For the Love of Books Podcast: Recent Episodes
Emma Palova
The podcast features indie and small press authors, and their events with bonus special episodes about book marketing. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
Close to 200 vendors will set up at Fitzgerald Park for the 53rd Annual Island Art Fair @the Ledges for a unique event with a long tradition.
Fair organizer Stephene Lapp talks about some of the fair highlights, joys and balancing artists, authors, crafters, musicians, food vendors and community organizations.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC.
Michigan authors Jean Davis and Eric Anderson share their festival insights in this special episode about the Lakeshore Art Festival in downtown Muskegon.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
The 10th annual U.P. Reader published by Modern History Press is a hefty magazine sponsored by the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA).
This amazing collection of seventy-plus short works takes readers on a road trip from the Keweenaw to the Soo and from Menominee to Ironwood.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Listen in for a chance to win the book podcast giveaway.
Copyright (c)2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Raised by Silence: Surviving Narcissistic Parents & Ending the Cycle tells the story of breaking free from emotional abuse, manipulation, and generational trauma. Through personal experiences and practical insight, Jennifer Montiel explores the lasting effects of narcissistic parenting while offering hope to those searching for healing.
Sponsored by Jennifer Montiel, @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
This award winning book encourages readers to recognize unhealthy patterns, establish healthy boundaries, and build a future defined by resilience instead of fear.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Raised by Silence.
Copyright (c) 2026. All Rights Reserved. Emma Blogs, LLC.
To start, this book was written with Love for all those that were there and are still here to help and support us, pick us up, help carry the burden, cry and grieve with us, each and every day.
Sponsored by @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
This book was not intended to point fingers at anyone. We know that everyone, no matter what they said or did, had positive intentions as they helped us in the grieving process. They genuinely wanted to help in some
way. We know it was all done out of love. We recognize this and appreciate you helping us walk through these uncharted waters.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of What NOT to Say to People Who are Grieving.
Copyright (c)2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Deborah Frontiera’s Living on Sisu: The 1913 Union Copper Strike Tragedy is a compelling novel for young adult readers which follows the adventures and experiences of twelve-year-old Emma Neimi and her family and community who are caught up in the 1913-14 strike in thecopper district of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery @moraviansons and Doc Chavent.
Frontiera has done an excellent job of exploring the history of the strike through Emma’s diary which follows all the key event and
issues in the strike, including the false call of fire which caused the death of seventy-three (sic.), primarily children of those attending a Christmas Eve party for strikers’ families.
An audio book is also available.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Living on Sisu.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Elijah Bennet was perfectly content with his life and running the family’s pizzeria until Darcy Fitzgerald walked into Pizza Palace. She may have only ordered a slice of pie, but she pulls Elijah into a whirlwind of unexpected attraction.
Sponsored by @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
As their relationship heats up, Elijah finds himself daring to want more than he ever has before. Worlds collide and pepperonis fly as he is forced to decide if love is truly all a person needs to be happy. Pizza Guise is West’s second novel in verse and is a modern reimagining of her favorite Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Pizza Guise.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC.
Frank Demith will be the featured speaker at the Patriotic evening in Moravian Sons Distillery tasting room located inside The Old Theater in downtown Lowell, MI on June 6 starting at 4 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge. You can buy your tickets ahead of time at www.theoldtheater.com
Frank Demith entered the army after graduating high school. He was awarded an appointment to the United States Military Academy and graduated with the class of 1983. He spent 26 years on active duty and retired in 2007 later serving additional 2.5 years on active duty.
Episode sponsored by award-winning author Frank Demith, Moravian Sons Distillery, Modern History Press and Doc Chavent.
He was the program manager for Army Interpreter/Translator program which recruited more than 1500 green card holders who were native speakers of Arabic, Dari, Pashto or Farsi.
He is the recipient of the United Nations Icon of Change Award in recognition of work in support of immigrants while in the military and as part of the civilian workforce.
He has received International Impact awards for both of his books Of Vital Interest and Defending the Eagle.
Take a listen for a chance to win signed copy of Defending the Eagle.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Memorial Day weekend.
Chad Faries sifts through abandoned mines, family history, and the quiet damage of loving Iron County, Michigan--a place that keeps trying to break him. His poetry mines the U.P.'s economic decline, stubborn resilience, and awkward small-town rituals, balancing bleak humor with bruised affection.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, author Frank Demith, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Both a personal autopsy and a regional love letter, Faries proves that identity, like iron, is forged under pressure and usually leaves a mess behind.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Amasa Speaker Factory.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
M. Kelly Peach, the author of The Adventures of ArgyLe Sock, The Whore: or Of Bureaucracy, Please, Do Not Tap on the Glass, and The Death of Tintagiles Death, was born in Detroit and raised in the west-side suburb of Garden City.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Days One-Ten
The main character starts as a cockroach. It begins its transformation by tripling in size. After an evening mating session, it devours its lover. The cockroach continues its rapid growth fueled by constant feeding. Its intelligence increases with its size and it is able to teach itself to read using materials available at the agency. The creature finishes its metamorphosis from an arthropod into something like a female human. She finds a sanctuary over the ceiling and establishes a nest in the rafters.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Whore: or Of Bureacracy.
Copyright (c)2026. Emma Blogs. All rights reserved.
Happy Mayday.
Today's episode is especially close to my heart because I’m sharing the story behind my newest novel, The Quest for the Lost Town.
Sponsored by authors Emma Palova, Frank Demith, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
The Quest for the Lost Town is the long-awaited sequel to The Lost Town and it dives deep into the story behind the lumbering town of Singapore, MI poised to rival Chicago and Milwaukee in 1837. But instead-- Singapore disappeared in the aftermath of the Great Fire of Chicago.
Much like the residents of Saugatuck, I still to this day believe that the town exists beneath the shifting sands on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was that belief that propelled me to pursue the sequel to a seemingly dead-end story with only protruding roofs as a clue.
“A whole town cannot disappear,” said a fan at the Grand Rapids Women’s Expo in 2023. “Sometimes we see protruding roofs from the sands.”
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Quest for the Lost Town.
The stunning book cover art is by graphic artist Jeanne Boss.
Copyright (c) 2026 Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
In celebration of Earth Day, this encore episode is supported by Diana Magnuson and her book Garden Sleeping, Garden Growing—a gentle reminder of nature’s cycles and the beauty of renewal all around us.
Explore the visible and hidden world of Noriko’s garden from her garden’s point of view, in and around all year long. After the deep snow of winter, her soil is prepared for planting.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, authors Terri Martin, Diana Magnuson and Doc Chavent.
Green leaves sprout as plants ripen to fruits and vegetables. Hungry forest animals prowl and pad-pad in to eat them. Insects and birds also aggravate garden, but others are important assistants to her growth. Exuberant and lyrical
Garden’s story explores nature’s wonders that support our lives.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Garden Sleeping, Garden Growing.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Ross J. Smith is a licensed forensic engineer and investigates structural damages from fires, floods, tornados, and collapses. Ross and his wife Kylene live in Grand Haven where they raised their three children near the sandy shores of Lake Michigan.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery.com and Doc Chavent
Ross J. Smith, writes his debut memoir about fatherhood from the calculated perspective of an engineer. In his self-depre-cating, yet surprisingly poignant story about being a new dad, he battles his technical predispositions as he navigates the uncontrolled va-riables of life while his premature twins fight to survive in the NICU.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Engineering a Father.
Copyright (c) Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Happy Easter
This folk tale started out as a birthday card for a dear friend, then it grew into a 4,000-word short story. Today, it's a 10,000-word book about an evil kingdom, a good girl, a good man and two dogs.
Sponsored by award-winning author Frank Demith, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Her Heartstone is a folktale for all ages that shares with readers the importance empathy plays in all our lives, and that we should always treat those we meet with dignity, regardless of whether or not we walk the same path.
If you visit the book's page on dkpwriter.com website, you can watch the book trailer, to learn more about the book and see Michael's amazing artwork. You can find that link here: https://www.dkpwriter.com/her-heartstone
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Her Heartstone.
Copyright (c) Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Today, we’re diving right into the magic of the Third Coast Authors & Books Festival—one of the most exciting bookish events on the lakeshore in beautiful Grand Haven set for March 21.
Sponsored by authors Kiril Kristoff, Jennifer Montiel, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Think great books, passionate readers, lively conversations, and a whole lot of inspiration packed into one unforgettable day.
Whether you’re a reader, a writer, or someone who just loves the magic of storytelling, this festival—and this episode—is for you.
I’m joined by some incredible guests who help make the festival happen, along with talented authors who bring the stories to life.
So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and let’s celebrate books, community, and the stories that connect us all.
Our magic guests today are: Mike O'Brien, festival founder and owner of The Book Cellar and author magicians Jean Davis and Verra West.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Emma Weavers is driven, hard-working, and hard-headed.
Hudson O'Brien has been burned before and swears to never let it happen again.
Sponsored by award-winning authors Kiril Kristoff, Jennifer Montiel, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
But when Emma's SUV breaks down outside of Little Branch Creek, she finds herself drawn to Hudson as she has never been drawn to a man before. Hudson finds himself breaking his own rules and letting his guard down.
Will it be goodbye when Emma leaves Little Branch Creek for good? Or will they fight for the future that is right in front of them?
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Broke Down.
See you at the Third Coast Authors & Books Festival in Grand Haven on March 21. McIntyre and host author Emma Palova will be in the Tri-Cities Historical Museum located at 200 Washington Ave in Grand Haven.
Copyright (c)2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Twin Flames Under the Moon is an adult romance novel centered on Selene and Adan, two souls connected from childhood whose lives are shaped by duty, service, and responsibility.
Sponsored by authors Kiril Kristoff, Jennifer Montiel, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
As they pursue careers in law enforcement and the military, their bond is tested by time, distance, and the choices they make. The story explores love restrained by duty and the emotional cost of choosing service over personal desire.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed-copy of Twin Flames Under the Moon.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
AUTHOR KIRIL KRISTOFF RELEASES “CROSSING BORDERS & GENERATIONS”
A powerful work of historical fiction blending true-life events, immigrant resilience, and spiritual
legacy, Kristoff’s latest novel has already earned multiple literary honors.
Sponsored by authors Kiril Kristoff, Jennifer Montiel, Moravian Sons Distillery & Doc Chavent
My third book's sequel “Crossing Borders of Times”: “One Man's Journey to Search For His Ukrainian, Greek &Bulgarian Roots won”Finding Your Roots”: One Man’s Journey to Discover His Ukrainian, Greek, and Bulgarian Heritage is a sweeping multi-generational saga that blends memoir, history, and fiction
to tell the story of a Bulgarian-American family wrestling with identity, ideology, and belonging across a century of upheaval.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Crossing Borders of Times.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Award-winning author Frank Demith talks about his unique method of writing his second book historical fiction Defending The Eagle.
Defending The Eagle is a tense, gripping, and emotionally complex portrayal of war—not just as a battlefield of weapons and tactics, but as a crucible for identity, loyalty, and survival.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Set against the scorched backdrop of an Iraqi desert warzone, the novel immerses the reader in a world where every decision carries the weight of life and death, and where the line between enemy and ally is constantly shifting.
Listen in for the podcast book giveaway by Frank Demith.
Emma Blogs, LLC. (c) 2026 All rights reserved.
"Find Pease, Embrace Change, and Let Your Soul Lead The Way!"
Dr. Barbara Sinor
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, author Terri Martin, and Doc Chavent.
Wisdom from Your Soul offers gentle guidance for navigating life's challenges with clarity and grace. Through inspiring reflections on forgiveness, love, resilience, and inner peace, Sinor's new book encourages readers to release the past, embrace the present, and open to the wisdom within.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Wisdom from Your Soul.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
"Writing has always been a persistent calling throughout my life."
-Author Terri Martin-
Straw Horse is a witty and suspenseful romantic mystery set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where life for Kathryn "Kat" Wilde is anything but tranquil. Though only in her mid-twenties, Kat finds herself juggling the many demands of a struggling horse operation, Wildwood Stables, while navigating a perplexing romance with her "sort-of" boyfriend, DNR officer, Nikko Olsen.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Straw Horse and Gift Horse.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Burning season on the exile world of Anduvea means the space station at the edge of the empire is full of rich, drunk tourists and their idiotic antics. When Senior Security Officer Rita Stabinov spots a thief wanted dead or alive by Empaetor Iradio VIII himself, she envisions a hefty reward or maybe a promotion anywhere else.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Modern History Press and Doc Chavent
A deathbed promise to keep the goods out of the Empaetor’s hands puts Rita in possession of a stolen treasure with a value far greater than she’s ever dreamed. The heavy-handed ruler will do everything in his power to get it back, and his agent is already on the way.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of I9.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Beyond Betrayal is set in Baltimore, Maryland at the turn of the century. Abigail and Bill are married and starting a family. Peter, their first born, dies at three months of age.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, author Terri Martin and Doc Chavent.
Peter's death is an inciting catalyst for Abigail's mental illness. She taps, counts, and counts and taps feverishly. Her husband Bill and her mother-in-law pursue a way to help Abigail regain her stability. The nascent theories of William James and Sigmund Freud are on the horizon.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Beyond Betrayal.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy New Year everyone.
Created from a passion for literacy by Mike O'Brien, owner of the Book Cellar in Grand Haven, the Third Coast Author & Book Festival is one of the fastest growing book festivals in Michigan.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, authors Diana Magnuson, Terri Martin and Doc Chavent.
The Third Coast Author & Book Festival in Grand Haven, Michigan is a large annual literary event held in the city’s vibrant downtown. It features 200+ well-known local, national, and international authors offering free signings, panels, and meet-and-greets. Readers can explore books across all genres while enjoying Grand Haven’s shops, food, and lakeshore atmosphere. The festival celebrates reading, writing, and community in one of Michigan’s most scenic towns.
Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
I had heard from an early age that we were related to James Otis the Patriot and had the impression he was important in Boston before the American Revolution. I was always curious in the back of my mind about what happened to him; why was he famous then but forgotten in the centuries that followed?
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, authors Terri Martin, Diana Magnuson and Doc Chavent.
As I began to research James Otis and then the patriots he influenced, such as Samuel Adams and John Hancock, I came to see he was an extremely powerful force in resistance to the British. As a brilliant lawyer, Otis argued against the use of warrants called the Writs of Assistance which allowed British custom officials to barge into homes or businesses willy nilly looking for smuggled good. Young John Adams was in the courtroom that fateful day and later wrote that Otis’ argument of that case was when “the child Independence was born.” So, you could say that John Adams convinced me to write this book.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Sparks of the Revolution
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, All rights reserved.
“Deaf and rejected, Luczak longs for visibility among those who erase him: class bullies, teachers, and even his mother, who goes to the grave unable to accept her gay son. I found myself rereading Ironhood, wanting to savor his writing.”
— Beverly Matherne, author of Potions d’amour, thés, incantations / Love Potions, Teas, Incantations
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, author Terri Martin and Doc Chavent
In Ironhood, the acclaimed poet Raymond Luczak recalls the neighbors and shopkeepers he once knew while growing up in Ironwood, Michigan during the 1970s and 1980s. They included a scruffy man who smoked cheap cigars while tending to his fragrant backyard garden, a cat-eyed woman who stood watch over a sea of typewriters, a bald jeweler whose dexterous fingers repaired a watch's minuscule innards, and tired cashiers in red smocks who dreamed at the western edge of town.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Ironhood.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emma Blogs, LLC.
"Are You Okay
being the only one?
My favorite downstate teller asks,
holding photos of the lonely U.P. camper
and noting my nervousness."
