Wishing everyone a great new year. May all your dreams, hopes and wishes come true this year.
Wish big, reach high. Disrupt a category, break your breaking point. Help others reach their goals. Don’t stop. Start something new. Be an innovator. Set lofty goals. Be generous and kind. Don’t settle into status quo. Change with the changing times.
Never give up.
Watch for my first podcast of the year. You don’t want to miss it.
Copyright (c) 2023. Emma Blogs, LLC.
I will not be at West Catholic Central tomorrow Dec.3 Please order books below. I offer free shipping. Books make great gifts and souvenirs.
I logged in 50,036 words with my sequel to The Lost Town in the NaNoWriMo 50K word challenge this morning at 9 a.m.
To celebrate my third-time win in National Novel Writing Month, all my books will be 20 percent off until midnight EST on Nov. 30 for the duration of the challenge.
From an aspiring writer to a published author
Use promo code NaNo22 in the PayPal checkout.
SCHEDULE OF GUESTS for December 2022
FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS PODCAST with host EMMA PALOVA
Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy in the podcast book giveaway.
http://emmapalova123.podbean.com and on https://anchor.fm/emma-palova, major podcasting apps
December Schedule
Steve Boughton, Francesco Takes Flight, Dec. 2
Janet Vormittag, Cat Women of West Michigan, Dec. 9
Herman Hunter, The Wizard’s Stone, Dec. 16
Karen Tintori, The Daughters, Dec. 23
Carol Nickles, Thumbfire Desire, Dec. 30
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, Modern History Press
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
There is no rest for the wicked.
The special episode, Panel of Fear with horror authors Andrew Smith, Matthew Hellman, Craig Brockman, Bob Williams, and ghost author Stacey Rourke will air this week on For the Love of Books Podcast just in time to get spooked before Halloween.
Asylums, roller coasters, haunted houses, psychics, Zombie walks through the night forests, a man hangs himself during a Halloween scare in the closeby woods, nature at its worst, we drive out to the piers….why do we seek out fear? Or does fear seek us out? Is it natural or supernatural? Normal or paranormal? Do ghosts exist? Is the Tower Farm haunted?
“It definitely is,” said its former resident Addie Abel.
We sneak into attics and basements to find what? When was the last time you were scared? And why? What profound experience has influenced your actions?
We all have a dark side, and not all of us manage it well, according to Dr. Kathryn Den Houter, author of the psychological thriller ‘Prison Shadows.’
This year, Halloween expenditures are projected to reach a record high of $11 billion, according to Statista.
“The reason why people seek out fear is that humans feel the most alive when we are in the state of mixed emotions: When we have fear yet are on the alert for excitement we are titillated. Our brain and emotions are working at full capacity. We yearn for the peak experiences that let us know we are “truly alive,” said Dr. Kathryn Den Houter.
Den Houter is a retired psychologist, the author of five books, and a fan of Alfred Hitchcock.
So let’s take a look at our panelists:
Author Craig Brockman currently lives with his wife Sally in Tecumseh, Michigan. In 2020 he published the ghost novel “Dead of November: A Novel of Lake Superior”, in 2007 the middle grade “Marty and the Far Woodchuck”, and in 2022 “Curve of the Earth”, and has been published in anthologies
Ghosts of those drowned and never recovered are swarming from Lake Superior. But they are not there to haunt the living. They are fleeing something far more sinister.
Author Matthew Hellman earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Technological University calls Michigan’s U.P. home. He has been writing since 2013. His published works include the novel “Solomon’s Seal”, the novel “The Biting Cold”, the novella “The Hawthorne Blow”, and a short story in “Six Guns Straight from Hell”. “The Biting Cold” and “The Hawthorne Blow” both take place in the upper peninsula of Michigan.
The residents of a small Michigan town fight to survive in a brutal winter storm. But their fight isn’t against the storm, it’s against what the storm has awakened.
