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Linda Ford: A Larger Than Life Hero & Giveaway

2/5/2012

 

This week we welcome Linda Ford to Author Memories.

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Linda Ford is a multi-published author who lives on a ranch in Alberta, Canada. She thinks growing up on the prairie and learning to notice the small details it hides gave her an appreciation for watching God at work in His creation. Her upbringing also included being taught to trust God in everything and through everything—a theme that resonates in her stories.  Threads of another part of her life are found in her stories—her concern for children and their future. She and her husband raised 14 children — 4 homemade, 10 adopted. She currently shares her home and life with her husband, a grown son, a live-in paraplegic client and a continual (and welcome) stream of kids, kids-in-law, grandkids and assorted friends and relatives.

A Larger Than Life Hero
by Linda Ford

My Father-in-law was a legend.

He was the seventh son of the seventh son which was proof enough that he was destined for great things.
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Pop is the younger boy on the lower right

All of the children were handsome and smart. He is the younger boy on the lower right. He was born and raised in Ontario, Canada and married a woman from down there.

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Pop and 2 women, early 1900's

But during WW l he wanted to sign up and defend his country. His mother absolutely forbid it so to contribute to the war effort, he and a brother moved west to the prairies. They would farm and raise food for the troops. Trouble was, my f-i-l was more of an inventor than a farmer. Which wasn’t always a bad thing. Known to his family as Pop, he came up with a number of innovative ways to make the work easier and bragged he could fix anything with a piece of No. 9 wire and some gum.
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These pictures illustrated some of his attempts to make haying easier.

His wife died of pneumonia leaving him with 7 youngsters, the youngest not yet out of diapers. Somehow he managed. I’ve lost the picture of him scrubbing diapers in a copper boiler using a scrub board but he did.
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Pop and one of many babies, probably circa 1921
He remarried and had 5 more children.

He lived through the Depression. They barely survived on the farm but for the price of driving the school bus to pay off back taxes, he became the owner of a bit of land with a big house on it. They grew a big garden, picked wild berries, bagged game in and out of season, and received bundles of clothing from family members back East. But life wasn’t easy. There was seldom enough food and the children wore whatever they had.

The family lexicon abounds with stories of his exploits.

He told a favorite one to illustrate that when he said jump, his boys jumped. He was moving an old granary one day and using a long pole to lever it about. He needed something to wedge it in place and called for one of the boys to run and get something. Unfortunately he didn’t name a boy, simply said, “one of you”. There were 4 or 5 prying on the lever with him and all of them let go and ran to get the object. Pop didn’t weigh enough to keep it pried down and went flying in the air. He broke an arm when he landed.

He learned to overcome insurmountable obstacles in raising a family in hard times. He conquered mechanical challenges. He taught his children to be honorable.

One of my favorite memories of him is when he was much older. My husband and I had taken over the farm and the in-laws had moved to a house in town. They visited often and Pop would always go up to the junk pile that was a graveyard for old trucks, tractors and various other pieces of worn out farm equipment. He’d poke through it by the hour. Sometimes he lamented that someone had thrown the machinery out when he could have fixed it. Other times I think he simply liked to remember the past.

A man who was bigger than life and a legend in his time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Feb 12th
to be entered in a draw for a copy of  Linda's newest Love Inspired Historical,
The Cowboy Father
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
The Cowboy Father, Love Inspired Historical, Feb 2012
Book 2 - Three Brides for Three Cowboys series

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With Alberta in the grip of the Depression, Louisa Morgan is desperate to bolster her family's finances. But how can she tutor bedridden Ellie Hamilton? The little tomboy is more interested in making mischief than studying sums. And the girl's bond with her handsome papa is another reminder to Louisa of the children she'll never have.

For Emmet Hamilton, strength means shouldering burdens alone. He never thought he'd let himself share his child, or his heart, ever again. But before long, Louisa's kindness and optimism start to change the cowboy's mind. Maybe he can gain the courage to trust again—in Louisa, in God's grace, and in this new family...

