I’m humbled by this glowing review and honored to have created a podcasting community of authors of all genres from around the globe.
“For the Love of Books”is the perfect name for this podcast. Not only does Emma have a love of books, but as an interviewer, one can feel that she is very genuine and wants to put her interviewee and writing in the best light. What a pleasure to be part of her show. I look forward now to follow her show and be a regular listener!
Author Lauren Persons, Deer Diary , What Happened to Chester
Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
I am excited about my summer schedule at the following venues:
Saugatuck Village Square Art Fair, July 27 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Booth 402
I will be at the village art fair with my books and 80 other vendors in this beautiful resort on Lake Michigan. It was precisely this town that inspired my best-selling book Shifting Sands: The Lost Town more than 20 years ago. As I stood in front of the historical marker in downtown Saugatuck, I knew the nearby town of Singapore buried somewhere in the dunes would make for a great story.
The Holland Sentinel headlined the article about my book Town’s Tale ‘Just Stayed With Me.’ Sometimes it even haunted me, but it wasn’t until 2021 that I sat down and penned the manuscript during National Novel Writing Month.
The Lost Town
The historical fiction novel is set in Singapore on the shores of Lake Michigan at the foot of the sand dunes adorned with white pines. Beautiful Ida is torn between her hometown of Chicago and her new home on the other side of the lake and between two men. Developed by New York investors, the once-thriving settlement of Singapore nurtured the dreams of adventurers and pioneers like Oshea Wilder. Singapore would rival Chicago and Milwaukee. It almost did with its sawmills, hotels, boarding houses, stores, and a “wildcat bank.” Entrepreneurial Ida struggles to adjust to the rough environment but finds more than support from her boss who invited her to Singapore to be the “Mistress” of the Big House. A “wildcat bank” was established in Singapore in 1837.
Who will win Ida’s heart?
I will be in booth 402 on Butler Street, so come on down to the heart of the book’s action. This is my first time selling books in Saugatuck, so I am looking forward to meeting new fans.
Lake Odessa Art in the Park, Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Booth 122
This will be my first time selling books in Lak-O at Art in the Park. I’ve covered many stories here as a journalist for The Ionia Sentinel-Standard, and I absolutely love the lake, and looking forward to meeting new fans.
Wild Blueberry Festival, Paradise, Aug. 16-18. Booth 34
On the last day of the 50k-word challenge, I logged 1,302 words for a grand total of 53,796 words, two days after I reached the finish line.
The last day of the challenge came full circle as I went out on the trail on a sunny November day. It was 46 F and mild, and a runner was ahead of me. We passed the frozen lake without ducks on the left and crossed the small bridge. I felt good.
My author friends and I went into the challenge after I posted a special episode of For the Love of Books Podcast on Oct. 31. It carried me through and through. I kept repeating the words, “Keep pushing through.” If you hit the wall, skip to the next chapter. It was priceless advice. Thank you, my friends. Out of seven authors tackling the challenge, two of us finished, which is pretty good, because the average rate of finishing the challenge is 10 to 15 percent. YAY!
I am looking forward to the festive holiday episodes with authors Cassie Veselovsky, Barbara Kompik, and Kenneth Harmon. Currently, I am scheduling January. All recordings are on Zoom on Thursdays at 5 p.m. To sign up go to:
The writing went good on this dark November day as I logged in 1,840 words for a total of 44, 299 in the 50k-word challenge. I moved the story ahead with an action-packed chapter putting the main characters on center stage.
The whole word challenge still seems unsurmountable from day to day, even though the word count helps, and the stats. Did I hit writer’s blocks or walls like the proverbial Marathon runner? You bet ya, many times.
I used the advice from the For the Love of Books Podcast special NaNoWriMo episode; it truly helped me get through. I hit both high and low points but averaged 1,795 words a day.
I am looking for the challenge to be over since I had to live around it and keep the momentum going. And I am still writing and plotting. The weather outside helps me stay inside, but I feel the deprivation from oxygen. I don’t know how many trail mixes I have consumed over the last 25 days. I flipped back and forth between Harmony with Himalayan salt and Second Nature Keto Crunch, and consumed endless teas, both black and herbal.
