The easy-to-read book is a work of fiction rooted in family, spirituality and humor. The story and lessons are inspired by real life and Emmer’s desire to pass along to his only child, Max, the wisdom of his father, who died in his fifties. 

“I knew I had a story to tell…It’s something to see my voice coming off the pages along with my often very dark, funny sense of humor,” he explained. “The book is fiction plus fantasy plus a hell of a lot of truth. The story is very deep, and it will make you laugh, smile and cry.” 

Emmer admits he always tests those who say they have read his book. “One of my brothers said he read the book, and I asked him what he thought of the part about one of our dogs we had while growing up. He said it was touching, poignant – then I replied that I didn’t even mention the dog,” he said laughingly. 

He added, “Unlike in the book, I never had a bad relationship with Max. In fact, we see each other every day. I wanted to make sure to teach my son everything my dad taught me…and then pass it on to his son, Rocky.” 

Emmer also credits his editor, Samantha Ziegelman, with helping his story reach publication. 

The author grew up very modestly as one of three brothers in Los Angeles, California. When he was in ninth grade, the family moved to Oklahoma for a year, where he learned about metaphysical science from a teacher who deviated from the planned curriculum. 

He revealed that this serendipitous exposure has positively affected his outlook on life by opening his mind to spirituality, fantasy travel, meditation, numerology and more.

The Bloomfield Hills resident and his wife, Ilene, met in California on a blind date 45 years ago. They married and moved back to her home state of Michigan where they have built a life and family together. They are grateful to have their son, daughter-in-law and grandson living nearby. The couple now spends winters in L.A., which is where Emmer started writing his book.

Since Emmer would like to see “A Father’s Wish” turned into a movie, he regularly leaves copies of his book on tables of famous people when dining out in Beverly Hills, California. “I’ve been selling things since I was five years old – the worst thing they can say is ‘no.’”   

For much of his life, Emmer said he used his creativity to write children’s poems and stories as well as playful songs for special occasions, but now that he has published a book, he would like to write a one- or two-person comedy play or show. “I’d love to involve my wife, but she says, ‘no way.’”   

Emmer has spent over four decades as the owner of successful Michigan-based companies, Specialty Kitchens and Baths and Quick Shower Glass, and offers aspiring entrepreneurs the same advice he received from his father: “Be truthful and honest with family, friends and in business – and treat everyone with respect.”

He adds, “Organization and integrity are important to success and being late is disrespectful – if you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late. I built my own wealth and success this way.”  

When he’s not working or writing, Emmer enjoys staying active with pickleball, tennis, golf and daily walks with his son. He and his wife also love to travel. 

“I was put on this earth to love life, share stories, laugh, and make people feel good,” he said. “I’m blessed.”

By: Tracy Donohue

Yet Howard Emmer, who works in residential remodeling, doesn’t call himself a professional writer. While he’s authored children’s poems, including a special poem for his 3-year-old grandson, Rocky, called “A Womb with a View,” writing a book was never truly on his radar.

Emmer, a Los Angeles native who now lives in Bloomfield Hills, spent a winter at his California residence where he wrote 300 pages over the course of four months. He changed, erased and deleted his work, coming back to the same story time and time again until it finally materialized.

The copy would become A Father’s Wish, a book for teens and up, published by Emmer on Amazon, that’s based off of his relationship with his father and his relationship with his son, Max.

Released last September, Emmer calls A Father’s Wish a fictionalized story where “90% of the book” is modeled after his own life experiences. Through the story, he hopes readers will remember their own childhoods with fondness and rejoice in the memories of their fathers.

When Teacher Becomes Student

Howard Emmer’s father, Mike Emmer, passed away at age 57. “I was very close to him,” Emmer explains. While the Emmer family grew up in near-poverty, Mike Emmer was always coaching football and baseball games and ensuring his three boys had clothes on their backs.

“He lived through his boys,” Emmer says. “I didn’t know how to be a parent [when my own son was born], but I saw how my parents treated myself and my brothers.”

Mike Emmer taught Howard Emmer important lessons in life: to treat everyone how you’d like to be treated, to show up 15 minutes early for appointments (or consider yourself late) and how to hustle, helping his son overcome conditions of poverty and become a successful businessman.

Yet, as he grew into parenthood, Howard Emmer, 68, realized that although his father’s life lessons were vital in his personal story, he didn’t have to teach his son, Max, every philosophy.

It’s an age-old conundrum Emmer likens to “the teacher becoming the student and the student becoming the teacher,” where he learned through Max how to be the best parent for his son.

A Book for All Parents and Children

While much of A Father’s Wish is shaped around Emmer’s life, he changes the plot to feature a father and son with a difficult relationship, and a father who doesn’t understand why it isn’t like the relationship he had with his own father (in real life, Howard and Max are two peas in a pod).

In the story, the father “desperately wishes to connect” with his son the same way. Yet, as he asks his late father for help, a miracle happens — and he learns to never give up on his child.

Even the cover of A Father’s Wish is modeled after a practice Howard and Max Emmer share: meditating by envisioning slowly blowing a balloon further and further away. Gracing the book is an illustration of a father and his son watching a white balloon float by, a nod to Max, now 36.

One day, Howard Emmer, who is involved with Jewish Federation of Detroit and American Friends of Magen David Adom, hopes to see his book hit the big screen in movie form.

“It’s really about parents and their children,” he explains of the intended audience, which goes beyond just father and son.

“It’s going to make you smile, make you laugh, make you cry,” he continues, “but it’s going to be tears of joy.”

By Ashley Zlatopolsky