects, but those manifestations of my core principles are in there. And respect for the land and property as the foundation of America, her spirit, the aspirations of her generations, and as the symbol of our individual freedom is more than a whisper in Threads West, and all the successive books of the series.
Eve Paludan: It makes me think about where we came from, as a country. As well as where we’re going.
Reid Rosenthal: It’s time we returned to our roots. I hope Threads West, while it entertains and captivates readers, imparts that sense of “back to American basics” using the land, and the characters’ interaction on and about the land as the touchstone of that reminder.
Eve Paludan: In part one of this interview, you talked a little bit about your research. How much of that came from your family’s roots?
Reid Rosenthal: Much of the vine of fiction in the series is based on seeds of fact. For instance, my father is from Germany, in fact from a cattle operation on the Lahn River in the little village of Villmar. My mother’s family hailed from England, centuries ago. My grandfather’s name was indeed Ludwig, and on my grandmother’s side, her brother was Hermann.
Because I am wed to and intrigued by both the challenge and the unique reward of writing in the style of converging threads, the lives, loves, struggles, and exhilarating triumphs of the 38 primary characters who people the four generations of the series are destined to always be interwoven by the loom of the land and fabric of time. The old cliché— “six degrees of separation”—might well be said to be the platform of converging threads of lives in fiction styles like my own.
Eve Paludan: Humanity is really a web of people, and we are all interconnected. I like the way the characters in your book meet each other and develop relationships. That must have been difficult to decide who connects and how their stories interconnect in the big picture.
Reid Rosenthal: The daunting challenge is to provide a seamless plot, realistic motivation, emotion, imagery and setting, and believable convergence and re-convergence of the threads of personalities over time and distance.
Eve Paludan: May I say that I love how you accomplished all of this so well. The characters are all individuals and they have their own quests and life paths.
Reid Rosenthal: I tried to create an epic tale of unforgettable characters whose personalities are forged over generations on the land’s anvil—fused by an emerging nation, imbued with the romance of America, her spirit, her people and the West. To the extent that I have succeeded thus far, I owe the great writers before me—and all of my great team—a humble thanks.
Eve Paludan: The result of such great team support is a book that transcends the genre of historical Western romance and goes beyond fiction to affect readers in their real lives.
Reid Rosenthal: Threads West, An American Saga is meant to be far more than the tale of the characters. I hope readers realize that Threads West is, in truth, our collective story.
Eve Paludan: Could you tell me more about your author inspirations?
Reid Rosenthal: We spoke at some length in the first part of the interview about which authors have inspired my writing. I would add that it is an honor and a privilege to even be mentioned in the same sentence as these legendary storytellers. To be asked to discuss which of their works most influenced me is merely a tribute to them, these silent mentors who never met me, did not know I exist, and most likely—those who are still alive—rightfully have no clue as to "Reid Who?"
Eve Paludan: I think that very soon, people are going to stop saying "Reid Who?" and your name will be recognizable to readers around the world. When did you start reading those Westerns?
Reid Rosenthal: I read many of those 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. It was that time, around the age of nine, in fact, that I vowed to myself that, I, too would write novels, spin stories, furrow the brows of readers with empathy for the characters, and transport them into the arc of the tale.
Eve Paludan: What were some of those titles that kept you up all night?
Reid Rosenthal: 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 the works that I draw upon stylistically and, in different ways. I have read each and every one of Louis L'Amour's Westerns; I have his entire collection. So, too, I devoured Larry McMurtry's stunning Lonesome Dove and Max McCoy's two Spur award winners, one of which is Hellfire Canyon. Each book has contributed to my own craft of words and story, style and structure, some—like Uris and Hemingway—more than others.
Eve Paludan: This is a great tip for writers that they don’t spend all of their time writing, but must also read to be immersed in the styles and plotlines of the great writers.
Reid Rosenthal: I muse at times about this tremendous gift these men have given me without ever knowing it. I wonder if—should I be so lucky as to enjoy even a modicum of their great and well-deserved success—if readers of Threads West will read this book and make promises to themselves about writing their own books. I surely hope that kind of energy springs from my novels. And so, threads will once again converge. There is a symmetry to it all that appeals to me. Writers inspire each other. No doubt about it!
