book signing, Christmas through Lowell, Daily Post prompt, entertainment, events, fiction, inspiration, local author, press release, prompts, Shifting Sands Short Stories, Uncategorized, vendors

Orchards as inspiration

November 6, 2017 emmapalova 2 Comments

Local author at Red Barn Market during Christmas through Lowell, Nov. 17, 18, 19

Following is an example of a Press Release.

For immediate release

November 6, 2017

Contact: Emma Palova

Lowell, MI – Local author Emma Palova will have a book signing of Shifting Sands Short Stories at the Red Barn Market during the annual Christmas through Lowell tour from Nov. 17 to Nov. 19.

Bring your locally purchased book available at Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids or Lansing. The book is also available on Amazon in two formats: Kindle for $7.99 and paperback for $11.99.

Palova divides the stories in the book into three circles: early immigration years, retail and journalism. The stories feature characters such as professor Martin Duggan in “The Temptation of Martin Duggan” based on the family immigration saga from former Czechoslovakia.

Book signing in downtown Lowell.

The hometown politics circle from journalism depicts ruthless supervisor Ned in the “Iron Horse” and charismatic Lisa in “Foxy.” The retail circle of stories highlights the retail madness during the “orange balloon clearance” in the “Orange Nights.” Rachel suffers under the yoke of the Midwest store routine.

Apple orchards served as a source of inspiration for “Danillo,” a story about a Mexican immigrant who works at the apple orchards.

“Orchards of any type have inspired me ever since I’ve read Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard,” Palova said.

The Red Barn Market is no. 1 location on the Greater Lowell map of the Christmas tour located at 3550 Alden Nash.

“I have deep ties to the Red Barn Market,” said Palova. “I’ve watched them grow over the last three years. We’re practically Neighbors. Red Barn and the surrounding Kropf apple orchards also inspire my work.”

The Red Barn Market has inspired one of the stories in Palova’s Book 2: Shifting Sands Short Stories: Secrets.

Annually, the tour attracts hundreds of visitors from far and near.

“It is our busiest event,” said general manager Barb Kropf-Roth.

The Trademark of the Christmas event are various vendors with unique wares & services such as the brand new Hastings-based “Little Dreamers Sleepovers.”

Little Dreamers Sleepovers — West Michigan’s premier sleepover specialist.

The list of vendors includes:

Amy Pearson – Paisley Productions – dolly clothes, tutus and jewelry!

Joyce Hofman – The Milk Bucket Goat Soap Company – goat milk soaps, lotions and more!

Bree Duffy – Flat Caps for Sale – unique handmade hats!

Ana Maria Pimentel – magical houses!

Sandy VanDyke – Sandy’s Fudge – homemade fudges and hot fudge!

Sam Soyka – “Made New” – blanket ladders, pallet Christmas trees, refurb side tables, old doors, wash tubs, pallet wine holders, pillows, antique Christmas decor!

Arlene Newell – western motif purses, barnwood crosses and more!

Kimberly Danielski – hand knit scarves!

Kate Kropf – Mi.Home wood signs!

Patty Schoonmaker – Chrstmas ornaments, painted canvas, holiday pins and more!

Alicia Hollern – “Burlap & Brushes” – burlap banners, painted mason jars, wood tray, fabric garland and more!

Bogoski and Hofman Girls – homemade chocolate suckers!

Sarah Cooper – Sarah B. Cooper Art nativities and Christmas decor’!

Boy Scouts of America Troup 102 of Lowell – Chirstmas wreaths!

Glad Fletcher – book of memoirs – “My Garden of Stones”

Brooke Vermullen – Drink Up, Michigan – Michigan shaped bottle openers!

Katie Johnson – Katie J’s – sterling silver hand cragted jewelry!

Emma Palova – author – “Shifting Sands Short Stories”!

Maranda Palova – Little Dreamers Sleepovers – sleepover parties!

Carol & Duane Hamilton – Palletability – reclaimed wood items!

Emma’s book “Shifting Sands Short Stories” is available on Amazon at:

paperback

Kindle

For more info about Little Dreamers Sleepovers go to:

https://marandassweetdreams.com

For more info about Red Barn Market go to:

https://redbarnmarket.biz

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blogging, books, Daily Post prompt, excerpts, inspiration, love, poetry, prompts, short stories, Uncategorized, WordPress, writing

Shakespeare by proxy

November 4, 2017 emmapalova 2 Comments

Shakespeare on a chocolate wrapper

I have Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” by Proxy on the wrapper of my salted almond butter dark chocolate.

The other day, I ate the entire chocolate bar in the morning for breakfast to get some energy. Now, that is exactly 480 calories. But, it did the trick of putting me back on my feet. Prior to eating the chocolate bar, I felt like a snake making his way through the tall grass by my pond.

