MSI Press Blog

  There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who glide through first dates with the grace of a swan. And the rest of us—who are more like a swan that suddenly remembers it has knees. Midlife dating is a special category of adventure. You’re wiser, more self-aware, and far less willing to tolerate nonsense. But you’re also equipped with a lifetime of stories, reflexes, and quirks that tend to surface at the worst possible moment. Embarrassing moments aren’t just possible—they’re practically guaranteed. The trick is learning to handle them with humor, dignity, and the kind of confidence that only comes from having survived far worse. Here are the classics. 1. The “I Didn’t Hear You” Problem Midlife hearing is a choose‑your‑own‑adventure story. Your date says something. You hear… something else. They say: “I love hiking.” You hear: “I love high kings.” You respond: “I didn’t know monarchy was still a thing.” The solution: Smile, lean in, and say, “Let’s try that...

  illustrator Joelle Goyette and author Ken Mogren celebrate books' success That is what MSI Press author, Ken Mogren, learned today when all three of his books reached the top 100 in their Amazon category. His newest book, Humor, the Wonder Drug , reached #21 in hot new releases in limericks and humorous verse, and his older books, Super Spunky Grandmas and Other Amusing Stuff reached #94 and Spunky Grandmas and Other Amusing Characters reached #95. “Laughter is the most inexpensive and most effective wonder drug. Laughter is a universal medicine.” Bertrand Russell, British philosopher 1872-1970   For more posts about Ken and his books, click  HERE .   To purchase copies of any MSI Press book at 25% discount, use code FF25 at  MSI Press webstore . Want to buy an MSI Press book and not have to pay for it? Ask your local library to purchase and shelve it. Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter (recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon...

  From author, Ken Mogran -- For over 100 years, fans of Reader's Digest magazine have enjoyed the jokes in the magazine’s regular feature, "Laughter, the Best Medicine," but is there any truth to that claim? Well, if you need a tumor removed, you’d probably rather be treated by a surgeon   than a comedian, so it’s a bit of a stretch to say it’s truly the “best”   treatment option.   But there’s been   a lot of research showing humor has a very positive effect on our health and wellbeing. My new book, Humor, the Wonder Drug , was written with the hope   it will find its way into the hands of people who might be dealing with or recovering from illness or injury. Humor can brighten otherwise difficult days, and this book would be a good gift for folks who need their spirits lifted. Book description: Following the success of his two  Spunky Grandmas  books, Ken Mogren is back with another collection of humorous sonnets, plus a smattering of cl...

  Gravity is one of the most fundamental forces of nature.  If you remove it, you are left with gravy. The following is a guest post from Arthur Yavelberg, author of the highly regarded book,   A Theology for the Rest of Us ,  No, no quote from Rumi or passage from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Even so, every mystic, as far as I know, expresses a deep gratitude for the presence of the Divine in all that is.  So, seventh grader at heart that I am, I caught myself laughing quite heartily at this. I dismissed it as just another example of my sophomoric nature. I even had the thought of how silly, maybe even insensitive, it was in the context of a world of such horrific suffering--suffering that has gone on for years and years and years and years.  But then I realized that I not only laughed, but that I am deeply grateful for the laughter and the ability to laugh. Of course, that does not minimize the suffering. As the comedian, Jim Gaffigan, observes: "Laughte...