Mill City Press

"There is Only You Beholding You" written up in the Midwest Book Review

2008-07-28T10:43:00.004-05:00

Mill City is pleased to announce that Thomas A. Leenerts and Berta Stella Canton, authors of "There is Only You Beholding You," received a review by the Midwest Book Review.

" 'There is Only You Beholding You' is a guide for readers to find themselves, with help from or in spite of religious or societal standards. The sense of peace that many yearn for is independent of all that, and can only be attained through one's own mind. Author and man of the world Thomas A. Leenerts imparts the wisdom of how to do this to his readers in 'There is Only You Beholding You.' Highly recommended."

To learn more, or to purchase a copy, please visit the book's website, http://www.youbeholdingyou.com/.

Celebrate Father's Day with A Mill City Press Author

2008-06-10T10:45:00.003-05:00

Join Mill City Press author Dr. Bill Emener as he discusses his book, Mom and Dad's Pearls of Wisdom, with John Sipos. He celebrates Father's Day by remembering his own father, and sharing some of the "pearls of wisdom" and life lessons that he gained over the years.

If you live in the Tampa Bay area, the interview will air on Sunday morning, 7-8am, Smooth Jazz WSJT 94.1FM and Q105 (104.7FM). If you are not in the Tampa Bay area, but would like to tune in, you can access the program, hOURTampabay, by going to the WSJT Website and listening to it live from there. And by Sunday afternoon, you can go to John's Website and listen to it from there as well: http://johnsipos.com/

Mill City Press Author Gets Written Up in Village Voice

2008-03-12T16:58:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Simone Corday whose book 9½ Years Behind the Green Door: A Mitchell Brothers Stripper Remembers Her Lover Artie Mitchell, Hunter S. Thompson, and the Killing That Rocked San Francisco (greendoorbook.com) was featured in The Village Voice.

Another Mill City Press Author Appears on NPR

2007-12-27T14:13:00.000-06:00

Heidi Haagenson, Mill City Press author of The Tenney Quilt, will appear on a National Public Radio (NPR) station based in Fargo, ND.

Heidi will appear on on "Hear it Now," a regional talk show. The interview will take place on January 2nd from 3:00-4:00pm CST, and will be rebroadcast the same day at 7:00 pm CST. The show can also be heard on the following stations:

Grand Forks: KUND 89.3 FM
Jamestown: KPRJ 91.5 FM
Bismarck: KCND 90.5 FM
Minot: KMPR 88.9 FM
Williston: KPPR 89.5 FM
Dickinson: KDPR 89.9 FM
Thief River Falls, MN: 88.3 FM
Winnipeg: 107.9 FM

You may also listen to the show live on the internet, or later through their archives.

Go to www.prairiepublic.org and click on RADIO, then RADIO HOME. Then either click on LISTEN LIVE or on "Hear it Now" to listen to it after it airs the first time.

To learn more about Heidi's book or to purchase it go to www.tenneyquilt.com

If You're Thinking About Getting an SEO Website for your book...it's never too early.

2007-10-28T21:10:00.000-05:00

If you've spent any time on our site, you already know how important we believe a search engine optimized website (SEO) is for your overall book marketing strategy. That is especially true, if you plan on doing any online marketing.

When a new website is set up, Google puts them in a holding area before rankings can begin in the indexes of Google. It's called the "Sandbox Effect" and it can take five months to a year for Google to index your site. That is why, it's a smart idea to begin the process as early in the book publishing process as possible.

What we like to do is build at least the homepage for our SEO author websites, put a link to them on the Mill City Press website and let them start aging. So, when the book comes out about 3-4 months later, the site is well on it's way getting out of the Sandbox.

For a site to be indexed by Google, it must first be 1) proven, or deemed by Google as appropriate for ranking; 2) legitimate; and 3) have some action taking place. The first two are accomplished just by building it properly. The last is achieved by getting traffic to your site. Of course Google loves it when that traffic comes through it's Adwords program (those small ads you see on the side of Google pages). Our Online Advertising Programs and Website Exposure Program will help you get the "action" Google demands for your site to be indexed.

The Book Printing Revolution is Finally Here

2007-10-08T10:24:00.000-05:00

If after reading this blog entry, you still are printing books with your current publisher, you will be who P.T. Barnum described when he said, "There's a sucker born ever minute." With the exception Mill City Press every other self-publishing company in the world marks up book printing. Some mark it up a tiny bit (15-20%) and then there are the real plums of the publishing society, like Xlbris, who mark it up 150% or more.

If you haven't figured it out by now, our whole philosophy at Mill City is to make sure that authors don't get ripped off and have a publishing program that acts as a launching pad not a burial ground. That's why we've created Book Printing Revolution. Think of this like the Costco or Sam's Club of book printing. We've negotiated with several great printing companies who have agreed to provide our authors printing at prices previously only available to publishers.

You pay a membership fee of $297 which gives you the ability to print your book for as low as $.011 per page and $.85 per cover (for a black and white interior / paperback cover). If you're already a Mill City author, you get a $100 discount.