Read Excerpt


Three Brides for Three Cowboys 
Three sisters cope during the Great Depression:

Book 1 - The Cowboy Tutor, Jan 2012
Book 2 - The Cowboy Father, Feb 2012
Book 3 - The Cowboy Comes Home, Mar 2012

Check out Linda's website and blog at  www.lindaford.org 

Note: Linda's Feb 5, 2012 blogpost shows her Jan and Feb book covers side-by-side
for a humorous look at what can happen in the publishing industry.

Linda invites you to friend her on Facebook
Debbie Clark
2/5/2012 08:36:54 am

What a legacy your husband, children & grandchildren have. I can see why you write a lot during that time-period. Thanks for the insight into your F-I-L and his family.

Debbie Clark
debbiemcla(at)msn(dot)com

Linda Ford link
2/6/2012 12:16:58 am

Debbie,
You're right about why I write in that time period. It feels very close to home.

Thanks for your comments.

Rebecca H
2/5/2012 09:10:25 am

Thanks for the chance to win this. I would love to read this. This sounds like a great book. Thanks again.

agent_beckster(at)yahoo(dot)com

Linda Ford link
2/6/2012 12:18:02 am

Good luck on winning the book.
Thanks for your comments.

Lyndee
2/5/2012 09:13:17 am

Linda,
I'm a huge fan! I started with your Dakota Cowboy and loved it so much that I've never missed another of your LI books. In fact, I even searched out and acquired books from your Heartsong back-list. Your characters speak to my heart. I tried to send you an email more than a year ago, but it bounced back, so I'm THRILLED to have this chance to talk to you now.

Blessings...

Linda Ford link
2/6/2012 12:20:00 am

Lyndee,
Thank you for being a fan. I love fans! :-)Sorry your email bounced. I loved the cover on Dakota Cowboy

Pegg Thomas link
2/5/2012 10:22:57 am

Your stories remind me of Gramp, my great-grandfather who - thanks for good genetics and longevity - I got to know well. He was a hardscrabble farmer too and a rather unsavory horse trader at times. But he raised a pack of children after his wife died and kept the family together. Aren't we blessed to have known such men?
twinwillowsfarm at gmail dot com

Linda Ford link
2/6/2012 12:21:25 am

Pegg,
Those tough old men were real heroes, weren't they? Is it any wonder I write historicals?

Avery Cove link
2/5/2012 12:05:16 pm

I loved reading some of your family history! Sounds like your father-in-law was a very fine man. And I'm a huge fan of your stories. :)

Linda Ford
2/6/2012 12:22:13 am

Avery,
As I've already said, I love fans.

Jo Legat
2/5/2012 11:57:47 pm

I would love to read this book. Thank you for the opportunity to be entered in the giveaway.

Linda Ford
2/6/2012 12:22:52 am

Jo,
Good luck on winning the book.

Ann Lee Miller link
2/6/2012 12:09:03 am

I'd love to win. Thanks for the opportunity to participate.

Linda Ford
2/6/2012 12:23:36 am

Ann Lee,
I'm happy to be able to do this blog and offer a book for a drawing. Good luck in winning it.

Salena Stormo link
2/6/2012 01:22:58 am

Oh I just LOVE Linda's books. Please sign me up!!! :) I loved the family history Linda! My grandmother just sent me all my great-grandparent's history. She said she hoped it would inspire more stories...and I am sure it will! :)

Linda Ford
2/8/2012 05:48:27 am

Wow, Salena, a treasure trove of family history. What fun!

Denise Ford link
2/6/2012 01:27:23 am

Linda, Brad and I just read this together. Great way to start this week, as we marvel at the legacy of the Ford family!! Thank you for sharing this so vividly, as it is a fine tribute to a pioneering spirit! Will be sending this on to our sons, Percy, and to Judy's family. Thanks again, Denise

Linda Ford
2/6/2012 01:49:27 am

Denise,
Nice to see you pop in. I'm glad you are going to forward it to some of the family.

Blessings,
Linda

Judy Ford
2/6/2012 04:32:26 am

Hi Linda,
I enjoyed your article as well. I've noticed you have a number of photos of the family (your f-i-l and his kids?). I would like to have copies of them - am willing to pay to have good ones made. Thank you, Judy

Lyndee
2/6/2012 04:44:35 am

Back again, Linda, as I just grabbed some time to read your post. I feel the same about my grandmother and great-grandmother, too. They overcame remarkable odds during tough times in America's history, but came out of it as tough old birds (my Great-Grandmother's own declaration, btw!) She lived to age 98 and my grandmother to 92 and I still shake my head when I think of what they endured.

