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!

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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Watch the Audible Ad on Youtube:
Buy it on Itunes Link:

My office remains hopeless

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

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

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

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

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

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

Featured Author!!!

 Interview with Featured Author: Reid Lance Rosenthal 

(conducted by: Terri Zinchiak and Kim Haight)

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Now for the Book – Business Section

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thread West, An American Saga - Book One

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

Threads West, Maps of Fate - Book Two

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

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

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

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

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

Threads West, Uncompahgre - Book Three

(coming soon - pre-order now!) 

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

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

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

 “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

REVIEW - THREADS WEST

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

"Threads West" by Reid Lance Rosenthal
Product Description(Amazon.com)
The romance of America, her people, her spirit, and the West. The ongoing story of us. This first book and namesake of the six-novel series is being compared by reviewers and authors to Lonesome Dove and Centennial. The tale bursts with the adventure, romance and promise of historical America and the West. The epic saga of Threads West begins in 1855 with the first of four richly-textured, complex generations of unforgettable characters. The separate lives of these driven men and independent women are drawn to a common destiny that beckons seductively from the wild and remote flanks of the American West. They are swept into the dangerous currents of the far-distant frontier by the mysterious rivers of fate, the power of the land and the American spirit. Their turbulent journeys are heartbreaking quests intertwined with romance and adversity, passions and pathos, despair and triumph. This is not only their story. It is our story. It is Threads West, An American Saga.
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Rockin SR Publishing (October 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0982157614
ISBN-13: 978-0982157619

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

MY RATING: 8-12 

[This is a free review book.]

Book Review By -- Tethered Mommy

Posted by admin

Published in book review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I am penning the Threads West: An American Saga, eight-novel series, not only because I want to write and keep the promise a nine-year-old (me) made to himself many years ago, but because the series is our story. It is the ongoing story of us. I hope the story entertains, and serves as a touchstone for troubled times, perhaps a guidepost moving us forward into the future.

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

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

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

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

Romance is popular because it is a universal energy. Who reading this has not had a love? Obviously there are many shades of romance, the dastardly and forced, the purely physical and somewhat cold, the heart hot, sparking passionate—though temporary, and the true love—deeply sensual and long-lasting. Who of us has not experienced one or more of these? And, as we all know, real-life romantic involvement is complex. There are highs, lows, intrigues, diversions, happy endings, and not so cheerful conclusions. I believe various characters need to experience all these if the romantic spine of the book is to have texture and authenticity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Threads West series begins in 1855. It is the tale of disparate threads of lives, from many locations around the globe, different social origins, ethnicity and creeds, that weave together into the tapestry of an emerging nation; a country on the cusp of greatness, offering opportunity and freedom.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’m astounded by the success of the series and excited about the second book. I think, and hope, that I’ve met my goal of surpassing the high bar set by the first novel. The readers will determine that! Maps of Fate examines slavery, from the viewpoint of the slave—a race yearning to be fully American, totally free and self-determining.This is a theme which will carry over into Book Three,North to Wyoming,releasing in late 2012. So, too, will the story, through the Indians’eyes, of the sad, dark blotch on American history which is the treatment of the First Nations.

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

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

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

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

I hope these musings, albeit from a newbie author who freely admits he knows little and has much to learn, have been of some help or stirred some thought.

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

Blurb:

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

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

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

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

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

click here: Maps of Fate book trailer

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

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

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

So try not to miss a day.

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

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

Contact Email: authorsitereid@aol.com

Website: www.threadswestanamericansagaseries.com

www.reidlrosenthal.com

www.threadswestamericansaga.com

www.mapsoffate.com

www.facebook.com/threadswest.

Threads West, an American Saga - Interview, Part 3

Eve Paludan: Welcome back, Reid Rosenthal, author of Threads West, for part 3, the final part of this interview. It’s all about passion, of the people and of land and country. First off, how does a male author write so well about love and sex from the women characters’ point of view?

Reid Rosenthal: Ahhhh…inquisitive minds want to know? 

Eve Paludan: A lot of readers have asked about this aspect of your writing.

Reid Rosenthal: I am chuckling. Would you believe I am in touch with my feminine side? Truth be known, there are portions of the female voice I think I handle well, but there are segments of the female psyche that I truly believe no man fully understands. It helps that I have spent a good deal of time with (for the most part) some truly exceptional gals during my life. I have learned from them. 

