It’s The Focus, Stupid!

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

I felt myself blink. “Yep!”

“Where are they?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Of course, she was right.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extremes of Thread West Country ...

This was only a few week ago.... 



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

Great fan letter!

Dear Reid,

 

My name is Martha and we meet briefly at a book signing for Barnes and Noble in Salt Lake City, Utah this past summer. At that time you suggested I read your first of two books and then asked me to write to you and let you know what I thought. You signed my book and ,wrote “bet you can’t read just one”. Well, you were right,2 days later I was purchasing the 2nd book. In less than a week I completed both books. What a treat! Thank You, Thank you, Thank you, for introducing me to your beautiful gift of writing. There aren’t a lot of writers that touch my heart and soul the way these books have.

 

I follow your web site, and was pleased to read that you are taking a little more time with the 3rd book. Taking your time to listen to your characters as they tell you their stories, without rushing them with deadlines. That means a lot to me as a reader. It is amazing to know that there is another that feels the energy of this life as I do. People that are moved by a breath taking sunrise or sunset. The sounds and smells of nature and all it has to teach us. The grounding effect of the earths energy as I stand on its surface and feel part of all that is. I look into the sky and can’t imagine the expanse of it. The beauty of the stars on a clear night. The sounds of the birds welcoming a new day and the sound of crickets ushering the night. The sounds the smells. The belief that we are all part of that essence of life. Your writing assisted me in experiencing and remembering many of my own experiences. Love-loss, joy-sorrow, happiness-sadness, loneliness, despair, grief and pain, all those things that mold us into who we are. All these experiences can make us or break us, but hopefully make us stronger, more loving and kind, more peaceful. Time will tell I suppose.

 

Upon completing these two books, I realized there was a stirring in me, a memory of other stories, I hadn’t read for years. Stories of my ancestors, most of which came from the lands across the seas. Wales, Scotland and England. Some of them came here due to a love for adventure, but most of them desired a concept called “freedom”- freedom from want, freedom from slavery, freedom of religion and the freedom of God’s incredible gift, free agency. Many came because they could own land and own their own home- a dream denied to most in Europe. The stories began with my Great, great Grandparents, John and Martha Timothy, leaving their home in Cardigan, Wales; traveling to the port of Liverpool, England. They boarded the sailing ship, SS John J Boyd on April 23, 1862, and prepared for the 600 mile journey at sea. They had 4 young children at that time ages 6,4,3 and 1, and Martha was 5 months pregnant with my great grandmother, also Martha, who was to be born in a wagon somewhere along the Platt/Wood River in Nebraska. As I reread these stories once again, I sobbed like a baby. I had forgotten for a moment, the trials they endured preparing to leave Wales, but also their journey on the ship and their travels once they arrived on this great land, to settle here in Utah. Their trials didn’t end with their arrival here, it only began.

 

As I completed reading the two stories of my Great Great Grandparents and then my

Great Grandparents, I bowed my heart and my head in reverence and gratitude thanking them and God for their sacrifices, that my Grandfather, my Father and myself had the opportunity to be born in this beautiful land. May I always live worthy of their sacrifices. I’m so grateful that my children have such a heritage. I’m grateful for them and the memories I have from that past experience. And to think those stories are just from one of my parents, my Fathers side, and my Mothers people came from Scotland and England. All have Martha’s in them, and Ellyn’s,  my middle name. How blessed I feel to be their namesake.

Wow! I guess you know how your writing has affected me, and that’s just a few ways.  Please, please continue to listen to your Muses and they’ll show you the stories to be told and the lives and experiences to share. Hope to have the opportunity of having another book signed. I hope Salt Lake will be on your list of stops.

 

Sincerely, 

Martha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Part 3 - Romance Writers Interview!

Reid:  So, all you folks, you thousands of listeners out there who are libertarian persuasion, I get emails from many of you all the time, you know, this is something to, kind of, investigate. I bet you did not know that the Amish, kind of, shun all government assistance and stand on their own two feet. I mean, you got to respect that. Isn’t that the basic values that built this country? Self-reliance, self-sufficiency, if you need a hand you look at the end of your arm. I mean, here it is right there for everybody to see in print, in the form of great story. Joy, in the paranormal

Joy: Yeah.

Reid:  I would imagine that you also have community groups. They may be blood suckers, werewolves, dragon makers, whatever but, I mean, it’s that same sense of good and evil, you know, honor and lack of honor, right from wrong. Tell us about it.

