Author: Linda Laughlin (Page 10 of 11)

God, Country, Home, Family, all American values and there is no one better at sharing what it is like to grow up in a big family, than Sherryl Woods. On good days, everyone wants a grandfather like Mick O’Brien  and on days when he’s interfering with her life, Carrie Winters tries to avoid him. In this book you also get a taste of what life is like in a small town; where everyone knows everything and there is no such thing as a secret!.

Carrie is trying to find herself after a disastrous relationship and an end to her public relations career. She is back home in Chesapeake Shores with a family she loves, but she has no idea where to go from there. She gets off on the wrong foot with Sam when she criticizes his parenting skills.

Sam has just been left sole caregiver of his six year old nephew after the death of his sister and brother-in-law. One minute he is a carefree bachelor and the next minute there is a tragic car accident and he is a Dad. It is fun watching Sam figure out that he isn’t so bad at the parenting thing after all, but the real fun is when the sparks fly between Sam and Carrie. If a husband and children are what you are dreaming of, do you take a chance on a man who suddenly finds himself with an unexpected child?

I enjoyed watching Sam and Carrie trying to decide if this is true love or if it is just a matter of close proximity. Between family dinners, cooking lessons, Carrie opening a day care center and  a lot of interference by well meaning relatives, you learn what it’s like to be part of a large family.

If you experienced a dysfunctional family growing up, you long for a close happy one and if you grew up in a big, interfering home, you dream of being an only child. We all have our own dreams of that perfect family and I hope you find yours!

Happy reading, Linda

This time of the year I am drawn to romances with a “Christmas Theme”. No one does a holiday story like Linda Lael Miller.  I just finished reading “Christmas in Mustang Creek”. Ms Miller writes a lot about life in the west and this is no exception. It’s an Idaho boy, who meets a Wyoming girl in New York City, no less. He is a Veterinarian and she is in advertising, it’s instant attraction. There is one problem, he wants a life in the west and she envisions her life in New York City. Then along comes fate and a little white haired old lady, named Mrs. Klozz. She is called home to Mustang Creek to help her aunt Geneva, who raised her and he is offered a job by a Veterinarian, who just happens to live in the same town. One coincidence after another throws them together and though she drags her feet, she really can’t resist a man who has a great body and loves animals. But is it really Mrs. Klozz who is in control and where does she disappear to on Christmas Day? Klozz, Claus, could it be?

This is a fun story with a happy ending, just the way all Christmas romances should end and who can resist a touch of Christmas magic!

Happy reading, Linda Laughlin

I have two book signings coming up at Crossroads Antique Mall in Fort Smith, Arkansas. One will be on Thursday, November 5th at 7 P.M. and a second is scheduled for Sunday, November 8th at 2 P.M.  If you haven’t been to the Mall, this is a cute little place where the past meets the present.  They rent booths and have all kinds of things from Antiques to glassware.  They are having a three day open house, so come by and say “Hello”. If you haven’t read my book, I will sell you a copy and autograph it for you. If you have read my book I would love to hear what you think of my first endeavor.  Come by and see me, as always happy reading, Linda

Do you ever wonder about the people who came before you? This week while digging through some family papers I came across this story, that apparently came from a family member’s dairy.

Melvin Laughlin,( I don’t know how many generations back!) was born on October 10th, 1810 in Morgan County, Indiana. Melvin’s family had settled on Big Sugar Creek at the mouth of Trent Creek in 1839. Melvin was killed during the Civil War on July 15,1863 at Granny’s Branch. The Laughlin’s were in the Confederate Army, Indiana was considered a southern state. The diary reads: There were about 12,000 Union Solders down in the cyclone area. The Union Solders found the Confederate Soldiers camping in a cave and the battle ensued. Melvin Laughlin was killed. His daughter Nerva, knew where her daddy was and when she did not hear from him, she went to check on him. She found his body and with the help of some other women; she took him to Bentonville Hollow and buried him. After the war she moved the body to Roller Cemetery.

In another place it talks about the pioneer school. The first teacher knew nothing about arithmetic, so only reading and spelling were taught. It was like opening a window into a whole different time and place. Makes me want to get in the car and head for Indiana. Do you think I could find Granny’s Creek or Bentonville Hollow?

Happy reading, Linda

I love Iris Johansen’s books, especially the Eve Duncan series. Eve started out with three strikes against her. She was poor, a teenage mother and she lived with an alcoholic parent. When her beautiful little daughter was taken and killed at the age of seven, she was devastated. Eve channels her artistic talent toward forensic sculpting. She is able to take the skull of a child and with an amazing degree of accuracy, reconstruct that child’s face. Eve’s goal is to identify lost children and take them home, to give their grieving parents closure.

In “Shadow Play” a California Sheriff is asking for Eve’s help in identify a little girl’s remains. Jenny, Eve always gives her reconstructions a name, suffered a violent death and then was buried in a grave in the California wilderness.

Bonnie, Eve’s daughter has always returned to comfort her mother, when she needs her. Now Jenny is appearing to Eve, asking for her help.

The author takes us on a roller coaster ride full of suspense. Is the Sheriff what he seems, or is he really one of the bad guys? Can Eve put all the pieces together and help save another little girl from Jenny’s fate.

When I purchase an Iris Johansen book I always expect a good read and she never disappoints. If you buy this book, then clear your calendar because you will not want to put it down.  It’s terrible when life gets in the way of a good story.

Happy reading, Linda

I’ll be doing a signing at the Women’s Living Expo at the Fort Smith Convention Center tomorrow, October 11th and will have paperback copies of ‘Run For Your Life!’ available for purchase.

I’ll also have a signing at the Crossroads Antique Mall in Fort Smith on Sunday the 17th of October. I’ll update with the time in a few days.

I had an Ahhhh Ha moment this morning. It all started about a month ago. I read an article on ground penetrating radar. Now having a wild imagination I thought how could I use this in a book. So I started researching the topic, and after copying off around 200 pages of information, I decided to use it in my next book. “Fight For Your Life!” Now imagine my surprise when this morning on the news, all the talk was about how archaeologists had found an addition to Stonehenge, in the English countryside, using ground penetrating radar. Steve is going to use this in my next book but it will be in an abandoned mine to trap a rat. (The two legged kind!) It will be a while before my next book comes out but know that I am typing as fast as I can. While you wait read a good book, there are a lot of fantastic authors out there. Happy reading, Linda