As long as you have the press ready copies of your book, you can use the services of Book Printing Revolution.

Take for example even the typical Mill City author who's paying $.015 per page and $.90 per cover. For a 200 page book, the cost to print one copy is $3.90. If you join BookPrintingRevolution.com , that cost per book falls to $3.05 per book. Print 100 books and you've made back your membership fee. Print another 100 books and you've actually made $85.

The printer guarantees that you'll love the proof copy. If it's defective in any way and can't be corrected, all the money you paid to join BookPrintingRevolution.com is refunded.

Whether or not your a Mill City author, you can stop the tyranny of book printing rip-offs today and increase your profit margins on your book. Sound good?

The Football Gods Timed the Release of "My Least Favorite Team"

2007-10-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

A lot of success in book publishing comes from luck. For Keith Richotte, the fact that the Minnesota Vikings suck again this year makes the timing of his new book My Least Favorite Team is My Favorite Team perfect. A long suffering Minnesota Viking fan, Keith writes about how the Vikes caused him to hate every team in the NFL.

Last week, Keith launched the website for his book, http://www.myleastfavoriteteam.com/ , which has tons of fun memories for Vikings fan. My personal favorite is the separated at birth photos of former Vikings owner, Red McCombs and the "rich Texan" character from the Simpsons.

If you live in or around Minnesota, you'll probably be hearing Keith on the radio in the next month or so. Chelsea Brennan, our new book publicist is coordinating a complete media campaign. Again, since as of the date of this blog entry, the Minnesota Vikings are 1-3, Chelsea's job is going to be pretty easy.

One of Author Gets Offer to Purchase Foreign Rights

2007-10-01T10:03:00.000-05:00

Today we learned that a publishing company in Turkey is interested in buying the Turkish rights to J Nealson's great book, Baghdad Believer. Congratulations to Nick.

Nick proves that by getting your book out there, opportunities will find you.

Website Exposure Program

2007-09-12T11:24:00.000-05:00

Mill City Press is now offering a service designed to increase visitor traffic to your website.

Traffic to your website is increased in three different ways:

The first feature of the Website Exposure Program is submission of your website's domain name to at least 70 major search engines and directories. What you may not realize is that though something may exist online, its existence does not guarantee that it will be generated in search engine results. Most search engines have "spiders" that "crawl" the internet for information, newest or most-often-viewed information ranking the highest in results. Some search engines require submission of a domain name before it will be found and crawled. Why don't we simply submit the domain name to the major search engines? The reason for this is that many of the major search engines use the smaller ones to do the crawling for them. Further, the more search engines and web directories that know about your website, the greater the chance it has of being found by a user.

The second feature of this program is at least 10,000 unique visitors directed to your website. How can we guarantee such a number, and how can they all be unique? Because high traffic volume factors into a website's rankings, many online companies have begun offering traffic that you can pay for. We have partnered with a company to offer you this new facet of online marketing. Based on general categories that would be relevant to your book and website, internet users are funneled through different search engines and expired domain names to your website. We can know if the users are repeat visitors based on an internet location code--those visitors are not counted in the final talley. (Feel free to email us--we know this can sound confusing!)

The third feature is also an interesting development in online marketing. Another aspect affecting search result rank is where you have links offered to and from your website. If the sites your site is linked to are high traffic, visible websites, then it will not only increase the number of people coming to your site through those other sites, but it will increase the rank your website receives in search engine results--just from being connected to these other popular sites. We find prominent bloggers willing to feature your website and book on their blog, and you get some great promotion for you and your book.

To find out more about this service, click on the link above or visit http://www.millcitypress.net/.

America's Survival Guide: How to Stop America's Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles and History

2007-09-05T13:06:00.000-05:00

America is slowly committing suicide.

Contrary to popular wisdom, the most serious threat to America does not spring from overseas adversaries. Because the threat is from within, it is much more subtle and ignored. Our self-evident truths have become neither. Our history and First Principles have been cast aside and denigrated by the public, educators, mainstream media, legal profession, and politicians. This state of affairs imperils our very survival; and these are self-inflicted wounds – the very definition of suicide. Let there be no mistake – we may be fighting a hot war against militant Islamic terrorists today, but there is also a cold war raging, right here and right now for the hearts and minds of our citizens – and we are losing. The terrorists have reminded us that some things are worth dying for. The rule of law, equality, a republican form of government, unalienable rights, and limited government are such things. The terrorists, and all enemies of freedom, will win if we simply forget, or reject, what we are and the principles for which we stand. Political amnesia will be our death knell.
America’s Survival Guide, How to Stop America’s Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles is a “one stop, full-service” primer to raise the alarm about the impending suicide of America and to help stop it. Part I documents the challenge we face by surveying the overwhelming evidence of our ignorance and disdain of American history and First Principles. This crisis faces our K-12 system, higher education, the general public, media, and political class. Drawing heavily on the Founding Fathers, including Paine, Dickinson, John and Sam Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Wilson, Madison, Jay, and Hamilton (as well as Locke, Hobbes, and Montesquieu), Part II clearly and concisely reviews America’s First Principles, and how the First Principles were the underlying cause of the American Revolution and became the foundation for our Federal Constitution. The work also reviews how those First Principles formed the basis of the struggle for racial and gender equality, and probes deeply into Lincoln, Stanton, Anthony, King, and others. Part III offers specific recommendations to combat the threat, including education, legal, media, holiday, nonprofit, and political reform. These innovative approaches include adopting an American Freedom Curriculum, reforming teacher preparation institutions, revising the bar exam, reorientating the media, and changing the political discourse. Each Part has its own independent value, and in some sense, stands completely alone. Together, they provide what we need to stop us from drinking our collective hemlock.