Joy:  Actually, mine go a little differently. Most of my main characters come from the homes that are not, they are either broken homes. They don’t have a father. Some things have happened that they come from a family that’s not a very strong family and, in the process, the romance they discover what family really means. So, I’ve got - for instance in Tawny’s Rose, she lost her father at age of 2 and in the process of finding out who her ghost is she finds a strong bond and a family that she can trust. And the same thing is in Quicksilver, this girl was raised by her father alone. And in Phantom Wolves, the main character has lost both their parents when she was in high school. So, all of these main characters come from, basically, a broken family situation and they discover how much that means to them.

Reid:  Well, you know, but that still comes down to this, kind of the same thing, right? I mean, many, many, many people into today’s society have some kind of dysfunction in their family.

Jennifer:  Right.

Reid:  No father, no mother.
 

Jennifer:  And it shows the possibilities. It shows the possibilities that even if you come from a home like that you can find, you know, a strong family bond.

Reid:  Exactly, and a strong family bond is a basic value of, you know, the old American culture, folks, as we knew it and as we would like to see it returned. So, I really like the fact that the four of you speak from families that exist and are strong, like in the Amish books. And families that are broken but, kind of reunite in various forms as Joy was just speaking about. And in the terms of Clancy, a family that, perhaps, is not the familial unit that we all know, you know, mother, father but it’s a family of workers; it’s a family of people with vested and shared interests.

Similar to many of the communities that most of us live in, in small towns throughout the West, these terrific ladies when we come back what I want to talk about is, how the universal energy of romance, you know, guys and girls, how that can bridge all sorts of gaps, can heal the division in this country. And, I want to talk about honor, loyalty, right, wrong, good, evil and faith because those are the pillars of American society which, shall we say, are under attack right now? I put it mildly. I am going to try and keep as much political stuff out of this show as possible because this is a show about good things, about healing things. 

This is Reid Rosenthal, On the Right Side Radio, broadcasting to you at a KGAB AM 650 on your dial Cheyenne, Wyoming and Intermountain Network of the Townsquare Radio Stations, and KFEZ Colorado springs will hunt the Walsenburg, Southern Denver and Northern New Mexico.  Now, that I’ve done my little ID, the engineer has been winking at me. We are going to come back to these girls because you guys don’t want to listen to me. You want to listen to them. 

Alright, here is the deal, folks and I’m going to start off with Lisa. Lisa, in your books, those basic values of American society, you know, those basic values we see that wine through the history of America and American Literature and American thought, do you work consciously to bring those out in your books? I mean is there a strong theme of good and bad, right and wrong?

Lisa:  There are themes of trust and loyalty. There is fabulous work ethic. One of my characters their heroine is not only not religious but she is, kind of, mad at God because of the trials and tribulations that she’s been through. While the other one has not only put his faith in God but is part of the problem with their relationship as he’s made a bargain that he will take care of her for the rest of his life and her life if God will only allow her to live after a horrible accident she was in, which is in the beginning of the book. So, many of …

[Crosstalk]

Reid:  And … go ahead, go ahead. Go ahead, Lisa. 

Lisa:  Many of the characters are very supportive of each other. It doesn’t matter what their personal relationships are because I am all inclusive, I believe everyone is entitled to having a relationship, love and affection whether they are gay, straight, you know, whatever their religious views are, anything like that. Everyone is entitled to love …

Reid:  Well, it’s a universal energy, right?

Lisa:  Yes, it is.

 

Reid:  Clancy, you know, your writing …

Clancy:  Yes.

Reid:  Your writing is, I don’t want to say, one shade of grey but one shade or several shades steamier than the rest of the books here. Tell us how you, kind of, wrap family, family values, community, which is a great word that Lisa used, into your books.

Clancy:  Well, in This Side of Legal the bond obviously, the steamy part comes between the girl and the guy, the hero and the heroine but the family is this group of pilots. They work together and because of the work they do, which is dangerous, their whole lives depend on honor, integrity and trust and they are closer than most families, this group of men. And any woman they bring into the group is going to be included in that immediate chosen family. So, it’s all about honor. It’s all about trust. It’s all about this bond between these men and the women that love them.

Reid:  Super. And okay, Jennifer:

Jennifer:  Yeah.

