Confused? So Are We! : )

Things are so confusing, we are confused! We began getting emails last week from concerned Threads West fans that several of the dot coms had posted weird release dates, (seemingly interchangeable in some cases between books three and four). The long-awaited Book Three, Uncompahgre, suddenly had various release dates including late February, the end of March, and in some cases even further out.

THIS IS INCORRECT! We stayed off of Facebook and other social media last week so as not to compound this confusion of unknown origination, while we tried to sort it all out.

In addition, we were alerted by the powers uploading the digital files for Book Three for (Kindle, Nook, Kobo and other e-book platforms) that there was a rare corruption in the digital file. That is now either corrected or on the precipice of being fixed so the e-books can get loaded for our anxious e-book readers.

We have been perplexed—unsure whether to laugh or cry! We decided to grit our teeth and grin. Book Three is apparently the book of the Threads West series that what could go wrong, did and will. The rest of the books are right on time, and we hope that these eye-crossing circumstances, are the compression of every single obstacle, screw-up, and unforeseen event for the entire series into one novel, Book Three! We can almost hear the series breathing a big sigh, “Phew! Got that out of my system.”

When matters become so confusing the Publishers and author get confounds – its time to gather the facts and bring them to you. So, to clear up the conflicting information generated in unknown ways from unknown sources:

• Book Three has reached a number of warehouses and some scattered stores. Don’t bug your local store. Stay tuned to Facebook, other social media and the website (www.threadswestseries.com) and we will tell you when the book is where. Even stores have been calling us, asking “what the hell is going on” and clamoring for third novel.

• We’re not going to have the official release despite the book seeping its way into some locations already, until the distribution is widely completed. First, this will save readers trips to their local store, which may or may not yet have it in. Second, this keeps things fair, because by all indications – given pre-orders, website orders, store orders, and dot coms etc.—and knowing the relatively limited number of books printed on this first run of Uncompahgre, we have a concern there is not enough Uncompahgre to go around on the first run. Say a bookstore orders one hundred Uncompahgre’s. Assume they sell out the week they come in. That bookstore then reorders. Those reorders come out of warehouses which otherwise would be shipping to stores which may have received no copies, leaving some readers still waiting. This will be rectified by future printings already gearing up, but the realities of current supply and demand have to be dealt with.

• The various conflicting dates which were altered on various sources – including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or otherwise, of March 15, March 21, February 26, March 28, are wrong! The book is ready to release and awaiting only as even a distribution as can be achieved per the bullet points above. The correct dates are right now posted only on the series website (www. threadswestseries.com/book-release-schedule/). The publishers are working hard to get the incorrect postings on the dot coms and elsewhere corrected, and track down the sources of misinformation.

• The digital glitch should be fixed shortly, and the e-books available, probably first on Amazon. Again this website and social media will let you know. Believe us on this! We want those books in your e-readers, or the paperbacks in your hands yesterday!

Last, but not least, we think and hope you will be delighted with Uncompahgre, we greatly appreciate you being fans of the series, we humbly thank you for your patience, and as we’ve said in the past, apologize for the delays. With those delays come big dividends in the future, and that begins March 27th with the release of Book Four (not Book Three) Moccasin Tracks. Then Footsteps at the end of May, and rounding out 2014, Blood at Glorieta Pass in September.

And (chuckling) despite the many queries we have received by email, we are not going to tell you what happens with Sarah and Zeb, if everyone survives, if they reach their destinations without mishap, if misfortune befalls Eagle Talon and Walks with Moon, if Dot remains protected by Black Feather, or afford you even a hint about the new characters who catapult into the tale, or the arduous journeys and new conflicts of the characters you’ve bonded with. Suffice it say we guarantee you will be surprised!

Remember to please keep your ears to the track here, and on social media. We will let you know when the national release trigger is officially pulled on Book Three, Uncompahgre—where water turns rock red.

We thank you all hugely!

Reid