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent
At the age of sixty, Suzanne Sunshower moved into an ancient hunt camp trailer that no one had attempted to live in year-around before, which she named Bear Shack, in a remote area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This poetic collection is her story of adventure and adjustment.
Listen for a chance to win a signed copy of Still Wild.
Copyright (c) Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Halloween
Yet Another Slice of Fear, book no. 3 in the horror series
by Andrew Allen Smith
Fear never truly fades, it evolves.
Sponsored by author LeAnn Kelley, Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent
In Yet Another Slice of Fear, Michigan author Andrew Allen Smith returns with a chilling
new collection of psychological and supernatural tales that twist reality, morality, and the
fragile human mind. Each story cuts deep into the quiet moments before terror takes hold,
where a whisper in the dark becomes a scream, and comfort turns to dread.
From haunted memories to the horrors born of obsession, Smith explores the places we
dare not look, and the truths we wish we could forget. With precise prose and unnerving
insight, he reminds us that fear is not always found in monsters, but in the reflection staring
back at us.
Turn the page... if you dare.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Yet Another Slice of Fear
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
The Blade of Destruction takes place two years after the Creator's Temple. It sets Marty Evans on a course of discovery, learning the mysteries of the Goddess Zin, the sword he is cursed with, and his family's dark past.
Champ's Amazing Day is a children's book inspired by Parks' Dog Champ, whom he lost in June. It is a happy tale of Champ going to the store and the park. All Proceeds go to AKC Health Foundation for Canine Cancer Research.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Immerse yourself in a world of magic, destiny, and adventure. Discover the rich landscapes, complex characters, and captivating lore of Iryvalya. Perfect for fans of epic fantasy, this series will enchant and thrill you from the first page to the last.
Sponsored by author LeAnn Kelley, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
The Tales of Iryvalya: Horizons - Nyrieve now carries the most dangerous weapon in Iryvalya—the truth—and she is determined to awaken the realms from centuries of lies. As traditions break and ancient loyalties fracture, dragons long thought extinct return to reveal their true allegiance. With friendships reignited, betrayals uncovered, and enemies closing in, Nyrieve must confront the growing weight of prophecy. The fate of Iryvalya balances between unity and ruin, and only the Bringer of Peace can tip the scales.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Tales of Iryvalya: Bloodlines.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, All rights reserved.
Saugatuck Art in the Park Sept. 13, 2025, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sponsored by author LeAnne Kelley, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Since 2016, Anna Donahue dedicated her time to sharing her business secrets to success with fellow artists. Over these last few years, Anna helped over 1,000 artists move from hobbyists to career artists who can make a living on their work. Her creation and continued work at Art in the Park Saugatuck continues to inspire new artists and change lives.
Forty-two vendors will be at Art in the Park in Saugatuck including authors Emma Palova and Jean Davis.
For a full list go to https://emmapalova.com
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Labor Day weekend,
Switchers is a time-travel, coming-of-age thriller praised for its fast pacing and compelling characters.
Sponsored by author Robert Kamarowski, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
It’s about a group of suburban teens in 1996 who get pulled into a time travel war against their adult selves, who time-travel by body swapping with their teen counterparts. They’re all trying to get back to the safety of 1996 before the time travel window closes permanently.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Switchers.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Steel meets saltwater. On the deck of the Coast Guard cutter Owasso, duty is a constant, and the sea is a relentless master. For Rat, a young deckhand, this voyage to Rio isn't just a job—it's a crucible.
Sponsored by author Robert Kamarowski, Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery.com and Doc Chavent
Amidst the grind of shipboard life, a brotherhood is forged. From the seasoned veterans to the green cadets, each man grapples with his own demons, tested by the unforgiving rhythm of the ocean. The Owasso is a world unto itself, where sweat and steel define the day, and the bonds of shared hardship run deep.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Equatorial Rhythms.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
For the two couples on the boat it felt like a vacation. It looked like a vacation. Heck, it even smelled like a vacation- but it was an elaborate trap.
Sponsored by author Lauren Persons, Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery.com and Doc Chavent.
To tip the scales in an ancient war, the plan demanded that at least one of the humans be sacrificed. If successful, this operation would reach through time, alter children, and alienate grandchildren-forever. They were betting everything to change the unrealized destiny of this family- by destroying their hope.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Charity's Fire.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Searching for Jake - Rich Nelson's new book, and his first novel - tells the story of a closeted young athlete coming of age in a small Midwestern town of the 1970s.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent and author Lauren Persons.
Jake is a star hockey player in high school and college, fully immersed in a sport that is the epitome of masculinity. But the relentless voices in his head conflict with his perception of being all male, his emerging feelings of same-sex attraction drawing him into a journey to find and embrace his authentic self.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Searching for Jake.
Copyright (c) Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
The Caving Grounds excavates the rubble of Negaunee, a small town in Upper Michigan hollowed by a century of mining.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent and Author Lauren Perssons
The extraction of hematite caused underground collapses and sinkholes; undermined neighborhoods were deemed unstable; homes, churches and even cemeteries were moved, and dangerous areas fenced. Thankfully, a guide will emerge: Rusty.
"The 'pick and hammer' was historically used in cartography to indicate the location of a mine. It emerges from my love of maps, which I reference in several of the poems, and the sheer abundance of those mine symbols on old UP Michigan maps: hundreds of historic mines in the Marquette Iron Range alone," Heideman said about the symbol on the cover.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Caving Grounds.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Only a true journalist like Ann Berman could make the connection between an Adirondack chair and an obscure half Jewish, part Indigenous entrepreneur from Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula who has been dead for close to 100 years.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Louis Graveraet Kaufman: The Fabulous Michigan Gatsby Who Conquered Wall Street, Took Over General Motors and Built the Tallest Building in the World is the story of the half Jewish, part Indigenous man from Marquette (1870-1942) who built and ran one of the largest banks in the country, changed the destiny of GM, financed the Empire State Building and built a grand apartment building at 625 Park Avenue. He was also the builder of some of Marquette’s most elegant architecture, including Granot Loma, a 26,000 square foot Adirondack style log and stone lodge on Lake Superior where he entertained celebrities at Gatsby-esque parties and plugged UP agriculture at his ‘gentleman’s farm.’ Wildly social and upwardly mobile, he and his family lived Jazz Age lives full of race horses, debutante parties and private rail cars…until a wrong turn brought the whole thing tumbling down and he retreated, defeated, to his beloved Marquette.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Louis Graveraet Kaufman.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
150 years of Detroit Sokol on July 19 & 20Czech- American award-winning author Emma Palova will be signing her book Greenwich Meridian Memoir during the festival this weekend.Stop by to celebrate with us the Sokol anniversary during the 46th Annual Czech & Slovak Festival.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery, Modern History Press, Doc Chavent and author Lisa Romence.
The festivities will be held at the Sokol Cultural Center located at 23600 W. Warren Ave in Dearborn Heights.
The cover charge is $5 per adult. Saturday from 1:30 pm 9 pm, Sunday 12:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
Live entertainment will feature music, bands, dancing inside or out in the Outdoor Social Pavilion.
Authentic cuisine, ethnic souvenirs including my book Greenwich Meridian Memoir , imported beer and spirits and pastry booth.
For more info contact James Mack at 1- 586-924-9233.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16e4oqFQZU/?
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
A Teacher’s Gift is a book of inspirational stories and reflections garnered from over three decades of classroom experience.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent and authors Lisa Romence and Brian Talarczyk.
Each page provides insights into the complexities and challenges of a teacher’s typical day. This book is a timeless resource that teachers can reach for whenever they need encouragement and inspiration. The entries will refresh and recharge the reader, and remind them of the
significant role they play in the lives of their students.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of A Teacher's Gift.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Independence Day, let freedom ring.
Children's author Lauren Persons is a firm believer in William Shakespeare's “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery and author Brian Talarczyk.
Lauren’s rich and varied roles as actor, director, playwright, newspaper columnist, teacher, poet, wife, mother and grandmother have contributed to her latest role—children’s author of Lost But Found, The Real Story: Chappie’s Tale, What Happened to Chester, The Perfect Gift and Deer Diary.
Listen in for a chance to win signed copies of Deer Diary and What Happened to Chester?
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
In a powerful display of camaraderie, Michigan Authors have become a staple of the Lakeshore Art Festival coming to downtown Muskegon this weekend June 28 &29 on Clay Street.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery.com and authors Brian Talarczyk and Jennifer Raines.
Stop by this weekend to support more than 20 authors who write in all genres from children's books to memoirs and mysteries.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
In sixty short prose poems, Jon Stott, celebrates the timeless rhythms and unexpected events that mark the passage of the late spring and summer months beside a woodland lake in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery.com, authors Brian Talarczyk ,Jennifer Raines and Caroline Topperman.
Beginning with his anticipation of departing from the “City of the Pavements Grey” (Albuquerque, New Mexico) and the excitement of arriving at “The Little Cabin in the Big Woods” after spending many months so far away, he then chronicles such simple events as the sighting of the tiny flowers of May, the first appearance of a loon chick riding on its parent’s back, the joyful noise of Fourth of July celebrations, the spotting of the first red maple leaves,
and the melancholy hours of packing up and closing the cabin for the season. The theme of wildblueberries runs through the book.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Wild Blueberry Summer.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Father's Day from the For the Love of Books Podcast with host author Emma Palova
In this candid memoir, author Brian Talarczyk delves into his harrowing journey with bipolar disorder—a legacy he unknowingly inherited until his father’s sudden death in 2001.
Sponsored by authors Brian Talarczyk, Jennifer Raines, Caroline Topperman and Lowell-based business Moravian Sons Distillery.
With vulnerability and humor, Talarczyk recounts the soaring highs and crushing lows of his experience, from manic episodes and terrifying psychosis that led to his stay at the Yale New Haven Psychiatric Facility, to the profound depression that nearly claimed his life. I Am Not Bipolar is a raw and compelling account of a man’s battle with mental illness, the lessons learned, and his resolve to break the silence surrounding mental health.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of I Am Not Bipolar: A Memoir
Copyright (c) 2025 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
No matter where you run, the past will find you…
Kelly needs to enhance her resume. Why else would she accept a placement in Tullamore facing her phobia about country towns? Years ago, a rookie cop humiliated her during an illegal strip search.
Sponsored by authors Jennifer Raines, Caroline Topperman and Moravian Sons Distillery.
Problem is, that former cop is now the deputy principal of her new high school and her boss. Sharing a house, a commute, and now an investigation to unravel a series of disasters that look like sabotage, Kelly takes the previously unthinkable step from enemies to allies to lovers.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of A Just Man Choosing Family Book 4.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Caroline Topperman's own move to Poland is a central part of Your Roots Cast a Shadow memoir as she grapples with her "Polish roots" while being a "Canadian by nature".
Sponsored by author Caroline Topperman, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
She experiences cultural differences, language barriers, and a growing awareness of the political climate in modern-day Poland, particularly the rise of nationalism and racism.
Her journey to understand her family's past is intertwined with her present-day observations of Polish society, including its attitudes towards history, religion, and social acceptance.
The book ultimately questions how personal history intersects with global events to shape identity and the challenges of balancing one's origins with new surroundings.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Your Roots Cast a Shadow.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Britta, an eleven-year-old girl, has lived in soul-deep sorrow since her mother left their family. When Britta's father forgets her birthday, he decides to give her a dog as a late birthday gift. (Britta wants a cell phone.) They adopt Crash, an Australian shepherd from the local animal shelter in Sault Ste. Marie, a small city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and their adventures begin.
"A powerful tale of finding friendship in the most unexpected places. "
Nikki Mitchell, author of the Magic Shoebox Adventures
Rescuing Crash, the Good Dog is a story about broken hearts--not only Britta's and her father's hearts but also a dog's broken heart--and it is a story about the bonds between daughters and fathers and good dogs and also not-always-so-good cats.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Rescuing Crash, the Good Dog.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
WATCH THE RIVER. STAY OUT OF THE WOODS. AND WHATEVER YOU DO—DON’T FOLLOW THE LIGHTS.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed book by Ryder Jones.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Westville was never the kind of town where people went missing—
until the night thirteen-year-old Millie Thompson vanished without a trace.
Hometown cop Casey Benson is no stranger to regret. When Millie disappears, his quiet routine shatters. What begins as a missing persons case quickly spirals into something far more disturbing—
corporate cover-ups, shadowy government agents, and a secret buried deep beneath Westville’s streets.
Meanwhile, Millie’s best friend, Olivia Fischer, refuses to stay sidelined. She was the last to see Millie—and she knows something else is out there.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emma Paova. All rights reserved.
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the special For the Love of Books Podcast episode featuring indie and small press authors with host author Emma Palova.
I would like to thank our sponsors Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Today, we will be chatting about AI and its impact on authors and vice versa as we navigate this evolving landscape with rising anxiety and opportunity.
Leading our discussion is Dr. C. Daniel Miller, known as The Copyright Detective—a copyright consultant and co-owner of Integrated Writer Services, LLC. He’s also the author of the award-winning Copyright Clearance for Creatives, now being updated to include a vital new section on AI in its second edition.
Dr. Miller speaks and conducts workshops on copyright-related topics. His presentations include “Copyright Basics” and “Copyright in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” for authors, independent publishers, and other creative professionals.
Joining us on the author panel are authors:
🖊️ Jean Davis – speculative fiction author of the Narvan Series.
🖊️ Andrew Allen Smith – action-thriller author and blogger behind 29000sunsets
🖊️ Ingar Rudholm – YA fantasy author of the Traveling Circus series
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Happy Easterl
Emily’s newest book, Parents—The Prophets of the Home, invites mothers and fathers to step into their God-given roles as culture-shapers and spiritual leaders in the home.
Sponsored by @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
She aims to help families trade fear-based control for heart connection and raise children who know God’s voice and walk confidently in their Kingdom assignment. Emily lives with her family in the mountains of Mammoth Lakes, California, where she’s building a legacy of peace, presence, and purpose.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
"You can't say the last evil person in this world was Hitler."
Those were the words of Circuit Court Judge Timothy Kenny when he spoke of Ronald Lloyd Bailey, a Michigan serial killer serving a life sentence without parole.
During a sunny Labor Day weekend in 1985, thirteen-year-old Shawn Moore was kidnapped while riding his bike near his home in Brighton, Michigan. Still on edge from a series of unsolved murders dubbed the Oakland County Child Killings in the mid-seventies, a task force of up to seventy-five investigators worked day and night to find Shawn.In an almost unheard-of series of events, local, state, and federal law enforcement combined their resources and efforts to track down the killer. They knew the kidnapper could be anywhere, and there was an urgency to find Shawn Moore alive. Depraved Obsession: The Gripping True Story of Law Enforcement’s Hunt for a Sadistic Serial Killer launches on May 6.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent, and author Carla Stockton.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Depraved Obsession.
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
"Healing and being healed are some of the most human of all activities, and Brown encourages us to dive deeply into their rivers."
Scott's Book Review
In her new book Daughters of Green Mountain Gap, author Teri M. Brown dives deeply into the healing rivers of the main characters Granny Maggie, her daughter Carrie Ann, and granddaughter Josie May.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent, and author Carla Stockton.
Maggie McCoury, a generational healer woman, relies on family traditions, folklore, and beliefs gleaned from a local Cherokee tribe.
Her daughter, Carrie Ann, believes her university training holds the answers. As they clash over the use of roots, herbs, and a dash of mountain magic versus the medicine available in the town’s apothecary, Josie Mae doesn’t know whom to follow. But what happens when neither family traditions nor science can save the ones you love most?
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Daughters of Green Mountain Gap.