Read more about America's Survival Guide and author Michael Warren by clicking on the link above.

Tip No. 7

2007-08-30T15:40:00.000-05:00

The Press Kit

If you have saved money by self-publishing your book, you will want to spend a bit of money on a press kit. A press kit is a promotional tool distributed to media to entice them to review your book, interview you, or feature your work in a publication. Think of a press kit as your own personal public relations representative.

Some key elements of a press kit you would want to include are an personal bio, a synopsis of your book, a press release, and a sell sheet. All should be presented both concisely and attractively. The press kit is the author's multi-page resume or portfolio meant to display you and your work's most shining accolades.

Mill City Press offer its authors an attractive press kit, packed with professional resources for you to hand out to your local newspaper or book reviewer. You will receive 10 copies each of a formatted one-page author bio, press release, synopsis, sell sheet all enclosed in a Mill City Press heavy stock folder for distribution.

If you would like to find out how Mill City Press can create a press kit for you, click on the link above.

Check Out Our Philosophy!

2007-08-23T17:09:00.000-05:00

Mill City Press is centered around three basic tenets of self-publishing:

1. The printing costs authors pay should not be inflated by the publisher. Mill City Press authors pay the exact wholesale print costs that we do.

2. The goal of most authors is to profit from the sale of their books. Mill City Press believes authors should keep 100% of the revenue from their book sales.

3. In this age, the author should embrace the internet as a means to getting the largest audience in the most cost-effective and targeted way.

Click on the link above to read more about our publishing philosophy and how we compare to other publishers.

World Champion Material

2007-08-21T17:38:00.000-05:00

Prologue

A low hum filled the barn as rain pelted against the tin roof on a cool spring night. The only other sounds that could be heard were the occasional neigh and the ticking of a silver vintage alarm clock. The night was calm. Everyone was fast asleep, or so it appeared.
Young Tim Evans, considered an up-and-coming trainer to a majority of those in the American Saddlebred industry, anxiously paced a straight line following the tiles of the floor, back and forth across the barn office. His black leather riding boots clicked with each step. Arms crossed, he stopped and glanced at the clock—12:30 a.m. He sighed as he walked out into the dark barn aisle and down to the third stall. He had been waiting five hours already for his favorite mare, Molly, to birth her colt. Tim was especially excited for this colt to arrive, as it would be the very first colt that he could train from the start, and the first colt from Molly, known in her show ring days as Miss Molly B.

Tim looked into the stall as he had several times that night. Just as before, the dark chestnut mare stood facing the back corner of her stall, dozing in and out of sleep. He sighed again and traipsed back to the barn office. As soon as he entered the room, he heard his cell phone’s annoying, high-pitched ring from where it sat on his desk that was piled high with papers.
"Hello?" he answered with a yawn.
Tim’s wife said, "Hey, it’s Alice. How is Molly?"
"She’s fine, but there’s no sign of anything yet."
They said a few more quick words to each other and then hung up. Tim shooed away a gray barn cat and lay down on the black leather couch against the wall that was, like all the walls in his office, lined with ribbons and pictures, to take a short nap before checking on Molly again.
Several hours later
Tim woke up sensing he forgot something important. He had an empty feeling. He looked at the clock—5:30 a.m. Molly!
He ran down the barn aisle as fast as his legs could carry him. His heart beat so fast, he thought it would burst through his chest as he neared the mare’s stall. He caught his breath as he looked in to see Molly standing proudly looking over her sleeping newborn colt.
Tim gasped and hurried back to the office to call Alice. He snatched his phone from the desk and swiftly dialed his house number.
He nearly shouted into the phone, "Alice! Come down to the barn!"
"Huh? What?" She was still half asleep.
"Molly had her colt last night!"
She snapped out of her drowsiness. "Oh, Tim! I’m coming! What does he look like?"
He ran back to the stall and his eyes widened when he
looked at the colt. He smiled and said, "Looks like he’s liver chestnut—just like his mare! And I don’t see any markings."
"Just like his sire!" Alice added jubilantly. At that moment, nothing could overpower Tim’s excitement, pride and happiness.
Later that day, Tim helped the little colt to his feet and watched him as he poked his curious nose around the stall. The foal was a bundle of energy; every baby step was more like a rambunctious prance. His fuzzy nose nuzzled against Alice’s hand, and he nibbled at her fingers.
"Hey, stop that! Just because you’re cute doesn’t mean you can get away with everything," she told him, stifling a giggle.
That evening, Tim and Alice watched Molly and her colt. The sunshine through the window of the stall cast a square of light onto the floor. The little colt walked cautiously toward a patch of sunlight and looked at his own shadow across the sun patch. Tim and Alice laughed as the colt jumped back toward his mother in surprise.
"Shadow," Tim said aloud.
"What?" Alice asked.
"Shadow. That’s what I am going to name him," he said proudly.
That little colt will be a great horse someday, Tim declared to himself.

