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Linda Ford

Linda Ford is a fan favorite of historical Christian romances that center on faith, family and a forever love.

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BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Linda Ford Posted on June 12, 2011 by LindaJune 12, 2011

Spring has come. I know it because I measure spring by the blooming of my Mayday tree and it is in full bloom (Too soon it will be done but until then I enjoy it.) mayday tree

mayday tree

 

 

 

 

There are so many things to enjoy too. The scent that follows me all around the yard and by bringing in some cut branches, I can enjoy it while sitting at my computer.

The sight, of course. All I see when I look out the bathroom window is flowers. I see it from my kitchen window and from the patio. In fact, from almost anywhere in the yard I see it.

The birds love it. The branches seem full of birdsong.

And then something totally awesome…when the wind blows, it ‘snows’ white petals, depositing them like confetti everywhere. mayday tree It’s lovely.

The tree bloomed late this year because of the cold spring but I don’t care so long as it blooms. Which kind of reminds me of my writing week. I did not meet my deadlines (the word count I planned to reach by Sat.) but I got a significant amount done. I will finish the story a little late. But it will get done and that’s what matters.

Posted in awesome things, spring, writing | Leave a reply

GETTING CREATIVE

Linda Ford Posted on June 5, 2011 by LindaJune 5, 2011

I have days when I feel like I am brain dead. i-is-tired-wurk-too-hard Oh my body is functioning though in low gear but my mind has gone on vacation without me. There might be a hundred or more reasons/causes from not enough sleep to seeing the sunshine outside and thinking I might need/want a holiday in the sun. Doesn’t matter what’s behind it… I still have writing to do if I intend to meet my deadlines (whether from an editor or in order to meet my own goals).

So how does one recharge the mind? Or kick it into gear? I found this great site where the author gives 15 ways to boost creativity:

http://justcreativedesign.com/2007/12/01/15-ways-to-recharge-your-brain/

So I thought I’d list 10 (I couldn’t think of 15) ways I know that work for me (and remind myself to do them when I am having a down day creatively.)

  1. Have a nap. Not only does it recharge the batteries, but all my life I have made up stories as I fall asleep so it really does get me going (sometimes.)
  2. moleskine journalGo for a walk. A long meditative walk. It helps to take a notebook and pen in case any really REALLY good ideas should show up. 
  3. Use a notebook, paper and pen and write down something. Anything. My reasons for not writing. YMy problems with the story. What I need to do next. Pen and paper are different mediums and perhaps stimulate a different part of your brain–hopefully the part that is sleeping.
  4. Do something mindless–laundry, vacuuming, baking cookies. Again–keep pen and paper handy.
  5. Go fill the senses. Enjoy the flowers, fabrics in a quilt store, a collection of china and pottery, visit an art gallery or museum. Sometimes time away is exactly what is needed.
  6. Use large sheets of paper and colored crayons and pencils to do mind mapping or scribbling, or doodling.
  7. Have a nap. Oh yeah. I already said that. Just saying…
  8. Have a cup of coffee and a cookie. Stare out the window or read a magazine as you enjoy it. After all, my brain deserves a holiday once in awhile.
  9. Read a list of your successes. You do keep one, don’t you? I don’t but I can read my list of published books and remind myself I can do this.
  10. My all-time favorite–call a writing friend and talk about my story or about the challenges of being a writer. I am always encouraged and ready to work after that lifeline.

I really wanted to find 15 ways but couldn’t. Maybe someone can add to my list.

Posted in filling the creative well, writing, writing advice | Leave a reply

TODAY’S GRATITUDES

Linda Ford Posted on May 29, 2011 by LindaMay 29, 2011

A list of gratitudes in no particular order.