Reid:  You know, obviously, the Amish theme, the Amish feel. I mean, they are huge family folks and a lot of people, kind of, know perfunctorily about Amish, or think they do. But, tell us a little bit about how values, some of the values that Clancy Upperly described when she was talking honor, loyalty, truth, family, community. I mean, these kind of catch words which run through the themes of these various books. Tell us how you incorporate those in your Amish work.

Jennifer:  Well, family and faith are probably the two most important values to the Amish and they really have a sense of community. They don’t believe in buying insurance, or they don’t participate in the Social Security Program. And so, they together help each other. They support each other. They pay medical bills for people in the community. They are very tie-neat. In fact, they don’t even have churches. They go to church in people’s homes. And so, that central focus of family is huge for the Amish.

In my first book, Kate’s Song, the thing that pulls this Kate to the world is not as strong as what pulls her to her Amish community, her family, the ties that she has there, the people that she loves.  And that’s really a sensual value of the Amish. Their family values are very strong and they are very committed to those values.

Reid:  You know, it sounds almost, like a combination of cog-room and libertarian.

Jennifer:  That is exactly right. That’s a very good description.

Keep an eye out for Part 3! Keep updated about books and releases at: http://www.ThreadsWestSeries.com 

ROMANCE WRITERS (Part 1)

Reid Lance Rosenthal:  This is Reid Lance Rosenthal, On the Right Side Radio, broadcasting to you at a KGAB AM 650 on your dial Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the Townsquare Network serving the Intermountain West, and KFEZ Colorado Springs, Southern Colorado, Northern New Mexico, welcome Rocky Mountains. And, we have a special treat for you today, you know, last week you were subjected to my crooning Christmas Carols in our Special Christmas Show with some of the words changed. You’ll die laughing, go back to the Archives and take a listen, get a grin.

But today, in the New Year spirit since we have a new year coming we have a divided country intentionally, you’ve heard my opinions on that. There are certain universal energies which bridge gaps between people, and I don’t care what race, what culture, what creed, what religion, what gender, or what political persuasion, and that’s love and romance. That’s right, love and romance.
Think about it. Everybody listening to you, listening to this show right now, everybody has had a romance; maybe more than one, maybe you’ve got several going right now. The bottom line is it brings everyone together. It knows no political persuasion. And on the show today with me, I have four great romance writers who write in all sorts of genres. They are members of the Utah Romance Writers Group, which is a branch of Romance Writers Association of America, thousands of romance writers literally from all around the world.

I mean, one of the most noted, if not the most noted organization for romance authors to, anywhere in the world. And just like Western Writers Association, as Western Writers and Historical Fiction Writers Association writes historical fiction, I’m a member of both those groups too. The Romance Writers Association of American brings lots of smiles, lots of tingles and lots of grins to lots of people.       

In fact, $1.3 billion in romance books were purchased last year. So, there is a lot of people writing romance. And, you know, with that kind of interest and intrigue – and by the way guys, don’t turn off. Don’t groan and hit the dial because romance is a growing segment of male readership. You know why? Because there is lots more action, there’s lots more realism. These are not the [butters reapers] of your mama’s romance. All of these girls that you are going to be meeting today and you’ve heard insensately about my books. I won’t bore you with them but all these guys you are going to be meeting today write in different styles of romance. And many of them will appeal to male readers, just as my books are 46% male readership. So, stay tuned because it’s kind of fun. And, I’m going to let each of these terrific ladies introduce themselves. Clancy, why do you go first? Tell us a little bit about what you write.

Clancy Metzger:  Okay. My name is Clancy Metzger and I am on Facebook, Twitter and my website is Clancy Metzger C-L-A-N-C-Y, M-E-T-Z-G-E-R. I write contemporary books, I write in-contemporary, I write paranormal and action.

Reid:  Clancy, you’re …

So, one that’s coming out in January is a contemporary action called This Side of Legal. I write everything from steamy all the way to the erotic romance, but it is romance. So, while there maybe lots of heated action there is, also, it’s all about the romance. It’s about the relationship. This Side of Legal is …

Reid:  Excuse me, Clancy.

Clancy:  … about the men. All the main characters are the men. They are pilots. They are men to men and the women are the loving trips. So, that’s not your typical romance, I think, because generally it’s the women and the men are the loving trips, so these are the guy stories.

Reid: So, Clancy writes books, guys, about pilots and macho-men, okay.  And, these are real guys with real interests you’d like them. And girls, obviously, you know what’s not to like about pilots and those types of guys, right? So, Lisa welcome to the show.

