For the Love of Books Podcast

Author Jennifer Montiel pens Raised by Silence, a memoir

Raised by Silence: Surviving Narcissistic Parents & Ending the Cycle tells the story of breaking free from emotional abuse, manipulation, and generational trauma. Through personal experiences and practical insight, Jennifer Montiel explores the lasting effects of narcissistic parenting while offering hope to those searching for healing.

Sponsored by Jennifer Montiel, @Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.

This award winning book encourages readers to recognize unhealthy patterns, establish healthy boundaries, and build a future defined by resilience instead of fear.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Raised by Silence.

Copyright (c) 2026. All Rights Reserved. Emma Blogs, LLC.

Author Ross Smith pens Engineering a Father

Ross J. Smith is a licensed forensic engineer and investigates structural damages from fires, floods, tornados, and collapses. Ross and his wife Kylene live in Grand Haven where they raised their three children near the sandy shores of Lake Michigan.

Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery.com and Doc Chavent

Ross J. Smith, writes his debut memoir about fatherhood from the calculated perspective of an engineer. In his self-depre-cating, yet surprisingly poignant story about being a new dad, he battles his technical predispositions as he navigates the uncontrolled va-riables of life while his premature twins fight to survive in the NICU.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Engineering a Father.

Copyright (c) Emma Palova. All rights reserved.

Award-winning author Kiril Kristoff pens Crossing Borders of Times

AUTHOR KIRIL KRISTOFF RELEASES “CROSSING BORDERS & GENERATIONS”

A powerful work of historical fiction blending true-life events, immigrant resilience, and spiritual

legacy, Kristoff’s latest novel has already earned multiple literary honors.

Sponsored by authors Kiril Kristoff, Jennifer Montiel, Moravian Sons Distillery & Doc Chavent

 

My third book's sequel “Crossing Borders of Times”: “One Man's Journey to Search For His Ukrainian, Greek &Bulgarian Roots won”Finding Your Roots”: One Man’s Journey to Discover His Ukrainian, Greek, and Bulgarian Heritage is a sweeping multi-generational saga that blends memoir, history, and fiction

to tell the story of a Bulgarian-American family wrestling with identity, ideology, and belonging across a century of upheaval.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Crossing Borders of Times.

Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Artist Entrepreneur Anna Donahue shares insights about Art in the Park Saugatuck

Saugatuck Art in the Park Sept. 13, 2025, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by author LeAnne Kelley, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.

Since 2016, Anna Donahue dedicated her time to sharing her business secrets to success with fellow artists. Over these last few years, Anna helped over 1,000 artists move from hobbyists to career artists who can make a living on their work. Her creation and continued work at Art in the Park Saugatuck continues to inspire new artists and change lives.

Forty-two vendors will be at Art in the Park in Saugatuck including authors Emma Palova and Jean Davis.

For a full list go to https://emmapalova.com

 

Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC.  All rights reserved.

Authors Alley at LAF features 23 Michigan Authors

In a powerful display of camaraderie, Michigan Authors have become a staple of the Lakeshore Art Festival coming to downtown Muskegon this weekend June 28 &29 on Clay Street.

Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery https://moraviansonsdistillery.com and authors Brian Talarczyk and Jennifer Raines.

Stop by this weekend to support more than 20 authors who write in all genres from children's books to memoirs and mysteries.

Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Author Brian Talarczyk pens I Am Not Bipolar: A Memoir

Happy Father's Day from the For the Love of Books Podcast with host author Emma Palova

In this candid memoir, author Brian Talarczyk delves into his harrowing journey with bipolar disorder—a legacy he unknowingly inherited until his father’s sudden death in 2001.

Sponsored by authors Brian Talarczyk, Jennifer Raines, Caroline Topperman and Lowell-based business Moravian Sons Distillery.

 

With vulnerability and humor, Talarczyk recounts the soaring highs and crushing lows of his experience, from manic episodes and terrifying psychosis that led to his stay at the Yale New Haven Psychiatric Facility, to the profound depression that nearly claimed his life. I Am Not Bipolar is a raw and compelling account of a man’s battle with mental illness, the lessons learned, and his resolve to break the silence surrounding mental health.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of I Am Not Bipolar: A Memoir

Copyright (c) 2025 Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Author Caroline Topperman pens memoir Your Roots Cast a Shadow

Caroline Topperman's own move to Poland is a central part of Your Roots Cast a Shadow memoir as she grapples with her "Polish roots" while being a "Canadian by nature".

Sponsored by author Caroline Topperman, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.

 

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.

Author Carla Stockton pens Too Much of Nothing, a memoir

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.

 

Holidays with Lowell authors Glad Fletcher and Kathryn Den Houter

Lowell authors Glad Fletcher and Katherine Den Houter joined forces for a special holiday book signing event at the Coffee House at Cascade Christian Church on Dec. 14 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Holiday episode sponsored by authors Kathryn Den Houter, Glad Fletcher, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent. 

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Fletcher's or Den Houter's books.

Copyright (c) 2024. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Author Pamela Withrow pens memoir Madam Warden

Pam Withrow was an Indiana farm girl transplanted to Michigan. After a teen marriage and a stint on welfare, she graduated from college and began work with the Michigan Department of Corrections. Within seven years she was named the first woman to head a prison for men in Michigan. She then worked at the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia for 15 years.

 

Madam Warden takes the reader with Pam as she moves through progressively responsible positions in the Michigan Department of Corrections, introducing you to the people who lived and worked in the institutions she managed. Evidence-based programs and the story of one prisoner who benefitted from cognitive restructuring are featured.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Madam Warden.

Sponsored by Doc Chavent