Copyright (c)Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
"Loaded with rare period photos and engravings of the infamous pirates who wreaked havoc in Great Lakes waters and shore communities, Classen's inviting narrative is fast-paced and filled with legends of treasures and daring exploits."
-Sue Harrison, international best-selling historical novelist
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent and author Carla Stockton
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Piracy on the Great Lakes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emma Palova.
In Too Much of Nothing, Carla Stockton, a first-generation American baby boomer, shares her life story through a series of vignettes. The memoir begins with her mother's escape from Europe before World War II and culminates in Stockton's own journey to break free from a stifling marriage.
With a blend of humor and heart, Stockton reflects on the challenges and triumphs of living in the shadow of history. Her story is a meditation on the resilience required to navigate the complexities of identity and womanhood in a changing world.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Too Much of Nothing.
Sponsored by author Carla Stockton, Doc Chavent, and Moravian Sons Distillery.
Copyright (c) 2025. Author Emma Palova, All rights reserved.
In her poetry anthology "Roots in Water", Kathy Johnson captured the simple moments in life that matter the most: the love and passion for what we do.
"The only thing you take with you at the end of your life is your love, not your bank notes, not your honors, not your book," she said in the For the Love of Books Podcast episode hosted by author Emma Palova.
As a Chaplain for the local hospice in the Copper Country of the Upper Peninsula, Johnson has met her final inspiration. "The saddest people are those who have given up on various things in life.
I've come away from death more alive to human beings, the world, and self-worth."
A stanza from Kathy Johnson's poem "Ceremony" shows the poet's passion for life.
As the seasons turn
One to the next, so we travel
From East to West.
We rise and flow with the years.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Listen to the podcast episode for a chance to win a signed copy of "Roots in Water."
Copyright (c) 2025 Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Happy Holidays
Heywood Banks performs at The Old Theater on Friday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 14. Get your tickets now. Go to www.theoldtheater.com
Listen in to win a free ticket to Dixon's Violin on Dec. 29 at TOT. The fundraiser to replace the marquee runs through Jan. 11. Stop at TOT to get your ornament.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent, Lowell authors Glad Fletcher and Kathryn DenHouter.
Built in 1928, The Old Theater in downtown Lowell is a magical place where all wishes and dreams come true thanks to its owners Lisa and David Reed. Lisa's wish to have a white Christmas came true on Wednesday. Young artists' dreams of performing on stage in front of a live audience come true here at TOT, and dancers can dance the night away on Fridays. Listen to this enchanting episode to win a free ticket to Dixon's Violin on Dec. 29.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova, All rights reserved.
Lowell authors Glad Fletcher and Katherine Den Houter joined forces for a special holiday book signing event at the Coffee House at Cascade Christian Church on Dec. 14 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Holiday episode sponsored by authors Kathryn Den Houter, Glad Fletcher, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Fletcher's or Den Houter's books.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Thanksgiving. Make words happen because books make great gifts.
Some policy changes in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) non-profit organization caused a mass exodus of writers and authors into different stratospheres.
TrackBear tracks your writing progress and multiple goals.
For 19-year NaNoWriMo veteran author Jean Davis switching tracks from NaNoWriMo to TNT was simple. She uses TrackBear to organize multiple writing projects. In case you're wondering what TNT stands for, it is That November Thing.
"I am not as behind the organization as I used to be," she said. "November is still my writing month."
The new variations of NaNoWriMo carry on the same basic principle of getting people together to write. TrackBear allows you to work on separate goals
together.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Thanksgiving. Books make great gifts.
Author Larry Jorgensen tells the true-life adventure of the 1926 City of Bangor shipwreck rescue off the Keweenaw Peninsula in Upper Michigan.
A fierce November storm tossed the ship with a crew of 23 and 240 new Chrysler automobiles onto a Lake Superior reef. For the first time, Shipwrecked and Cars and Crew tell the near-tragic story of lost and desperate shipmates floundering for two days in the deep snow and near-zero temperatures. Jorgensen's detailed research and collection of historical photos chronicles what happened, introduces the key players, and finally reveals the fate of those collectors' prizes in the century since.
Listen in to win a signed copy of Shipwrecked and Rescued. Contact Emma via the website emmapalova.com with the name of the city that deceived Captain Mackin's logistics in this story.
Sponsored by @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Copyright (c) 2024 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Thanksgiving. Books make great gifts.
A Bigfoot Bestiary and Other Wonders is a collection of poems that explores the mysteries of the human condition--from pain and loss to joy and friendship--all the big, hairy things that fill our lives with wonder and, sometimes, heartbreak.
The poems in the book chase the mythical figure of Bigfoot through mountain and forest, trying to capture the greatest mystery of all--love.
Listen for a chance to win a signed copy of A Bigfoot Bestiary and Other Wonders.
Sponsored by @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
The first 100 pages of How to Hike the North Country Trail: not quite a Guide explain why the North Country Trail is unique among National Scenic Trails and why its political history causes the checkerboard of allowed uses found along its length.
One cannot just camp anywhere along the trail. This requires much
more planning for a long hike than some hikers expect. The rest of
the book is the first-ever attempt to list all the legal places to camp or find
lodging along the 4800 miles of the NCT. As the title says, it's "not quite a
guide." This trail is still too long and too fluid to publish the level of
detail that a true guide would contain. However, the book in conjunction with
the free interactive map at northcountrytrail.org, is a great aid in creating a
plan for a long hike.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of How to Hike the North Country Trail.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Copyright (c)2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Happy Halloween! It is windy outside, and we lost power but got it back just in time for the podcast. So enjoy.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Craig A. Brockman, author of the award-winning Dead of November, has published the third book Dead Silence in his trilogy.
Ron Jarvin’s quiet, solitary life is about to be turned upside down. A young woman claims to be his daughter and the former priest is torn by trepidation as he prepares for their reunion. But as he makes his way to meet her, he is suddenly thrust into a dark and deadly world beyond his wildest nightmares.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Dead Silence.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Allison Spooner is the author of the Amazon Bestseller and #1 New Release, The Lost Girl: A Neverland Story. She's also published two collections of genre-crossing flash fiction, Flash in the Dark: A Collection of Flash Fiction and The Problem with Humans: And Other Stories, and has contributed to several horror and science fiction anthologies. Her newest novel is the fictionalized true story, "The Things We Cannot Change: A Story about the Ghosts Created by Addiction."
Her stories have been called, "unique works of art," and "brilliant, disturbing, and thought-provoking," and The Lost Girl was the winner of the 2024 PenCraft Seasonal Book Award Winter Competition.
Listen to win a signed copy.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC.
Mikel B. Classen and Jon C. Stott, award-winning authors of travel books, provide expert guidance for beer aficionados and tourists to visit the 29 unique craft breweries and brewpubs of Michigan's Upper Peninsula in Yooper Ale Trails.
The tours to breweries are organized geographically from the east UP to the west side into eight picturesque ale trails. Each brewery or brewpub has its own story. Classen and Stott have captured the essence of the beer scene in the UP since the mid-1990s. Classen suggests planning six months for an ale trail trip.
"The book itself is a little bit of a roadbook too, you get a good breakdown of beers we found there," Classen said.
Listen to the episode to win a signed hardcover copy of Yooper Ale Trails.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC.
Author Peg Herring Peg Herring is a former educator who lives in northern Lower Michigan. Her Tudor mysteries starring Princess/Queen Elizabeth garnered nice reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, New York Journal of Books, and Library Journal. The first book of her paranormal series, The Dead Detective Agency, received a Best Mystery of the Year Award from EPIC. In 2014 Peg stole her grandmother’s name and started writing cozy mysteries. Since then, Peg has written women's fiction and suspense while Maggie Pill writes cozies.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent. Kip Morgan is a fake with worries...and they're multiplying. Kip Morgan is a con artist who urgently needs to elude the authorities. He sees an ad from a firm seeking a private investigator in a new town with a new name. Kip applies, figuring he knows as much about crime as most detectives, though from a different vantage point. Kip gets the job at Waite Investigations because his new bosses, Jocelyn and Maureen Waite, have figured out that clients look for youngish male P.I.s, not two sixty-plus women too easily dismissed as "little old ladies." Though he has plans to acquire a chunk of their fortune, Kip finds there's a lot more to the Waites than he’d imagined. As he tries to adjust to fussy Mo and quiet Jo, a houseful of secrets soon gets out of hand, and Kip the Conman has a lot more to worry about than being exposed as a FAKE.Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of FAKE.
Nancy Besonen's "Off The Hook," published in 2023, is a collection of humor columns she successfully slipped by her editor over a 30-year reporting career for L'Anse Sentinel.
However, there were still a few very silly things left unsaid. Shamelessly borrowing from her original recipe, she unleashed her second and final installment, "Off The Hook Too!," in 2024, rounding out what she likes to call "The Compleat Works of Nancy Besonen." (take that, William Shakespeare!)
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and Moravian Sons Distillery
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Life as a dragon should be amazing. You can soar across the sky and breathe fire. However, when you are a young, clumsy dragon who sneezes fire at all the worst moments, it makes life a little challenging. Desperate to make friends and finally feel accepted, Henry takes off across the savanna, but trouble seems to follow him at every turn. Summary for To the Moon: A Jacob and Trevor Adventure
Jacob and Trevor are brothers and the best of friends. They have avid imaginations and love to play make-believe. Their favorite thing is playing on their saucer swing and pretending to fly to the moon. One day when Jacob loses a tooth, the tooth fairy comes - but she has run out of money and decides to leave fairy dust instead. The boys use the fairy dust to go on an adventure of a lifetime! Bio: Sarah Geddes is a 6th grade Language Arts teacher. She has taught middle school in a virtual setting since 2007 and loves to help students explore the world and their imagination through books. She has two boys (ages 5 and 7) who love to cuddle up and read. Watching their eyes light up when turning the page of a book has inspired her to put her own stories down on paper. Listen in to win a signed copy of Henry the Sneezing Dragon. Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2024.
The first listener who emails Phyllis Ewing with subject line book podcast giveaway will get a signed copy of Being Restored. The correct email address is phylje12@gmail.com
Author Phyllis Ewing pens novella Being Restored about her passion for restoring AG and MAC dolls.The correct email address for the podcast giveaway of Being Restored by Phyllis Ewing is phylje12@gmail.com
This delightful "Squeak-quel" to A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island illustrated by Maggie Chambers takes the mouse family on a vacation to the one and only historic Grand Hotel. Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of the book.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Being a part of the Michigan Authors group on Facebook, we take pride in attending the Michigan Arts and Crafts shows around the state. Meet authors Emma and Ingar at the 49th Lake Odessa Art in the Park on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Emma will be in booth #122, and Ingar will be in the children's area.
Listen to what to expect at these shows, which are unique to each community. No two shows are the same. Marketing guru Ingar advises newbie and Indie authors with tips from shows and friends.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Aimee Chipman opened The Bluestocking Bookshop located in Holland in September of 2019 after being a known avid reader all her life.
"I've always been a nerd for books and authors," Aimee said.
She is passionate about education through reading and keeping books accessible to all, regardless of age, income, or education level.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Let the games begin...
This novella will draw you into the magic of the Narvan series.
The enemy of her enemy might be just the tool Anastassia Kazan needs to remove the Jalvian invaders from the Verian space station she calls home. Working out a treaty between the Jalvians and the Verian people was the highlight of Anastassia Kazan’s military career.
Just when station life seems to be settling into a tolerable accord, a spy from the Jalvian’s enemy shows up to take advantage of her hard work and threatens the precarious peace with his very presence. It’s only fair, as a spy for the Verian army, that she uses him in return.
Listen in for a chance to win The Shot at the Sphinx.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
It's going to get GROWLY in author Stefanie Gilmour's first book in the Alex Steward series.
From the moment she shifted into a werewolf, Alex was terrified. First, of the man who attacked her—then of the creature within her.
Alex wants to build a life in Hopewell, but she struggles to keep her savage passenger caged. If her inner wolf breaks free again, people could die, and she’ll be the one hunted.
For help, she relies on her best friend Emma, a wizard and the only person she trusts with her secret. But Emma has her own secret: Mitch. He’s twisting her into someone unrecognizable…and he may be harming other vulnerable supernatural citizens.
To save Emma, Alex must make alliances with wizards and werewolves alike, face the Committee, unravel deadly conspiracies, and confront her own worst fear—herself.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Fear the Wolf.
Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Author Wade Walker’s first book is a mix of horror and espionage inspired by James Bond, and secret agents. The main character secret agent Val West finds himself bitten by a werewolf, and he must unravel the deadly secrets of the werewolf that bit him. Will he stop this mysterious monster’s diabolical plans in time and find a cure? Will the building romance between agent Val West and archaeologist Tanya Nimble live or die?
“It’s kind of like WikiLeaks when the files were decrypted,” Walker said in a recent podcast interview on For the Love of Books Podcast show with host author Emma Palova.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and Moravian Sons Distillery.
Listen for a chance to win a signed copy of Bite of the Wolf.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova, All rights reserved.
In part one of The Sisters Three saga, Esme Halle thought she had finally found peace. Creating a life in Avalon on the continent of Mar, she had worked hard to distance herself from her sordid past in the neighboring Kingdom of Orion. So hard in fact that she could barely recall any memories of her previous life, and she preferred it this way. Now all of the secrets she had kept hidden so deeply even from herself, may be the only key to saving everything she holds dear. The sisters three, Esme's name for her mother and aunts, have brought the kingdom of Orion to its knees, information has grown scarce, and her dreams show her the past is the key to all.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Kingdom of Orion.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and Moravian Sons Distillery
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova, All Rights Reserved
“It's the perfect gift for Father's Day. Don’t give your father, The World’s Greatest Dad mug, or a barbecue apron. He doesn’t care. He needs something else to feed his brain,” Victor Volkman, senior editor at Modern History Press said in the newest episode of For the Love of Books Podcast on Thursday.
Give him U.P Reader Volume #8 instead. The hefty publication with a beautiful cover photo of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore between Munising and Grand Marais is filled with fiction and non-fiction stories, essays, poetry, memoirs, humor, and history.
It’s 181 pages long with historical archive photos and includes six stories from the winners of the annual Dandelion Cottage contest from all of the UP’s participating schools.
“It feels very solid and very significant,” said Volkman. “This is the biggest it’s going to get, ever. We’ve expanded it with the first, second, and third-place winners of the contest. Kids like to write long.”
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of U.P. Reader Volume #8
Sponsored by Doc Chavent.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC
In his debut novel The Last Huck, author J. D. Austin tells the stories of cousins Jakob, Niklas, and Peter Kinnunen who have inherited a family farm in Michigan’s U.P. The cousins spent their childhood playing together on the berry farm on Keweenaw Peninsula, and now they’re older facing major challenges in their lives.
Jakob goes to prison, while Niklas goes bankrupt in the recession of 2008.
When Uncle Jussi dies young, the crux of the story evolves around the major issue they face; Are they going to sell the land out of necessity?
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Last Huck.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent.
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova
In Odin's Eye: A Marquette Time Travel Novel “John” has a problem. He doesn’t know his real name. He doesn’t know where he’s from. He’s not even sure if he’s in the right time.
"He wants to wear a t-shirt and shorts," Tichelaar said in a recent podcast interview. "But they didn't wear that in the 1900s."