I have been a rapt observer of mannerisms, thought processes—well, at least a portion of “female think”—and I have watched many women, from all walks of life and completely disparate backgrounds react to both the mundane and the serious—be it passion or pathos within their own lives and their interactions with others.

Eve Paludan: So, I suppose it’s no stretch of the truth to say that you are something of a student of Mars versus Venus?

Reid Rosenthal: I do find the differences between the genders fascinating. I spent a great deal of time writing certain sections of Threads West to ensure real and true interaction among the ladies themselves, and with the male characters. 

Eve Paludan: You do it well. I keep going back to read the romantic interludes. They’re poignant and moving.

Reid Rosenthal: Ah, the steamy heat of passions, the red glow of touch, the wonder of magnetic attraction are all things I—and I believe all of us—have experienced. Those always mystical experiences are the basis for the sensuality of certain moments in the book.

Eve Paludan: Was it difficult to write in your female characters’ voices?

Reid Rosenthal: Not really, though I struggled with a few scenes in which the female reaction, both internal and external, probably could never be fully understood by a male. In those cases, I would turn for guidance to my great editor, Page Lambert. 

Eve Paludan: Is that Page Lambert, the author of Shifting Stars?

Reid Rosenthal: Among many other books, including fiction, nonfiction, short stories, you name it.

Eve Paludan: So what do you and Page talk about?

Reid Rosenthal: The conversation in those instances was invariably something like this: “So, do you think that is realistic?” I would query. “No” would be Page’s response. A protracted silence would follow. 

Then I’d continue, “Okay—why would she not have reacted that way? That’s exactly what my reaction would have been if I was her, based on her personality.”

Page’s reply: “You can’t be her. You are not a her. Draw on your experience, metamorphose into the state of being of the other, and then write the scene again.”

And with that, I would start over, trying to put myself in the mind and heart of a woman in a particular situation, drawing deep into the energies around me to ferret and sift out the essence, the true essence of thought, emotion and action of a lady in such a setting. Sometimes I play-acted, unilaterally acting a dialogue and a scene down to props.

Eve Paludan: That sounds like a great way to connect with your characters. The women felt genuine to me.

Reid Rosenthal: I am pleased you thought the female voices rich, non-stereotypical, and believable, whether in joy or dangerous adversity from a female reader’s perspective.

Eve Paludan: Readers want to know: In Threads West, which one of the men characters is you?

Reid Rosenthal: I am laughing. There have been scores of folks—no, make that hundreds—who have earnestly inquired as to which character I am, or most resemble. They usually await my answer with a slight forward lean and intent stare. I am none of them. I am all of them. We are all a part of them and they of us. 

Eve Paludan: It is true about readers connecting with the characters in the book, relating to their passion and their pain. 

Reid Rosenthal: That each reader and the author can identify with traits, actions, thoughts and feelings of the personalities of Threads West might be why I find readers truly care for and about these characters. 

Eve Paludan: I do care about them. I wonder why they did this or that, when they could have done things differently.

Reid Rosenthal: We cluck disapprovingly when they make poor or disappointing decisions, scream warnings as they head obliviously into danger, shake our heads when they miss their cues in personal interactions—particularly with the opposite sex—tremble as they encounter adversity, and cheer when they exhibit courage. 

We feel their passions, palpably sense their yearnings, and identify with the turmoil of their inner conflicts—In Rebecca, Sarah, Reuben, Johannes, Zeb, and Inga, we see ourselves, perhaps in some more than others depending upon the reader. But there is undeniably an empathy, that mirror and portal, time and energy warp that we spoke of earlier. We truly care about them and for them. And this interest extends even to Jacob, though that may be more of a wish to see justice served.

Eve Paludan: The characters are passionate, not just about each other, but also about the land.

Reid Rosenthal: Some begin that way, others will learn. The land is the source of energies, and the creator of moods. It is the mystical stage that shapes the personalities, ambitions, duplicities, and triumphs of the players who line dance fleetingly upon it until retired by the shoulder taps of successive generations. It can be the catalyst of enmity, greed and conflict, and is always the backdrop of love, passion, lust and personal interaction. The Land is all this, and more.