Smith is a prolific author of Masterson Files, poetry, and most recently two short story anthologies ‘Slice of Fear’ and ‘Another Slice of Fear.”
Are you ready to see how deep the rabbit hole can go? Another Slice of Fear contains 16 original short stories from the mind of Andrew Allen Smith that may help you get there.
http://emmapalova123.podbean.com
The feature photo of Fallasburg Sunrise is by Bruce Doll.
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
By Emma Palova
I will be at Art in the Park in Holland on Aug. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. along with other authors. We will be located along Central near the corner of 10th in booths 205 & 206. You can listen to some of these authors talk about their books on For the Love of Books Podcast at http://emmapalova123.podbean.com
These authors represent a wide variety of genres from horror and fantasy to historical fiction and everything in between. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to meet us in person and find your next favorite read.
Jean Davis
Emma Palova
Diane Burton
Andrew Smith
KM McIntyre
Janet Vormitag
Vera West
Patricia Kiyono
Mark Love
I have a brand new book The Lost Town from the Shifting Sands series that I have introduced to the market at Once Upon A Book in Frankenmuth. The third book in the series is getting awesome reviews. You can get a signed copy by visiting our authors’ booths in Holland this Saturday. I am grateful to my graphic artist Jeanne Boss of Rockford for the whimsical cover.
This historical fiction is a reflective account of a city in Michigan’s past, called Singapore, whose development on the Lake Michigan shore was the dream of wealthy investors from New York. Their hopes in making it a booming Michigan city were affirmed in a statement made by John Bosch, one of the main characters and investors, who said, “The town of Singapore will rival both Chicago and Milwaukee, and its counterpart in Asia….” With twists and turns that love and hardships create, this fascinating saga of our state’s history will keep the reader’s attention from start to finish. Emma has successfully captured the varied emotions and accounts of the characters and conditions surrounding the growth, and later demise, of the city of Singapore.
–Carol Briggs, Lowell Person of the Year 2019
Emma’s ease at mixing actual history into her stories is remarkable, and so entails Miss Ida’s response to an invitation to a soon-to-be bustling “Singapore” on the shores of Lake Michigan. She is transported away from Chicago, family, and friends. She quickly learns the duties expected of her in maintaining a boarding house and warehouse in the rapidly growing community. Soon she falls in love with one of the corrupt founders. The many colorful characters weave a fantastic story of love, mystery, hope, and faith. This is a quick, very worthwhile read!
-Nancy Price Stroosnyder
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
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PALMER PARK ART FAIR, DETROIT, JUNE 4 & 5 Summer is finally here and I am getting ready for several road trips. My first event of the year is the Palmer Park Art Fair on June 4 & 5 located at 910 Merrill Plaisance St. in Detroit. I am very excited since I’ve never been to this event. I tried to avoid big-city gigs but because of the nature of Greenwich Meridian Memoir which describes our life in communist Czechoslovakia and our travels across three continents, Detroit with a large Czech community is a must-stop.  Palmer Park Art Fair is a premier event on Lake Frances with an authors’ tent with 13 authors, and 120 other art vendors selling original artworks of various media, including painting, sculpture, music, mixed media, and more. In addition, the event will have a music stage and specialty booths. The hours are on June 4 from 10 to 7 p.m. and June 5 from 11 to 5 p.m. Next weekend I will be at GIZZARD FEST, POTTERVILLE, JUNE 10& 11Gizzard Fest is not your ordinary festival. Thousands of people stream into Potterville for this unique event and good old-fashioned fun! The small-town atmosphere, live music, carnival, and great food (including plenty of gizzards) bring people from across the Midwest. The hours are on June 10 from 9 a.m. to DARK, June 11 from 8 a.m. to DARK LAKESHORE ART FESTIVAL, MUSKEGON, JUNE 25 & 26 This event is held in downtown Muskegon with more than 20 authors representing all genres. The LAF features a unique blend of fine art, handcrafted goods, music, food, and fun. Experience over 300 juried fine art and specialty craft exhibitors, a Children’s Lane, an artisan