Workbench: A Lot of Work!

So this is what I've been up to the past week:

When we bought a house that had a separate shop in the backyard, my husband was elated because he finally had his "man cave". But his job took long hours out of his day and made him tired upon returning home, not leaving much time or energy to set up shop as he'd like. Wanting to help him realize his dream in having a nice area with shelves and a big workbench to place power tools and automotive things, I tapped into my woodworking skills acquired from Mr. Dooman's class at Yosemite High School (thanks Mr. Dooman), and drew up some plans (with Chris' blessing) before setting to work.

I built the shelves first (there's another set off to the right, not pictured) so I'd have a place to put all our stuff, getting it off the floor and out of the way and then began work on the workbench made up of 2x4s. The best part was that the 2x4s were free! Chris was able to bring them home from work because they were warped or damaged in some way, but that I was still able to utilize. We only had to pay for the wood screws. I worked on this project every day after dropping the girls off at school and then taking the youngest into the shop with me. It took me about a week total to get it done. Chris will finish the bench off with 3/4-inch OSB board. I'm pretty proud of my work, getting all the tables level even though the floor was seriously sloped in the corner. Power tools are fun and invigorating!

And yes, that's my 2-year-old sitting on top of the bench playing with screws. At least she was happy. Any parent knows that an unhappy child means not getting any work done :-)

Cover Reveal - Daddy Doin' Work by Doyin Richards

EMPOWERING MOTHERS TO EVOLVE FATHERHOOD!

“You’re a great dad!”—Vinne Politan, live on CNN HLN!

“Doyin, my hero!”—Al Roker, live on the TODAY Show! 

“Thanks for setting the bar so high. Now when we can’t do
something, our wives will go, well Doyin does it!”—Carson Daly,
live on the TODAY Show!

Doyin Richards - Daddy Doin’ Work: Empowering Mothers to Evolve Fatherhood answers questions about fatherhood that many women want to know, and does so in a no-nonsense and entertaining style that ladies will enjoy. Similar to how Steve Harvey’s best-selling title Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man empowers women to make smart relationship decisions by entering the minds of men, Daddy Doin’ Work empowers new mothers to enter the minds of new dads to change the perception of what should be expected from a modern father. Readers will be exposed to the manipulative secrets of deadbeat dads, moms will learn practical tips to help hard working dads understand that being a father encompasses more than paying the bills, and women in relationships with amazing dads will learn methods to ensure their men stay on-track while inspiring more fathers to be just like them. Most importantly, women will be forced to take a long look in the mirror to determine if they are part of the solution or part of the problem in shaping the behavior of modern fathers.

Release date: September 2, 2014

FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / PARENTING /FATHERHOOD
ISBN-13: 9781631630149
Pages: 350 | Trim: 5.75 x 8.5
Formats/Price: Trade Paperback ($16.99), eBook ($9.99)
Available Subrights: Production (World), Translation (World), Non-US English (World)
Distributed By: Independent Publishers Group (IPG)

Doyin with his daughter (SO CUTE!)

 DOYIN (pronounced “doe-ween”) RICHARDS is a father, husband, writer, Daddy Consultant, and public speaker inspiring new mothers and fathers to think, laugh, and learn while evolving as parents and couples. He authors the popular and well-respected parenting blog Daddy Doin' Work, and since creating the blog in June 2012, it has rapidly grown in readership with no signs of slowing down. Doyin has appeared on national and international television several times, and is a regular contributor to Huffington Post. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two young daughters.

Doyin has appeared, and will continue to appear, on major talk shows and news sites including the TODAY show, Good Morning America, Katie Couric, the Bethenny Show, Sunrise in Australia, CNN, Huffington Post, and more. Doyin has experienced several instances of becoming viral where his story, pictures, and blog were liked, shared, and viewed by millions. Doyin has an incredibly active and supportive fanbase, including over 90,000 likes and counting on Facebook. The approach to parenting Doyin takes in this book is genuine and insightful. Even individuals who haven’t heard of Doyin will appreciate his authentic contribution to fatherhood.

www.facebook.com/daddydoinwork/

www.twitter.com/daddydoinwork/

www.daddydoinwork.com

Cover Reveal - DEFIANCE by Adrienne Monson

DEFIANCE - the exciting sequel in Monson's vampire/immortal saga

Blurb

Leisha and Samantha barely survived the vampires and immortals six months ago. Now, an explosive battle between the vampires and immortals seems imminent. It's more important than ever before that the prophecy child is found, but there's a problem—Leisha has lost her powers. She seems like nothing more than a human. Her newfound humanity is further complicated when Tafari, her old lover, appears with a desire for reconciliation. Can Leisha lock up the past to save those she loves? Or will fate tear everything from her once again?

