Book #7 in The 12 Books of Christmas Giveaway: Christmas Under Western Skies by Linda Ford

If you love historical romance and/or westerns, you'll want to enter this fabulous giveaway! A blurb of this week's book, Christmas Under Western Skies, and details on how to enter are posted at the bottom of this entry. But first I'd love you to meet the multi-published author who wrote one of the two stories in this book and is behind this giveaway. Meet Linda Ford!

Linda Ford is a multi published author with both Heartsong Presents romances and Love Inspired Historicals. She lives in Alberta, Canada where she can see the Rocky Mountains every day (and feed her creative soul). She shares her life with her husband and a live-in physically handicapped client. The mother of fourteen children—four homemade, ten adopted-- she enjoys family gatherings and having her children and grandchildren visit. For more information about Linda and her books and to read her blog, visit www.lindaford.org

Fun holiday questionnaire:

Favorite Christmas carol: This is a fairly new song but I love it. It is Paul Brandt’s The Way In a Manger is Easy to Find. You can find the lyrics here. http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-way-in-a-manger-lyrics-paul-brandt.html

A family Christmas tradition: When the children were at home we had a special Christmas Eve tradition. With one child reading or narrating the Christmas story the others acted it out, dressed in costumes they created. Then we had a birthday party for Jesus complete with a birthday cake and singing of Christmas songs.

A memorable gift you've given or received: One of my favorite presents (and there are lots) is a photo book my brother made my sister and I after we took a trip to Paris. It is hardbound and printed. Doing photos this way is now fairly common but a few years ago when he did it, it was fairly rare. I treasure the book and the memories of that trip.

Favorite Christmas television show or movie? It’s A Wonderful Life. But talking about movies reminds me of another Christmas memory. Years ago, my brother and I were the only ones at home with my parents. I suppose we were 12 or 13. Something like that. The weather was atrocious so we barely left the house. That year throughout the holidays each afternoon on TV they played a Shirley Temple movie. We sat enthralled for two hours. Great memory.

When do you start your holiday shopping? Shudder. I hate shopping. I never do it really early because I am notorious for forgetting who I bought for, what I bought and where I hid it. So I usually start in November and get it done as quickly as possible. In fact, if I can, I take someone with me who is better at shopping than I am.

Ever been kissed under the mistletoe? Nope.

Do you deck the halls in style or keep it simple? I would keep it simple. Very simple. But my family feels I’ve short changed them if I do. Sometimes one or two of the girls come out and help me decorate. I often decorate with all sorts of Christmas trees—the big green one, little predecorated ones, ceramic, foil, feather ones. I love Christmas trees. I also have several Nativity sets I’ve collected. For me, the trees and nativity sets are all I need.

What food do you overindulge in during the holidays? Nuts.

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Now for the giveaway information:

Linda's story, A Cowboy's Christmas is the second novella in this 2-novella Love Inspired Historical collection.

A Cowboy's Christmas by Linda Ford: Just until Christmas—that’s how long rancher Derek Adams needs a nanny for his young sister. Winnie Lockwood knows it’s a mistake to get too attached. Yet little Kathy’s sweet smiles undo her best intentions. And Winnie can’t help but pray she’s found a home for the holidays. . .and forever.

A Prairie Family Christmas by Anna Schmidt: A thriving homestead in South Dakota Territory is Julianne Cooper's dearest wish. Can the war-weary chaplain she rescues from a snowstorm help her reach it? Nathan Cook insists he's only passing through, but the lovely widow and her children have him dreaming of a lifetime of Christmases together.

Enter to win a copy of Christmas Under Western Skies by leaving a comment on this blog post. Be sure to leave your contact information so I can get in touch with you if you win.

Contest ends at midnight on Friday, November 12. The winner will be announced in a brief post on Saturday.

**Contest disclaimer: Void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents. Odds of winning depend on number of entrants.**