1. Sunshine especially after a winter that just wouldn’t quit followed by monsoon rains. The grass is growing. Green is good. (An older picture but it’s green.) farm in the summer 001

 

2. Flowers. Colors are awesome. I hope they are survive last night’s frost.

flowers 068

 

 

3. Birds. The summer birds are back. The gold finch sits on the bird feeder and sings so merrily. Cheers my heart to hear him. BIRDS 004

4. Freedom to be who we choose to be, follow our own conscience, worship and work as we please.

5. Technology. I can access libraries worldwide. I can visit cities around the world. I can translate text into various languages if I so desire all without leaving my office chair. I can type my thoughts on a story, change my mind a dozen times and correct it all with the flick tn_atcomputer036of a finer. I can communicate with people from the far corners of the world. It’s a marvelous world we live in.

haedyn at mall may 0036. Family. Brothers and sisters, a husband, sons and daughters and grandchildren. Life would be so poor without them.  

7. Friends. Old ones who know my history and new ones who aren’t interested in my past so much as what I’m doing today.

8. Travel. We cross the country with more ease than our forefathers went to the nearest city. We can easily visit remote mountains or history-packed cities.

9. Church. I love our church and enjoy the worship. It’s such a blessing.Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path

10. God’s word.

For lots of things to be happy about check out this site.

http://1000awesomethings.com/

Posted in gratitude | Leave a reply

BEGINNING A NEW STORY

Linda Ford Posted on May 21, 2011 by LindaMay 21, 2011

I recently started a new story. I constructed a good idea—a really good idea! An innocent man jailed. A widowed woman with three little girls. Turns out the hero’s twin brother was the guilty party and let his twin take the fall. Five years of hard labor and the hero is finally free. He’s spent the few months since his release trying to find his brother. He’s wants an explanation, maybe an apology, but more than that, he wants his brother back. Five years in prison teaches a man how lonely life is. http://www.pcmaf.org/pictures.htm montana territorial prisonSite and picture of Montana Territorial Prison which I have actually visited.
 
Turns out the woman with three kids is his brother’s widow and the stories she’s heard of my poor innocent hero make her unwilling to be his friend. But the ranch she owns which provides a safe home for herself and her daughters needs the strong arms of a man and the hero, after five years hard labor, has the strong arms to offer.
Whoa. I better not tell the whole story because that wasn’t what I started out to tell you. I wanted to tell you how much background work goes into a story.
Now that I have an idea of what my story is going to be about, I have a lot of things to discover.
First, the names. It took me 9 months to name my babies and now I have to come up with names for the hero, the heroine, the twin brother, the three little girls, the uncle, the aunt, the mother, the father, the neighbor, the cousins, the store owner. And the names have to be just right. I have to feel them. I would have a hard time writing a strong woman struggling on her own named Suzy. Or a sweet woman named Gertrude. But I got that done. Jake and Clara are my hero and heroine.
Then I need to research prisons, etc. When did Montana—if that’s where I want to set the story—get a prison? (1871) I’ve actually visited the place never, at the time, suspecting it might figure into a story.
So what did Montana look like during that era? More research.
So I maybe have a place and a time period. Now who are the characters? Where did Clara come from? Ohio. What area? Hamilton. (Now I want to visit there). Here’s a site with information about the city.
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vlwest/eButler/hamilton.html
and a picture from that site. lane library
 
 
And another site with a photo from the site.
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vlwest/eButler/hamilton.html
 
Isn’t it a place you’d like to visit?
 
 
 
What did her father do? I learn that in 1846 the place had Six years later the town included seven churches, a women’s academy, two newspapers, three cotton mills, three flourmills, two machine shops, and sixteen retail stores. I didn’t want her father to be a farmer so I gave him a job in a cotton mill. More research.
Who was Clara? What did she like to do? Read? What would she read? What magazines and books would be available? Were dime novels available at that time? Turns out they were first printed about 1860 and a popular women’s magazine was the Ladies Companion. I’m not sure when it was first published but I can find copies on-line back to 1840.
And so it goes. Soon I’ll have enough little nuggets to feel I know Clara then I’ll have to repeat for Jake. No doubt, throughout the story I will have to research things as well. Thank goodness for the internet. It’s amazing what a person can find. Many historical societies have copies of documents, books and pictures available. The Library of Congress has a wonder site with lots or resources. It takes time but can be fascinating.
BTW, don’t ask me if I’m finished this story yet. It will be a work in progress for some months yet.