When John is found unconscious at the Huron Mountain Club and brought back to Marquette, Michigan to recuperate, everyone assures him it’s the year 1900, but somehow John’s memories of automobiles, televisions, and other modern devices seem to suggest he doesn’t belong in this time. Soon several people are trying to help John regain his memory from his teenage friend Hugh Allen to Marquette’s most prominent businessman, Peter White. But despite how many times John walks around Marquette, and no matter how many people he talks to, he can’t seem to remember anything and no one recognizes him. Then Hugh suggests John accompany him and his friend Howard Longyear on a canoe trip to the Huron Mountain Club. That way John can visit the place where he was found unconscious and see if it triggers his memory. Desperate for answers, John agrees to return there, but he is hardly prepared for what will happen next.
Listen in to win a signed copy of Odin's Eye.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and Australian author Jennifer Raines
Happy Easter from For the Love of Books Podcast with host author Emma Palova. In The Wind That Did Not Blow, author Tim Doppel transports readers toa time and place of great turmoil and faith and will be captivated by the lives of three characters as they face unexpected revelations and come together in the name of love.Doc Chavent and Australian author Jennifer Raines sponsor the new Apple Podcast subscriber episode.Listen in to win a signed copy of The Wind That Did Not Blow.Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Happy International Women's Day from all of us at the For the Love of Books Podcast show hosted by author Emma Palova, and sponsored by Doc Chavent and Australian author Jennifer Raines. On this great holiday dedicated to women around the globe, the show is proud to present two great romance authors Jennifer Raines and Karin Beery.
In Masquerade, the main character Kate uses a disguise to prevent an old boyfriend from finding her. Liam was conned by his ex-lover who was working for the opposition. A masquerade, a road trip, a steamy attraction, and Liam and Kate discover the steps they took to protect their hearts might break them.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and author Jennifer Raines
Happy International Women's Day from all of us at the For the Love of Books Podcast show hosted by author Emma Palova, and sponsored by Doc Chavent and Australian author Jennifer Raines. On this great holiday dedicated to women around the globe, the show is proud to present two great romance authors Karin Beery and Jennifer Raines.
Beery penned her fifth book Finally Forever about how winning the dance competition could land Caroline her dream job but at the cost of her heart.
So, relax and listen in for a chance to win signed copies of books from these romance authors.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and author Jennifer Raines
Classen's first novel started with a one-word prompt: Crystal. Find out how a short story writer takes a one-word prompt to a 256-page action-adventure fantasy novel Indiana Jones style.
The main character Isabella Carter is an archaeologist who is on the brink of discovery about how some ancient artifacts could change the future destiny of mankind. Unfortunately, there are evil forces led by the mysterious billionaire Lazarus Fane who are hellbent on suppressing and destroying the knowledge of the ancients.
Can Dr. Carter, her grad students, and reluctant adventurer Aiden McKenzie recover and decipher the Alexandria Code before the massive manhunt closes in? Join her on a trek that leads from Sault Ste. Marie to South America.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed hard copy of The Alexandria Code.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent.
Cynthia Beach is a longtime professor of Creative Writing and author of Creative Juices for Writers and the novel The Surface of Water. Her articles, short stories, and contributions appear in newspapers, journals, and books like Hope in the Mourning, which is Zondervan's grief bible.
Her novel tackles the complex theme of the celebrity status of megachurch pastor Matthew Goodman who is challenged by a 25-year-old new hire Trish Card in ways that awaken him.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Surface of Water.
When an introvert winds up at a summer leadership camp, it's a comedy of errors and a romance she'll never forget. Seventeen-year-old bookish Andy has no friends.
When her over-involved mother dares to ship her off to summer leadership camp, she's thrust into an introvert's nightmare.
Everyone is a Communicator with a capital C, icebreaker activities are scheduled into every waking moment, and horror of all horrors: there's no coffee. Even the girls who take her under their wing are the self-assured people Andy could never dream of becoming.
Then she meets Lucas—hot, attentive, and everything Andy reads about in her books. Though the girls in her cottage try to warn her about him, she's swept into the first romance of her life. But when she discovers her friends may be right, she'll have to find her inner confidence to save her summer and become the leader she was always meant to be.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Andy and the Extroverts
Sponsored by Doc Chavent
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova
In Marie LaPres' young adult fiction Beyond the Fort, the main character Christine Belanger has always loved learning about the past. Still, she may get more history than she bargained for when she finds herself at Colonial Michilimackinac in the year 1775. In the past, Christine meets fellow time travelers, Henri and Jacques, French fur traders, and British soldiers.
She quickly learns that the tensions are high between the French and British, and Henri and Christine uncover the plot of a British Leftenant who plans to eradicate all French settlers in the Mackinac Straits area. It's up to Christine and Henri to save the settlers, and possibly change the course of history. Can Christine and Henri outwit Lewis and save the fort? Will Christine be able to survive Colonial America without all of the amenities she is used to…especially her cell phone?
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Beyond the Fort.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent.
In an age where magic and the wizards that wielded that power, have faded into disputed myth. The Darkness and the evil it shrouds is an all too real presence.
Young Gareth has spent his life training, dreaming of following in his father's footsteps as the greatest warrior to have served the Crescent Lands.
Knowing the true horror of battle, his father has other plans for his son. He has used the last vestige of his political favor, to secure an apprenticeship for his son in the venerable Guild of Scribes.
The Order of Scribes has recorded every event since the dawn of history. They are present at every political or academic gathering. They walk the battlefields for every conflict. They are held in awe and feared at length: for no man truly wants history to speak ill of them. And in that way, their presence has altered the exact events they were sent to chronicle.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Scribe: The Apprentice
Sponsored by Doc Chavent
DiVita's debut novel tells the story of two opposite characters Julia and Colette who age from 10 to 100. “It’s a coming-of-age story told through vignettes,” DiVita said. “As women, we don’t have to play by the standards of an ageist society. Cosmetics is a multi-billion dollar industry.” Listen in to win a signed copy of Not Your Shoe Size.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent
Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Palova. All rights reserved.
Pam Withrow was an Indiana farm girl transplanted to Michigan. After a teen marriage and a stint on welfare, she graduated from college and began work with the Michigan Department of Corrections. Within seven years she was named the first woman to head a prison for men in Michigan. She then worked at the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia for 15 years. Madam Warden takes the reader with Pam as she moves through progressively responsible positions in the Michigan Department of Corrections, introducing you to the people who lived and worked in the institutions she managed. Evidence-based programs and the story of one prisoner who benefitted from cognitive restructuring are featured.Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Madam Warden.Sponsored by Doc Chavent
When bombardier Micah Lund dies on a mission over Hiroshima, his spirit remains trapped in the land of his enemies. Dazed, he follows Kiyomi Oshiro, a war widow struggling to care for her young daughter, Ai.
Food is scarce, work at the factory is brutal, and her in-laws treat her like a servant. Watching Kiyomi and Ai together, Micah reconsiders his intolerance for the people he’d called the enemy. As his concern for the mother and daughter grows, so does his guilt for his part in their suffering. Micah finds a new reality when Kiyomi and Ai dream—one which allows him to interact with them. While his feelings for Kiyomi deepen, imminent destruction looms. Hiroshima is about to be bombed, and Micah must warn Kiyomi and her daughter.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of In the Realm of Ash & Sorrow.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent
Get into the holiday spirit this Saturday at The Book Nook & Java Shop in cozy Montague with four authors and four spirits.
The special holiday event organized by Written in the Mitten starts with author founder Ingar Rudholm talking about book descriptions, followed by Rudholm on memoirs and short stories, authors H. William Ruback and Marie Lapres.
Moravian Sons Distillery based in Lowell will offer free samples of 100 percent Michigan-made liquors and cocktails, available for purchase at the bar of The Book Nook.
Come and enjoy the spirit of the season on Dec. 16 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 8744 Ferry Street in downtown Montague.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent.
Making reading time a bit more musical with Bingo Books.
Author librarian Cassie Veselovsky makes reading time a bit more musical in her sing-along books for the five-year-olds and under crowd, and their grown-ups.
"I've taken my old rhymes and converted them into books," she said in the podcast interview.
A librarian of 40 years, Veselovsky also loves pairing books with readers to see the joy in kids' eyes when they say, "I loved the book."
In her sing-along books, Veselovsky matches up the rhymes with online purchased illustrations.
"Rhyming books are not easy," she said, "so they don't sound silly."
She would like to disperse a common misconception about her Bingo Books that they are like a bingo game.
"They're not a game," she said. "They're sing-along books with five-letter words."
Veselovsky will be at Winter Whimsy in Hartford on Dec. 8.
She has attended Reading Rocks in Rockford, hosted by the Rockford branch of the KDL system.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of 'Tis the Season."
Happy Holidays.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and author Ed Bentley.
Are you up to the 50k-word marathon challenge that starts on Nov.1 aka NaNoWriMo?
The NaNoWriMo special panelists suggest just keep on writing without any interruptions even if you hit the proverbial wall. Make November your writing month.
"This is my writing month," author Jean Davis said.
Davis will be participating in the 18th year of the challenge.
That sentence resonated with all the panelists because as Jane Smiley said,
"Every first draft is perfect because all the first draft has to do is exist. It's perfect in its existence. The only way it could be imperfect would be to NOT exist."
Don't be too hard on yourself. Don't punish yourself, and have fun. Enjoy the camaraderie.
"I try to keep the momentum going," author John Winkelman said.
The panelists are authors- Vera West, Emma Palova, Jean Davis, John Winkelman, Andrew Smith, and Ed Bentley.
Listen in for a chance to win some free E books, and mainly to win the challenge.
Sound editing and effects by Douglas Kelly of Evolve Solutions, LLC.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, Emma Palova, Ed Bentley, John Winkelman, and Andrew Smith.
Author Ed Bentley's hobby as a researcher in genealogy led him to research early American artists and journalism in the 1880's. The writing enabled him to literally visualize the incredible loss of life as if it were happening in front of Ed at that moment.
"My intention in assembling these life-ending stories is to share the fascination with, and the appreciation for, journalism in the 1880s. Such a relief it is that our own future is hidden from us."
-Ed Bentley-
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Ed's book What a Way to Go! Death in the 1880s.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and authors Ed Bentley and Hilton Everett Moore.
In his second book of short stories North of Nelson Vol. II, UP author Hilton Everett Moore explores themes that most authors will not touch; Moore exposes stories of incest, lust, love, and hate all set in the rugged terrain of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
The five stories include "The Cell Tower," "The Ditch Dog," "Ode to a Lone Wolf," "A Beast Called Fate," and "Lust and Lightning."
Author Sue Harrison has written the following review: North of Nelson should be read slowly, savoring the quirky characters, the poetry of the words, and the odd fierce stories. Hilton Everett Moore is far more than a regional writer. His words and stories place him in high literary circles indeed.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of North of Nelson Vol. II.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and authors Hilton Everett Moore and Ed Bentley.
Jan Afman spent 10 years in Taiwan and six years in the Philippines during a difficult time in her life. She managed to write about it in her memoir SariSari many years later after processing her experience.
"It was hard to pry myself out of my comfort zone," she said. "I had to get over a culture shock."
However, she encourages people not to avoid difficult experiences since they are opportunities to grow.
"I learned to look for good things each day," she said. "I learned about growing from not being a happy camper to contentment."
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of SariSari.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, authors Hilton Everett Moore and Ed Bentley.
In his fourth true crime book Grim Paradise: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer author Rod Sadler offers an in-depth account of the brutal murder of Frances Lacey on Michigan's Mackinac Island in 1960.
So, why would anyone commit a murder in this paradise on earth?
"Well, it depends on who you ask," Sadler said during the podcast interview.
The city officials think it was somebody who lived on the island; the island folks think it was an insurance job and others think it could have been a young serial killer who moved on in his "criminal career."
Sadler went through a 2,000-page police report and interviewed the islanders who remembered the atmosphere; however, nobody mentioned what happened with the evidence items taken off the victim's body.
Will new DNA technology help identify the Person of Interest in the Mackinac Island cold case?
Embark on a journey with Sadler for a detailed look into the murder of Frances Lacey.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Grim Paradise: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, authors Hilton Everett Moore and Ed Bentley.
In his memoir, This Tender Man-My Father's Story Nelson explores the journey of an ordinary man caught up in the extraordinary circumstances of war. "My father nearly died of malaria in the jungles of WWII New Guinea" is the opening line of the book.
Woodrow F. Nelson served in the U.S. Army's 1462nd Engineer Maintenance Company in the tropical Pacific during WWII, coming home damaged by war but committed to leaving the war behind and going back to work, starting a family, and serving his community.
However, like many veterans, he never shared any of the war stories with his son. Author Rich Nelson embarked on a journey to find out about his father's experience.
The book also delves into Muskegon's colorful historical and cultural tapestry.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of This Tender Man-My Father's Story.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and UP author Hilton Everett Moore
Find one good thing a day..........
Farrell's inspirational memoir touches all who feel they are broken, alone, have no hope in their future, and those who seek a true purpose for their life.
The story starts with Farrell's crippling childhood anxieties to a desire to end the author's life after believing there was no future or purpose for his life.
"If you look for bad things you will find them," Farrell said.
Then after a divine encounter, Farrell turned the corner and sought one good thing a day. His sports participation and an eventual perfect national collegiate football record stand today as a testament to the amazing blessings God provides in life.
"This memoir was a way to thank my family, friends, and teammates who've helped me," he said.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Farrell's new book.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and UP author Hilton Everett Moore.
In "A Mirage of Golden Glitter," author Preethi Saravanakumar paints a breathtaking tapestry of reflections.
This book is more than just a collection of poems; it's a voyage that resonates deeply, guiding readers to introspect, celebrate their authenticity, and cherish the shimmering threads of wisdom that weave the fabric of their lives.
A captivating symphony of emotions, wisdom, and self-discovery.
Even if the poems have difficult themes, they always have a good light-hearted ending, according to Preethi.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of A Mirage of Golden Glitter.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger. Together we've been bringing you stories for 150 years.
In her debut novel After the Before-Times, author Jan Leland portrays the story of seven people, who end up together at an inn on a lake in Michigan during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic.
They find friendship, hardship, and ultimately resilience together.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of After the Before-Times.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Bring Joy and Love to the Island Fair. There will be no sad faces.
Be a part of history, as this epic fair, run by volunteers only, celebrates 50 fantastic years on the island on July 29, 2023. What better way to make up for the missing Covid year and to enhance this year's celebration than to add 50 new vendors for a total of more than 180 vendors?
"They put a little light into this dark time," said event producer Stephene Lapp.
Twenty Michigan Authors will be located both on the island and at the ballfield. Don't miss out on this opportunity to get a signed book by a live author. And food trucks are back.
Find out more about the island's fascinating history in this action-packed episode with Lapp of Ledge Craft Lane.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Joan Young is a long-distance hiker and prolific author, blogger, and avid photographer. She has conquered the North Country Trail (NCT) twice which is an unprecedented feat. She finished hiking the NCT on June 18, 2023, at Timber Creek after 18 months and 18 days on the trail averaging 13.2 miles per day.
Here is an excerpt from Joan's adventures on the trail.
The heat was brutal. But I was walking along the Garrison Diversion canal at the time and I kept pouring water over my head. On the hottest day, I did 18 miles, but I had to do a shorter day the next day because I was so worn out. Then I started getting up and hiking at the crack of dawn so I was pretty much done before the temp hit 100 around 2 in the afternoon.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger, edited by Douglas Kelly of Evolve Solutions
Canadian-born author S. W. Raine has written The Elemental's Guardian, which is the first book in The Elementals Trilogy, during NaNoWriMo.
Everything changed the day he ran into her with his jet thousands of feet in the sky.
Freelance pilot Ferenc Janos's life is turned upside down when Olivia Gillies, a woman who can control air and travel through lightning, tells him he's the guardian of the air elemental. Around the same time as her sudden arrival, masked figures have been appearing around the city with the ability to summon and control strange creatures. Their target? The homeless girl who happened to steal his wallet.