Lisa Deon:  Yes Reid.

Reid:  Tell us about what you write.

Lisa:  Good morning Reid. Thank you for having me. My name is Lisa Deon. I write contemporary mainstream with romantic elements. And, all of my stories have people and horses in them. My current novel is called The Carriage Trade and it is about a couple who have had romance in the past but they can’t get the ‘Happily Ever After’ because the woman has brain damage and can’t remember where it began.
 I, also, have a short story on Amazon called Splitting the Difference about a budding romance for two people working together. I am on Twitter as Lisa Deon, Facebook as Lisa Deon and my website is www.lisadeon.com.

Reid:  Super Lisa, sounds great. I feel sorry for that poor guy, you know, he is all invested in this girl and she can’t remember him. I love it. It’s terrific. Alright Jenifer, tell us about you.

Jennifer Beckstrand:  Well, I’m Jenifer Beckstrand. I write Amish romance. Amish is a very big category in the Christian fiction market right now. My first two books are Kate’s Song and Rebecca’s Rose.  And my third book Mary Misquote comes out in March. And, they are not just written for Amish people. They are about Amish people and have a really wide group of readers that love them. They are clean inspirational romances and they have – but they do have a lot of romance. The Amish …

[Crosstalk]

Reid:  And, clean inspirational, folks means PG.

Jennifer:  That’s right. There is a lot of romance and there is a lot of tension but no sex in this, and also a lot of inspiration. There is, definitely, a Christian message that goes along with these books. But, my main focus is the romance. I love romance and the Amish have a very simple way of life but they still have very similar concerns, and interests, and pains, and sorrows that everyone else does. And, you can find me at jenniferbeckstrand.com. It’s J-E-N-N-I-F-E-R, B-E-C-K-S-T-R-A-N-D.

Reid:  Super, thank you Jennifer. How about you, Joy? Tell us about you.

Joy Spraycar:  Hi, my name is Joy Spraycar. Thanks Reid for having me today. I write action adventure with paranormal romance involved. I have a website, it’s JoySpraycar.com www.joyspraycar.com . I have three books out. My newest one is called Tawny’s Ghost and it’s sort of a young adult romance about a girl who’s been haunted by a ghost.
Now, this story is inspired by a real life experience that my own daughter had in our house. So, it’s kind of special to me. Anyway, it’s a mystery kind of thing where she tries to find out who this ghost is in order to help him move on and there is this twist to it. It will keep you laughing and crying and in the end, you will be glad that the ghost and the girl can have a relationship.
Also, I do write urban fancy and so my other book that just came out last year is called Phantom Wolves and it’s also an action adventure. Now, the men readers that I have absolutely love my books because mostly they are action adventure. This is a story about a girl who lives in a small town in Montana, of course, that’s where I wish I lived, but you know, hey. Anyway, she loves her small town life and she finds that it is being threatened by a man who is cloning dragons. If you like Jurassic Park, this is kind of a long those lines. And Kat finds that she has a family she didn’t know about. And, her unknown ally that comes to her aid is the coveted black dragon. If you like action adventure you will love Phantom Wolves.

Reid:  Right.

Joy:  My other book is Quicksilver. Yes.

Reid:  Joy, I got a quick question for you. So, like in your ghost love story is the love like misty?

Joy: Is it misty? Oh yeah, for a long time it’s misty.

Reid:  You know, via several mist of the ghost. I’m kind of interested in that myself. I would love to see the way you wrote that. So, please continue. I interrupted.

Joy:  Oh that’s fine. And, my first book is called Quicksilver and it’s a werewolf story, kind of. Different in that they get together early on in the book ferries, dreamt about this man her whole life. She is married to an alcoholic husband and when he runs into this man’s car she sees a man from her dreams coming on the hospital on a stretcher. And they get together and in order to have a real family they have to hunt down the man who turned him into a werewolf. So, it’s a big hunt and kill story. The men love that part of the book. Of course, there is the romance involved. All mine I would say are PG13. I’ve had people say, “Wow! Those are really steamy” and I’m like, “That’s your own imagination. I guess what happens behind the door is all in your head.”
Anyway, then my new one that will be coming out this year is called Changing up the Glads and it is actually an interracial gladiator romance.