Adrienne Monson

Author Bio

Monson’s debut novel, Dissension, book one of the Blood Inheritance trilogy, came out in 2013. Defiance (book 2) is slated for release February 24, 2015.

She lives in Utah with her husband and two kids. When she’s not writing, she enjoys Zumba, kickboxing, reading, and trying new recipes.

Links

Web site: http://www.adriennemonson.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/adriennemonson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/adriennemonson

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6584385.Adrienne_Monson

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/adriennemonson

LITTLE DEAD RIDING HOOD by Amie and Bethanie Borst!

BLURB 

You know things are going to suck when you’re the new kid. But when you’re the new kid and a vampire… well, it bites! Unlike most kids, Scarlet Small’s problems go far beyond just trying to fit in. She would settle for a normal life, but being twelve years old for an entire century is a real pain in the neck. Plus, her appetite for security guards, house pets and bloody toms (tomato juice) is out of control. So in order to keep their vampire-secret, her parents, Mort and Drac, resort to moving for the hundredth time, despite Scarlet being dead-set against it. Things couldn't be worse at her new school, either. Not only does she have a strange skeleton-girl as a classmate, but a smelly werewolf is intent on revealing her secret. When she meets Granny—who fills her with cookies, goodies, and treats, and seems to understand her more than anyone—she’s sure things will be different. But with a fork-stabbing incident, a cherry pie massacre, and a town full of crazy people, Scarlet’s O-positive she’ll never live to see another undead day. Not even her Vampire Rule Book can save her from the mess she’s in. Why can’t she ever just follow the rules?

Get Little Dead Riding Hood here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Add Little Dead Riding Hood to your Goodreads to-read list here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20860725-little-dead-riding-hood  

BIO –

Amie Borst is a PAL member of SCBWI. She believes in Unicorns, uses glitter whenever the opportunity arises, accessories in pink and eats too much chocolate. Bethanie Borst is a spunky 13 year old who loves archery, long bike rides and studying edible plant-life.

Little Dead Riding Hood is their second book in the Scarily Ever Laughter series. 

Their first book, Cinderskella, released in October 2013 and has been nominated for three awards.  

You can find Amie on Twitter (www.twitter.com/AmieBorst) Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/AmieBorst) From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors (www.fromthemixedupfiles.com) and blog (www.amieborst.com). Together they can be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AmieAndBethanieBorst).

SPLINTERS by husband-wife team Matt Carter & FJR Titchenell

Back cover blurb:

Under ordinary circumstances, Ben and Mina would never have had reason to speak to each other; he's an easy-going people person with a healthy skepticism about the paranormal, and she's a dangerously obsessive monster-hunter with a crippling fear of betrayal. But the small town of Prospero, California, has no ordinary circumstances to offer. In order to uncover a plot set by the seemingly innocent but definitely shapeshifting monsters-that-look-like-friends-family-and-neighbors, the two stark opposites must both find ways to put aside their differences and learn to trust each other. Categories: YA, Horror, Sci-F

Splinters is the first book of the series The Prospero Chronicles.

Authors' bio:

F.J.R. Titchenell and Matt Carter met and fell in love in a musical theatre class at Pasadena City College and have been inseparable ever since. Though they have both dreamed of being writers since a very young age, they both truly hit their stride after they met, bouncing ideas off of one another, forcing each other to strive to be better writers, and mingling Matt's lifelong love of monsters with Fiona's equally disturbing inability to forget the tumult of high school. They were married in 2011 in a ceremony that involved kilts, Star Wars music, and a cake topped by figurines of them fighting a zombified wedding party.

Authors' links:

F.J.R. Titchenell’s blog: http://fjrtitchenell.weebly.com/

Matt Carter’s blog: http://mattcarterauthor.weebly.com/

F.J.R. Titchenell’s Facebook: www.facebook.com/FjrTitchenell

F.J.R. Titchenell is also the author of Confessions of the Very First Zombie Slayer (That I Know of)

(link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18722335-confessions-of-the-very-first-zombie-slayer)