Listen in for the details of the book giveaway.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
A polygamous author, Jacob Bullen has delved into the romance genre from a fantasy point of view in his newest release Assassinating the Slaydragon.
After her plan to assassinate Harker the Dragon Slayer fails, Audra must grow close to him, intimate even, to find his truest weakness. Can she ignore her growing feelings for the man whose saddened gaze mirrors her own? Will she succumb to the embers of passion, or will they both burn in the flames of vengeance?
He is most passionate about his family and often leaves secret references to his wife and daughter in his work. Bullen is currently penning several novels in different genres while working to finish his established series.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Assassinating the Slaydragon.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Lakeshore Art Festival Part 2
Come join us this weekend in downtown Muskegon for the Lakeshore Art Festival (LAF) on June 24 & June 25.
Listen to part 2 of the special episode about Michigan Authors at LAF. More than 20 authors will be participating in this unique event.
Lakeshore Art Festival comes to Muskegon Part 1
This is part I of the special episode about the Lakeshore Art Festival (LAF) in Muskegon on June 24 &25 with authors Emma Palova and Jean Davis. For complete info about participating authors go to part 2. Come to Author's Alley on Clay St. & 4th this weekend to meet your next favorite read.
Author Chloe Holiday's Fly Boy is the second book in the All-American Boy series.
"The book had to have a boy in the title, but all the good ones, like Lover Boy, had been taken," Holiday said. "I am a pilot so I wanted to bring a little bit of sky to people."
There's conflict in the air...
Tricia Carlisle returns to Texas to settle her beloved grandmother’s estate, only to find that foreclosure looms. Her hopes for an easy solution—selling the family’s crop duster—are dashed when Travis Walker, her high school sweetheart-turned-enemy, claims he had a handshake deal with Nana to buy the plane.
Listen in to the episode for a chance to win a signed copy of one of Holiday's books.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and author Larry Maley
Douglas Kelly of Lowell has been a partner at Evolve Solutions since 2002 when the company was founded. Evolve Solutions is an experienced web design and development firm, specializing in website design, marketing strategy, eCommerce application installation, and Internet business development.
Currently the principal at Evolve Solutions, he directs web development and consults on everything from social marketing to user interface design. Evolve Solutions has created and collaborated on hundreds of internet and intranet projects for small firms to multi-billion dollar corporations.
Kelly also offers voice acting for audiobooks, as well as tips on marketing strategy for authors.
"I would recommend Clubhouse to authors to talk about their books," Kelly said.
Kelly has acted in a series of old-time radio dramas bound for YouTube. He has recently been featured in a documentary slated for streaming media. Douglas has done a series of comedy improv events hosted on a social media application called Clubhouse.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and author Larry Maley
In his debut fantasy book Immersion, author Larry Maley creates a world of magic with six protagonists who face death manaars embodied by three witches. Maley follows the basic premise that "Life itself is magic that happens every day, everywhere."
"I wanted to explore why is there a return of death magic," Maley said. "It's an epic adventure. The six characters are the focus, why did they get the magic."
Maley's Immersion is dedicated to his autistic daughter Samantha.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Immersion, The Chronicles of the Manaar.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and author Larry Maley
Just in time for the unofficial opening of summer, U.P. Reader hit the stands with its shining new volume 7 graced by the beautiful cover of a mining shaft at Painesdale on the Keweenaw constructed in 1902.
The hefty annual publication takes you on a road trip across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula from the Mackinac Bridge to Menominee with nonfiction and fiction pieces by UP authors who embody the life of a Yooper.
“Yoopers are born, not made,” said publisher Victor Volkman. “That’s why I can never be a Yooper.”
The 60 short works in the issue span the entire Upper Peninsula and include imaginative fiction from young winners of the Dandelion Cottage contest.
The cover is by author Mikel Classen.
Listen in for a chance to win a copy of U.P. Reader, Vol. 7
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
In his North of Nelson anthology of short stories, author Hilton Everett Moore skillfully captures the heart of Michigan's Upper Peninsula with its unique characters.
"The very area is a character," he said. "The land expresses itself. It makes my stories work."
Moore lives in a cabin in a remote area of Baraga County and transforms the ruggedness of the U.P. in his magnificent six short stories which have a common thread.
"Each short story has a moment in time," he said.
The protagonists, the Martins, are featured in each story as they accompany each individual character.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of North of Nelson.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
In her historical fiction novel The Man from Burnt Island, author Wendy Thomson weaves the family story into the tapestry of Detroit's rich history during the Great Depression, Prohibition, World War II, and the booming automotive industry starting in the 1950s and beyond.
It was a tough life for the Scottish Sharp family at the turn of the twentieth century. Coal miners, they were exempt from the World War I draft. Frank, the fourth of five sons, was the only one that went off to war. Luckily, he survived the trenches, only to return to poor job prospects and poorer wages. When most of the family sailed across the Atlantic in search of a better life, Frank stayed behind for a while... for a little too long, it so happened.
What Frank sacrifices to achieve material and career success takes its toll on his family and personal life. After all is said and done, this is the saga of a determined and ambitious man who was hell-bent on leaving his poverty-stricken past behind.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Man from Burnt Island.
All April episodes sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, author Jen Rinaldi
In her debut book, author Jen Rinaldi tells the story of a cancer survivor Alex, who almost dies on the operating table. While she lingers between heaven and earth, she hears a voice that beckons her to stay, only to lose that voice when she is brought back, feeling as though she is missing more than her breast.
After Alex recovers, she takes a vacation while delivering the artwork for her boss. It is then that she hears a mysterious voice connected to the SUV that she has rented. Alex and 'Bec' as the voice asks her to call him, set out on a cross-country adventure that involves a jewel heist and an evil stalker who will attempt to kill Alex for the artwork she carries. Will Bec save Alex from the evil that is pursuing her?
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of One Day Closer to Death.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger and author Jen Rinaldi
Drawing on her knowledge of family ancestry combined with historical fiction, author Mandy Jo Rindhage creates a time travel novel inspired by real-life characters, great grandfather Heinrich and great uncle Gustav.
"A Stormy Travel Thru Time has multiple time hops each is when a storm crops up," Mandy Jo said. "They're trying to get to Saginaw, Michigan."
Rindhage is a multi-genre author who has no trouble switching gears between a fitness book, fantasy, and historical fiction.
The real challenge in the book was aging all the characters appropriately, according to Rindhage when they crossed paths on different occasions.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of A Stormy Travel Thru Time.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
In Pearls of My Mind, author Preethi Saravanakumar, a software developer and an award-winning poet, takes you on a journey into self-discovery using the symbolism of pearls.
Are you a Spiritual Newbie? Are you a Seeker? Or are you a Sage today? Let's find out as we go on a self-reflective journey of pearl harvesting. Pearls Of My Mind is a book that houses my rainbow thoughts. As each of the seven colored pearls brings simple wisdom, dazzling jewelry is cautiously strung.
This book deals with the connection between colors and emotions and their relationship to the Chakras. Pearls are rightly synonymous with purity, clarity, and longevity. They are wisdom in the true sense! Oh, Rainbow Pearls! Thy vivid prismatic hues, Thy pure poised wisdom, Thy bold mighty endurance, I majestically manifest thy cues! I majestically manifest thy cues!
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Pearls of My Mind.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Ghost on Beale Street is Lori Hudson's fifth book in the Beale Street mystery series inspired by a small town in Illinois where Hudson's grandfather was the mayor.
A little boy has gone missing, and the town of Burtonville is on high alert. Then Marianne Reed and her friend, Ashley, notice strange lights and something moving around in the old Abbott house. Is it possible a ghost has taken up residence?
Listen in for a chance to win a free copy of Ghost on Beale Street.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
The interview with publisher author Matt Lubbers-Moore of ReQueered Tales and host author Emma Palova marks the 100th episode anniversary of For the Love of Books Podcast show. I am grateful to the entire literary community for making the show a success and to the sponsors Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
ReQueered Tales is striving to preserve the literary heritage of the LGBTQ community by publishing out-of-print titles or publishing new works of older series.
According to Lubbers-Moore, the project started out as a joke with his business partners.
"Books from the 1990s, 80s, and 70s were hard to find and expensive," said Lubbers-Moore. "Are we actually going to do this?"
And they started with a core of five gay mystery authors in 2018 as they grew to cover all the genres of LGBTQ fiction.
"Now we're competing with the big boys," Lubbers-Moore laughed as he referred to the big publishing houses. "Other publishers are doing this now."
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Murder and Mayhem bibliography. Be a part of the excitement and magic of the show. Be a guest and or a sponsor. Contact Emma Palova at emmapalova123@gmail.com
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
Her two gangster novels earned her Top Notable Indie Book awards. Author Betty Passick shared her passion for writing historical fiction in a very candid down-to-earth interview. Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Black Bag of Dr. Wiltse, Murder on the Prairie.
"Research comes first," she said. "If you don't like doing research, historical fiction is not for you."
Unlike most authors of historical fiction, Passick does not change the names of people or places in her historical crime novels. She has always been fascinated by the story of the Italian American "mystery man" who first came to her Iowa hometown in the early 1920s, and the rest is history. No pun intended.
Now, it's up to us to find out what was in The Black Bag of Dr. Wiltse, Murder on the Prairie her second historical crime novel that earned her the second Top Notable Indie Book Award in 2021 after Gangster in our Midst in 2019.
"This crime mystery novel captures its audience’s attention with the delicious historical detail from this time period in early America’s burgeoning settlements... Who knew there was such a criminal element lurking on our prairies?"
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Discover the full author line-up under the umbrella of Great Lakes Writers in this podcast, and at the Expo.
Find your next favorite read by Michigan authors at the West Michigan Women's Expo this weekend starting on Friday at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.
Seventeen Michigan authors will be grouped under the umbrella of Great Lakes Writers, and they will be located in booths 110-118.
I have one free ticket left to the show for the lucky winner. Listen in to the podcast for details of the giveaway, as well as the author line-up and instructions for participating authors.
Come, bring a friend and have fun with us. We're going to have a blast together.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
In her 'A Tryst of Fate' author Diana Kathryn Plopa takes on one of the most desired genres - romance. It is the story of a newspaper reporter Thomas and Gillian who restores art for a museum.
"Man does not control his own fate. The women in his life do that for him."
- Groucho Marx
Her past is blurred, and her heart is lost to a child she cannot reclaim. Although he aches with the same loss, his stories bring light to a love that never truly died, restoring the art she thought was lost.
But a secret past threatens their future. Can Thomas solve the mystery of a hidden joy that binds them together? Can they rescue their love..together, forever?
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of 'A Tryst of Fate' and more.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Happy Valentine's!
Hot off the presses for Valentine's week is the brand-new anthology Shades of Love with Tana Jenkin's romance novella Love Rescued.
Everyone needs a lifeline now and then. Captain Kirk's life takes a turn the day he pulls Selena Reyes from the water. He fancies himself a hero, but is the actress really a damsel in distress? Or is he the one in need of rescuing? More importantly, will they realize lifelines come in different forms before it's too late? Love Rescued is Book Five in Tana's award-winning St. James Sisters collection, and one of the twenty-plus books included in the anthology Goodreads voters named one of the most anticipated anthologies of 2023--Shades of Love, Limited Edition, Black, Multi-cultural and Interracial anthology hitting stores Valentine's week!
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Shades of Love.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
In her series Let's talk! psychology professor Lisa Jacovski draws on her real-life experience in applied behavior analysis, mainly in autism.
"I decided to write this series to show families and children the beauty in being different and having autism. I wanted to show families that having the diagnosis was not limiting and their child can do anything too. I wanted to inspire children to ask questions about other children who may act differently and open that conversation. I also wanted neurotypical children to be open to others that may be different. If we can inspire our children to be open now then that negative stigma around autism will slowly go away as they become adults who are open."
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of "Let's talk! Learning to bowl.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Beat those winter doldrums and get to the 23rd Annual Mid-Michigan Women's Expo in Lansing from Feb. 10 through Feb. 12. Stock up on books and check out the show that will inspire personal health, home, and style, giving women something to feel good about.
Listen in to the special episode with author Jean Davis and podcast host author Emma Palova sharing insights about the upcoming Expo at the Lansing Center for a chance to win one free ticket to the Expo.
The following authors will be representing different genres: Jean Davis, Emma Palova, Loraine J. Hudson, Kristine Brickey, Sylvia Hubbard, Norma Lewis, Mikel Classen, Melanie Hooyenga, Rod Sadler, Julie Nelson, Rhonda Accardo, and Andrew Smith.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
In her Porcupine series book 2, kindergarten teacher Donna Neumann transforms her daughter Annie into a snarky porcupine who feels bad that she doesn't have a birthday party.
"Books should be mirrors and windows for children to see into other people's lives and to see their own life reflected in the stories," Neumann said.
Neumann who has been teaching virtual kindergarten for 20 years based the series on her own real-life experience.
"I don't have memories from holidays or from birthday parties," she said. "Our family didn't celebrate these, but we went on vacations and made memories."
Even though birthday parties are not just about birthday cakes, they should be celebrations of belonging and not being left out.
"I want to be a part of everything," Neumann said.
Neumann, not only found healing in the book, but she now celebrates birthdays with her family and her new grandson.
"I wish I had done it sooner," she said about writing the book.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of 'All I Want is a Birthday Party.'
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Copyright (c)2023 Emma Palova
In her Detroit Revealed: A Different View of the Motor City, author-photographer Leslie Cieplechowicz highlights the obscure and amazing hidden gems of the city which is sometimes portrayed as unapproachable. The imagery highlights places only seen by local people who have created a rich culture and scenery that is veiled from the public eye.
"I wanted to share my view of the city," she said.
Cieplechowicz worked as an EMS paramedic for the Detroit Fire Department. She returned to the sites of former EMS encounters to capture the images, all 4,000 of them. 150 best pictures made it into the book.
"I captured the heart of the city and the people," she said. "I put a positive spin on a city that gets a negative reputation."
The book serves as a city guide for both locals and visitors with its stunning imagery, history of the sites, and addresses.
"You can visit all the places," she said.
Walk along the radiant blue riverfront of the Detroit River and view the beautiful structures glittering in the sunlight. Hang out at the hole-in-the-wall local bar and absorb the glow from the antique fixture that bathes the vintage decor in a warm light.
Head to the streets in a snowstorm, and peer through a broken window down Jefferson Avenue at a city shrouded in swirling white flakes. Or check out an old, dimly lit industrial center that has been turned into an enclave for local singers and artists to hone their talent, whose studios are a splash of faded records, flashing neon lights, and vibrant flags.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of this book.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Michigan Reads is a functional gateway for Michigan independent authors which started out with authors Ingar Rudholm and Andrew Allen Smith. The site was tested and more authors were added.
"The purpose is to centralize Michigan authors in a single place," said Smith. "I will be offering it to all authors in February or March."
Eventually, more features were added such as electronic billboards. In the works are streaming and TV. The proposed cost per author per book is $10, and a requirement to write a review of somebody else's book.
"You can have as many books as you want," Smith said. "It's a place that is easy to remember."
The main innovation is name recognition, according to Smith.
Listen in for more details.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
The author of the Traveling Circus series, Ingar Rudholm, talks about selling and marketing your books in an increasingly complex market flooded with social media algorithms. Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Traveling Circus and the Secret Talent Scroll. The episode was sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
Use the following hashtags when distributing.
fantasybook #mermaid
Author Diana Kathryn Plopa, founder of Pages Promotions talks about the upcoming Virtual Book Festival in February with author Emma Palova, host and producer of For the Love of Books Podcast. Listen in for a chance to win free registration and Plopa's book A Duck Quacks.