Eve Paludan: They do! I know you work from many outlines, so that you can keep control of the plot elements. Do you ever deviate from your outlines when you get inspired to go in a different direction? And if so, how do you retool your characters and plotline on the fly so that you don't get off on a tangent and lose track of your goal for the chapter?
Reid Rosenthal: I don't write detailed outlines. I have been writing these books in my head for decades. My outlines are rarely more than three pages for a book. And, yes, as the characters tell me their stories, like the simple scribe I am, I merely write it. They rely on me only to portray the setting, to create the stage of mood that flows from scene. I follow their dictates in the twists and turns of the storyline, which remains true always to the basic center of the yarn, but will absolutely deviate in delightful, frightful, and deliciously unanticipated ways, just as life does.
Eve Paludan: Thank you for those insights. I wanted to ask a technical question. You're the only author I know who uses Dragon Naturally Speaking speech recognition software to dictate your story aloud. How did you come to start using it? How has this technology helped your writing?
Reid Rosenthal: I'm laughing. Truth be known, I dictate because I can't type. Actually I can type about 150 words per minute. Unfortunately, that includes 10 typos (at least) per line. I am also not a big fan of spell check. It is the big paw, little keyboard syndrome. Also, I spend so much time traveling between ranches, or in locations without power, that recording thoughts for later use became a necessity in my teens. The prehistoric full-size cassette recorders of the 70s were quite something. Good ones were the size of small briefcase. Then along came the micro-cassette recorders. If I was in heaven then, the current digital technology is pure nirvana.
In the “old” days—up to two years ago, I would dictate and give tapes to my staff to transcribe them. With the voice recognition systems, this step is eliminated. I dictate, the software types (what a pleasure!), I print the hard copy, fax the first edits to them shortly after, and poof! —we have a draft! I think this system works well for me because I am so used to “writing and composing” via speech over almost forty years. I can express myself in a stream of consciousness, almost like real conversation, albeit a unilateral discussion of characters. Other than edits, and perhaps twenty pages of the book, Threads West was entirely written using this system. Matter of fact, more than half the book was written while guiding the one-ton truck through the beautiful wild and remote stretches of the West that lie between our ranches! I must admit to occasional breaks in the machine scribed drafts that exclaimed, “Oh, damn, was that a cop?” or “Hey, how about using a blinker, you moron!”
Eve Paludan: That’s pretty funny! And what a unique way of writing a book, in your truck while driving while your laptop types what you say! How’s that for irony? Using twenty-first century technology to write about nineteenth-century stories.
Reid Rosenthal: It is a delicious and fascinating irony.
Eve Paludan: Thanks for Part 2 of this interview, Reid. Readers, stay tuned, because the next part of the interview is going to rock and roll like Reid on the back of a Brahma bull chargin’ out of the chute.
Reid Rosenthal: That’s right, Eve. Part three of this interview is going to be all adrenaline and passion.
Eve Paludan: Can readers still reserve books before tomorrow’s big release?
Reid Rosenthal: Yes ma’am! We have a few left but not many! Threads West will be available for the first time in print on October 12 on Amazon.com. Other outlets will carry the novel as well, but Amazon is exclusive for the first printing release. Just 4,500 copies, and as of this second part of the interview, it appears that almost two-thirds have already been reserved. So, folks should go to: http://www.threadswestamericansaga.com/
Eve Paludan: I heard you’re throwing a “Branding Party” for the book launch.
Reid Rosenthal: There’s going to be lots of fun stuff, reviews, photos, excerpts, and some great ranch theme contests good only on October 12. There is an easy reserve-the-book system and then, on Tuesday, October 12, the link on that site will whisk readers to the Threads West page on Amazon.com to purchase the books (or books with Christmas coming up). Yes, I am excited :-)
INTERVIEW WITH REID ROSENTHAL TO BE CONTINUED…
(Keep an eye out for part 3)
Reid Rosenthal: In the simplest terms, Eve, I am just me. As with all others who share this planet, I have my shining, and less illustrious sides. I am a type Triple-A 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.
But 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. 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 history.
Eve Paludan: That kind of vision into the past is truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing what makes you tick. Could you talk more about living off the land, as our pioneers did and how that translates into modern-day conservation?
