MSI Press Blog

Parenting has its joys; it can also be demanding when all does not go as planned or hoped, as in this picture of parents with their son and two emergency room specialists, raising up (literally) their physically challenged daughter. MSI Press offers several unique books on parenting--for the everyday difficulties and the unique challenges. Take a look! 3 65 Teacher Secrets for Parent s by Cindy McKinley and Patti Trombly See posts by and about Cindy and Patti, including book excerpts, HERE . Courageous Parents   by Dr. Haim Omer Read posts by and about Dr. Omer, including book excerpts, HERE . How to Be a Good Mommy When You're Sick by Dr. Emily Graves Read posts by and about Dr. Graves, including book excerpts, HERE . Lessons of Labor by Julia Aziz See posts by and about Jula Aziz, including book excerpts,  HERE . Life after Losing a Child by Pat Young and Joanna Romer See posts by and about Pat  and Joanna. Noah's New Puppy by Ric...

  Back Story of 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas From the author: The Story Behind the Book: How Self-Care Helped Me Achieve My Dream of Writing My First Book Julie M. Gentile It started between an inhale and an exhale on my yoga mat. My idea to write a book for other busy moms like me trying to live well was planted in the pause between both parts of the breath. I had just had my second child and had become more aware of the options busy moms had to manage their full plates. One word about being a busy mom immediately came to mind: Overwhelmed. I knew I couldn’t manage my own busy life without self-care by my side. Since becoming a yoga teacher in 2011, I was already practicing a variety of nourishing practices to feed my mind, body and soul: getting quality sleep, staying hydrated, practicing yoga, meditating, exercising, journaling, eating more plant-based foods and reading uplifting content. These practices helped me pause enough to get glimpses of how ...

  Today's book excerpt comes from  Andrew's Awesome Adventures with His ADHD Brain   by Kristin and Andrew Wilcox.  A lways D isorganized and H opelessly D istracted (ADHD)   Blink, blink, blink, the cursor keeps time on the blank screen as thoughts rush through my brain like a runaway freight train. “What was that book about? Who were the characters?” Oh, where to begin? There are just too many details to think about. My thoughts drift aimlessly as I stare out of my bedroom window. It’s a sunny day, and there is the smell of freshly cut grass pulling my attention to what I could be doing. I wish I were riding my bike or fishing down at the stream. Instead, here I am stuck at my desk, writing a dreaded book report for English class. Correction, I am not writing it. I wish I could make myself write it. If I were writing it, then I could be done with it. All I want is to be done with it. Why didn’t I start working on it when it was assigned to us weeks ago? “Ugh...

  Excerpt from Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star! by Betty Lou Leaver, PhD.  INTRODUCTION This is not your typical tip book on how to learn foreign languages. It does not tell you to do a list of 15 things and assure you that you will become the language classroom star because typical lists of tips do not work for all leaners. Sometimes, almost none of the traditional tips and tricks work for some people. This book does not offer you learning strategies for reading, listening, writing, speaking, memorizing for vocabulary, and getting good with grammar. There is no need for yet another book on the topic of learning strategies. Good books exist. The best on, in opinion, is Teaching and researching language learning strategies: Self-regulation in context (Oxford, 2017). You should get it, use it, and keep it handy. You will not need a better guide for learning strategies than that. Oxford (1986) has also produced a well-vetted instrument: Strategy In...

  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 discusses blogging for authors. Blogging is an excellent platform for authors, especially authors with a first-time book, if they do certain things to make the blog a good support for their book. Here are some things to consider if you plan to make a blog an important part of your platform. Importance of consistency Blogs have brands. They are recognized. When the brand is reinforced, readers feel comfortable with the blog and validated in the time they will spend to read your posts. (And maybe even excited enough to do some word-of-mouth advertising for you.) There are two items that require consistency in order for reader...

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.  Many of our authors are active on various social media platforms. This week, therefore, look at ways to use tweets and posts more effectively. Visuals   Share visually appealing content such as book covers, quotes overlaid on images, and short videos discussing the book. Book Reviews Offer brief, engaging reviews of the books you read. Highlight what you loved about them and why others might enjoy them too. Author Spotlights   Feature authors and their journeys. Interviews, fun facts, or lesser-known works can draw interest. Reading Challenges:  Encourage your followers to join in on reading challenges or book clubs. Interactive...

    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 social media. The importance of social media is a given. It is the most effective of book promotion and marketing, and authors are expected to have strong platforms. Without a strong platform, a traditional book publishing contract is very difficult to get. So, how does one develop a good social media strategy? Here are suggested components to a good social media strategy: Mission Statement Here is an example: My mission is to empower readers with knowledge and powerful insights, helping them to improve their lives and live successful personal and professional lives. Here is another: I am to provide guidance and e...