food market, street performers, multiple interactive art stations and so much more. The hours are on June 25 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and June 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Detroit Virtual Book Fest July 15-July 17 see the link at the bottom ONCE UPON A BOOK, FRANKENMUTH, JULY 23 https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnceUponABook2016FanPage/ WILD BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL, PARADISE, AUG. 19, 20, 21 https://festivalnet.com/29244/Paradise-Michigan/Craft-Shows/Wild-Blueberry-Festival COMING SOON The Lost Town is a historical fiction novel set in a ghost town. Protagonist Ida is torn between her hometown of Chicago and her new home across Lake Michigan, and between two men. Who will win her heart- her husband or her lover?    Shifting Sands is a growing anthology of short stories and a brand new novel Shifting Sands: The Lost Town coming soon. The novel was edited by Carol Briggs of Lowell with the cover designed by graphic artist Jeanne Boss of Rockford.The first book is a collection of 13 stories divided into three circles based on my life experiences: retail, journalism, and immigration. The second book Secrets is a collection of 15 short stories with the main historical fiction story Silk Nora set in Belding, MI. There are other stories as well such as the Chief about a corrupt small-town police chief and 40 Hunks exploring cheap labor from Mexico.  FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS PODCAST with host EMMA PALOVAListen in for a chance to win a signed copy in the podcast book giveaway. http://emmapalova123.podbean.com and major podcasting apps. June Schedule Jon Stott, Summers at the Lake, June 2 Mark Loeb, special guest at Palmer Park Art Fair, June 3 Kris Gair, The Beautiful Moment, June 3 Nikki Mitchell, Nightshade Forest, June 17 Deborah Frontiera, Superior Tapestry, June 17 Victor Volkman, U.P. Reader, June 24 Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, Modern History Press, Nikki Mitchell Find Out More |
Detroit Virtual Book Fair, July 15-17, link to the catalog of my books in my virtual booth coming soon.
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
I’ve just found out from Facebook memories that it’s been one year since the first episode of For the Love of Books Podcast aired on major podcasting apps.
I was honored to have Diana Plopa of Pages Promotions as my first guest author, and a big-time supporter. And the support continued with founding authors Jean Davis, Luba Lesychyn, Ingar Rudholm, Andrew Smith, Joan Young, and countless others.
Our daughter Doc Chavent sponsored the show from the get-go, most recently joined by Modern History Press which supports its fine authors. So new horizons are opening for all of us as spring is in the air after the long winter.
I am pleased to welcome author guests from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Mikel Classen, Phil Bellfy, Robin Marvel, Chris Stark, Deborah Frontiera and Sharon Kennedy, because who doesn’t love U.P. its magic and mysteries. Also in the line-up are Mike Carrier, Elizabeth Fust and Victor Volkman, president of L H Press Inc.
This will be an exciting time as we navigate upcoming big events like the Lakeshore Art Festival (LAF) in Muskegon and different Art in the Park events around the state of Michigan, as well as Expos.
In the special episodes, we offer tips like how to win and survive the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.) Prior to major events, I chat with the show organizers.
Stop by at any of the events to pick up your next favorite read and chat with us. We care about our fans.
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Mikel B. Classen has been writing and photographing northern Michigan in newspapers and magazines for over thirty-five years, creating feature articles about the life and culture of Michigan’s north country. A journalist, historian, photographer, and author with a fascination of the world around him, he enjoys researching and writing about lost stories from the past.
Currently, he is the managing editor of the U.P. Reader and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association. In 2020, Mikel won the Historical Society of Michigan’s, George Follo Award for Upper Peninsula History. Classen makes his home in the oldest city in Michigan, historic Sault Ste. Marie. He is also a collector of out-of-print history books and historical photographs and prints of Upper Michigan. At Northern Michigan University, he studied English, history, journalism, and photography.