Reid Rosenthal: He who lives on the land, lives off the land, and he who calls the land his home is by definition a steward of that little piece of the planet. The conservation and enhancement of resources is fundamental to good stewardship. Love the land and it will love you back. I strive in my fiction writing to first pen a great story, a page-turner that is both a mirror and a portal.
Eve Paludan: I love that! What a visualization with seeing messages from the past and then they reflect on the present.
Reid Rosenthal: Yes, there are messages in my writing, subtle and subliminal in some respects, but those manifestations of my core principles are in there. And respect for the land and property as the foundation of America, her spirit, the aspirations of her generations, and as the symbol of our individual freedom is more than a whisper in Threads West, and all the successive books of the series.
Eve Paludan: It makes me think about where we came from, as a country. As well as where we’re going.
Reid Rosenthal: It’s time we returned to our roots. I hope Threads West, while it entertains and captivates readers, imparts that sense of “back to American basics” using the land, and the characters’ interaction on and about the land as the touchstone of that reminder.
Eve Paludan: In part one of this interview, you talked a little bit about your research. How much of that came from your family’s roots?
Reid Rosenthal: Much of the vine of fiction in the series is based on seeds of fact. For instance, my father is from Germany, in fact from a cattle operation on the Lahn River in the little village of Villmar. My mother’s family hailed from England, centuries ago. My grandfather’s name was indeed Ludwig, and on my grandmother’s side, her brother was Hermann.
Because I am wed to and intrigued by both the challenge and the unique reward of writing in the style of converging threads, the lives, loves, struggles, and exhilarating triumphs of the 38 primary characters who people the four generations of the series are destined to always be interwoven by the loom of the land and fabric of time. The old cliché— “six degrees of separation”—might well be said to be the platform of converging threads of lives in fiction styles like my own.
Eve Paludan: Humanity is really a web of people, and we are all interconnected. I like the way the characters in your book meet each other and develop relationships. That must have been difficult to decide who connects and how their stories interconnect in the big picture.
Reid Rosenthal: The daunting challenge is to provide a seamless plot, realistic motivation, emotion, imagery and setting, and believable convergence and re-convergence of the threads of personalities over time and distance.
Eve Paludan: May I say that I love how you accomplished all of this so well. The characters are all individuals and they have their own quests and life paths.
Reid Rosenthal: I tried to create an epic tale of unforgettable characters whose personalities are forged over generations on the land’s anvil—fused by an emerging nation, imbued with the romance of America, her spirit, her people and the West. To the extent that I have succeeded thus far, I owe the great writers before me—and all of my great team—a humble thanks.
Eve Paludan: The result of such great team support is a book that transcends the genre of historical Western romance and goes beyond fiction to affect readers in their real lives.
Reid Rosenthal: Threads West, An American Saga is meant to be far more than the tale of the characters. I hope readers realize that Threads West is, in truth, our collective story.
Eve Paludan: Could you tell me more about your author inspirations?
Reid Rosenthal: We spoke at some length in the first part of the interview about which authors have inspired my writing. I would add that it is an honor and a privilege to even be mentioned in the same sentence as these legendary storytellers. To be asked to discuss which of their works most influenced me is merely a tribute to them, these silent mentors who never met me, did not know I exist, and most likely—those who are still alive—rightfully have no clue as to "Reid Who?"
Eve Paludan: I think that very soon, people are going to stop saying "Reid Who?" and your name will be recognizable to readers around the world. When did you start reading those Westerns?
Reid Rosenthal: I read many of those 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. It was that time, around the age of nine, in fact, that I vowed to myself that, I, too would write novels, spin stories, furrow the brows of readers with empathy for the characters, and transport them into the arc of the tale.
Eve Paludan: What were some of those titles that kept you up all night?
Reid Rosenthal: 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 the works that I draw upon stylistically and, in different ways. I have read each and every one of Louis L'Amour's Westerns; I have his entire collection. So, too, I devoured Larry McMurtry's stunning Lonesome Dove and Max McCoy's two Spur award winners, one of which is Hellfire Canyon. Each book has contributed to my own craft of words and story, style and structure, some—like Uris and Hemingway—more than others.
Eve Paludan: This is a great tip for writers that they don’t spend all of their time writing, but must also read to be immersed in the styles and plotlines of the great writers.