This was a portion of the prologue from one of Mill City Press' authors, Sarah Hinds.

Sarah Hinds was born in 1992 in St. Louis, Missouri. Since she was four years old, Sarah has ridden, shown, and loved American Saddlebred horses. She shows her Pinto Saddlebred gelding, All Riled Up (also known as "Riley") under the direction of Mark and Kelly Hulse. She also owns a 25-year-old Saddlebred gelding, Reedann's First Award (affectionately known as "Mickey") who was her first horse and best friend. Sarah writes a monthly column for Saddle and Bridle Magazine, and has written articles for the American Saddlebred Magazine, Missouri Horse Show Association's newletter, and ASHA's Junior Junction.

Her book will be available for purchase soon--look for it on Amazon.com! To publish your book with Mill City Press, click on the link above.

Twenty "No-Brainers" for Reforming Education in America

2007-08-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

The topic of educational reform does not have to be dull or boring. Written in a thought-provoking, straight-forward, and uncamouflaged vernacular, this book stuns the topic of educational reform in novel, provocative, radical, and at times politically-incorrect ways. The no-nonsense approach advocated here lays bare the resounding truth about what must be done now to salvage the American educational system. Themes such as "How can schools regain the public's trust?", "Why high-stakes testing, as now configured, must be abolished", "Why Schools should return to their historic purposes", "A different view of compulsory education", and "The need for education to be cherished as a gift and a privilege, not merely a right" are but a few of the "no-brainers" put forward as essential for educational reform in the 21st century. This book is a must read for anyone interested in rejuvenating American education and society. Teachers, administrators, parents, legislators, school board members, and concerned citizens from every corner of American society will be both incited and enlightened by confronting the frank, candid, no-holds-barred ideas contained within these pages. The reader may not always agree, but is guaranteed never to be bored.

Here are Dr. Tower's first five "No-Brainers":

"No-Brainer #1":
The Need to Return to the
Historic Purposes of Schooling

"No-Brainer #2":
The Need for Special Education to
Prosper and Grow

"No-Brainer #3":
The Need for Greater Emphasis on Teaching
an Appreciation for Life-Long Learning

"No-Brainer #4":
The Need for Smaller Class Sizes
and Smaller Schools

"No-Brainer #5":
Teachers Need to be Better Paid

To read more, find his book on Amazon.com by clicking on the link above.

Find out more about self-publishing with Mill City Press by visiting http://www.millcitypress.net/.

Cosmic Drama

2007-08-09T15:15:00.000-05:00

FOREWARD to Cosmic Drama

This book is the culmination of thirty years of insights,
dreams, and research on the nature of consciousness. When
I began, I did not envision the premise of this book, which
states that consciousness is organized by ideals, principles,
and universal rules. That premise evolved over many years,
triggered by a series of revelations that have transformed
my original beliefs and forced me to look beyond accepted
subject experts for validation.

My initial insights began with a weekend retreat focused
on creative dreaming, offered in either Napa or Sonoma
County, California. The teacher, whose name I no longer
remember, had been hired by a private citizen to research
the use of dreams to reveal information. His employer had
fallen asleep while reading the newspaper and in a dream
saw the winner of a horse race. He bet accordingly and won.
Intrigued with his success, he hired the teacher, his friend, to
recreate his success. He ended up instead developing some
revolutionary theories about dreaming and the organization
of consciousness.

It was in the late seventies when I took his class. By then,
this teacher was already experimenting with dreams and
remote viewing, using dreams to determine the contents of a
sealed envelope in another state. Two observations from this
dream workshop contributed to this text. The first was that
consciousness is whole and yet it is compartmentalized into
parts with specific functions. This is common knowledge; it
is the organization of consciousness along functional lines
regarding content that is unique. The second observation
was that dreaming acts to normalize tensions of polarized
content. In other words, dreams tend to create option
“C” from the tension between options “A” and “B”. In this
analogy, option “C” is normalized, In other words, option
“C” represents the synthesis between options “A” and “B”.

The course was part theory and part exercise. The exercise
part was designed to show that any question can be answered
using dreams. The key to discovering the answer was to
clearly articulate the question and ask for an answer.

