MSI Press Blog

It is Tuesday. Time to tall turkey. 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 topic is holiday books. After all, we are straddling two holidays right now -- Chanukah and Christmas. So, if you want to write a holiday-related book, say a Christmas book, when should you start? What kind of timeline will dictate having the book out at the right time? Let's assume that you have a publisher lined up because otherwise all timing issues are moot. Here are the timelines that would work for us, as a publisher: The latest, as a publisher, I would want to get a Christmas book, is January, but preferably the previous November or December. I need at least a couple of weeks to decide whether or not ...

  Caregivers often occupy the quiet spaces of heroism. You prepare the medication, catch the subtle signs of decline, hold the stories that others forget. But this vocation, born of love and necessity, can slowly erode the self if not tenderly tended. Self-care isn't retreat from caregiving—it’s its foundation. 🧭 Redefining Self-Care Forget the spa clichés. Caregiver self-care is about: Permission : To feel deeply, to rest fully, to say “not today.” Protection : Of boundaries, of time, of emotional bandwidth. Presence : With oneself—not just being available for others. Self-care is the practice of safeguarding your own sacred ground. 🕯 Daily Practices with Depth Body Listening : Before you serve, pause to ask: What does my body need today? Stretching, silence, sustenance? Emotional Debriefing : Journal your truths. Not to analyze, but to exhale. Care requires emotional breathwork. Spiritual Anchoring : Whether prayer, poetry, or porch sitting—create a ritual that remi...

  Today's book excerpt comes from  Blest Atheist  by Elizabeth Mahlou. Mercy, part 2  I began fighting Ma at a young age. When I was small, Ma was like a god, a strong, mean, and angry one. She loomed large, powerful, and seemingly omni scient. As I grew older, however, I learned that I could fight this god and retain my dignity, and as I grew even older I found that I could fight this god and win. Perhaps my growing ability to vanquish the earthly god in my life colored my own disposition toward God the Almighty.  Small, with “dark eyes that could sparkle with delight or flash with fire,” according to relatives who remember those days, I apparently exhibited from birth a pro found orneriness. The pediatrician could not calm me at my six-week checkup and strapped me to a table, waiting for me to stop screaming. For two hours, my screams pierced the doctor’s closed window, causing passersby in the city square below to stop and wonder what was happening. Th...

  It is Tuesday. Time to tall turkey. 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. (Much also applies to traditionally published authors whose books have not been on a perfect glide path upward to success.) Today's topic reflects a reality experienced by all but a very few authors who have recognized names, expansive contacts, big pockets (or big publishers with deep pockets), or, for one reason or another luckily found a sweet spot (typically after years of being in bitter places). Most books do not start out as NYT bestsellers and remain there for life. They either start well and fall off (usually quickly), start slowly and remain with slow and then almost no sales, or start very poorly and then ta...

  From A Woman's Guide to Self-Nurturing The Road to Self-Esteem What brings you happiness? Is it love? Is it meaningful work? Does a passionate interest meet that yearning that just has to be fulfilled? Chances are all of these needs are important, but there may be one hidden desire that never gets the attention it deserves. That need is self-esteem, the quiet, undemanding hankering to feel good about oneself. Certainly doing well in a job can bring self-esteem, but it may not be the kind we need, or it doesn’t last long enough before the next goal is put into place and we’re off again. Love comes closer, but again it has to be the right kind of love. Women’s love, as we know, is often focused outward, and that’s good—but for a true gain in self-esteem, women need to give love to themselves. This is not being selfish, it’s just being fair. We need to cherish ourselves in every way we can, if only so that our cup will be full enough to continue helping others. The Parable of the Te...

    Inspired by   Learning to Feel, Second Edition: One Man’s Path of Reconnecting to the Heart of Emotions There are moments in life that seem ordinary—sipping morning coffee, folding laundry, sitting in traffic. But beneath the routine hum of our days lies something more profound: the invitation to feel. Not to analyze or explain, but to be present. To feel fully. To notice the sacredness of simply being alive. For many of us, especially those trained to think, evaluate, or fix, emotions can become background noise—managed, categorized, or pushed aside. This was the case for the author of  Learning to Feel , a man who knew emotions from the outside but had grown distant from the living experience of them. His story is not just about reconnecting with his own feelings—it’s about learning to see everyday life through the lens of the heart. This second edition of  Learning to Feel  adds depth and reflection to an already powerful journey. With chapter-end qu...