Here David answers some of the most common questions he's received about the series.

Q&A WITH DAVID THOMPSON

1. Where was the King family cabin located?

In what is now Estes Park, Colorado, high in the Rockies, near Rocky Mountain National Park.

2. Why has some of the focus shifted from Nate King to his son Zach and his daughter Evelyn?

WILDERNESS has always been described as a generational saga. It is not just Nate's and Winona' story. It is the story of their children and their children's children.

3. How many books will the series run?

For as long as you keep buying them. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Buy two copies of each. :) Seriously, I would like to thank each and every one of you for your enjoyment and support.

4. WILDERNESS portrays Indians as real human beings, not caricatures. Did Mountain Men really treat them that way?

The journals and diaries of the time show that many trappers and Mountain Men treated Indians no differently than they treated anyone else. Not surprising, given that quite a few married Indian women and adopted Indian ways. Yes, there were bigots on both sides, but you will find them in all eras and in all walks of life.

5. Why do you call them Indians and not Native Americans like some contemporary novels have done?

WILDERNESS reflects the attitudes and mindset of the period in which the characters lived.

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6. Indian legends are often featured in your stories. Are these real legends or stuff you made up? Or are they tall tales concocted by Nate King?

There is a wealth of material available on authentic Indian legends. Various tribes, for instance, believed in the existence of the 'little people'. As for Nate King, it is well known that frontiersmen were fond of telling whoopers. The reader must decide how much is real and how much is entertainment.

7. Would you say it is accurate to describe WILDERNESS as a frontier soap opera with lots of action?

WILDERNESS is about life. Specifically, the life of a frontier family in the American wilderness during the 1800s. The stories resonate with so many readers because they touch the heart and the spirit.