MSI Press Blog

  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 Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra  by J. Bennett Easterling.  Description: A heaping slice of old-fashioned Southern storytelling, this book gives readers a taste of genuine American life that will keep them coming back for more. Join the journey as a preacher's kid survives his father's stern discipline, rattlesnakes, and harvesting okra. The deep-fried characters are unforgettable, and the furry and feathered folks will steal the heart of animal lovers. S

  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  Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra  by J. Bennett Easterling.  Description: A heaping slice of old-fashioned Southern storytelling, this book gives readers a taste of genuine American life that will keep them coming back for more. Join the journey as a preacher's kid survives his father's stern discipline, rattlesnakes, and harvesting okra. The deep-fried characters are unforgettable, and the furry and feathered folks will steal the heart of animal lovers.

Just posted a lovely book review for Easterling's book, Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra , on the book's page at our website. The review appears on Know Doubt Ministry website , and conccludes:: You may have never been raised on a farm, lived in the rural South, eaten okra, or experienced pre-WWII life, but you will be captivated by Ben's tales as if you had.  I strongly encourage you to read my friend's book. Click on the site link above to read the entire review. Other delightful reviews can be found at Barnes and Noble -- HERE . Our favorite from among them is: "Are you sure this little rascal is a preacher's kid? Pity his poor mother! This demands a sequel!" Are you sure this little rascal was a preacher's kid? Pity his poor mother! This demands a sequel. Are you sure this little rascal was a preacher's kid? Pity his poor mother! This demands a sequel. Are you sure this little rascal was a preacher's kid? Pity his poor mot

Today's back story is about the book, Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra by J Bennett Easterling . From the publisher Years ago, I received a book proposal through the mail (yeah, pre-email). It was a memoir by a first-time author without much of a name recognition and a modest platform. It did not fit into what we typically published at that time, so I sent a letter informing him of that.  Somewhere, he initiated a phone call to learn more -- he wanted to know how decisions are made, where he could look, how he should search for a publisher, and the like. He was eager to learn -- and very personable. I wished we did publish in this genre, but we did not. Apparently, Bennett formed some sort of instant trust in me. Six months later, he excitedly sent me a contract for a self-publish contract. It was not a good contract, but he did not realize that. This time, I called him. I pointed out the bad provisions in the contract. Not only had he not realized how much the contract skewed towar