Posted in research, writing | Leave a reply

A FAST AND FURIOUS PACE

Linda Ford Posted on May 14, 2011 by LindaMay 14, 2011

I write fast and furious, sometimes doing 5000 words in a day. It’s how I work but it’s also a skill I’ve developed and I believe it is a skill anyone can develop.

What’s my secret? The only secret I know is to get started. That’s the hardest part. There are things I do to help me get to that point. (Besides procrastinating, emailing, checking Facebook and calling a writing friend on the pretext of brainstorming.) writer at work sign

1. I make scribbled notes (usually before hand) to give me a road map of where I’m going. For instance, in the epilogue I’m about to do I have a mental list of the things that have to happen. I will likely write it down at some point so I don’t have to think about what events I need to include as I write.

2. One thing that really helps is to open a document that isn’t the story and just start typing. For instance I would say something like this: oh crap. another day I don’t have any idea what I’m supposed to write. I’d sooner have a nap anyway. or play solitaire. what do i want to say what happens next. what happened last i can’t even eremember. a scene. i need a scene. my kingdom for a scnee. so they spent the day togther, now what. his pov–they talk –Sunday night. A poignant evening as if both know their time of sharing and visiting is about to end. Why hasn’t he said anything? What’s he going to do about the gold. what does he want to do–his goal. her reaction. scene details.

I write it just like that. No concerns about spelling or punctuation. I’m just thinking on the screen. At some point I start to see the scene and write it.

3. I list things that are in the scene—smells, sights, sounds, people, what are they wearing, etc. Usually, before I know it, I am writing the scene and just keep on then copy and paste what I need into the REAL document.

4. I sometimes shift to first person pov and begin to write down everything that character sees, hears, etc.

5. I set a timer. This really works. Believe me. Set the time for 15–20-30- even 45 minutes. During that time you just keep typing. No correcting–it might look like the paragraph I did in #2 but never mind. Just write. The idea is to get past the controlling internal editor.writer at work

6. Cover your screen if you must to keep from looking at it.

All of these are simply tricks. The more you implement them the better your creative side becomes at obeying them. For instance all I have to do some days is pull out the timer and set it and my brain immediately shifts to creative mode. I don’t even need to start the countdown. In fact, my timer is set at 8 minutes right now. I shut if off for some reason and never got back to starting it again because I didn’t need to.

what lies within you Remember the purpose of all this is to trick the internal editor into ignoring you as you work. Practice makes perfect.

Posted in writing, writing advice | Leave a reply

TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER

Linda Ford Posted on May 7, 2011 by LindaMay 7, 2011

My mother was an author. She wrote hundreds of articles, devotionals, games, puzzles, etc. I have a large box full of her clipped published works. Someday I hope to create a collection of them to share with the family.
But in honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, I am posting one of her articles. I hope you enjoy it.
clip_image002

Posted in mother, Mother's Day, writing | Leave a reply

ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR

Linda Ford Posted on April 30, 2011 by LindaApril 30, 2011

April 29 proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that everyone loves a good romance. People from all over the world either went to London or watched on TV the wedding of Prince William to Catherine. official-wedding-3_1884416b

 

A fairy tale wedding for certain.

It reminds me of why I love romance and love to write romances.

 

  1. Because everyone likes a happy ending.
  2. I believe everyone deserves a happy ever after even tortured heroes and heroines, even difficult heroes and heroines.
  3. In a romance evil is overcome, love triumphs, broken hearts are made whole again
  4. In a romance, hope is restored…hope that life can go on and get better and be worth the struggle.
  5. I can express my belief in goodness, virtue, and the power of a man or woman, or both, to change their lives for the better and perhaps, in a small way, improve the world. .“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark.“?~Kate DiCamillo
  6. Romances are a celebration of human connections and the power they have to motivate men and women to better things.
  7. Romance stories have the power to move the heart, fill us with hope and encouragement. Non-fiction speaks to the head; fiction to the heart and romantic fiction does it better than most genres.“It’s better to write about things you feel than about things you know about.” –  L. P. Hartley
  8. I love getting to know my characters and watching them grow and change to overcome their problems so they are now ready to embrace love.
  9. Doesn’t everyone deserve a little hope and affirmation that life can be good despite the challenges? That’s what a good romance offers.
  10. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Source unknown. I hope my romance stories help people learn to dance in the rain.
Posted in romance, royal wedding, writing | Leave a reply