In support of Indie and small press author all over the world, Plopa is hosting the Virtual Book Festival on Zoom, from Feb. 1 through Feb. 28. The deadline for authors to apply is January 15.
It's wintertime in Michigan (and other parts of the world), and authors aren't easily able to meet with crowds of readers at book festivals and fairs like we do in the warmer months... so we're hosting a Virtual Book Festival to give you the opportunity to discover new authors and their books... all while staying warm!
Each day, we'll share live interviews with authors, listen to them read some of their work, play games, give away prizes with the Spinny Wheel of Happiness, and generally have a good time with the written word.
Writers can sometimes be a wacky group of unpredictable people... after all, we make stuff up for a living. You never know what kind of literary shenanigans might happen...
So visit our Facebook page every day to see what's coming next!
Share on social media #virtualbookfestival #mysteryofthemissingmanuscript
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
In her memoir and historical mystery Unto the Daughters, author & former journalist Karen Tintori unveils a family secret set in turn-of-the-century Detroit. The inciting incident to break the silence was an obliterated passport, and then a wedding photo.
"I am Italian, " she said. "My mother's side of the family was from southern Sicily. You don't tell family secrets."
The story of her great-grandaunt Francesca haunted Tintori's inquisitive mind for decades. After 12 years, three novels, and advice from the editor, Tintori re-imagined the haunting truth of an honor killing.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Unto the Daughters.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger, the hometown newspaper in Lowell, MI
Merry Christmas from host Emma Palova and all of my awesome author guests
The Wizard's Stone
A young wizard's assistant on a secret journey, guarded by a band of mercenaries, paid a fortune in gold. All to deliver a mysterious artifact halfway across the known world. And from the very outset, they are being hunted.
A software developer for over 30 years, Herman P. Hunter started his first venture into publishing by writing articles on software development, cumulating into a book deal. After a long hiatus, he has returned, writing fantasy fiction, integrating high fantasy, pulp elements, and Judeo-Christian beliefs. His first book, The Revenant and the Tomb was published in March 2022 and has since been adapted to an audiobook.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Revenant and the Tomb.
The first person who emails host Emma Palova will win a signed copy of The Wizard's Stone.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
Ann Dallman has lifelong roots in Michigan’s UP. She started out as a newspaper reporter/photographer and returned to journalism after retiring from teaching. In Cady and the Birchbark Box, Cady Whirlwind Thunder solves the mystery behind a weathered journal found inside a very old birchbark box. Why was the box buried behind a deserted garage? This is the question her friend and “crush,” John Ray Chicaug, asks her after the two of them find it. And, what meaning do the notes in the book have? Cady’s grandma and her ever-present companion, a noisy blue jay, encourage her as she puts together the pieces and ultimately restores the reputation of a deceased elder.Listen in for a chance to win an autographed copy of Cady and the Birchbark Box.Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Janet Vormittag of West Michigan calls herself 'A Crazy Cat Lady,' and thus the name of her book series with the newest book out just in time for the holidays. Cat Women of West Michigan tells 30 compelling stories of passionate women who do cat rescue in many different forms from the actual rescue to Happy Cat Cafe in Grand Rapids.
Vormittag became the self-proclaimed 'A Crazy Cat Lady' in the mid-80s with the rescue of an injured kitten Lucy in Saugatuck that lived 10 years.
"They're not crazy cat ladies," she said. "Just compassionate women."
She connected with these women through her quarterly magazine Cats and Dogs.
"I was struck by women rescuing cats," she said.
And the number of euthanized cats went down from 8,000 to 189 over the last 15 years since the publication started.
"It's a community problem," she said.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Vormittag's Cat Women of West Michigan.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
In his debut book, author Steve Boughton uses Detroit as the main setting for his Francisco Takes Flight.
"I fell in love with the city," he said. "I wanted to showcase the beauty of the city."
His Chilean flamenco gets to fly all over the city. At first, Boughton only intended the book for his friends and family. But the project grew with the help of collaborators, editor and wife Beth Boughton, and a childhood friend illustrator Jesse Faye.
His website is franciscoandfriends.com which is where the book can be purchased (it is also available at Schuler books, a novel concept in Lansing, and the Detroit zoo gift shop!) also a portion of all copies sold is donated to the Detroit zoo!
Listen for a chance to win an autographed copy of Francisco Takes Flight.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and Modern History Press.
This historical fiction novel was inspired by the biggest natural disaster in Michigan-the fire of 1881. Author Carol Nickles kept the idea for the story along with notes in a box for close to 20 years.
Then she decided either she was going to write the story or burn the box, and that's how Thumb Fire Desire was born with the help of a developmental editor.
"I've always wanted to tell this story," she said.
Listen to this inspiring interview for a chance to win an autographed copy of Thumb Fire Desire.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and Modern History Press.
So, you've worked hard writing every day in November in NaNoWriMo, and you won. Listen in to the winners in this year's NaNoWriMo, authors Jean Davis, Vera West, and Emma Palova.
"I wish I had this advice many years ago," Palova said.
The key to winning is consistency, prioritizing, and never giving up.
NaNoWriMo authors Jean Davis, Vera West, and host of For the Love of Books Podcast Emma Palova take you through the first half of the 50K writing challenge in this special episode. Their combined total log-in was just under 80,000 words.
Find out what they did to reach their writing goals on their journeys to publishing new books in 2023. Keep on writing past the challenge, and make it a daily habit, these experts say.
Watch for their books in 2023.
So listen in and jump on the NaNoWriMo roller coaster, because you can't edit a blank page.
Copyright (c) 2022 Emma Palova
So, step aboard this terror ride, with no harnesses allowed or sunglasses, you need to see it all. Psychic Liotta's crystal ball shows the way; from a caged monster, death by beast Wendigo, lightning, and by the angry waters and the northern woods.
Horror authors Andrew Allen Smith, Craig Brockman, Matthew Hellman, Robert Williams, and ghost author Stacey Rourke drag you deep down the rabbit hole, where there is no light. But be careful, you might like it there.
In this special Halloween episode, Smith read from his 'Another Slice of Fear', Brockman from 'Dead of November', Williams from 'A Yooper's Tale', Hellman from 'The Biting Cold' and psychic Liotta came alive from Corpse's Queen by Rourke.
Find out what inspires these authors or if anything at all will stop them from taking you over the edge. Participating in the panel discussion were authors Diana Plopa and editor-publisher Victor Volkman.
A sincere thank you to everyone who made this possible.
Psychologist turned author delivers it all in this disturbing novel set in Marquette State Prison in Michigan's U.P. inspired by real-life stories of inmates told in her practice, and by her husband's stories.
Protagonist Clifford Ratz is a small-town drug dealer who gets caught near Mason by an astute cop.
"It's a tale about his life," Den Houter said, "because he was passive he became a target of other prisoners. I wanted to convey that prisoners are human beings."
Several strains run through this meticulously crafted psychological suspense novel; from Ratz's passive humanity, his daughter's rebellion, and the police & correctional systems at work, to loving beyond betrayal.
As a psychologist, Den Houter knows what makes her characters click, in fiction and in real life. And the cover eloquently captures Ratz's humanity.
"It's a very real face of someone who was down on his luck," Den Houter said.
And all of us have a dark side. Some of us just don't manage it well. So what do we need from each other so that we can go on living?
The novel answers that question. Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of 'Prison Shadows.'
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and author Kathryn Den Houter.
To-day……I will be chatting with author, and artist Joanna Walitalo who will announce the details of her book giveaway of Woodburnings after the reading at the end of the interview.
When did you move to the UP? And are you a full-time Yooper?
Joanna Walitalo grew up in Oil City Michigan, taking art classes in middle school and high school. She attended Central Michigan University, where she earned a BS in Biology and Environmental Policies. From there, she moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where she earned a Master's in Forestry at Michigan Technological University. She is currently finishing her Ph.D. in Forest Science at MTU and continues to live in the UP with her loving husband and son.
J Walitalo Woodburnings, Highlights from the first five years" is a book of fine artwork done in pyrography. It captures the range of artwork that the Walitalo's have created, and promotes environmental ethics through the use of scrap wood as the platform for the artwork, as well as through the images they create. "Our goal is to help spread appreciation and love for our natural environment and wildlife by sharing the beauty of it through art."
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger and Modern History Press.
It was actually fashion that got T.J. London interested in the American Revolutionary War as a young author as simple as it may seem.
"I was getting into my persona," she said. "The look got me interested in that time period. Now it draws attention to my books."
Yes, it was the red coats and tricorne hats that sparked the imagination of a young mind, and later served well as a counseling tool during a period of grief. Rather, than writing a journal, T.J. London went the whole way and wrote 'Man of War.'
T.J. London is an expert at digging out little-known facts in history and asking herself questions. She was referring to battles in upstate New York that T.J. London didn't know about.
"Why don't we learn this stuff," she said.
What fascinated T.J. London were all the changes that were happening at the same time.
"It was this incredible cataclysmic moment in history," she said. "But in fiction where were those stories? I felt like I needed to know more."
And the prequel is not just about the revolution, but also about digging deep into the roots of what was going on T.J. London's life after the loss of her father.
It took her four years to write 'Man of War' backed up by solid research about the Royal Navy.
Come along on a journey with ambitious captain Merrick and revengeful India for a chance to win a signed copy of 'Man of War.'
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.
That is the million-dollar question that today's panelists authors Jean Davis, Vera West, and Emma Palova will attempt to answer. There is not a one size fits all guideline to win the 50,000-word challenge coming up in November.
At times, the challenge reminds me of final exams in college, when you had to pull it all together in one month, and in four different subjects. As authors, we each have a different approach to getting it done. I like to have some kind of pillars to rely on kind of like a suspended bridge, not necessarily a full-blown outline, but rather a synopsis as Davis suggested.
Davis has been participating in NaNo for 17 years, which has increased her productivity immensely. Out of that, she won 15 times. West enters every year but does not always win. So far, she has won once.
"For me, any progress is better than none," she said.
True, if you enter and get 10,000 words written, that's 10,000 words more than you had before entering.
These experienced NaNoWriMos offered invaluable tips in the special episode: Have two projects in the works in case you get stuck on one, and work hard in the honeymoon phase at the beginning before exhaustion settles in.
Don't go back to fix anything, keep moving forward even if you don't like the way the story is evolving; you might not like it two hours later either.
"There are two ways to go about it," Davis said. "First you can outline that you have to write 1,667 words a day, secondly you can just work on something like I do."
Whichever way you pick, just stick to your commitment.
Find out what to do when you do get stuck. And we all do, indeed.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/10/05/october-guest-authors/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
In his first book, author Ash Bishop teleports protagonist Russ Wesley into another galaxy with a sugary cookie in his pocket, in this light-hearted sci-fi novel.
Listen in for the keywords for this week for a chance to win a signed personalized copy of Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc.
When Wesley finds an unusual artifact in his grandfather’s collection of rare antiquities, the last thing he expects is for it to draw the attention of a ferocious alien from a distant planet. Equally surprising is the adventurous team of intergalactic exterminators dispatched to deal with the threat. The exterminators specialize in “ecosystem preservation”— a thankless job that involves hunting down alien predators of all shapes and sizes. They’re so impressed with Russ’s marksmanship that they insist he join their squad . . . whether he wants to or not.
"Russ is an interesting fella," said Bishop. "He doesn't have close family, and his grandma needs money."
So Russ goes off and works for a galactic space group.
"It's heartfelt," Bishop said. "Fifty percent of the story has to do with the characters."
Based on the success of Intergalactic Exterminators, Bishop landed a deal to publish his previous book in 2023.
"They're completely different books," he said.
But, switching genres comes to Bishop easily.
Listen in for some tips on how to switch genres and for the keywords of the week to win Bishop's book.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/09/27/author-emma-earth-stories-jewelry-on-blue-coast-artist-tour-in-saugatuck/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/09/06/september-authors/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/08/16/into-paradise-2/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/08/02/michigan-authors-at-holland-art-in-the-park-on-aug-6/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/07/18/once-upon-a-book-literary-event-set-for-this-saturday-in-frankenmuth/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/07/13/lowell-author-emma-palova-pens-the-lost-town/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
Authors' Alley at the Lakeshore Art Festival (LAF) in downtown Muskegon, set for this weekend, will feature 21 authors representing different genres from mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, and children's books to horror and true stories.
"We get to interact with people," said author Ingar Rudholm. "You can ask as many questions as you want. We will be able to direct you to whatever genre you're looking for."
"If you can smell the food, you found us," said author Jean Davis. "We're a giant bookstore with authors."
Some of the benefits of visiting Authors' Alley include getting a signed book unlike from Amazon plus learning the full back story behind the book directly from the author.
Participating authors will be located in booths along Clay Street across from Hackley Park next to food vendors. Following is a full list of authors.
Andrew Smith Bill Jacobks & Lon Hieftje Emma Khoury & Ingar Rudhom Diane Burton & Jean Davis G.S. Scott & Melinda Clark Wendy Thomson & Melanie Hooyenga Norma Lewis & Jules Nelson Loraine Hudson & Randy Pearson Emma Palova & Judy Burke Mike Carrier Mikel Classen Gary Buettner & Mark Love Bring plenty of water and ice, advised both Davis and Rudholm. "It's a great networking opportunity," said Rudholm. Episode sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Enter the fairy world through a magic portal that Eleanor has received as a gift in a book. She turns into a fairy joined by Elfie and Milo to find the magic crystal that will restore order to the kingdom that went bonkers.
It even started snowing in the enchanted purple and blue glowing forest and in the village with gargoyles, goblins, and magicians. Salmon started turning lime green.
Mitchell penned this middle-grade book during the pandemic with its limitations.
"Eleanor is much like I was as a kid," she said. "I've always wished I could travel into all these stories."
The book is set in 1945 without any technology; Eleanor doesn't have a cell phone, a computer, or a TV.
"Books and libraries are magical places that people should visit often," Mitchell said.
Among the insights, she gained from her writing journey was the fact not to put away your writing projects.
"I shouldn't have put my creative writing on the backburner," Mitchell said. "Nightshade Forest helped me get my voice out there."
Listen to the episode for a chance to win a signed copy of Mitchell's book.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, the Lowell Ledger and Nikki Mitchell
In Superior Tapestry, author Deborah Frontiera combines fiction with non-fiction to create a fun fact read for adults and children. Frontiera picked 27 artifacts from UP history and gave them personality.
"The stories are told from the point of view of objects," she said. "I had a lot of fun with it."
In the first story Birch Bark (B. B.) Canoe, Frontiera portrays the canoe as a female traveling from St. Ignace across Soo to Duluth. The objective was to show how native Americans used a canoe for travel.
Frontiera aimed to strike a balance between the genders of the objects in her personification of artifacts such as the cliffs and the stone in Portrait of Pictured Rocks.
Bishop Baraga appears in several different stories thus weaving a tapestry throughout the book. The idea for personification of objects occurred to Frontiera while writing the article Estabad Pines from the POV of a pine tree.
For details of the book giveaway visit Frontiera's website www.SuperiorTapestry.com www.SuperiorTapestry.com
The Beautiful Moment is a paranormal romance inspired by Covid-19 set in the UP.
"I wanted to make it current so people can relate to it," author Kristoffer Gair said.
Gair switched gears from comedy to serious writing during a difficult time in his life. Protagonist Wesley is a bright bubbly guy, but his uncle is making his life miserable.
And then there is Dr. Clark Matsuda.