For this exercise, we were asked to put the written
question under the pillow. I discovered later that this step
is unnecessary, especially if there was some emotional
intensity attached to the question. Once we had chosen a
question, we agreed to remember the dream. Years later, I
would realize the importance of this statement of intent. My
most important dreams seemed at first to be insignificant and
were almost dismissed as such. This phenomenon became
the basis for my second observation on normalization.
Although we were specifically instructed to ask a single
question, I deliberately asked several interrelated ones. The
next morning, after breakfast, we shared our dreams. First,
we stated the question then related our dream or dreams.
The results were astounding. In every instance, the dreams
revealed a wealth of information specific to the question
asked. Of all the answers, mine were the most dramatic. Not
only did the dream-process manage multiple questions, it
also provided a meaningful answer that kept each question
in perspective. I came away from the class with a greater
appreciation of my dreams and personal consciousness.

Now I use dreams as a guide for insights and as a means
of evaluating reference materials. Without the validation
of my dreaming “self,” it is unlikely that I would have used
some of the sources included in this text such as the Seth
books. Seth is an entity that dictated books to Jane Roberts
about the nature of consciousness and creation. Jane acted
as a medium for this entity while in a trance. Notes of the
sessions were taken by her husband, Robert Butts. In short,
this book is based primarily on a series of dreams. These
dreams emphasized to me the simplicity of the whole that
is the focus of intuition. The primary ideal of wholeness
is truth. Truth is also, according to my dreams, the ideal
from which all other ideals emerge. To this end, I have
included references that fit into this simple intuitive model
of Intelligent Context.

*Jonas Thompson is one of Mill City's self-published authors. Click on the link to his website to read more of his book online!

To find out how to publish your book with Mill City Press, visit http://www.millcitypress.net/

Setting the Retail Price of Your Book

2007-08-08T15:36:00.000-05:00

You are finally on your way to getting your book out there and into the hands of eager readers. First, however, you will need to consider how much those readers are going to pay for your book.

When deciding how to set your retail price, as a self-published author, you will of course consider what you personally spent to print your book. However, this should not be the only factor in your decision; sometimes you may not consider it at all. A very influential factor in setting the retail price is the genre to which your book belongs. You must price your book competitively based on the other books it will share the market with. Do some research: Go to Amazon's website. Search for books in the same category or subject as your book. See what other books Amazon customers bought based on your search, and compare some prices. Walk into your nearest bookstore and do some additional pricing, but don't just consult the big retail chains. Be sure to go to your local bookstores as well to see what is moving off the shelves and how much those books cost.

For books that required extensive research and include statistics, end notes, charts, graphs, and color images, it is reasonable to set a slightly higher retail price. When determining the pricing for fiction books, the page count is the biggest influence, in addition to trim size. Most trade paperbacks fall between $13.95 to $17.95 in price.

If you want to begin the process of publishing your book, visit our website by clicking on the link above.

Author Tip No. 6

2007-08-07T12:44:00.000-05:00

The Sell Sheet

A sell sheet is a powerful little document you can use to promote your book to anyone--it's like a book industry business card containing every possible bit of information about your book all in one location, in one page.

There are several elements you will want to make sure to include in your sell sheet to ensure its effectivity when it reaches the hands of book sellers and other industry executives:

Title: You can list this in several prominent places to help secure its place in the person's mind.
Author: Again, list your name in at least 2 different places on the page. You may want to include a brief biographical statement as well, if its relevance enhances your credentials.
Genre/Category: Give the subject, genre, or category of your book to make clear your intended audience.
ISBN: Offer your International Standard Book Number.
Binding: Specify how your book is bound, Paperback, Hardbound, etc.
Publication Date: List the date your book was made available to the public.
Pages: List the total number of pages of your book.
Price: Give the retail price of your book.
Trim Size: Give the dimensions (width x height).
Available from: Offer information on how to buy your book from wholesalers and retailers.
Synopsis of Your Book: Definitely include your book's synopsis as the main feature of your sell sheet, along with a good image of your cover design.
Reviews: Offer several cogent praises from readers and others in the industry who have reviewed your book.

Lastly, use quality paper and printing. Your sell sheet is what is going to act as your ambassador in your physical absence. Use slightly heavier card stock, quality ink, and a high resolution image. If you don't have these resources available to you in your home, get it printed at a Fedex/Kinkos or other such professional printing companies.

To see an example and get more information about sell sheets, click on the link above!

Autumn Sister

2007-08-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

Written by Doug Dobransky, Autumn Sister is a touching memoir devoted to his sister's struggle with cancer. What follows is Autumn Sister's introduction:

EVERYONE PRESENTLY LIVING IS DYING. Some of us sooner than others, and few of us know when. Having been a free-spirited, hedonistic, chronic womanizer all of my adult life, then suddenly becoming a caretaking warrior in the battle against level 3 breast cancer would have never prepared me for the year of hell, walking hand in hand with the sister I loved, through high-dose radiation, chemotherapy, profound radical surgery, and days and days of Bed Bath and Beyond.

My sister, Cheryl Ann, pointed out to me that my shower curtain, dish rack, bath tub, bed clothing, kitchen floor, and countless other bachelor maladies desperately needed revision and supervision. I had no idea. And why would I? Domestic makeover was invading my space like a flesh-eating virus and all I was trying to do was save her life.

