For the Love of Books Podcast

Author Wendy Thomson pens The Man from Burnt Island

In her historical fiction novel The Man from Burnt Island, author Wendy Thomson weaves the family story into the tapestry of Detroit's rich history during the Great Depression, Prohibition, World War II, and the booming automotive industry starting in the 1950s and beyond.

 

It was a tough life for the Scottish Sharp family at the turn of the twentieth century. Coal miners, they were exempt from the World War I draft. Frank, the fourth of five sons, was the only one that went off to war. Luckily, he survived the trenches, only to return to poor job prospects and poorer wages. When most of the family sailed across the Atlantic in search of a better life, Frank stayed behind for a while... for a little too long, it so happened.

What Frank sacrifices to achieve material and career success takes its toll on his family and personal life. After all is said and done, this is the saga of a determined and ambitious man who was hell-bent on leaving his poverty-stricken past behind.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Man from Burnt Island.

All April episodes sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, author Jen Rinaldi

Author Mandy Jo Rindhage pens A StormyTravel Thru Time

Drawing on her knowledge of family ancestry combined with historical fiction, author Mandy Jo Rindhage creates a time travel novel inspired by real-life characters, great grandfather Heinrich and great uncle Gustav.

"A Stormy Travel Thru Time has multiple time hops each is when a storm crops up," Mandy Jo said. "They're trying to get to Saginaw, Michigan."

Rindhage is a multi-genre author who has no trouble switching gears between a fitness book, fantasy, and historical fiction.

The real challenge in the book was aging all the characters appropriately, according to Rindhage when they crossed paths on different occasions.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of A Stormy Travel Thru Time.

Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger

 

Award-winning author pens gangster novels set in her hometown

Her two gangster novels earned her Top Notable Indie Book awards. Author Betty Passick shared her passion for writing historical fiction in a very candid down-to-earth interview. Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Black Bag of Dr. Wiltse, Murder on the Prairie.

"Research comes first," she said. "If you don't like doing research, historical fiction is not for you."

Unlike most authors of historical fiction, Passick does not change the names of people or places in her historical crime novels. She has always been fascinated by the story of the Italian American "mystery man" who first came to her Iowa hometown in the early 1920s, and the rest is history. No pun intended.

Now, it's up to us to find out what was in The Black Bag of Dr. Wiltse, Murder on the Prairie her second historical crime novel that earned her the second Top Notable Indie Book Award in 2021 after Gangster in our Midst in 2019.

"This crime mystery novel captures its audience’s attention with the delicious historical detail from this time period in early America’s burgeoning settlements... Who knew there was such a criminal element lurking on our prairies?"

 

Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger

 

 

 

 

Author Carol Nickles pens Thumb Fire Desire

This historical fiction novel was inspired by the biggest natural disaster in Michigan-the fire of 1881. Author Carol Nickles kept the idea for the story along with notes in a box for close to 20 years.

Then she decided either she was going to write the story or burn the box, and that's how Thumb Fire Desire was born with the help of a developmental editor.

"I've always wanted to tell this story," she said.

Listen to this inspiring interview for a chance to win an autographed copy of Thumb Fire Desire.

Sponsored by Doc Chavent, The Lowell Ledger, and Modern History Press.

 

Halfway through NaNoWriMo 2022 with Wrimo Experts

NaNoWriMo authors Jean Davis, Vera West, and host of For the Love of Books Podcast Emma Palova take you through the first half of the 50K writing challenge in this special episode. Their combined total log-in was just under 80,000 words.

Find out what they did to reach their writing goals on their journeys to publishing new books in 2023. Keep on writing past the challenge, and make it a daily habit, these experts say.

Watch for their books in 2023.

So listen in and jump on the NaNoWriMo roller coaster, because you can't edit a blank page.

Copyright (c) 2022 Emma Palova

T.J.London pens prequel ’Man of War’

It was actually fashion that got T.J. London interested in the American Revolutionary War as a young author as simple as it may seem.

"I was getting into my persona," she said. "The look got me interested in that time period. Now it draws attention to my books."

Yes, it was the red coats and tricorne hats that sparked the imagination of a young mind, and later served well as a counseling tool during a period of grief. Rather, than writing a journal, T.J. London went the whole way and wrote 'Man of War.'

T.J. London is an expert at digging out little-known facts in history and asking herself questions. She was referring to battles in upstate New York that T.J. London didn't know about.

"Why don't we learn this stuff," she said.

What fascinated T.J. London were all the changes that were happening at the same time.

"It was this incredible cataclysmic moment in history," she said. "But in fiction where were those stories? I felt like I needed to know more."

And the prequel is not just about the revolution, but also about digging deep into the roots of what was going on T.J. London's life after the loss of her father.

It took her four years to write 'Man of War' backed up by solid research about the Royal Navy.

Come along on a journey with ambitious captain Merrick and revengeful India for a chance to win a signed copy of 'Man of War.'

Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger.

Author Emma Palova pens The Lost Town, a historical fiction novel

In the third book of the Shifting Sands series- "The Lost Town"- author Emma Palova of Lowell creates the protagonist, Miss Ida. 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 like Oshea Wilder and pioneer settlers alike. 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 in 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?

 

Check out the review by Nancy Price Stroosnyder.

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!

Sponsored by Doc Chavent and The Lowell Ledger, bringing you homegrown stories for more than 100 years.

Palova will be signing her new book The Lost Town at Once Upon A Book in Frankenmuth on July 23 at the Bavarian Inn Lodge from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Fallasburg on July 30, in Holland on Aug. 6 and in Paradise from Aug.19 through Aug. 21.