Daily Excerpt: Old and On Hold (Cooper) - Making Up for Missing Religious and Recreational Gatherings

 


The following excerpt comes from Old and On Hold (Cooper) --


(editor's note: while this book -- and a dozen others - - were written for the days of the pandemic, to help with various unique circumstances we all experienced at that time. some of the advice in it is good in general for circumstances that occur as the aging process kicks in, so we have maintained the book for sale at the MSI Press webstore)

Making Up for Missing Religious and Recreational Gatherings

We had interests before the pandemic and still have the same interests now except we may not be able to participate in our callings and interests. If we are active in a religion and regularly attend gatherings, we likely experience spiritual solace and a sense of belonging with others. Our plan will include staying in contact with our religious community leaders to help maintain connection, especially around providing explanations and understandings of this world crisis.

How many of us are devoted followers of sports either through attending games or watching on television? Many of us are active in sports such as golf, fishing, or shooting baskets. How many of us are involved in a book club, bridge, or focused discussion groups? Many of us have regular group dates at the coffee shop for lively discussions on the events of our time.

Some recreational areas are opening, particularly those in which social distancing can be practiced. Fishing alone and golf are examples. Sport associations are considering having games in which the only spectators are watching the game in their homes. Sports associations are grappling with ensuring the safety of the players which may require some sort of rapid testing to measure the presence of the virus prior to the game.

Religious and spiritual gatherings, discussion groups, meetings, and forums have become virtual events; the events are shared online and everyone can participate. All it takes is an Internet system with a mic and camera and access to the event through an approved link. Zoom, Skype, and Go-to-Meeting are examples of platforms that provide the opportunity to gather online.

Some of my least techie friends and I are developing the skills to socially participate as a group through the Internet. Virtual capacity for virtual gatherings allows us to safely gather with our families and friends. Virtual capacity allows those of us who volunteer in our community to continue to participate if virtual meetings are part of our activities. Facebook, email, Instagram, Twitter, and other forms of social media are keeping us connected in a way we could not have imagined 25 years ago.

For more posts about Bertha, winner of the Phoenix Award for best new voice in health and fitness, and her books, click HERE. 


Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter

Follow MSI Press on Twitter, Face Book, and Instagram. 

Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC?
Check out information on how to submit a proposal.

Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book
 in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book?
Contact editor@msipress.com.

Want an author-signed copy of this book?
Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25)
and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.
Want to communicate with one of our authors?
You can!
Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In Memoriam: Carl Don Leaver

Image
  1948-2021 It is with great sadness that MSI Press notes the death of Carl Leaver, CEO of the Press and typesetter and graphic designer par excellence . Many authors have expressed not only condolences but also a sense of legacy from covers he designed that they love.  Here is his obituary: On August 16, 2021, Carl Don Leaver of San Juan Bautista passed into eternal rest. A forester with the US Forest Service in Idaho and Montana, he turned to nature photography while working in the Bitterroot National Forest. His photographs graced national magazine covers and on a weekly basis the local paper of Hamilton, MT, the Ravalli Republican. He later worked on photography projects for the US Army (AFEES) and taught photography at the New York Institute of Technology in Amman, Jordan. His final career change led him to computer graphics and publishing as co-owner of MSI Press LLC; his many typeset books and book covers have helped MSI Press authors win a large number of awards over the years,
Read more

A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: Book Marketing vs Book Promotion

Image
It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side.  Today's post looks at the difference between book marketing and book promotion, two terms that are frequently confused. Leading to the confusion is that some of the same activities are needed for both. In fact, good marketing is dependent upon good promotion. Perhaps the essential difference is that marketing focuses on sales, and promotion focuses on awareness --  noting that without awareness, sales generally do not happen. Book Marketing Book marketing includes promotion, sales, and increasing awareness of the availability of the book. It generally starts with a marketing plan that identifies the target audiences and selects marketing t
Read more