MSI Press Blog

Yesterday, with the release of Julie Gentile's book, How to Stay Calm in Chaos , we reached release #10 of the books in our pandemic series--experts among our authors who have turned their expertise into providing advice, help, and encouragement with dealing with the fallout of various sorts of trying to cope with and manage life successfully during a pandemic. These books encompass a wide range of topics, all of them very pertinent to what is happening all around us. Which ones could help you? The  Pandemic and Hope , written by former priest and long-term, respected psychologist, Dr. Dennis Ortman. Read more HERE . Tips, Tools, and Anecdoates to Help during a Pandemic , written by San Diego social worker, Joanna Charnas. Read more HERE . God Speaks into Darkness , written by church leader, J Bennett Easterling. Read more HERE . Diary of an RVer during Quarantine, written by RV expert (judge of the RV Oopsies awards), Karry MacDonald. Read more HERE . Old and On Hold , written by ...

MSI Press authors are undertaking a special project to help readers weather the pandemic (quarantine). Writing in their various areas of specialty, the authors address issues of psychological well being, health, parenting, spirituality, and number of other related areas of stress and concern associated with the pandemic. To see the list of books in progress, check out our home page HERE . As more books are offered by our authors, they will be added to the list. For example, in the pipeline, but not yet shown on the home page, are three books whose cover designs are still in progress: 10 Quick Homework Tips (McKinley Alder & Trombly) How to Stay Calm in Chaos. (Gentile) Old and On Hold . (Cooper) So, check back weekly to see where these books stand. And note, that they can be pre-ordered at 25% discount, using the code FF25. Since the books are already easy on the pocket, this is a pretty good deal. Take two -- or three!* *Printing and shipping times dur...

Proudly announcing the release of The Pandemic and Hope , the first book in our pandemic series -- a set of books dedicated to helping people make it safely (mentally and physically) through the pandemic. These books are written by experts in their fields, who are also authors by their own right of other MSI Press books, and  information about new books to be released in this series can be found on the MSI Press home page . Dr. Ortman has authored three hig hly respected, beloved, and extremely well reviewed MSI Press books related to various forms of addiction--all relevant to these times: Anger Anonymous Anxiety Anonymous Depression Anonymous   Find more posts about and by Dr. Ortman HERE . Find more posts about the pandemic (quarantine) HERE . And take the precautions needed to STAY WELL!

  Today's book back story is about The Pandemic and Hope by Dr. Dennis Ortman From the publisher: In 2020, everyone was reeling, caught off-guard by the coronavirus that descended quickly and viciously. Work places closed, families grouped together in lockdown (and sometimes the coronavirus ran right into those families, and people were dying. There was much confusion and much fear. At that time, MSI Press asked its authors, who are nearly all specialists in one domain or another, to prepare "little" books (a few dozen pages) of information in their fields for people coping with the pandemic. Fifteen responded; that become our popular pandemic series. One of those little books was The Pandemic and Hope. Not long thereafter, Dr, Ortman expanded the information into a full-sized book, Life, Liberty, and COVID-19 . Read more posts about Dennis and his books, click HERE .  For more book back stories, click  HERE . To purchase copies of this book at 25% discount, use code FF2...

  Now available in audiobook edition: The Pandemic and Hope by Dennis Ortman. Book description: This little booklet, written by a former priest and well respected psychologist, takes an in-depth and multi-aspectual look at the covid-19 pandemic. Topics addressed include panic, post-pandemic stress disorder, and pandemic anxiety addiction. Full of compassion and wisdom, this book offers explanations for reactions to the pandemic, means of dealing with thoughtfully and pragmatically, and hope for a better today and tomorrow. Dr. Ortman describes what happens in a pandemic initially is akin to the sensation of drowning. Those living through a pandemic are indeed experiencing a life-threatening event every bit as frightening as an earthquake, tsunami, tornado, or any other natural disaster. They feel a sense of helplessness. They experience a sense of intrusion; indeed, the pandemic has intruded into their lives. It did not come into their lives invited. The result is a push toward av...

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 the anatomy of a successful book. We are talking here about books by small presses, micro presses, and self-published authors. Large presses have a different sales volume and a different approach to marketing and sales not typically available to those without their big pockets. The image of a successful book is a high volume of sales from the get-go (and maybe even from pre-orders) that either steadily builds or starts big and stays there on a flat trajectory. Conversely, if a book starts slowly, stumbles, and has a long spell of poor sales, one often assumes that the book is and always will be a poor s...

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's conversation takes another look at the question of sales. This time, we attempt to answer the question that accompanies an unpleasant experience that many authors have: Why are sales from my book dropping off so radically? There are always ups and downs in book sales. Some are natural. Others are the result of the times. Yet others are the result of the times in the author's life, interest, and commitment The "First" Effect The first month after book release is almost always the best for any author. That is the time that specific book launch activities take place. That is when friends and relatives jump in to buy....