By far, the most difficult thing I’ve ever done was to stop my life
of pleasure and adventure and try helping a courageous, young forty-four-year-old Director of Human Resources save her life. Life as she
knew it stopped in February 2001 when word came to her that the
lump she found was the enemy and needed killing. The chances for
such a case were normally fair to good, but as her luck went during the
entire ordeal, the scan reader that day was not at the top of her game…
must have had a late night. By June, four months later, the cancer was
racing and a desperate new plan was needed. Misdiagnosis sucks.
Leaving home suddenly to move out of state with just a suitcase
to fight cancer is not an easy thing. Not even a good in-flight movie
could distract anyone from that. Cheryl Ann flew to Los Angeles from
Youngstown, Ohio, to move in with me to begin one last chance in
Level B of the 200 Building at the UCLA Medical Center. They were
kind enough to take her case after my meetings and pleas. Our thanks
went out to them at UCLA, and the war began.

Over the months, we lived as two people might. Treatment every
day. Sickness and fear most of the time. Talks and more talks. Living
difficulties…money, rationalizing, traffic, pain, tears, and bewilderment
under it all. Above facing all those things came one larger revelation:
a human love was born. She and I laughed at cancer in the face. Our
daily chronicle kept laughs and tears flowing and from it came family
resolution, divine purpose, respect, and fulfillment. Facing death did
not take us over. Love took us over. Family love and brotherly love. I
was lucky to be my sister’s hero. She always told me that, and trying
so hard to be the brother she always thought I was took me to the
very limits of my being. I nearly cracked numerous times. But month
after month, something happened. What eventually emerged was one
final feeling of purpose in life. I finally figured it out. I was kept alive
in Vietnam long ago to maybe do this one thing. Give myself away to
another person in time of need. I have not had a more meaningful assignment,
nor have I had a more fulfilling conclusion. It was my gift,
and as unlikely a guy as I was to become a caretaker, I am the one who
was rewarded. I had real purpose. That is a gift.

Laughter saved us. I loved to make her laugh and in the depths of
despair, we kicked inflammatory breast cancer in the teeth, if only to
laugh for a few minutes at a time. Autumn Sister records the weeks and
months during the days of Cheryl Ann Dobransky Kraynik and tells
the true story of a brother and sister, a husband, a son, and a family,
who made a courageous attempt at exhibiting dignity, humor, strength,
and love as so many millions of families must do in the drama that is
cancer. It was my great honor to watch a gracious young sister “walk
point” during the long months of torture, and it is her beautiful soul
that remains in me always. During the months, I saw thousands of
people brave illness and I now love the human sprit more than ever.
There must be a great waiting room for all of them somewhere up
high. I am now fearless to find out. I thank them all for that.

My intention is to open up our lives in hopes of easing and helping
others who find themselves in this fight. By our daily living and
constant attempt to disrespect cancer, Cheryl and I stole nights and
hours from the rudeness that is life interrupted. We laughed and cried
and learned that there are still ways to stand taller when life is pushing
down. There are ways to still smile at beauty and love right in the middle
of third-degree radiation burns. There is enormous healing gained
by putting old family pain aside and seeing loved ones for whom they
are. In Autumn Sister, it was my hope to save my own sanity during
the hundreds of days by writing of the comedy in hospital OR’s family
invasions, or my bachelor ways and corresponding with those back
home. It was my need to let her read a daily chronicle each night at my
computer in hopes that I would hear hysterical laughter coming out
of her. For just those few moments, you see, she was not sick, and that
was something I could actually do against cancer. I cured cancer in her
for moments at a time, and that was my something.

“Remember,” I told her, “the first three letters in funeral are
F-U-N, so that is what we are going to do.” The hell with death and
dying. “You’re not dead yet, so today we laugh.” And that we did.

Doug Dobransky has been a Hollywood photographer for the past 28 years, working within the industries of entertainment, motion pictures, advertising, politics, sports, and music. His extensive list of clients includes Marlon Brando, Mickey Rooney, James Coburn, Juliette Lewis, Dennis Haysbert, Muhammad Ali, Mel Allen, Ted Danson, Shia LeBeouf, Stanley Clarke, Bradd Pitt, Dee Wallace, Quincy Jones, Lindsay Wagner, David Hassellhoff, and countless others. He is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, and a former AVP in Los Angeles banking system. Doug is a native of Butler, Pennsylvania and Youngstown, Ohio, moving to Los Angeles in 1969.

Autumn Sister is one of the newest books published by Mill City Press. It will be available for purchase soon! Find it at http://www.autumnsister.com. To find out how you can have your book published by Mill City Press, click on the link above.

A Show of Pride and Prejudice by Major Publishing Houses

2007-08-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

There is still a trail out there to be blazed on behalf of the self-publishing industry, as evidenced by an expose put forth by the Daily Mail, a London-based publication found online at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/.