Thanks for sharing your memories and great photos.

Lyndee
spooler(at)comcast(dot)net

Linda Ford
2/6/2012 04:59:49 am

I love that your Great-Grandmother called herself a tough old bird. They certainly were tough.

Emma
2/6/2012 11:54:01 am

I enjoy reading all of your books. Thanks for sharing your memories and great photos.Good excerpt of The Cowboy Father.Can't wait till the last two books come out. Please enter me in the giveaway.Thanks for the giveaway.

Linda Ford
2/7/2012 12:40:09 am

Emma,
I love hearing that you enjoy my books. Thanks.

Beth C
2/8/2012 03:28:15 am

Thanks for sharing the pictures. I really enjoyed reading about them. I'd love to be entered for this book. Thanks!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Linda Ford
2/8/2012 05:49:12 am

Beth,
You are entered. Good luck.

Amy Smelser
2/8/2012 04:28:48 am

What a great family history. So interesting. I wish I knew more of my family history. Thanks for the giveaway.

Linda Ford
2/8/2012 05:49:58 am

Amy,
Not having your family history is a good reminder to make one of your own for future generations.

Rebecca
2/9/2012 09:37:57 am

Love the article about your father-in-law. He sounds amazing! I always envy people who can take "junk" and make something out of it! Your book sound so sweet. I'd love the opportunity to read it!

Linda Ford
2/10/2012 12:47:46 am

Rebecca (the heroine in my current work shares your name),

When I try and make something out of junk it still looks like junk. :-)

PatriciaW link
2/10/2012 03:03:02 am

Hi Anita! Not sure why I never found your blog before (thanks Gina Welborn!) but I absolutely love the story behind the story concept. I'll definitely be back.

I've enjoyed Linda's work before. Please enter me. pwriter1[at]yahoo[dot]com

Linda Ford
2/11/2012 01:22:40 am

Patricia,
Glad to se you found your way here. :-)

Anita Mae
2/11/2012 03:20:46 am

Hey Patricia, welcome. It's probably because I only started this blog last summer and haven't been hanging at some of our mutual sites.

This blog isn't a story behind the story as it pertains to a book... rather, it's the story behind the authors... where they came from... where their forefathers came from, etc. Now that's the story I want them to tell.

I'm so glad you discovered this site and found this side of me. :)

Angie Adair
2/10/2012 11:42:18 am

I love this time period! Thanks for the book giveaway! angadair@nwcable.net

Linda Ford
2/11/2012 01:23:27 am

Angie,
I'm glad you like this time period. I think the challenges of it bring out the best in people.

Christina Turner
2/10/2012 11:22:45 pm

Hi Linda, I have many of your stories. This one of your FIL is amazing. It shows that God is in control and despite how many children you have or who you are you can still do it. God was good to him and you were lucky to marry one of his son's so you got to know him! I grew up and live in Ontario, Canada, also from a family of six children! Blessings as you continue to write!

Christina Turner
2/10/2012 11:24:15 pm

I forgot to leave my email addy:
charliebear(at)rogers(dot)com

Linda Ford
2/11/2012 01:24:42 am

Christina,
Hello, fellow Canadian. Love your observation that you can still do it no matter what the circumstances.

Pam Williams
2/12/2012 06:37:05 am

The part of your family history brought back memories of my own that had been passed on to me: I remember my mom telling me about when she was growing up, all three girls had to share the same double bed, in the COLD north bedroom while her four brothers slept on pallets in the dining room floor. They only had one pair of shoes per year: when school started in the fall. All summer they went barefoot. She lived in that same house from birth through high school. The house is still in the family.
Thanks for the chance to win the book, it sounds great.

Anita Mae
2/13/2012 11:59:21 am

We have a winner of Linda Ford's latest Love Inspired Historical, The Cowboy Father.

And the winner is... Amy Smelser

Yay, Amy!!! Congratulations. Linda will be in touch with you concerning your postal info.

Thank you Linda for sharing your photos and memories with us. You have a very special family. :)

This week the guest author is... me! LOL


Comments are closed.
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