MSI Press Blog

  Today's publisher's pride is  Travels with Elly  by Larry MacDonald, which reached #238   in travel with pets books. Book description: Discover Canada like never before -- from a personal perspective, similar to John Steinbeck's view of America in his 1960 book  Travels with Charley . The author travels from coast to coast in a trailer with his wife and pets, including their Standard Poodle, Elly, in order to gain a better understanding of his adopted country. Interspersed between descriptions of history, cultures, places, and icons are the author's reflections on various things such as Elly's antics, signage, ferries, political injustice, environmental issues, and animal instincts. To provide a canine's perspective, Elly reflects on things of interest to her, including cats, cows, and other critters...but especially cats! Where was Canada's first settlement? What is its prettiest town? When and where was its most devastating shipwreck? And who was its greate...

    Today's Publisher's Pride is  Good Blood  by Irit Schaffer, which recently reached #102 on Amazon in theater biography. Book Description: When she was a child, her father said he had "good blood" and that is why he and his wife survived and healed from the Holocaust. The author searched for the meaning and significance of her father's words over two continents and through four generations. Her journey uncovered a unique voice of wisdom revealing mysteries of the healing powers within us and the existence of light in every situation that helps us overcome and transcend any obstacle. This book is a quest into the depth of the human spirit. It is a rich family memoir, being deeply personal, sharing joy and pain and fear and forgiveness. It encompasses the themes of life and a topic in common with every reader: complicated family relationships. Keywords: Holocaust survival memoir;  Family healing journey;  Intergenerational trauma healing;  Holocaust f...

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. This week we discuss free books. Are they worth it? Let’s talk about the word “free.” It’s seductive, isn’t it? BookBub swears by it. So do Freebooksy, Written Word Media, Goodreads, and a host of platforms that thrive on zero-cost promotions. They say free books are your best sales tool. And they’re not wrong—if your goal is downloads. But here’s the rub: downloads aren’t sales. And they certainly aren’t readers. The Psychology of Free: Why It Works (Sort Of) According to Written Word Media, “free” triggers a powerful emotional response. It lights up the brain, bypasses risk aversion, and creates urgency through FOMO (fear of missing out). Rea...

  Ken Mogren's newest book,  Humor, the Wonder Drug , is now available on pre-order at MSI Press webstore (use coupon code FF25 for a 25% discount on the print book) and on  Kindle . 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 clever limericks, about comical human behavior and the world we live in. Once again, Joella Goyette has contributed creative, cartoonish drawings that introduce the themes of each of the book’s 17 chapters. Like the previous works, Humor, the Wonder Drug , provides laughs, chuckles, and smiles that lift spirits and brighten days. Endorsement Ken Mogren has written an engaging book of humorous verse that will entertain and amuse readers. As a dermatologist, I have found humor helps healing and puts patients at ease.Ken’s work is clever and fun to read. Frank Bures, M.D.and creator of the newspaper column, “Health and Humor.” ...