The article, written by David Lassman, appeared online last month and describes Mr. Lassman's (attempted) venture into the world of internationally renowned publishing houses. He begins the article by commenting that the results speak to how many people purport to have read the great classics of literature and may just be feigning the perceived status of being "well read," but his story also underlines the persisting near-hostility toward self-publishing and self-published authors.

Lassman submitted the first few chapters of three Jane Austen novels, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, and Persuasion, changing titles and characters' names. He left clues pointing to the original works such as signing the manuscripts as "Alison Laydee," a reference to Austen's pseudonym "A Lady." He also entitled his version of Pride and Prejudice as First Impressions, the novel's original title. The return address he listed as the that of the Jane Austen Center, location of the Jane Austen Festival, Bath, England.

Submitted to 18 publishing houses, the work garnered responses varying from "not confident of placing this material with a publisher" to "seems like a really original and interesting read" (Penguin, the current publisher of Pride and Prejudice). Only one house, Jonathan Cape publishers, returned the manuscript with the comment

"I suggest you reach for your copy of Pride and Prejudice, which I'd guess
lives in close proximity to your typewriter and make sure that your opening
pages don't too closely mimic the book's opening. After all, there is such a
thing as plagiarism."

Lassman reports that he first came up with his experiment whilst trying to have his own novel published.

It may be true that the period-specific language and situation of Austen's novels, though timeless in story and theme, may not demand the type of attention from the monolithic publishing houses of today, but good writing is good writing. That somewhat intangible ability of a book to move and affect a reader should yet be considered by the publisher, not solely the ability to move itself off bookstore shelves.

Visit the original article in the Daily Mail (July 18, 2007) by clicking on the link above.

*If you are interested in finding out how self-publishing may be for you, visit the Mill City Press website at http://www.millcitypress.net/.

Smokey, Rosie, and You!

2007-07-30T14:12:00.000-05:00

Smokey Bear and Rosie the Riveter? Many Americans remember these two famous icons from their childhood, while younger folks may only recognize Smokey and Rosie from gifts in museum shops. Yet, behind these two very familiar faces are great stories about how and why they were created and their lasting impact on Americans. This book is filled with great stories like those of Smokey and Rosie. Take a fascinating journey through history including a colorful cast of brilliant, eclectic marketing strategists--such as John Adams, Teddy Roosevelt, George Creel, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, and FDR. They show how massive public marketing campaigns have successfully shifted public opinion and behavior by linking social issues to patriotism and democratic ideals. In addition, contemporary case studies filled with practical lessons and key trends that will impact the marketing of public programs today and tomorrow are presented. Put these all together--along with the TRACK marketing framework--and you will have the inspiration and the ingredients for your next public marketing campaign!

*This is another book published by Mill City Press. To find out more about how to self-publish your book, click on the link above. To buy this book, visit http://www.amazon.com/Smokey-Rosie-You-David-Ehrlich/dp/1934248339/

Vanity or Verity?

2007-07-26T12:09:00.001-05:00

If you have written something meaningful to you and think it might be worth getting out there for others' benefit, consider self-publishing.

You will probably have heard the term "vanity press," a derogative term sometimes used synonymously with self-publishers. Vanity presses generally do give more freedom to authors seeking to publish their work but with more risk involved, taken on by the authors themselves. Often vanity presses do not require that work be edited and will flagrantly mark-up the costs at the expense of the author. As a result, the books turned out by some vanity presses are of very low quality, wield little respect, and rarely gain a reputation good enough for bookstore and library distribution at all. Decades ago, vanity presses were an affordable option for people who simply could not pay to go with a traditional publishing house (Walt Whitman and Mark Twain, for example).

Mill City Press is not a vanity press, it is a self-publishing company. The differences are clear. You as the author do not pay extra for printing costs. We offer a publishing package and other services that will get your book mainstream exposure in many of the same avenues of the book trade as traditional publishers. All this while offering you complete control, 100% of all royalties, and ownership of the digital files of the layout and cover design.

The founder of Mill City Press, Mark Levine, wrote a book called The Fine Print of Self-Publishing that serves as a comprehensive guide to the publishing industry, borne out of his own experience in it. Read about it at http://www.book-publishers-compared.com/.

For more information about how to get your book out of your computer and into the hands of readers, visit the Mill City Press online by clicking on the link above.

Sincerely, Jesus

2007-07-25T11:33:00.000-05:00

Can you imagine thumbing through your daily mail and finding a letter from Jesus Christ? Not a prank, not a hoax, but the genuine article - a letter from heaven, from the risen Lord, written personally to you and your church. If hearing from God sounds intriguing, then this little book is for you. Several decades after His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus revealed Himself, in a vision from heaven, to the apostle John. Jesus directed John to write as He dictated seven letters to seven communities of faith scattered around Asia Minor. These personal notes are found in Revelation chapters two and three. In Sincerely, Jesus we will look at the amazing relevance each letter holds for life in the twenty-first century. All Jesus asks of us is to read with a listening heart and a willingness to make the adjustments, both in our personal lives, and in our churches, that the Holy Spirit prescribes.