Breaking into writing space

However, I didn’t realize until today what was going on. I was entering the subconscious working space of my new book “Riddleyville Secrets.” It took all that energy to break the outside barriers of consciousness.

And following are William Shakespeare’s lines from “Romeo and Juliet”:

Juliet:

A thousand times good-night!

Romeo:

A thousand times the worse, to want thy light.

Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books;

But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.

Juliet:

Hist! Romeo, hist! O! for a falconer’s voice,

To lure this tassel-gentle back again.

Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud,

Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,

And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine,

With repetition of my Romeo’s name.

Romeo:

It is my soul that calls upon my name:

How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night,

Like softest music to attending ears!

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FWA Conference Recap – Book Marketing

November 4, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

Check out these great tips on how to improve the marketing of your book by Florida author Nancy J. Cohen.

Nancy's Notes From Florida

Besides giving my own talk on “Book Promotion on a Budget” at the Florida Writers Association 2017 conference, I sat in on a couple of other presentations about book marketing. Here are some of the main points I gleaned. Any errors are due to my misinterpretation.

If your book isn’t selling, you may need to:

Change the cover

Get more reviews
Write a letter to readers asking for reviews.
Continue to acquire reviews for backlist titles.
Aim for 100 reviews on Amazon to make an impact.

Evaluate your Amazon page
Check your keywords and categories.
Keyword strings work better than single keywords.
Note the sales rank of each category.

Examine your social media influence
Do you need to increase your engagement? This matters more than the number of followers.

Put your book out in multiple formats, not ebooks alone. Consider print and audiobooks.

Is your book in the right…

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All Souls Night

November 2, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

Beautiful words on this All Souls Day. Stay tuned for more inspiration.

Source: All Souls Night

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I Will Be Waiting For You There (my poem with a music lyric video included)

November 1, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

This is beautiful and relevant in a world plagued by violence. The present is all we have, because tomorrow is a mystery.

My Loud Whispers of Hope

Beyond this pain and despair of mental illness there is a place.

I will tell you when I reach the freedom of that peaceful space.

I will be waiting for you there.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your step is… just take it.

I will tell you when I reach my destination.

I will be waiting for you there.

Live for today. Tomorrow is a mystery,

and will soon be our history.

I will be waiting for you there.

~written by Susan Walz

This is a very beautiful song with a similar title as my poem. I found it by accident and I loved it. I hope you enjoy it too. It is very beautiful and inspiring… Please take a listen.

I Will Wait For You There (with lyrics) by Phil Wickham

“I Will Wait For You There” Lyrics

I will wait for You there
Down on…

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art, book signing, books, Uncategorized

Book signing at Lowell Arts

October 27, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

Excerpt from “Orange Nights” included

My book signing of Shifting Sands Short Stories is Saturday, Oct. 28th at the Lowell Arts gallery from 1 p.m to 3 p.m.

Bring a copy of my book to autograph. They are available locally at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids, in Lansing, and on Amazon.

It is also the last day of the show “Between Turbulence and Tranquility” before the Holiday Artists Market.

Based on earlier book signings, I will also be giving tips how to start and finish a book, about characters and plot.

During my last book signing on Girls Night Out, some women asked me how to finish a book.

Local author Emma Palova with fans, Jeanne Vandersloot.

The Halloween weather is perfect for a visit to the gallery on Main Street.

“This is an active day for Lowell Arts with Dixie Swim Club dinner theatre and LA house concert,” said executive director Lorain Smalligan.

I called one of the stories in the book “Orange Nights” based on three clearance nights at a Midwest retailer I had worked for. The clearance racks had orange balloons tied to them.

Excerpt from “Orange Nights”

The most interesting thing in the store were the changing seasons and the colors reflecting them. The summer colors were still vibrant, and hanging in the air or it could have been nostalgia after a summer passing by.

“Why did you stay in the store all these years, Irma?” asked Rachel doubtful and wondering about her own future.

“You come in young like most because you don’t know what to do with yourself,” said Big Irma. “And after a while you just get used to it, and you’re afraid of change. Just look around you. What do you see?

However, it was all in what you didn’t see. Those were the underlying currents of being stuck in any situation in life, and not being able to move forward. It had different names, that all came under one label. That label was fear. And fear had many faces. It was hiding under different coats of comfort and security, assurances or the lack of them.

“Have you ever been afraid in the store?” asked Rachel. “You know really afraid. I know we have security department and all that, but afraid as in who is going to walk in and what is he going to do?”

People were already streaming in along with normal day people who had nothing to do with the orange balloon clearance in the soft and hard lines, like the grocery people and the food court.