His book, Au Sable Point Lighthouse, Beacon on Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast; was published in 2014 and his book, Teddy Roosevelt and the Marquette Libel Trial; was published in 2015. Both by the History Press. He has a book of fiction called Lake Superior Tales published by Modern History Press, which won the 2020 U.P. Notable Book Award. His newest release is Points North a non-fiction travel book published in 2019 by Modern History Press. Points North has received the Historical Society of Michigan’s, “Outstanding Michigan History Publication,” along with the 2021 U.P. Notable Book Award.
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, all True Tales of the early days of the Upper Peninsula Frontier. Penned by U.P. historian, Mikel B. Classen, years of research are culminated in a book that reveals history on the verge of being lost to time. The book collects stories from across the northern peninsula making this an essential book for any Michigan history enthusiast.
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
February is the month of love, red roses, chocolates, fiery garnets, and champagne.
This month, I am featuring romance authors of different subgenres on “For the Love of Books Podcast.”
Today, I will be chatting with author Melinda Clark. Stay tuned for the upcoming episode on
http://emmapalova123.podbean.com
….and wherever you get your podcasts.
Melinda Clark is a licensed veterinary technician by day, fantasy and paranormal romance writer by night. She loves singing, reading, outdoor activities, and relaxing in the hot tub.
About Love and Bloodlust: The Sacred Objects
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. But as the two grow closer to each other, will she be able to resist the temptation he presents her with? Will Avery be able to do what’s right in the end, despite her newly developed feelings?
Coming soon podcast episode with romance author Virginia Johnson.
Check out the podcast episode with romance author Sylvia Hubbard.
If you would like to purchase the garnets or order desserts click on the images of the cake and garnets.
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
After a rocky start-up of shows in 2021, this year looks promising for in-person author shows in Michigan. Last year, some shows were canceled again due to Covid, but some were a go or a hybrid, depending on the organizers and their boards. It was like playing the roulette or opening a box of chocolates because you never knew what you were going to get.
One of the first shows of the season is the upcoming Mid Michigan Women’s Expo in Lansing set for February 18 through February 20 at the Lansing Center.
The 22nd annual Mid-Michigan Women’s Expo features hundreds of exhibits, seminars, shopping, and fun that aim to provide a weekend of entertainment, education, and enjoyment tailored to women and their families.
Michigan Authors Area – signing and selling books
Meet and Greet Authors! Various local Michigan Authors at the expo! Find your next book to read and relax with, both fiction and non-fiction books to purchase. Speak to the Author onsite and discover their inspiration for writing their book.
Pictured below are a few participating authors at the Mid Michigan Women’s Expo in Lansing.
Eleven Michigan authors will be signing and selling their books at this premier Expo with hundreds of exhibits, seminars, shopping, and fun.
The participating authors for the Mid Michigan Expo are Jean Davis, Judith Wade, G.S. Scott, Norma Lewis, Melinda Clark, Mikel Classen, Sylvia Hubbard, Kristine Brickey, Jules Nelson, Rod Sadler, and Sara Shanning.
Their genres range from fantasy to historical fiction. You can listen to some of them on my podcast show “For the Love of Books Podcast.”
Click on the link below to listen to your favorite episode.
West Michigan Women’s Expo is set for March 18 through March 20 at DeVos Place. Indie authors will have their own Great Lakes Authors booth with close to 20 participating authors.
Stay tuned for the upcoming podcast episodes with authors Sylvia Hubbard, Jean Davis, Judith Wade, and Melinda Clark on podbean and major podcasting apps
https://emmapalova123.podbean.com/
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
By Emma Palova
Lowell, MI – Among the age-old Czech Christmas traditions that I consider as the most bizarre and “fishy” was the purchase of a live carp on Christmas Eve or the day before for Christmas Eve dinner at the Czech open-air holiday markets.
The carp were transported in barrels with fresh water from the carp ponds in Southern Bohemia such as Trebon. The carp ponds were started in medieval times in the Rozmberk area. Annually in the autumn, the ponds are drained and the carp are netted and kept in large vats before they hit the holiday markets on city squares.