HAPPY EASTER

Linda Ford Posted on April 21, 2011 by LindaApril 21, 2011

I have a very old collection of post cards. (Bless the people who never threw things out.). Some are over 100 years old. ..complete with 1c stamp on the back. There are cards for every season and occasion, some rather unique and amusing.  Here is a sample of those intended for Easter.

easter postcard 3

easter postcard 4

May each of you enjoy the blessings of this Easter season and bask in God’s love.

Posted in Easter, postcards | Leave a reply

OPEN LETTER TO MOTHER NATURE

Linda Ford Posted on April 16, 2011 by LindaApril 16, 2011

Dear Mother Nature,

I know you’ve been busy what with earthquakes, tsunamis, the threat of nuclear disaster and everything but would you be so kind as to look at the following pictures?

A. Winterapril 14 003

 

 

 

 

B. Summerfarm in the summer 013

 

 

 

 

A. Winter winter birds 016

 

 

 

 

B. Summer

house finch at feeder 001

Are you seeing the difference? (I sure am.) We’ve had plenty of winter. Way more than we need. We’re due for summer but in order to get from A to B, we need spring. I think if you check your calendar you will see it is time. Perhaps you’ve been busy and forgotten that little detail and I understand. Really, I do. But I’m sure it wouldn’t take a lot of effort to remedy this situation.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter and I look forward to seeing the problem resolved in the very near future.

Posted in mother nature, spring, winter | Leave a reply

GOLD RUSH STORIES

Linda Ford Posted on April 9, 2011 by LindaApril 9, 2011

Yesterday I got my author copies of my Klondike gold rush story. klondike medicine woman This is the middle book of a editor-generated series about the Klondike Gold Rush on 1898. It was fun to write with the two other authors and fun to research.

Each of these books stands alone but there are elements that bind the three together…like a gold treasure.

My story: (available in May)

Dr. Jacob Calloway was the answer to her prayers—whether he liked it or not. Teena Crow is desperate to learn his scientific healing methods to help her people. But Jacob is too suspicious of Teena’s native remedies to allow her near Treasure Creek’s clinic. So she decides to earn his respect—and teach the good doctor to see beyond surface differences to their common goal.

But it’s not just Teena’s medicines that render Jacob uncomfortable. Her warm gaze and determination dare him to open his heart. But can their fledgling love weather a town’s disapproval, or the secrets they both hide?

Story #1–available now:yukon wedding

A gold-rush town is no place for a single mother. But widow Lana Bristow won’t abandon the only home her son has ever known. She’ll fight to remain in Treasure Creek, Alaska—even if it means wedding Mack Tanner, the man she blames for her husband’s death.

Mack sees marriage as his duty, the only way to protect his former business partner’s family. Yet what starts as an obligation changes as his spoiled socialite bride proves to be a woman of strength and grace. A woman who shows Mack the only treasure he needs is her heart.

Story #3–available in June:

gold rush baby.

She didn’t come to Alaska for its gold. Viola Goddard is seeking something much more precious—a fresh start. Now, entrusted with the care of an abandoned baby girl, Viola is finding new purpose and joy. And when missionary Thomas Stone is injured while saving little Goldie, Viola insists on nursing him back to health. What she mustn’t do is confess her growing regard for his strength and gentle compassion. Her shameful secret could destroy his ministry. Unless this little gold rush town can give them both a chance to heal, to hope and to trust.

The covers are beautiful and the stories compelling. Be sure to get this series.

Posted in Alaska, books, Yukon | Leave a reply

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Linda Ford is a fan favorite of historical Christian romances that center on faith, family and a forever love. Her writing has been described as deeply emotional with a touch of humor.

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