Sincerely, Jesus is one of the most recent books published by Mill City Press.

Find out more about Edward Goble or read an excerpt from his book at his website; click on the link above to be taken there.

And to find out how to become one of Mill City Press' self-published authors, visit http://www.millcitypress.net/.

Moonlight Over the Canal

2007-07-23T12:10:00.000-05:00

Moonlight Over the Canal is a memoir by Ruth Shults, another Mill City Press self-published author.

Ruth Wilma Reif was born in a difficult year--1930--in Northern New Jersey. Her father was a successful builder and her parents enjoyed a comfortable life living in the homes that he built. But the Great Depression changed the destiny of this family of three and in 1935, at age 4, little Ruth began a crucial 19-year period during which the rich history of the places she lived became integral to her upbringing.

Moonlight Over the Canal is an engaging, fast-paced, vivid memoiric history that tells the tales of two houses--one in Montville, one in Boonton, both in Morris County. In doing so, it lays bare the heart of a little girl and young woman and, through her fascinations, opened windows on events and people in national and regional history from the American Revolution through World War II.

The setting is perfect for such storytelling because of Morris County's unique and abundant historical significance, due in no small measure to its location between Philadelphia and Manhattan. A region settled in the early eighteenth century because of its rich iron ore supply, it was the stage on which a major drama of American history was played out during the American Revolution.

In 1779, it took three days for General George Washington's troops to pass in front of one of the homes Ruth spotlights on their way to Yorktown, Virginia. Later, in the nineteenth century, Morris County homes were important links in the chain of the Underground Railroad that delivered slaves to the free north.

Because of the region's proximity to New York City, it became home to the famous Morris Canal, an important water route for the transport of goods and people before the age of the railroad. The canal ran behind the first house Ruth lived in and became a source of her adventures in both summer and winter.

The houses in which Ruth lived had seen all these major occurrences and more, and the formative years she spent in them taught her about what passes from one generation to another. They also taught her why it is importance for each of us to understand that we are the temporary custodians of a vital life force that deserves contemplation, respect, and preservation.

Moonlight Over the Canal is different from most local history books in that it is told in first person and so weaves the fabric of history with a personal, spiritual thread. The book chronicles Ruth's maturation from a child of four to a young lady of twenty-three.

To read more and to buy the book, click on the link above.
To publish your memoir, visit http://www.millcitypress.net/.

The American Truth by Nick Shelton

2007-07-18T09:42:00.000-05:00

The American Truth is a book that addresses the 9/11 Truth issues through an engaging story and a series of nonfiction articles.

Nathan Alexander, a media liaison at the Pentagon, survives the September 11th attack but tragically losses his wife in the event. Years after the tragedy, Nathan’s suspicion leads him to discover that his wife had inside information of a major conspiracy within the U.S. government.
While investigating into the conspiracy, Nathan comes across a computer hacker, Daniel Lewin, who is also interested in uncovering the truth about 9/11. Together, they use their computer skills and Pentagon access to discover information the U.S. government wants to keep a secret.
Eventually Nathan's cover is blown, and the two must run for their lives. Though all hope seems to be lost, their determination for the truth will not let these men give up their desire to uncover one of the greatest secrets in history.
(--from the website about the book. To read more, click on the link above.)

See what readers have said about the book:

"Powerful book that needs to be read," July 14, 2007
By Stan from Perry, GA - "This book presents significant issues in a powerful way. Every one should take some time to read this book, or at least book's ideas on its website. The book uses an exciting story to convey a message that should be one of America's concerns. I think this book will be a great means in creating awareness and inspiring people to do make an impact for America or the world."

"A book that is worth your time," July 15, 2007
By JC from Warner Robins, GA - This book is one that everyone needs to read. Shelton has a great writing style that keeps you interested all the way through. Shelton has found a great way to present many important issues. I personally do not agree with all the facts, but I have to admit that there's a bunch of unanswered questions. Shelton does a great job in raising these questions and creating a gripping mystery that keeps you plugged into the story for the entire 200 pages.

"A Great Book," July 14, 2007
By John P from Perry, GA - The American Truth is one of the books that you got to read. It's a topic that nobody in America wants to talk about, but it's one that needs to be addressed. And the author does a great job in how he presents the issues throughout the novel. I recommend this book to everyone - but I'll warn you, be prepared to be shocked by the evidence.

Nick Shelton is another Mill City Press self-published author.

Reminder: Book Reading at Micawbers

2007-07-17T16:18:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the reading for Lit Kids: Mama Bird and Electric Rabbit (published by Mill City Press, 2007). Contributing students will be reading selections from their book at Micawbers Books in St. Paul. For directions, click on the link above to the Micawbers homepage, and click on the tab labeled "Contact Us."

What: Reading--Lit Kids: Mama Bird and Electric Rabbit
Where: Micawbers Books 2238 Carter Ave., St. Paul
When: July 18th, 7:00 p.m.