MSI Press Blog

    Today's publisher's pride is  RV Oopsies   by Larry MacDonald, which reached #232 on Amazon's bestseller list for travel humor. (This book has been in the Amazon top 100 several times.) Book Description: Every year thousands of RVers hit the road for fun and adventure, but RVing has built in misadventures-backing into a tree, bending a jack stand, and more-spoiling an otherwise perfect outing. For the past ten years, the author has asked RVers the same question: "What's the dumbest thing you've done while RVing?" Each year, he has given an award for the dumbest mishap. In this funny and helpful handbook, 101 of these mishaps come together so the reader can learn from other people's mistakes, saving them unnecessary grief and cash. - Always use a spotter when entering or departing a campsite. - Do a walk-around inspection before moving your rig. - Never flush out your blackwater tank after dressing for church. Practical and comical, this a great rea

Excerpt from  A Theology for the Rest of U s  - “What’s it all about, Alfie?” (Dione Warwick) Imagine coming into a large, dark room. You flip on the lights and find there are many tables, 50 or more, that are set with centerpieces, dishes, glasses, silverware, napkins and tablecloths. In the front of the room, there is a row of chairs with a podium and a microphone in the middle of the room. So? What goes through your mind? If your answer is “Nothing” or “All these things got here by accident somehow...maybe random storage…,” then you can stop reading now. That is not to say you are wrong. After all, you were not there when these items were placed in the room; nor did you meet the individual responsible for putting these items there. There is simply no way of knowing “for sure” whether all this stuff was placed in the room intentionally for some purpose. You also might not care one way or the other. Therefore, it would be understandable if you just turned out the lights and left

  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 relationship between book marketing plans and book sales. Specifically, book sales can be quirky, which makes it difficult to put together a book marketing plan for self-publishing authors. (Publishers usually have established plans that they apply to all books, and they only accept books that they believe they can market effectively through their established marketing plans. Let's take a look at some favorite marketing barometers and see how they really stack up. Amazon Top 100 If a book lands in the Amazon Top 100, it clearly has scads of sales, right? No, not always. Perhaps even not often. Amazon's t

  Today's Publisher's Pride is  A View through the Fog  by Bob McGee , which reached #114 in bridge engineering. Book description: A View through the Fog  is compelling, poignant, and packed with both moving and hilarious anecdotes. All human life (and death) is here. With his own distinct voice, McGee opens the door on the dizzying world of the Golden Gate Bridge-the beauty of both nature and the bridge itself, the camaraderie and friction with colleagues, and the devastating tragedies of suicide jumpers. He brings an entire community to the page with a thought-provoking and richly detailed memoir that will resonate with many readers. The motive for his writing this book is love of his subject. He paints this world he knows in a way that gives readers the feeling they are on the Bridge with him. From review by Kevin Hines: "Read one of the most well written books of the past decade, maybe longer!  Much like the Golden Gate Bridge is an art deco masterpiece, Bob McGee'

  While everyone dies from something eventually, not every cancer patient dies from cancer (thankfully -- and hopefully cancer will take ever fewer lives as more becomes known about causes and treatments). Nonetheless, while therefore a bit off the beaten track, it seemed worthwhile to share this article I came across recently from the UK:  This is what happens in the 30 seconds before you die... and whether your life really flashes before your eyes . For more Cancer Diary posts, click HERE . Read also more posts on death , dying , and near-death experiences . Blog editor's note: As a memorial to  Carl Leaver , MSI Press graphic arts director and designer, who died of  Cancer of Unknown Primary  August 16, 2021, and simply because it is truly needed, MSI Press is now hosting a web page,  Carl's Cancer Compendium , as a one-stop starting point for all things cancer, to make it easier for those with cancer to find answers to questions that can otherwise take hours to track down o