Maps of Fate

The adventure and romance of America, her people, her spirit and the West. This is "our "story. Second book of the #1 bestselling, "Threads West, An American Saga" series, recipient of twenty National Awards--Best Historical Fiction, Best Romance and Best Western Compared by reviewers, authors and readers alike to "Lonesome Dove, Centennial," and L'Amour. Called by some the ""Gone with the Wind" of the West," and applauded by others as "rings true and poignant, as authentic and moving as "Dances with Wolves."" Set in 1855, Book Two continues the page-turning tale of five richly textured, complex generations of unforgettable personalities. The secrets of the maps are revealed and suspense builds as they push westward, hurtling 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 arduous crossing of Continental Divide, and the passionate tumult of the next Maps of Fate Era novel of the" Threads West, An American Saga series; Uncompahgre-where water turns rock red." You will recognize the characters who live in these pages. They are the ancestors of your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, and your family. They are you. They are us. This is not only their story. It is our story. It is "Threads West, An American Saga." The touchstones of the past are the guideposts to the future. "Maps of Fate" is the continuation of this tale of America, set in the West--new lineages join the many threads of uncommon cultures, differing origins and competing ambitions that entwine into the American spirit. Lives and generations are woven on the loom of history, propelled by fate and freedom to form the tapestry that becomes the whole cloth of the nation. It is uniquely American, this meld of the mosaic. The decades of the Maps of Fate era novels of "Threads West" book series become the crucible of souls of generations, the building of the heart of the nation, destiny of a people, and the relentless energy and beauty of the western landscape. In Books Four ("Moccasin Tracks"), Five ("Footsteps") and Six ("Blood at Glorieta Pass") all scheduled for 2014-15 release, a tiny settlement, built on the banks of Cherry Creek, on the front range of the Rockies will boom with the impact of gold discovered in the Pikes Peak area and the Ouray, San Juan and Uncompahgre mountain ranges and change it's name to Denver. The fires of deadly tumult between the states will sleep west. The ever evolving "resolution" of the "Indian Problem" will leave families and hearts broken, forever staining the pages of American history. Set in authentic locations on three continents and in the jagged peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the life threads of the characters -- whose personalities are forged on the anvil of the land and shaped by the spirit of America -- live, love, struggle, die, fail and succeed. They have neither country nor culture in common -- but the textured, complex and conflicted lives of these independent men and women become part of the fabric of the undulating landscape of the West, and are woven into the rich and adventurous tapestry of an emerging nation and the ever evolving American spirit."