MSI Press Blog

Extracted from photo by M. Katherine Shear, M.D. See original photo with words and blog article at aspire.com .   Whether they die in war, from illness, by suicide, or as a result end-of-life issues, their loss affects relatives, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and colleagues in  devastating ways. The following books are gentle but helpful treatments of the issues of bereavement and grief. Damascus amid the War by Muna Imady Written by popular author, Muna Imady, whose book, Syrian Folktales, has delighted an uncountable number of readers outside of Syria, Damascus amid the War tells the very human story of the devolution of a society. The book containts 29 pre-war poins, vibrant with imagery of daily life in a robust Damascus. The 100 war poems that follow show the devastating affect on the people who navigate a daily existence after war came. This is a posthumous publication, containing Muna’s very last works and an introduction by her mother, Elaine Imady, author of Road to Dama

Released today! ISBN: 9781942891710 Life after Losing a Child tells the poignant stories of a dozen individuals who have suffered the loss of a child, and describes how they learned to heal. This book will show readers who have suffered the loss of a loved one how to come to grips with the loss and handle the grief how to engage in activities to help the healing process; and how to find the strength to move on.. Follow the book on our website: click here   See interview with Pat Young on this blog: click here Book can be purchased at www.msipress.com/shop/ Use Coupon Code FF25 for 25% discount as an MSI Press blog follower

  This week's blog post is the next in the series of book back stories and is the story behind Life after Losing a Child (Young & Romer). From the author -  A former editor of mine, as well as a good friend, lost her son. When she called to tell me, I walked around my house for an hour before I wrote her a poem. It is the first page in a book I co-authored with another good friend, my late friend Joanna Romer. We agreed, before writing the book, that a loss such as that was even more painful – and different – than the loss we both shared as widows.  We set forth to interview parents who had lost children and followed each chapter on loss with a healing chapter, depicting ways each parent dealt with the loss in a positive way to help with healing. Several of the interview chapters were friends of ours, which made it all the more real, and painful. I hope this book has helped a parent who lost a child in a good way. Paperback copies of this book can be purchased at the MSI Press

  The following is the story behind Exercising in a Pandemic (Young) From the author: When the pandemic hit, I talked to many people who were dismayed at the temporary closing of places like the YMCA (where I used to be a volunteer and where I frequently went to exercise) and other fitness centers around town. Especially for women, ongoing exercise is important in order to retain muscles and flexibility. For everyone, no matter what age or gender, exercise is so good for keeping the brain and the body healthy. Many of us were working out at home, and that inspired my book, Exercising in a Pandemic. There are so many ways to work out at home, even while doing chores or watching television.  The idea is to just keep moving. One example from my book is to include kids or pets in the action – lift them instead of weights. They might think it is fun. The ideas are simple and imaginative. Even now that the pandemic is behind us, working out at home is easy and convenient to add to your day,

excerpt from Exercising in a Pandemic (Young) -  Exercising In the House             Exercising at home doesn’t involve travel time to the gym, and it sets a good example for kids and other family members who might be parked in front of the television set or computer screen. Maybe they will get up and exercise with you. Maybe you can switch the television or computer to an exercise program and involve the whole family, or just leave the television on and exercise while you watch something the whole family enjoys. If the television is turned off, find some lively music on the radio to work out with. Stretch to classical or new age music. Work out to jazz or rock. Find whatever lively music your whole family likes if you are working out together. Working out to music you enjoy makes exercising more fun. You will be more likely to continue an exercise regimen.             Start with basic exercises. Jumping jacks, stretches, squats, lunges and push-ups or knee push-ups are good starters.

  Excerpt from 57 Steps to Paradise  by Patricia Lorenz-- I'd been a single parent of four for five years and I worried about everything. About whether the sump pump would conk out during a big rain and flood my family room when I wasn't home. About wasp's nests in the overhang and broken tree limbs in the gutter. About how I would put four kids through college, three at the same time. About how I would ever find a nice man to date and how sad it would be to grow old alone. One Saturday evening the phone rang. It was a nice man with a deep voice telling me I'd won a free dance lesson. "It's fun, and you'll learn lots of different dance steps," he proclaimed convincingly. “It’s really free?” I asked timidly. “Absolutely!” the man gushed in the key of G. “It’s just our way of introducing you to the wonderful world of dancing.” When I hung up the phone, I could feel my face flush. What if I step on my instructor's toes and make a fool of myself? At c

  Excerpt from The Rose and the Sword by Nanette Hucknall -- Tend the Light One of the positive qualities of the feminine is beauty in all its forms. The experience of beauty opens one’s heart, and also changes relationships with others. People often think of beauty in a superficial way and fail to appreciate its impact on their lives. The sheer numbers of people who frequent art museums always strikes us: although some may be drawn to a particular artist, or are knowledgeable about art, it is the beauty that draws, and beauty that is the magnet.             A similar experience can occur with all the arts: listening to a concert, watching dance, absorbing great writing – all can touch our hearts, as can, also, nature. Why are we so drawn to beautiful sunsets and sunrises? When nature paints glorious images on the sky canvas, are we not reborn in some way? The following tale illustrates the transformative power of beauty:   Robert sat at his desk with the bile of anger rising in him.