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.  This week we look at a question that has repeatedly been asked of our au pair services: how do I boil my very rich and complex life down to fit into a book? Well, to do that, you need to be able and willing to weed out what does not appropriately fit into the book. (Adding in is always easier than weeding out; any successful graduate student dissertation writer will tell you that!) So, let's look at some of the guides you can use. (These are not the only ones.) Readership/audience Who do you want to read your book? Is it for your progeny? Is it for the general public? The answer will dictate the kind of narration you use and the amount o

  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.  First book starts to sell again -- and outsells the second and third books (Rose and Sword  - no competitions or awards; How to Live from the Heart; not always the off effect - some second and third books have outsold earlier ones Earlier posts become more popular than current ones. (Greenebaum's older post same day as new post posted) Today's post addresses an interesting phenomenon in which subsequent publications improve the sales of previous publications, sometimes with previous publications outselling the new books. Books in Series It stands to reason that subsequent publications will bring in better sales for all books in a ser

  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 topic takes a look at memoirs. Everyone, it seems, well, lots of people, have the desire to share their life story, and most assume that lots of other people will want to buy their memoir and read it. Well...the reality may not be as heartwarming and positive. According to some statistics, memoirs are among the poorest selling books. Except for perhaps some personal friends, authors without a well-known name have trouble gaining traction for their memoirs. (Who wants to read the life story of Mr. or Ms. Nobody?) Most people's stories are not unique enough to create a "wow" factor needed to get readers to pick up the

About the Book Tucker & Me: Growing Up A Part-Time Southern Boy  tells the story of a child growing up in the Mad Men era of the 1960's. Filled with humor, sadness, and harrowing incidents, the memoir reflects all the emotions of life one experiences growing up, in this case, with a single mom who lived in Los Angeles and a father who lived in a small town suburb of Atlanta, Georgia known as Tucker. Traveling in the summers to the alternate universe in Tucker, the author experienced a roller coaster ride of two completely different lifestyles. Book Endorsement "Readers can feel and taste the magical moments. You feel like you’re sitting by the fi replace with Uncle Andy, sipping coffee and listening to his fanciful yarns.” J. Bennett Easterling, author of Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra   Review of the Book From Readers' Favorite:  Anyone who has lived a double life like [Harvey's] will understand and enjoy these stories... This book is not just about Harv

  Released today Heart to Heart Resuscitation: A Memoir and Heart to Heart Resuscitation: My Journal by Victor Montgomery III. A Memoir I have your six ... The window of opportunity to make a difference for someone considering suicide can be a matter of seconds. The real-life stories in this book illustrate this tension dramatically.  H2H Resuscitation -the book and the therapeutic model-provides encouragement and hope to overcome combat veterans' immediate life-threatening depression and suicidal thoughts, the priority being to get veterans to safety. "Oh, yes," they hear on the other end of the phone line, "You do have a reason to live, and I will tell you why!" Through subsequent mentoring and group therapy, these rescued veterans are mentored to develop the strength, determination, and support to get out of danger and pull their lives together. The H2H Resuscitation model, designed by Vic Montgomery, · explores the psychological wounds of war, specifically

  Indeed, they are. The book reviews are now coming in for The Book That Almost Got Me Fired by Kelly James -- and all 5 stars. Check out this on by Stephanie Vozza on Goodreads: Kelly James' memoir about leaving a decades' long career as a self employed writer to enter corporate America for guaranteed pay and health insurance is a fascinating journey and one that's relatable. Whether you've taken a similar leap or were the new (and very different) kid on the block, you know that it's hard to start over. Kelly shares great advice on navigating the path and the stumbling blocks with humor and humility. Plus she peppers in spicy details of her personal life that have you wondering what she'll share next. This is a book that's easy to read and engaging at every turn. CURRENTLY #3 ON AMAZON'S LIST OF HOT NEW RELEASES. Book description: You're 52. Divorced. Single mom to a teenaged son and a tween daughter. Happily self-employed but worried about the cos

  What is a book jewel? A sometimes-overlooked book with remarkable insight and potential significance. Each month, we share near-daily, or as often as possible, reviews of the monthly book jewel - short, succinct reviews that can be read in 1-2 minutes with links to the reviewer by reviewers whose words are worthy of being heard and whose opinions are worthy of being considered. Sometimes a couple of minutes contains more impressive thought than ten times that many. We will let you decide that. This month's book jewel is  Road to Damascus  by Elaine Imady. Description: Recommended by US Review of Books and First Runner-Up in the Eric Hoffer Awards legacy competition, Road to Damascus describes the Middle Eastern journey of an American who meets and falls in love with a Syrian when they are both attending school in New York. Giving up her country and her religion to follow her husband back to Syria, Elaine Imady has made a life that has successfully bridged two cultures and two con