cowboys – Linda Ford

There’s nothing like a good cup of coffee

Linda — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The cowboys on the Circle A Ranch drink coffee. They didn’t always but Scottie, the old cook, was convinced doing so made them men. And what young fellow is going to argue with that?
Some interesting facts about coffee gleaned from researching the subject:
It is second only to oil as the most valuable traded commodity in the world.
There is a popular Ethiopian legend that says coffee was discovered by a goat herder. He found his goats frolicking and full of energy after eating the red fruit of the coffee shrub. Curious, he tried the fruit for himself and had a similar reaction. Seeing the strange behavior, a monk took some of the fruit back to his fellow monks and they spent the night awake and alert.
It’s rumored that Teddy Roosevelt drank a gallon a day of the brew and might even be responsible for the slogan ‘Good to the last drop.’
And horror of horrors, there have been attempts to ban coffee.

This coffee ad has been brought to you by the fine folks in Adam–the story of a coffee-drinking cowboy.

Grace has come to reconnect with her brother, Sam, who left her in the orphanage when she was 10 so she could be adopted. He has written such lovely letters to her. She wants him to collaborate on writing a first-hand article for an eastern newspaper. However, Sam did not write the letters, Adam–one of the Circle A cowboys–did so, pretending to be Sam.
Coffee might get him going in the morning but it isn’t doing anything to solve the problem of how to tell Grace the truth without destroying her faith in him.
You can find out how Adam solves his predicament by purchasing his book.

Odd Things Are Found In Nature

Linda — Fri, 21 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Drumheller, Alberta is proud to be the dinosaur capital of the world. It is home to the world’s largest dinosaur. You can climb the 83 foot tall replica and stand in the mouth behind the teeth. Drumheller is home to the Royal Tyrrell Museum. It is Canada’s only Museum dedicated exclusively to the science of paleontology. It houses one of the world’s largest displays of dinosaurs. We consider ourselves privileged to be close enough to this area to make day trips.
One of the fascinating sites in Drumheller for us to visit is the Hoodoos. Each hoodoo is a sandstone pillar resting on a thick base of shale that is capped by a large stone. Hoodoos are very fragile and can erode completely if their capstone is dislodged (in other words, no climbing allowed).

Hoodoos are found in many areas especially near the mountains and in the Badlands. The cowboys of Circle A Ranch have discovered some on the ranch in southwestern Alberta.
You’ll soon be able to meet these cowboys and learn their stories.

Available for order and/or preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09542H99N

What would Shakespeare say about us borrowing his titles?

Linda — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

For years I thought about writing a book that combined my penchant for westerns and the title of one of Shakespeare’s plays–hence, Rodeo and Juliet.
My writing friend, Lacy Williams, and I wanted to do a joint project. It seemed like the perfect time to use the title Rodeo and Juliet. Lacy liked the idea and we came up with a set of non-identical twin girls–Josephine and Juliet.
Sticking with the Shakespearean theme she has titled her story Much Ado About Josie.
Two fun stories for your enjoyment. Of course, things get a little complicated before the hero and heroine reach their happy-ever-after. Or as Shakespeare would say. ‘The course of true love never did run smooth.’ (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 1, Scene 1)
These novellas will be released in May but are available for preorder now.

Kidnapped

Linda — Sun, 06 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Two wounded hearts, two children in danger…

She must do everything possible to protect her niece and nephew

Their uncle wants them. But only to sell them. He’s kidnapped them once. She doesn’t trust him not to do it again. Delcie flees west with her friends to protect them from his schemes. Fearing for the children’s safety, she is suspicious of every stranger.
Ryder Remington is also fleeing his past. His wife and child are dead. His brother has narrowly missed being hung for a murder he didn’t commit. All he wants is to be left alone so he can forget the past.
When the children are snatched, it is as if the past is repeating itself. Can Delcie and Ryder change the future and earn lasting love?

Book #2 in Hearts Of Willow Creek. Available now at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BZX82YR

Runaways from Love

Linda — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Four young women move west to Willow Creek wanting to start a business that will give them independence. None of them want to count on a man to take care of them. Their experience has taught them that has a very high cost. A bakery and dining room soon prove to be profitable. But four lovely young women attract the attention of single young men. Can any of them win the heart of one of these young women? Find out in the new series–Hearts of Willow Creek.

The first book is out Aug. 1, 2020–A Heart’s Yearning.
A pretty young woman, and a reclusive mountain man. What can these two have in common? This is a tender story full of surprises.
Available here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089WJQ39N

Woo Hoo. My 75th book is out.

