Category Archives: Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 9, on the trail

November 9, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

A good writing day

My creativity must copy the weather. I don’t know how else to explain it. As the sun came out, I immediately felt up to the 50k-word challenge breaking my regular morning routine.

I started writing around 7 a.m. and got done with my set word quota before my haircut appointment in town at 9 a.m. I walked into the dark as the electricity went out at Station Salon, but the show must continue.

We exchanged salon talk for info around town. And I mean info, not gossip. Lowell will have a new restaurant set to open in December in the old Springrove building. YAY! No more empty storefronts.

I even got in regular work and research at my branch office on Murray Lake, my car. LOL. After I finished writing in session 2, I took to the trail and walked in the crisp November air on a sunny afternoon.

The word count may not seem great, but the way it got done was pleasant. What did I eat today? A Harmony trail mix with a great brand story that I will share later.

I am leaving for the reception at Lowell Arts in eight minutes. That’s what I call a productive day. I logged in 1,715 words.

To be continued.

National Novel Writing Month, Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 8

November 8, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

Okay, my NaNo daily word output or the force behind it is like an EKG strip with peaks and falls. Today, was another tough one as I had to extract the words out of me. I woke up early and went through my morning routine of doing yoga, meditation, and treadmill. I even worked physically in my sunroom to get balanced for the daily writing session.

However, no homeostasis occurred. It was a dark dreary November day with the lights in my office turned on all day.

The best thing that happened to me today was my trip to the Cannonsburg Post Office with a box of books for the Book Nook of Saugatuck located at 242 Butler Street. If you’re in that area, don’t forget to stop by. Books make great gifts.

https://www.facebook.com/booknooksaugatuck/

I logged in 1,773 words for a total of 16, 298. That’s pretty much the bare minimum because I have a show next weekend – Christmas through Lowell. I will be at the Lowell Area Historical Museum.

See you there.

National Novel Writing Month, Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 7

November 7, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

The writing went better today than yesterday; I slept better and I meditated and exercised in the morning. What kind of exercise? Yoga on the Beach with Elin and 18 minutes on the treadmill gave me energy. I believe you have to achieve homeostasis to be able to keep up with the 50k-word challenge.

I can only do the challenge when my body, mind, and spirit are balanced.

I did come across a few snags mainly at one of the scene locations. Then again I had to look up how pagers were used in the 1990s, and computers before Windows. My husband Ludek helped me with research.

Overall, not a bad writing day as I logged in 2,022 words for a total of 14, 525 words since the challenge started on Nov. 1. I wish I had prepared more in October with research and interviews. I’ll have to catch up on that to fill in some holes.

I even managed to go to LowellArts to fix the book and poster display with the help of director Janet Teunis for the upcoming holiday Artists Market. Better, yet, I got our grocery shopping done when the store was almost empty, as they transitioned into the holiday season. Yay!

On my way home, I voted at Vergennes Township Hallo in a very low-key election that featured only one question on the ballot; to approve the countywide library millage. At 3 p.m., I was voter no. 64 in precinct 1. I got my sticker, “I voted.” That’s all that matters.

On my way home, I ate trail mix for both lunch and dinner. But, then I sampled the stuffed eggplant that I’d made for tomorrow. It was very good.

Then I worked in the sunroom planting mom’s pink oleander, more work on that is to be continued. I have to parlay physical work into mental output.

I can actually say that I accomplished a few things today.

Good luck to all Wrimos. Let’s keep on pressing.

National Novel Writing Month, Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 6

November 6, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

Monday, Monday

I dragged my feet today after a restless night with the vision of the newspaper deadline and the daily word log-in of at least 1,667 words to win the 50k NaNoWriMo word challenge by the end of November.

When I had to look up how were beepers or pagers used, I realized that I was definitely writing historical fiction even though it’s set in the early 1990s.

I had to do some research too, which put me behind more. I got zero cooking done, and never left the house. I only went upstairs to exercise on the treadmill for 18 minutes and felt guilty. Only my growling stomach reminded me that I should eat something. So, I devoured two cans of tuna with blue cheese stuffed olives, and pita chips. I drank Earl Grey tea, cup after cup.

Did anyone say that NaNo should be fun? True there were some fun elements to writing today like when I got all caught up in describing the Painted Pony Macaroni dish.

I am still feeling good about the Book Nook of Saugatuck selling out of my The Lost Town books, and ordering more. That keeps me going.

https://www.facebook.com/booknooksaugatuck/

More fun tomorrow. Good luck to all Wrimos.

National Novel Writing Month, Uncategorized

Double-Up Donation NaNoWriMo Day 5

November 5, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

Powers of red agates

Today I wrote about the powers of red agates as the plot of my NaNo novel unravels with a total of 10, 739 words, and I logged in 2,426 today.

I will get some NaNo goodies because I donated to support the writing initiative. YAY! I believe in creative endeavors in any form.

