Montana – Linda Ford

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.

Summer is…

Linda — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Summer is picnics and parties and plays written by grandkids and performed with their cousins.
It’s splash parks, river excursions and lazy days at the beach.
It’s flowers and fruit and vegetables from our garden on the table.
It’s baby animals, visitors and vacations.
It’s sunshine, rain and rainbows. Sunburn, storms and heat.
It’s beach reads.
If you’re looking for a beach read, have you tried the Glory, Montana series?

https://tinyurl.com/y3h74udf (this link will take you to the page where the series is for sale.)
Comments on Amazon:
‘I have fallen in love with all of these books. Thank you for all the great stories. I look forward to the next one.’
‘Great story. Well worth the read!!!!!! Can’t wait for the next one.’
‘Linda Ford’s books are always read with pure enjoyment!!! She is a master at weaving together stories rich in detail and overflowing with excitement and adventure. I always end up wishing I could take a step back in time and experience life during the 1800s. I’ve been enjoying each book in this series, and they have all been amazing. The simple lessons of faith that you see acted out in each story always speak to the heart and are relatable to things taking place in your own life.’
Enjoy summer. Enjoy family and friends. Enjoy reading.

The Truth About Fiction

Linda — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Much–if not all–of fiction has its roots in the author’s own experience. For instance, my husband tells how few toys he had. A broken wagon, one jigsaw puzzle that he made so often he had it memorized so he could even make it with the pieces upside down. His favorite activity was playing farmer with rocks, marbles, sticks and whatever else his imagination could turn into what he needed. Incidentally, I have children who did the same with marbles and Lego pieces.
Another toy that children enjoyed in those early days was a rag doll. I know the rag dolls of yesteryears wouldn’t wear neon green but I couldn’t find a picture I liked any better. This doll is simple. All play would be imagined by the child. When I was young my mother made me a baby-sized doll with movable limbs. It was the right size to wear baby clothes. I loved it and spent hours playing with it. I don’t know what eventually happened to it. Nor have I been able to find a picture of it.
I’m sure the adults didn’t consider laundry to be a fun activity when they had to scrub everything on a wash board. My father-in-law was widowed at a young age with a large family. One of the most poignant pictures I recall seeing is of him bending over a tub of water, scrubbing the baby’s diapers on a scrub board. Unfortunately, the photo has disappeared but this is a picture of him with one of his children.
In Cowboy Father, you’ll get a glimpse of how those brave men and women.. and children…survived life in the 1800s. Cowboy Father tells the story of a man and a woman and two children who strive together in challenging circumstances toward a common goal. But the goal isn’t romance. In fact, romance is not in their plans. This book continues the story of the Kinsley family of Glory, Montana. It is available now.

New Releases

Linda — Sat, 04 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

It isn’t often that it happens but I had two books come out on May 1.
Josie is one of the Kinsley’s adopted daughters. She was twelve when she was adopted so came with her own history. One she doesn’t want anyone to know.
I have 10 adopted children. I’m sure many people believe that love is all that is needed to help and heal these children but unfortunately, it is not. Yes, love is important but children who are older when their homes are shattered, as Josie is, need tools to deal with their past. Even Walker, though he has not lost his family, has traumatic things in his past to confront. I have tried to portray this realistically without dwelling on the angst. If I can summarize it succinctly I would use the words of one of the characters in the story, a Mr. Jonathan Bates: Sometimes we hold things back from God’s power. Things like unforgiveness and bitterness. Like blame and shame. Like an uncertain future, failing health, the pain of loss. We either want to cling to them or we don’t think God can fix them. Folks, I’m here to tell you, there isn’t anything God can’t help you with if you let Him.
I’m not trying to say it’s easy to forgive or it’s over and done with if a person chooses to, but one needs to let go of some of the things of the past in order to move forward. You can’t write a new chapter while still reading the old one so the saying goes.
This is the last story in the Glory, Montana: The Preacher’s Daughters series. But it isn’t the end of the Kinsley family. A new series–Glory, Montana: The Cowboys will be coming soon.
You can get it here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NTYVSKN
The other book is a novella collection with three other authors–very talented ones. This series is about four mail-order brides for whom things go very badly wrong. I think you will enjoy this collection.

My contribution is Romancing the Rancher. It takes place in Broken Arrow, Montana in 1886.
Zach has his hands full with threats to his ranch, a rebellious younger sister and a father who wanders away and can’t remember how to get home. The last thing he needs is a young woman showing up with a toddler niece on her hip informing him that he has agreed to marry her. First he heard of it.
Amelia was counting on the mail-order marriage to give herself and little Daisy a home. Zach isn’t the least bit welcoming, saying he has no idea who she is. But he agrees to let her run his home until she can find another man willing to marry her. He soon finds himself counting on her help.
But who has written the letters pretending to be him? Will another man come along wanting to marry Amelia? Will these two people see what’s right in front of them, that they belong together?
This was a fun story to write. I hope it is a fun story to read. You can get it here: https://www.amazon.com/Mail-Order-Mishaps-Brides-Adapt-Marriage-ebook/dp/B07HYLXXKF
I hope you enjoy both these books. Please feel free to leave a review on Amazon.