Reid:  Okay. So, folks you’ve heard about my books. And by the way, I want to thank – I went through 2,000 cards on my recent book tour over the last 25 days and I want thank the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of folks who bought the books and are starting the series, and the hundreds and hundreds that came in to say “hi”, grab Book 2, reserve Book 3. And they’re historical westerns with a strong romantic, shall we say, tinge. And my books, as you know, are kind of PG’d R. I mean, it’s real Wild West in all sorts of ways, Threads West: An American Saga, they’ve been #1 National Best-sellers and won some awards.

And all these authors on here, I think you’re getting a feel for this, right? You have Clancy who kind of writes the steamy erotic, paranormal type stuff. You have Lisa who is writing contemporary action. You have Jennifer who’s writing inspirational, which is what’s called in the business. But, you know, from an Amish point of view, a nice clean, clean pros, none of the steamy scenes that you might find in some of the other books. You have Joy who is writing paranormal type adventures in the West.
So, this is a huge set of genres that appeal to a wide range of people but you know they all have one thing in common; we’re going to talk about that. Number one, they have happy endings.  Number two, they have that universal energy of romance, some to varying degrees and some in varying ways but, you k now, romance is a universal energy. And, I think people liking happy endings, is a universal hope.

And, they also, have values. Okay. They have values and the values are; family, tradition, relationships, man-woman good communication and interaction. And they transcend, as I said at the beginning of the program, political persuasions. And I really think, I know it sounds crazy but I think romantic type novels, the types that we are talking about today are one of the platforms that can be used to bring people together.  There is nothing like a liberal and a conservative discussing a good book that they both liked.

I will tell you that in my book signings I’ve talked to several thousand people over the last month. Liberals, conservatives reading my books, reading other books and I’ve gotten some great conversation. And, what gave me the idea for this [jaw] was the fact that I had a girl in Moscow, Idaho who definitely left December, we got in a wonderful discussion. She loves my books and, you know, my books obviously are written by a guy who is, shall we say, leans right rather than left.  But, you know, that book bridged the gap between she and I. If we had been sitting at a coffee house having a strictly political discussion, we probably both would have thrown the saucers at each other. But, in talking about the book and using it as common ground we bridged that gap. I had a better understanding of how she thought. She had a better understanding of how I thought.
So, what I want to talk about now is, kind of, shall we say, the values in America that we can use in this platform to bring people together and end this division, because, I think we are all very well aware that we are divided country and we are divided on purpose, right? A bundle of sticks is much harder to break than a single twig. And divided we fall, united we stand.

Now, the folks who divide us know this for a fact. It’s one of the reasons they employ division. They employ division to divide us and distract us from the issues at hand, which must be dealt with as a country and they use division to gunner votes and to maintain their power. And in the cases of many, they are corruption. If we can get – if we can find a common platform such as these types of books that these wonderful girls write and we can understand how the basic values of America, how the basic universal energies that affect us all left, right, in between, doesn’t matter, I think we can make some progress. I really do. And that discussion in Moscow, Idaho and that was one of scores I had with folks of opposite political persuasions over the last 25 days, has convinced me of that fact.
So, ladies I’ll tell you what I want to talk about. Let’s talk about family values a little bit. Lisa, talk about family values in your books. And, you know, family does not have to be the edge oh family. It can be the contemporary family. It can be a man and a woman without kids. It can be a travelling couple. I mean, do your books kind of bring out those types of values? I mean the sanctity of a relationship between a man and a woman?

Lisa:  Well, Reid my books have a lot to do with community. They are an urban family. You can’t always have the family you were born with, which the people in my novels are the only people left of their families.  So, they create a family and their family is there to back them up and help them through the processes that they are going through.

Can You Hear It?

 

CAN YOU HEAR IT? …in addition to many other locations, the threads west book one audio Mp3–6 hours, 23 minutes of that adventure and romance of America, now on Amazon/Itunes!
Buy it on Amazon:
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Book Review: Maps of Fate: Book Two by Reid Lance Rosenthal

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

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

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

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

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

New Interview From "Romancing the West" Blog!

Reid Lance Rosenthall: Threads West #western

Threads West: 

Maps of Fate

by Reid Lance Rosenthal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reid Lance Rosenthal
author

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alexandra Brown

Romantic Shorts

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

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

RTW: Would you share an excerpt with us?

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

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

Purchase links: Amazon, BN.com, 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RTW: Anything else you’d like to add?

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

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

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

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

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

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