I even made it to the Sunday mass at St. Pat’s in Parnell and to Sicialiano’s on Lake Drive for glass supplies. Other good news included that The Book Nook of Saugatuck sold all six copies of The Lost Town and wanted five more books. Thank you, Cheryl. You rock.

NaNoWriMo tips

This is my fifth NaNoWriMo challenge, and I still find it extremely challenging. Here are some tips:

I break up the writing into morning and afternoon sessions to make the challenge more palatable. I make notes of changes that I will need to make in December.

Good luck to all Wrimos.

arts, author events, book signing, Christmas through Lowell, Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 4, Artists Market

November 4, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

It was a beautiful sunny day in November which impacted my writing and went much better than yesterday even though it was interrupted by my preparations for the Artists Market at LowellArts Gallery in downtown Lowell.

Artists Market at Lowell Arts

I am extremely excited about this event since it’s my first time at the market, not at the gallery. I’ve had book signings at the gallery many times before. It’s a beautiful new venue with 50 artists. Don’t miss out on this one. You will find unique gifts. Half of my books are signed, the other half I left unsigned for the time when I will be serving my shifts at the gallery if you want to stop by. Books make excellent gifts.

I will be at the gallery in person on Dec. 3 from noon to 5 p.m., Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Dec. 10 from noon to 5 p.m.

Artists Market, Nov. 9 – Dec. 23 at 223 W. Main Street, Lowell , MI 49331

I logged in 2, 536 words with four chapters. I need to keep up the writing around 2, 000 words a day, because I will be in the Christmas Through Lowell (CTL) tour on Nov. 17, 18, and 19 at the Lowell Area Historical Museum located at 325 W. Main in downtown Lowell.

Mark your calendars. These are all excellent holiday hometown events and low-pressure shopping opportunities. See you at these events.

To all Wrimos keep on writing.

Uncategorized

November episode reruns

November 3, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

Here is the schedule of podcast episodes with authors who sponsored the For the Love of Books Podcast show. No one is on strike. November is my writing month without interruptions. NaNoWriMo is uncompromising in its intensity and daily word output. Managing time is the key to getting it done.

Enjoy these awesome authors. I am scheduling December and January episodes now.

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 on http//emmapalova123.podbean.com or on your favorite podcasting apps

NOVEMBER SCHEDULE

Larry Maley, Immersion: The Chronicles of the Manaar, Nov. 8

Nikki Mitchell, Nightshade Forest, Nov. 15

Sharon Kennedy, The SideRoad Kids, Nov. 22

Barbara Britton, Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey, Nov. 29

Sponsored by Doc Chavent, authors Larry Maley, Nikki Mitchell, and Barbara Britton, Modern History Press

National Novel Writing Month, Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 3

November 3, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

Write what you know or do you know too much?

So much for the saying- write what you know.

It happened to me too. So far I’ve only heard about it from a few sources and author J. Q. Rose in the podcast episode about her mystery romance Deadly Undertaking set in a funeral home.

https://emmapalova123.podbean.com/e/ author-jq-rose-pens-mystery-romance-deadly-undertaking

Since the author was part of the family funeral business, she knew everything about it. When she started writing the mystery, Rose found out she knew too much and got involved personally in the story to the point where she had to stop for a while.

Well, this morning I thought Day 3 would be a breeze since I was writing about an interview for a prestigious job at a beautiful location. Not, only do I know everything about interviewing on both sides of the table, but I also know the location.

It was like pulling teeth; I had to leave and go for a ride. Even then it didn’t get any better. I barely finished my goal and logged in 2, 095 words with a major headache.

On the other hand, I put together a good recipe for fall risotto yesterday that I will share soon.

Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 2

November 2, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

The second day of NaNoWriMo falls on All Souls Day aka the Day of the Dead.

“We believe that we have a connection, “ said Vicar David about those who passed and the living.

The Book of the Dead with signatures will stay in the narthex of the church for the month of November.

The mass was held at @St. Pat’s in Parnell.

I logged in 1,879 words between several sessions broken up by different events.

The Book of the Dead with inscription of omega on the cover.

NaNoWriMo daily log in aka quotidien to be continued.

Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo Day 1

November 1, 2023 Author Emma Palova Leave a comment

A freezin g 24F morning followed a snowy Halloween. But the view of my garden in the morning was beautiful . The remaining fall colors mixed with the white of the frost on the ground and shrubs.

“The hardest thing is to start,” said author Vera West in the special episode about NaNoWriMo. “Just like going to the gym or anything else.”

My stomach fluttered with anxiety from the unknown of the 50-k word challenge even though I had been preparing for my project, but not enough.

“It’s never enough,” I say about anything.

But the tips and advice from yesterday’s podcast stayed with me, “I have to keep on moving one foot in front of the other, right? I have to keep on writing.”

I logged in 1803 words as I sighed with relief.