What’s A Man Supposed To Do?

Linda — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Meet Kade. The last thing he needs in his life is a rebel who cares nothing for rules or even her safety. He keeps a collection of mementos on display to remind him of the folly of taking unnecessary risks.
But a snowstorm blows Flora into his house and he has no choice but to give her shelter for three days. As soon as the storm is over, he plans to take the girl back to her father without revealing that she’s spent the time with him. But his plans go awry and the truth can’t be hidden. Is there any hope that Flora’s preacher father will relent in his insistence that Kade must marry Flora and protect her reputation?

What will Kade do? Come along with Kade on his adventure as he learns what really matters to him. You can read his story in my newest release, Loving A Rebel. This is the first in a brand-new series–Glory, Montana–The Preacher’s Daughters. There are 3 miniseries and a total of 10 titles, all centered around the Kinsley Family.
You can get it here: https://tinyurl.com/y7hjugw8
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this story.

Writing is Easy…or Is It?

Linda — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Writing a story is easy. I mean, how had can it be to simply put words on a page. True–that part is easy. It’s making sure that each word had a reason for being there that is hard. Sometimes it’s like stabbing yourself in the eye over and over. It can be frustrating and exhausting.

On other times something unexpected and magical happens. For instance, this week I needed my hero to do something meaningful. (I always find it difficult to leave on point of view character in the middle of something and start to follow the other one.) I had him spot bear tracks and follow them until he was certain they went away from his ranch home and posed no danger to those living there.
A throw-away scene to keep the cowboy busy. Or so I thought until the bear appeared in the next scene threatening death and destruction to the heroine. I didn’t plan it. Didn’t even see it coming. So much for plotting.
These sort of discoveries are the joy of writing.
This is one of the stories that will be released next year as the Glory Montana series.

FULL OF POSSIBLITY-or how a story idea is born.

Linda — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

IS IT EMPTY AND DESOLATE OR….?

Yesterday I made a long drive south to Montana. The scenery varies–glimpses of the Rockies, the Sweet Grass Hills, deep river valleys and odd looking hoodoo formations. The picture above shows what much of the scenery is…rolling hills.
Some may think there is nothing to see here. But I see little bubbles of possibility. What lies beyond each summit? What treasures hide in the valleys? I imagine the wideness of the view, the vastness of the blue sky, the tug of the wind and the searing heat of the sun.
My imagination goes deeper, wider and I see a young woman standing atop one of the hills, looking yearningly toward the south, her hand cupped over her eyes to shade them from the glare. She’s waiting for a young man to ride toward her on his big black horse. A story is born. Or at least, the fledgling idea and the tugging emotion of it.
And yes, I guess that says I am a writer.
How about you? Even if you aren’t a writer, what views call to the you in the depths of your heart?

SHAREABLES FOR EVERLASTING LOVE

Linda — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

This is a favorite story of mine with 3 generations of romance in the same book.
What do a divorce lawyer and a young woman who believes in romance have in common besides each having a grandparent who wants to rekindle an 50-year-old romance?

She believes in happy-ever-after love. At her coffee shop, she hands out flowers and handmade cards to couples of every age while across the street, he hands out advice on divorces. How different can two people be?

You can find the book here:http://tinyurl.com/m3k8t49
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.

A BOX OF BOOKS

Linda — Sat, 13 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

A box of my July release arrived today.

Montana Cowboy’s Baby—the third story in the Big Sky Country series. It was such a fun book to write (once I got the glitches worked out).
This book is set in Bella Creek, Montana, a fictional town based on Libby, Montana—a real town. Much of the story takes place on the Marshall Five Ranch where the crusty old grandfather plays matchmaker.
On the picture below is a copy of the note that came with the baby.

Watch for this book, soon to be on the shelves. Or order it from harlequin.com. It’s a story I think you’ll enjoy.

WHAT I LEARNED (PART 2)

Linda — Sat, 07 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Last week I shared half a dozen things I learned while researching the story series Big Sky Country. The second book—Montana Cowboy Family—is out this month.

Today, I want to share another half dozen things I learned.

1. The area is beautiful which I already knew but it bears repeating.

2. There are old-growth cedars of up to 500 years—the Ross Creek Cedars.

3. David Thompson mapped the area. What an incredible man he was.

4. Gold brought people to the area. In 1864, 1000 men were each panning $20-$30 from Wild Horse Creek. Fine gold was valued at $18/oz. but it was the wealth of trees that kept them there.

5. There is a library well stocked with books on local history.

6. The lake created by the Libby Dam is called Lake Koocanusa.

The name is a combination of the names Kootenai, Canada and United States and crossed the Canada-American border.

The Koocanusa Bridge, Montana’s longest (2,437 feet) and highest (270 feet) bridge crosses the lake.

I really enjoy researching. It makes me look at places I visit with more interest. Do you dig deep into an area when you visit it? What is your favorite discovery?