"I've never met anyone whose name was Clark, so I put it in the story," Gair said.
The decade from hell.First, Wesley Traylor lost his father and grandmother, then COVID took his mother. His sole remaining family member will stop at nothing to steal his inheritance. In desperation, Wesley escapes to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where no one knows him and he can exist without fear of his uncle’s brutality.Circumstances force Wesley to the emergency room and face to face with the beguiling Dr. Clark Matsuda. The last thing Wesley needs—between dealing with strange occurrences at his new house and emergency surgery—is a doctor who’s made it his personal mission to get to know Wesley.Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Beautiful Moment.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
The Authors' Tent no. 140 at the Palmer Park Art Fair in Detroit will feature 18 authors representing different genres plus poetry this weekend, June 4 & 5.
"Most of the authors will have readings," said Mark Loeb, Integrity Shows director said. "We'll have poets in between."
The Palmer Park Art Fair is a recreation of an event popular in the 70s & 80s.
"We will have a limited edition poster," he said. "It's stunning."
Signs from Woodward Street direct visitors into the huge park, one mile by 0.5 miles, surrounded by upscale historic district neighborhoods and low-income apartments.
"We are a great melting pot," Loeb said. "It's a joy to be there."
The unique event will have 135 to 140 vendors including food vendors such as Southern Heritage of Detroit.
"I expect a lot of people," Loeb said.
Author and podcast host and producer Emma Palova will be inside the Authors' Tent at 140e. Stop by. Emma will be signing her books including Greenwich Meridian Memoir about the Konecny family immigration saga from Czechoslovakia.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger
Summers at the Lake is a delightful collection of essays centered around the author's beloved "Little cabin in the Big Woods" beside Crooked Lake in the Upper Peninsula.
The humorous and meditative essays, that read like prose poetry, track the progression of the seasons. Stott aims to evoke for readers memories of similar incidents and feelings at other lakes and at other times.
Stott, a part-time Yooper, spends extended summers in the solitude of the northern woods where the closest community of Munising is 27 miles away from his cabin.
"I am the old hermit of the woods," he said in the podcast interview speaking directly from the Munising School Public library, 500 feet from Lake Superior.
In chapter 6 "Day Tripper", Stott takes us on a trip to Grand Marais which looks like a New England seaside village with a year-round population of 300.
Stott acts as a knowledgeable and funny tour guide as he writes about "Life in a Pickle Barrel" about the history of the Pickle Barrel House.
Email Stott for a chance to win a signed copy of his new book at jstottuaalberta.ca
Special thanks to the Munising School Public Library.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, the Lowell Ledger, Modern History Press
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/05/31/new-book-coming-soon-author-emma-palova-hits-the-road-in-june/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
Illustrated by Maggie Chambers, this delightful "tail" of the Mouse family honors the magic of Mackinac Island with all its little nooks and crannies. From the famous fudge to the handsome blonde dock porter Robert, the brand new book brings alive the scenes from the island.
Speaking directly from the main location of the story- the Windermere Hotel- Porter and Chambers share their creative synergy in this interview wrapped in love for the island.
"It's a cold and foggy day," said Chambers, "but tomorrow will be sunny."
"I wanted to give a gift to the island," said Porter.
During their two-year-long creative journey, Porter and Chambers perfectly complemented each other's vision for the book.
"Wouldn't it be cute.." said Porter.
"If they slept in fudge boxes," Chambers finished the sentence.
"It just rolled that way," Porter laughed.
If you happen to be on the island this Memorial Day weekend don't miss out on the unique opportunity to meet the creators of "A Mouse on Mackinac Island" on Saturday at the Island Book Store, Sunday at Watercolor Cafe, and on Monday at the main location-the Windermere Hotel with all the characters present.
Listen to this story of love for the island for a chance to win a signed copy of this charming children's book.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, Modern History Press
In his second book in the Slice of Fear franchise, Andrew Smith explores fear in all its dimensions and takes it down deep into this rabbit hole he had found along the way.
"I believe that fear is at the core of who we are and it makes us alive," he said. "Fear is a lot of fun. I use fear to entertain people."
Another Slice of Fear is an anthology of 16 stories that will stir your imagination.
A man finds the secret to immortality, or does he?
A monster awakens and has to decide who is the monster?
A selfish woman gets eternal servitude, for a price.
A family fortune is saved by unlikely allies.
A scene unfolds from three different perspectives and creates a problem for Kate with exciting results.
A man wins a special vacation for the newly almost divorced.
Early reviews long for the continuation of The Edge carried from the first book into the second one as "The Edges."
"Much to my delight, Andrew added an act two to the story he began in the first volume. Where he began with "The Edge", he continues here with "Edges". I was fascinated by the first act of this tale and having the opportunity to see how the story evolves in the second was marvelous. The introduction of a sacred book to the story requited my desire for new secrets, enticing my imagination with how the sword was forged and why it was sanctified for its purpose. Like a chocolate torte cake, each layer reveals a little bit more delicious tension and suspense. I am hopeful this story will one day grow into a novella or a full stand-alone novel. My anticipation for even more layers to be revealed is undeniable." -Diana Kathryn Plopa Listen in for a chance to win signed copies of the books from the Slice of Fear franchise. Sponsored by Doc Chavent, the Lowell Ledger and Modern History Press
Hauling a cartful of books, you can find Diana Duell at just about any festival in West Michigan, but her favorite one is the Lakeshore Art Festival (LAF) in Muskegon.
"That's where I started my book collection," she said. "I was looking for something new."
Right off the bat, Duell bought 60 to 70 books that the first year when she discovered Indie local authors.
Her collection of Indie authors counts 60 authors, 171 books read, and 350 TBR. She spends approximately $1,000 a year on books.
"It's disposable income," Duell said. "It's my vacation. I fell in love doing this and I collect more books every year."
Now, as an established collector, she knows most Indie authors and writes reviews on Facebook and Goodreads.
"It's all about supporting local businesses and writing a book is a craft," she said.
She has built-in three bookcases with six shelves, all full.
"There has to be a meaning behind a good book," she said. "A great book is one you can escape into. Keep on writing and I will keep on buying. That's a promise."
Depending on her mood, she likes to read anything from a cozy mystery to a short story, and everything in between.
Among her favorite authors are Ingar Rudholm, DA Reed, and Andrew Allen Smith.
"I wouldn't want to be on DA Reed's or Andrew Allen Smith's bad side," she said.
Duell is always on the lookout for new authors and new books.
Watch for Duell at LAF this year on June 25 & 26. Listen in to the interview for a chance to win a signed copy of your next favorite read.
Author Robin Marvel of Hersey, MI is that girl who has survived mental, domestic, and drug abuse; homelessness, and kidnappings throughout her childhood. Being addicted to alcohol and partying at age 15 resulted in a sexual assault, and later she became a teen mother at age 16.
Since May is mental health awareness month, Marvel opened up to talk about her story captured in her book “Healing Childhood Trauma” from a PTSD standpoint of view.
“I didn’t want to repeat the cycle, and I started working on myself,” she said. “I realized I was in control of what happened to me.”
As a motivational speaker, Marvel talks about self-respect and determination. She strives to be a role model for her five daughters. She chose to grow through the trauma she had endured as a child.
“I didn’t have any role models,” she said witnessing how her mother was abused by her father with subsequent kidnappings of her.
“It was always the same,” she said. “He took me to his mother to get supplies and we slept in a car. I grabbed my blanket.”
But facing all these hardships, Marvel found the strength to overcome being a victim of circumstance.
"It doesn't happen at the flip of a switch," she said. "I had to work on myself."
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Marvel's life-changing book.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/04/29/author-michael-carrier-releases-to-china-with-love/
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
In his UP Colony, Author Phil Bellfy, P.h. D. poses the ultimate question: why has the Upper Peninsula's vast wealth, nearly unrivaled in the whole of the United States, left the area with poverty nearly unrivaled in the whole of the United States. "Where did the $1.5 billion earned from copper mining, $1 billion from logging, and nearly $4 billion in iron ore go?"
Struck by the contrast between two cities on different sides of the American Canadian border, Bellfy has published an update to his 1980s MA thesis, UP Colony.
It is the story of resource exploitation in Upper Michigan in one of the oldest US cities Sault Sainte Marie. The book was published on its 350th anniversary in 2018.
"Sault Michigan was clearly a city on the decline, while Sault Ontario shared none of the malaise that infected the Michigan half of these "Sister Cities," Bellfy writes in the new introduction.
Bellfy grew up in the Detroit suburb of Livonia and moved to Sault Sainte Marie in the fall of 1970. "We were urban Indians growing up in Detroit, but Chippewa County is most native populated East of Mississippi," he said. "I was exposed to the native community."
"I was also struck by the raw beauty of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and perhaps, even more struck by the raw beauty of the landscape across the St. Marys River," he wrote.
However, just around the time of his arrival, all the major industries shut down, and Sault Michigan was little more than a "resource colony" or "Internal Colony" without any residuals left from the mining industries.
"My own personal history adds a lot to my perception of the situation up here," Bellfy said.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of UP Colony.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/04/17/happy-easter-2022-vesele-velikonoce/
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Looking for answers to life's big questions like what do I want to do with my life? Based on her individual experiences, author Amanda Filkins puts her heart out in her brand new book "Be Still: God's Grace is Bigger than Worldly Deceit."
"I wanted to be organic and stay away from preaching," she said. "This book is from my heart. It's very pure. I hope a fire is lit inside of the readers' hearts."
The book is meant for young women under the age of 30 who may be struggling with life's purpose. It is divided into 10 chapters with subjects such as sex, status, money, and more.
Filkins focuses heavily on body image and societal pressures.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of her new book.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, the Lowell Ledger, Modern History Press
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/04/05/author-mikel-classen-digs-out-lost-stories-in-true-tales-from-the-u-p-2/
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Digging deep into the past, U.P. author & historian Mikel Classen uncovers hidden stories in his newest release "True Tales- The Forgotten History of Michigan's Upper Peninsula."
Stories of piracy, lost gold mines, the origin of the Copper Boom, profiles of people of note, Starvation on Isle Royale, and one of the darkest periods of Michigan history, are all True Tales of the early days of the Upper Peninsula Frontier.
"Some subjects I've researched over the years as a journalist," Classen said. "It's been several years in the making."
The tales are broken up into moments in U.P. history like Chapter 15- "Peter White: The Founding of Marquette" or the story about a native American woman marooned on Isle Royale with her husband facing starvation.
One story, in particular, captured Classen's inquisitive mind and set him off on a wild chase across the rugged northern peninsula hunting down the truth to rectify myths. During his research, Classen visited the historical societies in 16 towns.
"The local communities and historians sometimes intentionally buried the stories," Classen said.
In seven towns, he was able to confirm the unimaginable.
"I was shocked," he said. "Some things you find out can creep you out."
Find out what it was by listening to this intriguing episode with a true U.P. expert for a chance to win a signed copy of Classen's "True Tales."
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/03/22/one-year-anniversary/
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/03/21/author-mikel-classen-on-for-the-love-of-books-podcast/
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/03/18/great-lakes-writers-at-womens-expo-2022/
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"Some stories need to be told in their original form so history is not forgotten. Those stories are slowly dying......."
Memoir Your Roots Cast A Shadow is a shocking family history story spanning three generations and several continents from Europe to the Middle East countries of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Canadian author Caroline Topperman was born in Sweden, raised in Canada with a recent stint of living in Poland where she traced her roots and did the research for the memoir.
Listen in to the episode for a chance to win a signed copy of "Tell Me What You See," an inspirational book of photographs to spark your imagination."
In her memoir, Caroline tells the story of grandparents Paula and Fryderyck Toperman, Communist Jews, who fled Poland for Uzbekistan, returning to their homeland in 1944 to help rebuild their country. Their story is one that’s seldom told--they survived the Holocaust, and the war, by plunging eastward.
On the other hand, Franciszek and Wanda Wichrzycki were Polish Catholic Communists who had been living and working in Afghanistan. They too returned to Poland.
Their children, Caroline's parents, fled Poland as political refugees, settling in Toronto by way of Baghdad, Paris, and Sweden. Caroline bailed from Vancouver to move to Poland in 2013, to find a new life. That journey led her to the capitals of Europe and deep into the maze of shocking family history.
The Blood of Abigail is a story about a demon and ghost as the main couple, a perfectly mismatched pair. Both characters have troubled backstories and missing pieces of their souls that only the other can complete, according to one review.
Listen to this episode for a chance to win a signed copy by the author.
Aside from writing, Johnson owns and operates Anytime Author Promotions (AAP). AAP offers quality book graphic needs at a price and Indie author can afford.
Here is an excerpt from the book.
"Darkness welcomes me as I embrace the choices that I have made. With fire in my eyes and revenge having already condemned my soul, Salem has created a demon. Born from the ashes and convicted with no sin, I was forced to reign in the underworld while I waited for the right time to avenge my wrongful death. The cost was of no concern, until I met my match in a ghost, 300 years later. He had one job; collect the soul and release it to me. That's it. Timothy carried his own past into the dark side. With conscience and a fondness for humans, I questioned his loyalty as I protected my secret."
Inspired by dreams & paranormal experiences, romance author Melinda Clark spins tales of love and lust for blood with biblical undertones, action, and happily ever after endings.
The protagonist Avery Langdon is a self-taught demon hunter with a vendetta.
Talon is a 300-year-old, blood-bag-drinking vampire with a fascination for her, and clearly death itself, as he persists in following the slayer on every hunt and pestering her with his advances.
Despite their differences, and regardless of Avery nearly putting a stake in his heart, the two will find themselves joining forces to try and stop an ancient evil from awakening and wreaking havoc: the first vampire, Cain.
Avery is adamant, despite Talon’s pursuit of her, that this collaboration remains geared toward accomplishing the greater good only.
Listen to the episode for a chance to win a signed copy of "The Sacred Objects."
Starting off strong in 2022, Michigan Authors are making one of their first stops at the Mid-Michigan Women's Expo this weekend Feb. 11 through Feb.13 at the Lansing Center.
Eleven authors representing different genres will be participating in the upcoming Expo in Lansing. Make sure you stop by the back wall between the concessions and the main stage to meet your next favorite read.
Listen to the special episode to find out how you can win free tickets to the show.
"We're sci-fi fantasy heavy," said author & organizer Jean Davis laughing. "We have two authors with Michigan books."
Author Judith Wade or Lori Hudson can't wait to meet with fans in person.
"Bring your walking shoes and a big bag to carry your books," Wade said. "It's really a nice thing to help someone who wants to get started writing and publishing. Often they have a well-developed idea."
Approximately 20 authors will be participating in the West Michigan Women's Expo in Grand Rapids set for March 18 through March 20. Follow this podcast for more info about authors and their in-person shows.
"She's Alone, Pregnant and about to be Murdered" best describes the protagonist Gabrielle in Sylvia Hubbard's newest romance suspense book "The Trouble with Gabrielle."
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Hubbard's new book.
Award-winning Detroit Author & Founder of Motown Writers, Hubbard has independently published over 55 romance suspense books over the 20 years she's been in the literary business.
In "The Trouble with Gabrielle," A one-night stand with a mysterious man, and four months later Gabrielle Payne is in desperate need of and pregnant. When things are at the worst, she finds out her mysterious man, Oliver Farnsworth, was murdered and very wealthy with no heir to claim the fortune his mother left him. Gabrielle decides to reveal her secret and ask for just “a little help.” She is taken in by Oliver’s stepmother, Neema McGee. The old house of Oliver Farnsworth is larger than any place she’s ever been, but she starts to see things are not what they seem. And she starts to find out several things in the two short weeks that she stays there.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/02/04/romancing-february/
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/02/02/authors-at-womens-expos-in-lansing-and-grand-rapids/
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A pre-school teacher turned author Renae Micou gives us a hug with her delightful characters Kai and Ms. Coo in her brand new illustrated children's book "I Think My Teacher Needs a Hug Today."
