MSI Press Blog

  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.  This week we answer the question, Do I really need to keep blogging?” My answer, almost always, is yes. Whether it’s maintaining your own blog, writing guest posts, or contributing to relevant websites, blog writing still matters. Not just for visibility—but for sales. Here’s why: 1. Blog posts create discoverability Think of each post as a breadcrumb in the vast forest of the internet. Someone Googles a topic—maybe something you've written about in your book—and lands on your blog post. That reader now knows your name, your tone, your expertise, and… that you’ve written a book. It’s not pushy. It’s presence. 2. Blogging builds trust a...

  HOSPITALITY “ I mean to stay at your house today.” --Luke 19: 5   How would you react if you received a personal call from some celebrity, such as the Pope or the President, asking you to have a private dinner with him at your home. Your initial reaction would likely be shock. “ Why me?” you would ask, thinking you are not worthy of such an honored guest. Then, panic, “ How can I prepare for such a guest?” As reality sets in, you begin scrambling to put your house in perfect order. All the clutter would be thrown out. You would clean until the place was spotless. You would likely obsess about what to serve for dinner, trying to guess what your guest would like most. You would set the table with your finest linen, plates, and silverware. And you would cook up a storm. How privileged you would feel to entertain such an important person. DIVINE HOST When people ask me what happens after we die, I answer, “ We return to where we were before we were born.” Ultimately,...

What follows is a guest post from Dr. Elizabeth Mahlou, from her blog, Clan of Mahlou. I cannot resist. I am going to post something that came to me in email. I think all parents (and grandparents) can relate. Here it is: GOD CREATED CHILDREN (AND IN THE PROCESS GRANDCHILDREN) To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students... here is something to make you chuckle. Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children. After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was "DON'T!" "Don't what?" Adam replied. "Don't eat the forbidden fruit," God said. "Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey, Eve! We have forbidden fruit!" "No way!" "Yes, way!" "Do NOT eat the fruit," said God. "Why?" "Bec...

  Today's guest post comes from Julie Gentile, via her blogsite. The author of two health and fitness books , Julie has great suggestions for self-care. Forgive yourself, she says -- and shows how in her latest post, which you can read HERE .  For more posts about Julie and her award-winning books, click  HERE .                                                                             Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter                           Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

Joshua Shea, co-author of He's a Porn Addict...Now What? , has done some unsettling reserarch. He shares it with us in today's guest post.: When Donald Trump went on TV that Wednesday night in early March as one of the last people to admit what many of us had come to recognize in the previous 72 hours – the Coronavirus was the real deal – one of my first thoughts went to how this was going to be the single greatest boon to the pornography industry since the invention of the Internet. We’re still in it – probably not even at the halfway point – and it turns out, I was unfortunately correct. As much as I detest PornHub, I’ve got to give them credit for the statistics they provide. Granted, they are not independently verified and sometimes they leave out crucial information (such as ignoring the fact “teen” is a popular search term in their annual report) but I think they are providing a unique window into what is happening. In late February and into the first week of March...

  Joanna Charnas, author of several award-winning books , has provided the following guest blog post. My Father’s Influence on Managing Chronic Illness: Common Sense and Saliva By Joanna J. Charnas   I’m always striving to manage my multiple chronic illnesses effectively and with more ease, and less stress. My eighty-one-year-old father entered a nursing home this year due to worsening Alzheimer’s symptoms. Since his placement, I’ve considered his influences on my life and have particularly savored memories of my early childhood with him. As I contemplated this period, I began to appreciate the long-term effects his parenting style had on my health challenges.     Dad was a hands-on, no fuss parent. If I wet my bed in the middle of the night, I was instructed to wake him up, not my mother. He’d calmly help me into fresh pajamas, lay a large towel over the soiled linen that would be changed in the morning, and then tuck me back into bed. My occasional bed-...