I still had to perform for both our local Lowell Ledger Newspaper, sell my books at Christmas through Lowell, do the laundry, and Thanksgiving. Is the challenge doable?
It depends a lot on how you approach it. Does your story matter? Of course, it does. If didn’t I wouldn’t be writing this.
To be continued.
Copyright (c) 2023. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Stop by the West Michigan Women’s Expo in DeVos Place this weekend starting Friday through Sunday, March 17 through 19 to pick up your next favorite read at Great Lakes Writers located in booths 110-118. See attached floor plan below.
The authors from all over Michigan represent different genres, and they will be available to chat about their books.
I have one free ticket left to the show for the lucky winner who listens to this podcast and emails me at emmapalova123@gmail.com
2023 West Michigan Women’s Expo
Great Lakes Writers (17)
Andrew Allen Smith
Ingar Rudholm
Jean Davis
Tina Lonski
Melanie Hooyenga
Wendy Thomson
Janet Vormittag
Emma Palova
Susan Maciak
Rhonda Accardo
Jules Nelson
Joan Young
Sue Merrell
Brenda Hasse
Sabrina Wagner
J Arens
Norma Lewis
Nicole Wilson
Attached is a floor plan for the expo and a handbook that has a ton of information including details on parking.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Each author (there are 17) gets half of an 8-foot table and a chair. The table will be covered and skirted, but you can put your own decor on top of the tablecloth. (Sherry gets a whole table.)
2. Our booth numbers are 110-118. If you want to share a table with someone let me know. If I don’t hear anything, you’ll be randomly paired with someone.
3. I ordered badges for everyone. They’ll say “Great Lakes Writers.” If you come Thursday to set up, you pick up your badge at a booth somewhere on the floor that says Exhibitors. If you come early Friday to setup, go to the main entrance and look for the Exhibitors’ doors to the hall where there will be a table with people handing out badges. You’re with Great Lakes Writers.
I ordered a few extra badges so if you have a helper to load in or out they can come through the exhibitors’ entrance and ask for a badge. Ask them not to keep the badge—they need to return it when they leave.
4. In the handbook it mentions the need for insurance. I bought a policy that covers us all under the umbrella of Great Lakes Writers.
5. The load-in information in the handbook only pertains to those who want to use the loading dock. I usually park underneath the hall (entrance on Michigan Street by the river) and take the freight elevator up—it has an operator. The underground parking is a huge maze—here’s a hint: as soon as you pull in from Michigan Street and turn left—you’ll see people unloading and using the elevator. Park and follow someone.
The freight elevator should be operational Thursday afternoon and Friday before the show and Sunday after the show.
You can park anywhere downtown and carry your stuff in.
6. I’ll be there Thursday around 2 to make sure everything is set up.
7. When the show closes on Sunday they have people at the exits ensuring vendors don’t leave early. They won’t let you carry anything out early. Again, the load-out schedule is only if you are using the loading dock. Once it’s 4 p.m. on Sunday you can leave, if you’re not using the loading dock.
8. I did not order Internet—it’s usually extremely expensive. Hopefully, you have service on your own phone, tablet or laptop.
If you have any questions, please email or call.
Again, let me know you received this.
Thanks!
Janet
Copyright (c) 2023. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
I am really excited about the month of February as I am scheduling my podcast author guests, and the snow is drifting outside. They represent different genres, but romance will definitely be in the lead.
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.
Lisa Jacovski, Let’s Talk, Learning to Bowl, Feb. 9
Janet Glaser, Feb. 10
Tana Jenkins, Love Rescued, Feb. 14
Diana Kathryn Plopa, A Tryst of Fate, Feb. 17
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, Modern History Press
Pages Promotions Virtual Book Festival
Several things will be happening all at once: Pages Promotions Virtual Book Festival will kick off the month with the Mystery of the Missing Manuscript. You really don’t want to miss out on any of the evenings with authors, suspects, and detectives. Register on Zoom by 6:30 p.m.
Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, Modern History Press
If you would like to be a guest on For the Love of Books Podcast, please fill out the form. If you would like to be a sponsor please contact Emma in the comment box below.
There will not be any new episodes. However, watch for reruns. If no one has claimed yet the coveted price, you get a second chance at it.
Copyright (c) 2022. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
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