Presenting for the first time at the Ann Arbor Holiday Art show, Micou skillfully recreated the classroom atmosphere, as reflected in her new book illustrated by Stephen Elugbemi.
It took two years to put the book together and to fit it with the right illustrations on the go.
Take a listen for a chance to win a signed copy of Micou's new book.
In his second book after Carbon Footprint, Donny Winter tackles issues beyond the glitz of stepping out as an LGBTQ+poet, educator, and activist.
The sophomore collection of poems Feats of Alchemy takes readers on a perilous adventure through a futuristic and dystopian world. His experimental free verse poems use science fiction, natural, and pop-cultural images to metaphorically illustrate his experiences as a gay man navigating the different obstacles society presents after coming out. These poems create a cyberpunk-inspired, symbolic world centered around the cyborg, Solus Arcane, who seeks to understand their existence free of oppressive forces and strives to unlearn the programming given to them by their oppressive creator. Together, our bodies are welded and soldered by the forces of those seeking to silence, erase, or oppress. Feats of Alchemy acts as a circuit board connecting us with pathways toward self-sovereignty beyond artifice. Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of this fine collection of poems such as "This Closet is a Chrysalis" and "Queer Confession #6."
Author Dallas Woodburn skillfully flips friends into lovers in the love triangle between Carissa, Brad, and Rose using two points of view.
Set for February release the friends-to-lovers romance delivers a heartwarming message about self-improvement, identity, and acceptance in an image-obsessed culture.
This is Woodburn's second novel with a short story collection How To Make Paper When the World is Ending slated for June publication.
A former John Steinbeck Fellow in Creative Writing, Woodburn's writing has been honored with the Cypress & Pine Short Fiction Award, the international Glass Woman Prize, and four Pushcart Prize nominations.
When she's not writing, Dallas hosts the podcast "Overflowing Bookshelves." Woodburn is also a book doula.
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Woodburn's new novel.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2022/01/10/january-authors-represent-a-diverse-group/
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2021/12/22/czech-christmas-traditions-ii/
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2021/12/20/czech-holiday-traditions/
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As author psychologist Halvorsen puts it: "Go gently into 2022."
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of featured authors' giveaways.
In "Warehouse Dreams" author Theresa Halvorsen pitches the "Wilds" against the "Breds" embodied in delightful characters Kendle and teacher Stephen.
Kendle recruits teens with psychic abilities, for the Warehouse, the only school for Wilds. Accepting teens with Wild Gifts is risky; refusing means they face life under sedation. Stephen, the telepathy teacher, is a celebrity Bred with perfect genes. Can a Bred fall for a Wild like Kendle? As society’s hatred of Wilds goes up, the schools’ resources go down. Can Kendle protect her students?
Email the authors for a chance to win a free signed copy of their books.
Character Adam is edgier and author Andrew Allen Smith tells the story of the immortal in first person with the final fifth book in mind. "Adam" is a product of a dream, as often is the case with Smith's books.
"He's the first and only of his kind," Smith said. "I tried to stay away from the stereotype of immortals. I wanted to stay on the edge of it."
In this book, the author tackles the concept of death among many others from a different perspective.
“…here I am, cradling her in my arms. The cool breeze blowing across my face. I am looking down at a woman between life and death. I can save her, but at the cost of her being a little of me. I can watch her pass as I have seen so many pass before. The decision is mine. As I wrestle with it, the sirens scream in the background, closer and closer. Just a drop of my amazing blood will give her life, but how can I decide?”
Smith also talks about grieving during the holidays or at any time of the year in this special holiday episode.
"Don't go through it alone," he advises. "Be there for people who are grieving."
Smith penned his only non-fiction book "What Not to Say to People Who are Grieving" after the tragic death of his niece in 2020.
Listen in to the episode for a chance to win a signed copy of "Adam."
Happy holidays from the "For the Love of Books Podcast" and the Lowell Area Historical Museum (LAHM).
In this special holiday episode, Lisa Plank, the executive director of LAHM shares her insights behind the making of the hugely successful ABCs series from the past. Come along with us and step back into the colorful past lined with scenes such as the Ecker's Planing Mill, Christiansen Ice Cream Co., Opera House, King Milling Dam, and the 1912 blizzard.
The "ABCs of Lowell History" series started during the pandemic in 2020 in an effort to share the stories from Lowell's past with the community. It is now in its fourth round of the alphabet and going strong.
"We had a great response from the community," Plank said.
Happy holidays from the "For the Love of Books Podcast" and Bettie's Pages. We hope your holidays may be filled with joy and peace.
Bettie's Pages is a retro-inspired new and used indie bookstore that is more than just a shop. It's a cozy gathering place where you get to have fun, be authentic, and find friends in the heart of Lowell.
And it all started with the crazy idea of one person, Nicole, who hated her job and didn't expect support from friends and family.
"They were supposed to say, go find another job," said Bettie's Pages owner Nicole Lintemuth.
But they didn't and the result is a welcoming space for everyone whether you're looking for a book, a unique gift, or respite from the hustle and bustle. The store opened right before the pandemic in 2020. In March of 2020, Nicole shipped out 250 book boxes. She's up to 400 book boxes now.
She's been offering the book matching service ever since.
"I am not going to get rid of this," Nicole said. "I have too much fun doing the book boxes."
Also, if you prefer audiobooks, then Libro FM is the perfect indie alternative to audible.
Any plans for 2022?
Nicole has you covered. Join the "Cozy Mystery Book Club" in January with "Hope Never Dies."
"I hope people will continue to support places that kept us sane," Nicole said.
To join click below.
Bettie's Pages
Welcome, the holidays are upon us. We will usher in the Christmas spirit 2021 with the Holiday Special hosted by Emma Palova.
This special belongs to you our listeners of "For the Love of Books Podcast." You will be charmed by authors Melinda Falgoust, Andrew Smith, Theresa Halverson, and Jules Nelson.
The holiday special opens next week with Lowell Area Historical Museum director Lisa Plank, who will enlighten us with "ABCs of Lowell History."
Chime in. Happy holidays from us to you.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/emma-palova/support
Kate J. Meyer is an author, speaker, therapist, and minister living in West Michigan with her husband and two chocolate labs. She self-published her first novel in July 2021. The Red Couch, available on Amazon, is an adult coming of age novel about a woman named Toni, whose life is nothing like she imagined it would be; in fact, it is a mess! When Toni returns to Lake Harbor, WI to bury her grandmother, she does so intending to leave again asap. So when she is challenged to stay for a mysterious project, she's reluctant. Is a shoebox of old letters worth the risk of staying? Here's to hoping! Kate participated in her first NaNoWriMo in 2020 and can now announce that that book is under contract to be published with Lake Drive Books! Keep up to date with the launch date and other information by subscribing at www.katejmeyer.com. Kate also hosts the weekly series 'Mental Health Mondays with Kate' videos are available via her blog on her website and on social media.
In her Mystekos season series, author Amy Klco takes on the big theme of creating a balance between fantasy and real worlds.
In the second book, "Mystekos Fall" of the Lake of Two Worlds series- Emily returns to Camp Tender-Heart- and to Mystekos-only to find new trouble waiting for her.
All four books are a product of Klco's participation in the National Novel Writing Month, even though the first book took 12 years to write, while the second book took only the month of November.
You can win the four-book Mystekos series by emailing Amy at enchantmentpress@gmail.com
What would you change if you could go back to yesterday? The main character Biz in Hooyenga's young adult book "Flicker" discovers that she has a special ability; she uses sunlight to jump back to yesterday. She takes advantage of flickering by retaking Trig tests, fixing fights with her boyfriend (or reliving the making up), and repeating pretty much anything that could be done better. Trouble is, flickering makes her head explode from the inside. Or feel like it anyway.
No one knows about her freakish ability and she’s content to keep it that way. Guys don't stick around because she refuses to let them in, but all that changes when Cameron, her best friend, starts looking oh-so-yummy. Suddenly she's noticing his biceps, his smile, and the cute way his eyes crinkle when he—gah! This is her friend!
But the butterflies come to a screeching halt when little girls start disappearing, then take a nosedive when the police link the kidnappings to Cameron's sister, who vanished years earlier. As the police grasp for clues, Biz photographs a strange man lurking in the shadows and realizes that her flickering can help more than just herself. Listen to the episode for details of the giveaway. Contact Melanie through her website to receive a free signed book. Author Melanie Hooyenga
Author D. A. Reed delivers a message of hope to struggling teens, their parents and educators in her young adult novels "All The Things We Didn't See" and "Nothin' but Gutters and Change."
"There is always help," she said. "As a society, we need to eradicate the stigma around mental illness. I didn't realize it was such a big problem."
After writing twice about difficult issues for teens, Reed realized that she need to be aware, that these problems exist in society.
"People approached me to write about depression and suicide," she said.
At first she balked at the issues, but then Reed buckled up to bring awareness to serious problems that people are struggling with.
"I made sure to write it in a way so it's not that intense that people wouldn't want to read about it," she said.
Reed found a balance between stating the truth correctly while injecting some sarcastic humor into the stories.
"I always try to find that silver lining in difficult situations," she said.
What could be more frightening than the inevitable release of a serial killer?
A former police officer of 30 years, author Rod Sadler draws on his experience and relationships with the key people involved in the investigation, prosecution, and the defense of East Lansing serial killer Don Miller.
Due to pending changes in Michigan law, Miller could be released as soon as next year when he becomes eligible for parole.
Miller was arrested for the attempted murder of two teenagers in 1978. However, the police quickly realized he was probably responsible for the disappearance of four women.
"Most people had forgotten this," Sadler said. "When Miller gets released, those teenagers will relive that day and each subsequent year. He could be your neighbor."
With the National Novel Writing Month better known as NaNoWriMo just around the corner, NaNo authors Jean Davis, Sara Shanning, and Kristine Brickey share their insights from their experiences in conquering the word marathon.
According to all the panel participants whether you hit a writers' block, crossroads in the plot, or the midway slump, you just keep on rolling.
"Just keep on writing," Davis said.
Author Brenda Hasse has participated in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November multiple times. Her most recent NaNo book is "A Victim of Desperation" based on a true story about human trafficking.
Her most recent book, romantic suspense, is "A Cursed Witch" with a setting in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1828 when body snatchers stole dead bodies from "kirkyards" and sold them to the local medical college for 8 to 10 British pounds.
Listen in for a chance to win a free signed book of your choice.
"This island is for you," said art fair director Stephene Lapp. "We want you vendors. I can't wait to meet all the authors and all the vendors."
Seven Michigan authors will be among the 114 vendors on the island that is connected to the mainland by one bridge only. Lapp expects around 6,000 visitors to the event on July 31st.
There will be also nine musicians and boat rides.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2021/07/03/art-festivals-in-michigan/
Come and see me at Art in the Park on 4th of July in Frankfort, MI from 10 a.m. to 5p.m.
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Once, Rutherford changed the main character of the prodigal son to prodigal daughter in his debut novel, Scott knew he had a story screaming to be told.
"The novel practically wrote itself," he said. "I am a plotter, writing is easy. The real challenge was presenting it to the world."
Listen in to poet Valeriu Barbu speak in beautiful Italian followed by English dubbing about his new book "Hey, Peasant" and his review of author Emma Palova's new book "Greenwich Meridian Memoir." Both authors share a common past represented by the horrors of living in communism and totalitarianism of the Eastern European block.
It was a bizarre coincidence, when author JuliAnne Sisung was enticed to a small Michigan town, that was engulfed by an epidemic in the 1890s.
"It took a year to write following months of research for the perfect small town. I found Pere Cheney, just south of Grayling, Michigan. It was a railroad and logging town with a fascinating history, and it was waiting for me. I didn’t know we’d be living with Covid -19 when I began this book about a diphtheria epidemic. It hit the village in 1893, and some surprising events nourished the novel."
-Author JuliAnne Sisung-
Inspired by Japanese folklore, author Xander Cross creates a dark, forbidding future and a demon in peril in "The Origin of the White Wind." Welcome to The Atlas Dystopia Apocalyptica, the memoirs of a former Divine Messenger turned yakuza assassin! This gritty action thriller will take you into the shadowy world of dragons and yōkai in the 22nd Century New Toky and beyond!
Come sail the high seas with Captains of Literary Wonderment!
Have you ever been hiked out on the high side, your boat at a 30-degree heel, wind filling your spinnaker, spray hitting your face as you scream across the water at 20 knots? Well, if you have, you'll understand the excitement this Virtual Book Festival will bring. If you haven't, throw caution to the wind, and join us for the Summer Reading Regatta!
When the police investigation into the murder of a gentle retired history professor stalls, friends of the dead man plead with PI Martin Preuss to find out what happened.
The award-winning author puts us in the front-row seat watching victims like Hayley Larson fight for justice in his latest thriller- Supreme Betrayal in the Zachary Blake Legal Thrillers series.
Inspired by the headlines, Bello masterfully weaves real with fiction as he tells the story from alternating points of view.
Can Hayley prevent a sexual predator from being elevated to the highest court in the land?
But nothing will stop President's nominee Oliver Wilkinson from fighting for the coveted seat on the Supreme Court.
Only Hayley stands in his way.
From the first spark of electricity to the RNA-based COVID vaccine, authors Gene and Marion take us on a journey through time over the last 100 years of the evolution of technology in their book "Shift Happens: Essays on Technology."
“Major changes in technology in the past 100 years have drastically shifted our perceptions of who we are and how we live.”
Gene Wilburn
Gene Wilburn
Rather than becoming an astronaut, author A. Kidd transforms into spunky heroine Julia who aims to help her disappearing Grammu.
The award- winning author for her "Immersion" writes under different pen names to reach different audiences.
Her most recent R.J. Lloyd pen name takes on the paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, sex and action.
While Nora Carter tackles non-fiction.
Nothing is ever as it seems on the surface. Expect the unexpected. Is it real, fiction or a combination? You decide. Go ahead. I dare you!
Indie author Joan H. Young said, in a recent interview, that Indie authors will be remembered as "trailblazers" as the self-publishing movement continues to grow with one million ISBNs issued annually, and trad. publishing fades with smaller budgets for marketing.
Author Randy Pearson intersperses humor throughout fiction in his newest book of the Trac Brothers saga- "Santascoy's Revenge."
Inspired by a railroad handcar, the author takes us on a ride through Michigan's Lower Peninsula with the Rail Riders facing off the Track Pirates.
Indie author Jean Davis turned unfinished stories languishing on her hard drive into a publishing reality in the Covid era.
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Canadian Indie author Luba Lesychyn worked for a reputable international museum where artwork was stolen, and then it appeared again on the doorsteps of the museum. You decide which is true and which is fiction. Navigating all this are characters Kalena and the museum guard Marco.
The product of her glamorous museum experience are Lesychyn's two books: "Theft By Chocolate" and "Theft Between the Rains."
Escape into Lesychyn's world of chocolate, love, international art and the Toronto underground.
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Indie author Diana Plopa is a prolific writer who has penned nine books in nine different genres. Listen in to her secrets how not to get mixed up the genres and why she believes any text is sacred.
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2021/03/04/for-the-love-of-books-podcast/
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2021/02/23/winter-bookfest-rolls-into-final-week/
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This episode is also available as a blog post: http://emmapalova.com/2021/02/15/virtual-festival-replay-souvenirs/
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