MSI Press Blog

  Excerpt from A Movie Lover's Search for Romance (Joanna Charnas) THE NEW GUY   You don’t always know when you’re experiencing burnout until you’re hip deep in its muck. You also don’t comprehend how completely addicting Internet dating is until you’re hooked. So if you find yourself burned out from Internet dating, as I did, the prudent thing is to give it a rest. Although I planned to take a break from Internet dating, I’d become too addicted to stop. It didn’t matter that I was emotionally exhausted from too many blind dates. Which is when Simon entered my life.  I met Simon on an Internet dating site. When we first spoke on the phone, he asked if I’d meet him that evening at a party given in honor of a couple of his friends. Simon explained that his schedule was booked for the rest of the week, but he wanted to meet me right away. The party started in mid-afternoon, and assuming I wouldn’t be enslaved and forced into the sex trade, I agreed to rendezvous at his friends’ house

  From 57 Steps to Romance: Finding Love in Midlife and Beyond  (Lorenz)  Mom’s Got a Date Tonight   When you're used to sharing your life with someone, to be suddenly single can be the most devastating, lonely, life-shaking experience in the world. Just ask any separated, divorced or widowed person. The thought of starting over in a new relationship, though, is the most terrifying thing you can imagine. In 1987 when my divorce was final after a two-year separation, my four children had different ideas. After a couple years of being my dates at movies and fast food restaurants, I heard comments like, "Mom, why don't you join that singles group at church and meet some men?" I shot back, “I don't know how to meet men or go out on dates. Besides, who wants a 40-year-old woman with four kids and a big mortgage?" But the children kept after me to do something for myself, and so I worked up my nerve and joined the Single Again group at church. A few week

Dreamland Encouragement Last night’s dream has stayed with me since I woke up. It has hovered in my consciousness throughout the day, first at synagogue, where I intended to focus on loftier matters, then at lunch with friends when it kept popping into my head at odd moments, then at the video and drugstores where it seemed to affect my ability to make correct change, and finally sitting on my couch during the evening, trying unsuccessfully to distract myself with a movie. The dream lingers, and I’m wondering what it’s supposed to mean. The dream started at a wedding—my wedding. Guests lined up outside a modest wedding chapel waiting to enter. Most of them were dressed in t-shirts and casual weekend clothes, as if they were about to rake leaves instead of witness the beginning of a marriage. If anyone ever showed up at a wedding of mine dressed like that, I’d probably nurse my indignation and resentment well past a ten-year anniversary. So, I knew immediately that the dream wa

The Personals I not only answered dozens of ads in the newspaper personals section during the early to late 90’s I also probably had 20 or more first dates with men. Safe, boring, one-time-only dates. Dates with men I never wanted to see again. Meeting men in the personals became more of a hobby than a serious way to find Mr. Right. Years later when newspaper personals gave way to on-line dating, I have to say the on-line ads worked a lot better. Getting to know someone via e-mails is easier than only getting to talk to them on the phone before you actually met face to face on a real date. On-line photos and in-depth writing conversations back and forth help you weed out the frogs. One year during the 90’s, a friend of mine and I even offered a writing class at a big writers’ conference on how to write sizzling ads for the personals. I can’t remember how many people showed up or what exactly we taught them, but here’s our promo ad for the class. HOW TO WRITE GREAT ADS FO

About the Book Book Endorsement For other reviews of  57 Steps to Paradise , check out the  MSI Press web page for this book Looking for love in your 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and yes, even your 80's or 90's? 57 STEPS TO PARADISE will help you navigate dating in midlife and beyond. Lorenz unzips her soul and exposes her foibles during 50 years of men weaving their way in and out of her life, providing a heap of wit and wisdom to help you make life-changing decisions about love and, perhaps, a life partner. "Patricia Lorenz has been one of my favorite writers since she began writing stories in 1995 for so many of the 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' books. As a master storyteller, she draws the reader in and always leaves us with the bonus of a great take-away message. In '57 Steps to Paradise' she provides a blueprint for dating in middle age, thanks to her own interesting, hilarious, and fruitful experiences." (Jack Canfield, co-aut