Reid Rosenthal: I muse at times about this tremendous gift these men have given me without ever knowing it. I wonder if—should I be so lucky as to enjoy even a modicum of their great and well-deserved success—if readers of Threads West will read this book and make promises to themselves about writing their own books. I surely hope that kind of energy springs from my novels. And so, threads will once again converge. There is a symmetry to it all that appeals to me. Writers inspire each other. No doubt about it!
Eve Paludan: They do! I know you work from many outlines, so that you can keep control of the plot elements. Do you ever deviate from your outlines when you get inspired to go in a different direction? And if so, how do you retool your characters and plotline on the fly so that you don't get off on a tangent and lose track of your goal for the chapter?
Reid Rosenthal: I don't write detailed outlines. I have been writing these books in my head for decades. My outlines are rarely more than three pages for a book. And, yes, as the characters tell me their stories, like the simple scribe I am, I merely write it. They rely on me only to portray the setting, to create the stage of mood that flows from scene. I follow their dictates in the twists and turns of the storyline, which remains true always to the basic center of the yarn, but will absolutely deviate in delightful, frightful, and deliciously unanticipated ways, just as life does.
Eve Paludan: Thank you for those insights. I wanted to ask a technical question. You're the only author I know who uses Dragon Naturally Speaking speech recognition software to dictate your story aloud. How did you come to start using it? How has this technology helped your writing?
Reid Rosenthal: I'm laughing. Truth be known, I dictate because I can't type. Actually I can type about 150 words per minute. Unfortunately, that includes 10 typos (at least) per line. I am also not a big fan of spell check. It is the big paw, little keyboard syndrome. Also, I spend so much time traveling between ranches, or in locations without power, that recording thoughts for later use became a necessity in my teens. The prehistoric full-size cassette recorders of the 70s were quite something. Good ones were the size of small briefcase. Then along came the micro-cassette recorders. If I was in heaven then, the current digital technology is pure nirvana.
In the “old” days—up to two years ago, I would dictate and give tapes to my staff to transcribe them. With the voice recognition systems, this step is eliminated. I dictate, the software types (what a pleasure!), I print the hard copy, fax the first edits to them shortly after, and poof! —we have a draft! I think this system works well for me because I am so used to “writing and composing” via speech over almost forty years. I can express myself in a stream of consciousness, almost like real conversation, albeit a unilateral discussion of characters. Other than edits, and perhaps twenty pages of the book, Threads West was entirely written using this system. Matter of fact, more than half the book was written while guiding the one-ton truck through the beautiful wild and remote stretches of the West that lie between our ranches! I must admit to occasional breaks in the machine scribed drafts that exclaimed, “Oh, damn, was that a cop?” or “Hey, how about using a blinker, you moron!”
Eve Paludan: That’s pretty funny! And what a unique way of writing a book, in your truck while driving while your laptop types what you say! How’s that for irony? Using twenty-first century technology to write about nineteenth-century stories.
Reid Rosenthal: It is a delicious and fascinating irony.
Eve Paludan: Thanks for Part 2 of this interview, Reid. Readers, stay tuned, because the next part of the interview is going to rock and roll like Reid on the back of a Brahma bull chargin’ out of the chute.
Reid Rosenthal: That’s right, Eve. Part three of this interview is going to be all adrenaline and passion.
Eve Paludan: Can readers still reserve books before tomorrow’s big release?
Reid Rosenthal: Yes ma’am! We have a few left but not many! Threads West will be available for the first time in print on October 12 on Amazon.com. Other outlets will carry the novel as well, but Amazon is exclusive for the first printing release. Just 4,500 copies, and as of this second part of the interview, it appears that almost two-thirds have already been reserved. So, folks should go to: http://www.threadswestamericansaga.com/
Eve Paludan: I heard you’re throwing a “Branding Party” for the book launch.
Reid Rosenthal: There’s going to be lots of fun stuff, reviews, photos, excerpts, and some great ranch theme contests good only on October 12. There is an easy reserve-the-book system and then, on Tuesday, October 12, the link on that site will whisk readers to the Threads West page on Amazon.com to purchase the books (or books with Christmas coming up). Yes, I am excited :-)
INTERVIEW WITH REID ROSENTHAL TO BE CONTINUED…
(Keep an eye out for part 3)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
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!
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.
Monday, November 28, 2011
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!
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