We had to stand in lines for fresh carp at the open markets and the no. 1 tip was not to forget your crochet net bag so the carp could breathe in it before you got the poor fish home, that had already been fighting for oxygen with hundreds of carp in the barrels and vats since November.
If you were lucky to get the carp home live, you had to release it into the bathtub. The next day the men in the household butchered it and it was served for Christmas Eve dinner. Sometimes the head was used for fish soup. We have always used the mushroom soup alternative.
The next hurdle you had to overcome was not to get a bone stuck in your throat. The fried carp always had plenty of bones, fat, and smelled of mud from the ponds, if it was big enough. Yet, it was the fish of choice for the festive dinner accompanied by potato salad, and soup.
If you had something different like fish fillets or fried schnitzel, it was looked down upon.
This fishy tradition I have modified accordingly since there is no live carp sold on American open holiday markets. At least not that I know of. For years I bought fish at the local grocer’s fish counter, until 2020, the year of Covid.
As I frequented farmer’s markets in 2020 due to Covid restrictions, I discovered fishmonger Dan Sodini from Middleville. He brings fresh and frozen fish from the cold waters of Lake Huron to the markets in West Michigan. Last year, he started the annual winter “fish drop” and I rejoiced.
I knew the Great Lakes Fish annual fish drop was as close as I could get to the Czech live carp tradition. During the first winter fish drop on Jan. 16th at the Ada market, I bought our Christmas fish: lake trout, whitefish, and salmon. And yes, I had to stand in a line. Thank you, Dan, for keeping our “fishy” tradition alive.
Some Czech families feeling sorry for the carp let it loose the next day, which was not recommended.
Back to Christmas Eve; those who fasted all day before dinner got to see the golden pig, signifying prosperity. Also if you put a scale from the carp under your plate or in your wallet, you will enjoy prosperity.
Creative Czechs have been inspired by the live carp tradition for generations; it has made its way into movies, folk tales, legends, poems, new blog posts, and radio talk.
If you see a star made from apple seeds by cutting an apple in half, the whole family will enjoy health for the entire year or there will be a birth in the family. On the other hand, if you see a cross from the apple seeds or the center is rotted, there will be a death in the family.
Single girls threw a shoe behind them at the doorstep, if the tip pointed to the door, the girl would get married next year. If it pointed inward, the girl would stay single for at least the next year.
Sometimes, we each floated a nut shell with a candle resembling little sailboats in a pot; the sailboats that traveled away from the edge, meant travel for their owners, the ones that stayed by the edge, meant staying home.
A major difference between Czech and American Christmas is that gifts are found underneath the tree right after dinner. “Jezisek” brings them while we eat.
This was preceded by a long period of hiding gifts, and hunting for them; finding gifts in unusual places and boxes marked with something else than the content. I picked up this tradition from my dad, Vaclav Konecny. Once in Africa, he put my doll in a box from a train. I remember the tears of disappointment, that didn’t last too long.
Mom Ella found her golden bracelets hanging like ornaments on the Christmas tree. Thanks, dad for this fun tradition.
Then, we play traditional Czech carols on the piano and the trumpet. We usually go for the Christmas mass the next day on Dec. 25th. Now, almost exclusively to St. Pat’s in Parnell.
In the Czech Republic, the day after Christmas Day was known as the Feast of St. Stephen, which we all celebrated by visiting with family and going to church.
Since we have been sharing our favorite Christmas traditions on my “For the Love of Books Podcast,” I would be remiss if I didn’t share my own.
Here we go:
After a long day of working in the kitchen, my favorite moment was finally sitting down at the festive dinner table, lighting the candles, and seeing all the hungry faces ready to eat after the prayer led by the head of the family.
Check out the “For the Love of Books Podcast” on
http://emmapalova123.podbean.com
Merry Christmas
Copyright (c) 2021. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
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