Linda — Sun, 03 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Emma came West to find peace after the death of her parents. As she begins to heal and rediscover herself, she realizes how much of her real self she has hidden to try to please others. No more.
When Blaze Hooper sees Emma for the first time all grown up, it’s as if he’s struck by lightning. The wild, tagalong young girl he remembered is gone. In her place is a woman grown. When her former fiancé shows up and threatens her safety, Blaze is there to protect her. He just wasn’t expecting to find out that she’s now a wealthy woman—a woman far out of his reach.
Emma desires the things money can’t buy: a home and a family. She thought she might find them with Blaze, but his distance confuses her. Is there hope for their future?
Join this pair as they discover what really matters to each of them.
Blaze’s Hope: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083V4K7G5

A STORY ABOUT AN ORPHANED CHILD

Linda — Sun, 08 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Certain things call to each of us. Some are rather universal. Some are individual.
For instance, does the plight of those killed needlessly wrench at your heartstrings? It does mine and there have been so many recently. So much unnecessary pain. Doesn’t it make you want to do what you can to first, of all, stop this senselessness, and secondly, reach out to help those who are hurting?
One thing that has always called to my heart is hurting and lonely children who are needing home and love.
You will see that theme repeated over and over in my books and JAKE’S HONOR is no exception.
Connie is determined to take her orphaned niece to the child’s father. Except Jake knows he isn’t the father. What is to happen to little Megan? What would you do if you were Connie?
I can’t help but think of a little boy we adopted. He was but a baby. But we knew it was right for us to take him. We found encouragement and direction in these words, Exodus 2:9. “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give thee wages.” We didn’t want wages, as in money, but we have many times received an unexpected payment. That boy is now a big, strong man. A gentle man. A man who can help us, especially with heavy chores. We have been repaid over and over for anything it might have cost us. Which, incidentally, was nothing worth counting.
In Jake’s Honor Connie’s journey has taken her half way across North America by train and by stagecoach. But the last leg of the journey is by wagon across a rickety bridge. Finally, she will reach her destination, achieve her goal and then figure out what she will do next.
It could be that her carefully laid plans are about to encounter a mighty big barrier.
A story of adventure, perseverance, commitment, and love.
The first in the Cowboys Of Coulee Crossing series. And it costs lest than a cup of Starbucks coffee. You can get it by following this link.

The Power of Memory

Linda — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Today I am going to share the info I put in my most recent newsletter. (which you can sign up for by going to the Home page and choosing one of the two buttons on the top left-hand side. One gives you a free copy of one of my books–available only by clicking.)
They say smell is one of the strongest memories. I can’t say if that is true or not but I do know that when I smell raspberries I think of my granny. She and Grandfather lived on a little acreage where they had a walnut tree, fruit trees and an abundance of raspberry bushes. We always visited in the summer and enjoyed sampling the fruit. Ahh. Such a sweet memory.
So now I am the gramma and I have a raspberry patch. I pick and freeze them to make a stewed fruit in the winter time. I cook together raspberries, rhubarb, apples and saskatoon berries all from my garden. The grandkids love it on ice cream. Or I make delicious freezer jam with raspberries. But what they enjoy the very best is raiding the raspberry patch and eating fresh berries off the bush.
Cowboy Groom is the next book in the Glory, Montana series. It is book #2 of The Cowboys. It’s the story of Stella and Bruce. You might remember Stella from the earlier books.
What do raspberries have to do with this book? It is while picking raspberries that Stella finds something that leads to a rather unusual discovery. I’m afraid I can’t tell you what she finds. It would ruin the surprise.
This link will take you to the proper site (I hope):
https://tinyurl.com/y3nfge4u

MONTANA COWBOY FAMILY

Linda — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

This week I got a box of books—Montana Cowboy Family—Book #2 in Big Sky Cowboys series. For fun, click on the link and make a jigsaw puzzle of the cover. It comes out in Jan. The story of Sadie, the school teacher, and the youngest Marshall brother, Logan.

http://www.jigidi.com/solve.php?id=5WPAT7I8&s=e

NEW SERIES—FIRST BOOK

Linda — Sun, 17 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

The first book in a new series will be out in Oct. but I can’t wait to share the cover with you.

The six-book series is called BIG SKY COUNTRY. As you might guess, it is set in Montana. The setting is a fictional town called Bella Creek that has been built mostly by a big old cowboy—the patriarch of the Marshall family. The series will tell the stories of the three young Marshall cowboys, their sister and a couple of their closest friends.

It is set in the 1890s when gold was found in north western Montana. The town was built as an alternative to the nearby rough mining town.

Things I like about this series:

1. The strong family unit the Marshalls are. They support each other through thick and thin.

2. The setting—to the west is rugged mountain areas, to the east, rolling grasslands perfect for raising cattle. As one character says, “Good cow country.”

3. The strong community that pulls together to take care of its own.

4. The research I got to do which involved a trip to that part of Montana. Such beautiful country.

5. Cowboys. Need I say more?

And here it is. The cover of the first book in the series: Montana Cowboy Daddy.