For the moment Rachel envied them their normal daily jobs with set schedules. They came in and they left on regular basis without the madness of wanting to do something else with their lives.

“Why aren’t you in your own department?” a scowling voice breathed down her neck.

Startled she turned around. The tall orange blonde man with a mustache still dressed in civil clothes, was right behind her back. Wendell pulled out of the cart with never-ending returns shorts tangled in with a bra and panties. The lines manager smelled of beer and cigarettes, after a night of drinking.

“How did the night go?” Wendell asked. “What’s all this crap?”

Big Irma tired after the night turned to Wendell.

“You have to go over there and see,” she said. “There’s a lot of clearance this year. I guess people weren’t buying as much or we overbought, or both. You never know from year to year.”

book signing, books, Daily Post prompt, events, fiction, Greenwich Meridian memoir, inspiration, local author, press release, prompts, Shifting Sands Short Stories, Uncategorized, writing

Express life in PR

October 19, 2017 emmapalova Leave a comment

My life condensed in an Express PR

Shifting Sands Short Stories book press release

Emma’s book signings of Shifting Sands Short Stories come to downtown Lowell

For immediate release

Oct. 19, 2017

Contact

Emma Palova

emmapalova@yahoo.com

EW Emma’s Writings blog

http://emmapalova.com

Lowell, MI- Local author Emma Palova of Lowell has published the book Shifting Sands Short Stories, formats kindle and paperback, now available on Amazon for $7.99 and $11.99, and locally at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids and Lansing.

She will have a series of book signing events in historic downtown Lowell. Following today’s event during Girls Night Out at Sweet Seasons Bakery & Café, her next book signing will be at Lowell Arts on Oct. 28 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. located at 223 W. Main Street.

“This is an active day for Lowell Arts with Dixie Swim Club dinner theatre and LA house concert,” said Lowell Arts director Lorain Smalligan.

It is also the last day for the current gallery exhibit “Between Turbulence and Tranquility,” before the Holiday Artists Market goes up on Nov. 7.

The book is a collection of 13 short stories that Palova wrote and collected over the span of more than two decades. The fiction’s genre is magic realism, a combination of fantasy with reality.

“In magic realism you combine the fictitious with fantasy and sometimes you use real characters to model the fictitious characters,” Palova said. “It can be a hybrid. I don’t write about Martians. I write about real people.”

Palova started writing for the Czechoslovak Newsweek based in New York City in 1990 upon arrival in the USA. She initially wrote a column, “Place for Commentary” in Czech.

Many of the stories are based on experiences Palova has had during her time living and working in the greater Lowell area in Michigan. The stories are thematically divided into three circles: Immigration, journalism and retail.

Palova has been writing for the area publications since 1997 when she launched her professional journalistic career with Kaechele Publications in Allegan. In 1998, she joined the staff of the Ionia-Sentinel Standard where she received awards for community reporting from the Ionia Chamber of Commerce in 2000 and the Ionia County Community Mental Health, 2003. Palova joined the staff of the Lowell Ledger in 2006. In 2011, she received an award from the American Legion for reporting on veterans’ affairs. Palova also had a community blog in the Ionia Sentinel-Standard.

Palova worked as a correspondent for the Grand Rapids Press, the Advance Newspapers, Gemini Publications and the Lowell Ledger.

Palova is currently working on the second volume of stories, as well as on the memoir “Greenwich Meridian, where East meets West” about the Konecny family immigration saga from Czechoslovakia to the USA.

She is preparing her first novel “Fire on Water” for publication in 2018.

Palova has a lifetime passion for history and politics. She does social media marketing for the Fallasburg Historical Society (FHS).

Palova became an American citizen in 1999.

“I am deeply humbled by the opportunities this country has given me,” Palova said.

Other author’s events will be held during Christmas through Lowell, and on Jan. 6, 2018 at the Lowell Arts.

Locally the book is available at Schuler’s Books

2660 28^th Street

Grand Rapids, MI 49512

1-616-942-2561

Schuler’s Books, Okemos

1982 Grand River Ave

Okemos, MI 48864

1-517-349-8840

Shifting Sands Short Stories on Amazon

Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/Emma-Palova/e/B0711XJ6GY

Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Shifting-Sands-Short-Stories/dp/152130226X

The book is also available throughout the libraries of Kent District Library (KDL), Hastings & Big Rapids.

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Emma’s book signing in Lowell during GNO

October 18, 2017 emmapalova 2 Comments

Emma’s booksignings come to downtown Lowell

Come and visit with local author of Shifting Sands Short Stories Emma Palova on Oct. 19 from 5 pm to 8 pm @Sweet Seasons Bakery and Cafe during Girls Night Out in beautiful historic downtown Lowell.