Caroline Topperman’s own move to Poland is a central part of Your Roots Cast a Shadow as she grapples with her “Polish roots” while being a “Canadian by nature”.
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.
It is with deep respect and admiration that we congratulate you — you’ve officially been selected as a Finalist for the Author of the Year 2025 at the International Impact Book Awards, in the category of Non-Fiction – Cultural & Historical Memoir.
Your work was reviewed among hundreds of exceptional entries, and your message rose to the top. This recognition is more than a ranking — it’s a reflection of the impact your voice has had on readers, on the judging panel, and on the world of thought leadership.
You’ve done something most people only dream about: you’ve written a powerful book, you’ve put your truth on paper, and you’ve created something that moved others. That is no small thing. This moment is yours.
What Happens Next
The Author of the Year winner in your category will be announced live on stage at our Hollywood Gala on October 4th, 2025 — an unforgettable evening honoring thought leaders and changemakers from around the world.
We would be truly honored to celebrate this milestone with you in person. Finalists in attendance will receive:
A finalist certificate
An achievement medal
Recognition on stage during the ceremony among peers, media, and industry leaders.
More importantly, this is your moment, a chance to stand in a room of excellence and be acknowledged for the work you’ve already done.
We understand not everyone can attend, and we respect that deeply. However, in fairness to all finalists, if the winning author in any category is not present, the award will be presented to the next finalist in attendance.
A Night to Remember — and a Platform to Grow
The International Impact Book Awards Gala isn’t just a celebration — it’s a once-a-year opportunity to grow your brand, elevate your credibility, and be seen by the media, industry leaders, and potential collaborators.
Our team has poured every ounce of heart, labor, and intention into planning this event to honor you and every author selected. We would love for you to be part of it.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
I lit the second Advent candle this morning after logging in 503 words in my personal @NaNoWriMo December challenge reimagined. The balmy morning on the driveway uncovered beautiful winter sunrise as I rejoiced in the joy of the Advent season.
Advent is inspiring me to create in the peace of the days. Everything is silent. No disturbances in the air or heart.
The second Advent candle is burning strong in the stillness of my beloved sunroom. I