Eve Paludan: You paint such a seductive land, as well as its people. 

Reid Rosenthal: I will borrow a paragraph from the inside back cover of the book: If the mind and spirit are seduced by images of windswept ridge tops, shiny flutters of aspen leaves caressed by a canyon breeze, and crimson tendrils of dying sun...if the fingers feel the silken skin pulse of a lover and the lips taste the deep hot kisses of building passion... If nostrils flare with the conjured scents of gunpowder and perfume, sagebrush and pine, and the ears delight in the murmur of river current...if the heart pounds with anticipation of the outcome in the realistic clash of good and evil...if the gut boils with care about the lives, conflicts and interaction of the characters...and if the head nods with understanding at the authenticity of the scenes and personalities, then as a fiction author, I have accomplished my mission.

Eve Paludan: That’s the kind of imagery that makes your novel breathtaking.

Reid Rosenthal: I appreciate that thought, Eve, thanks!

Eve Paludan: I think when readers finish a book and feel like it was true, that speaks of the author’s talent for realism, especially in relationships. The male characters in Threads West are just so appealing.

Reid Rosenthal:  I'm not surprised that you found the male characters sexy, each in his own way. Not that I concur, but I am flattered that some readers insist on parallels between my masculinity, or their perception of it, and the magnetism they feel toward or from the men in the novel. I have been told much the same by male readers relative to the females that populate the pages of the book. It would be difficult indeed to have a romantic adventure—or is that an adventurous romance?—without sex appeal!

Eve Paludan: Very few male authors can pull off a romance, but you did it with finesse and, dare I say, with heart?

Reid Rosenthal: Romance is the universal language, and in my personal opinion, it’s the interpersonal energy that most resembles the energy of land. Perhaps that is why stories that mingle those two very primal forces, which are essential parts of us all, resonate to some deep and meaningful inner core of our beings.

Eve Paludan: That’s beautiful. If I could take away one thing from your book and inject it into my own work, it would be the indefinable but real energy that surrounds these characters and their physical settings.

Reid Rosenthal: It is all energy! Steamy, exciting, absorbing insight into the real American West, and the life threads of these driven men and feisty women—the vanguard of generations who braved the unknown, and shaped the heart of a great nation! This is our story.

Eve Paludan: You had me at “This is our story.”

Reid Rosenthal: As it should be.

Eve Paludan: I know that you love to hunt and fish and ride. I know you'll also jump in a bush plane to go see the aurora borealis or ride miles on horseback to get a photo of a rainbow. Can you share one or two of your exciting outdoor adventures that inspired a scene in Threads West?

Reid Rosenthal: Life is an adventure. It is to be lived. My grandfather once told me that we all have a million miles to burn and we can burn them fast or slow. I don't plan on sliding into home plate with a clean uniform. It is the quality of the experience—although when speaking of places wild and remote, qualitative aspects range from good to great. Sometimes one must travel far to find the truly special. Generally speaking, those are places without people and the seldom if ever seen human footprint. It is locations where the only lights in a never-ending expanse of black night are stars peeking over ridge tops. I suppose some would say it’s adventure, but to me it’s just life.

Eve Paludan: I heard a rumor that some people in high places are interested in your Threads West series for its many messages of love, hope, and struggles for the American dream, which is to own land of their own. How is the Threads West novel series a backbone or inspiration in that regard?

While I hope that this novel will capture the hearts of female romance lovers, and ignite the macho adventure streak in the men who read the book, in macro context I want this story and the entire Threads West, An American Saga series to remind people of our origin, of the fire and struggle that have shaped our American spirit. Perhaps it is that recall that will help rekindle the fervor of pride, hope, and the can-do, can-overcome attitude that has been—and can be again—the marrow of America.

Eve Paludan: Thank you, Reid Lance Rosenthal, for this amazing interview series.

Reid Rosenthal: The pleasure was all mine. Thank you for the interview and for the book review. And thanks so much to Jodie Renner for allowing us space for this guest blog.

Readers, October 12th, TODAY is the book launch! Threads West will be available for the first time in print on Amazon.com. Other outlets will carry the novel as well, over the coming months. However, this is the very limited first printing, just 4,500 copies, and as of this interview, it appears that more than half have already been reserved. So, folks should go to:http://www.threadswestamericansaga.com/