MSI Press Blog

  There’s a quiet truth in publishing that no one likes to talk about: authors die. Over the years at MSI Press, I’ve lost about a half‑dozen of them. Each time, the news arrived in a different way — a spouse calling, a friend emailing, a stray obituary someone forwarded. Not once did an author leave instructions for what should happen to their books, their royalties, or their publishing relationships. And yet, someone always thought to notify the publisher. Thank goodness. But this shouldn’t be left to chance. Whether you’re traditionally published or self‑published, your books don’t die when you do. They continue to earn royalties, circulate in libraries, and live in the hands of readers. That means your literary estate needs clarity — and your publisher (or distributor, or platform) needs direction. Here’s what every author should put in place now , long before anyone needs it. 🌿 Why This Matters More Than You Think Most authors assume their heirs will “figure it out.” T...

  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 we take a moment away from our usual content to talk about an end-of-life preparation issue. This issue affects publishers, authors, and authors' families. What happens when an author dies? If all has been taken care of properly in advance, the next of kin inform the publisher, and the published continues to pay out the author's royalties -- to the designated family member. The problem is when not everything is taken care of properly in advance. Consider these two stories, associated with our publishing house, MSI Press. Cynthia (Cyn) MacGregor published Everyone's Little Book of Everyday Prayers with us a number of years ...