Really Cool Knight Hoodie!

Found this picture of an awesome knight hoodie and thought it was worth posting. I love it! Gotta have one! It would be perfect for Fantasy Con (except that Fantasy Con takes place in the sweltering month of July - LOL)

Here's the site that sells them. HUZZAH!

http://www.knighthoodies.com/products/the-official-knight-hoodie

Treasure Chest Mailbox

When we moved into our new (1980s) home, my husband and I got ourselves a mailbox to replace the old rusty one the house came with. We got one large enough for packages to be delivered in, but cool looking too. Being big "Pirates of the Caribbean" fans, we found one that resembled a treasure chest, though it wasn't cheap. When it arrived, we had the idea to make it look even MORE like a treasure chest by painting gold tacks and a latch onto it with Sharpie's metallic gold oil-based paint pen. We completed it with a LEGO Jolly Roger on one side of the flag and a STORM TROOPER Jolly Roger on the other side of the flag (these were the two our girls liked the best). So here's the finished product (with our address blacked out of course). We'll be putting the mailbox in the ground this weekend.

Side with latch and STORM TROOPER Jolly Roger sticking up from the other side

                                             




                                               Closeup of the latch

LEGO Jolly Roger. We put packing tape around the flag to weather-proof it. It's not the most professional job, but hey, we never put the mailbox flag up anyway.

STORM TROOPER Jolly Roger on the other side of the flag.

And there you go! The Park Family treasure chest mailbox, INSTALLED!

Another great review of SHADOWS OF VALOR!

Tracy Ramey reviewed SHADOWS OF VALOR on her site, The Coffee Pot, and gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars! AWESOME! Thanks so much, Tracy Ramey! Here's the review:

Smuggling and plans of murder upset the town of Graywall in Elsie Park's Shadows of Valor. The two main characters become privy to a criminal ring and it's up to them to discover who is behind the raids and save the town leader. 

Elsbeth and Sir Calan take the leading roles in this novel. Elsbeth is a scarred young woman, having been burned badly in the fire fueled destruction of her family home. She's a religious woman who has used her unfortunate past to motivate her future. She spends her time acting as the town midwife and helping various members of the community, regardless of wealth or station. Readers will love Elsbeth's perspective, her gentle nature, and her selflessness.

Sir Calan has known Elsbeth since they were young, but has been away for ten years becoming The Shadow. As The Shadow, Calan works for the King, catching and arresting criminals across the country. Now he's working in Graywall to help break the smuggling ring and save the Lord from a mortal plot. Calan is distrusting and a bit cynical, yet courageous and brave. The combined efforts of Elsbeth and Calan to save the town will silhouette their abilities, strengthening the connection with readers.

The plot follows Elsbeth and Calan as they attempt to identify the criminals so they can be brought to justice before the Lord, Elsbeth's Uncle, is murdered for his land.  Working as The Shadow, Calan keeps his own identity a secret, recruiting Elsbeth to aid him in his investigation. Shadows of Valor is a gem in the genre of historical fiction with a heartwarming and, simultaneously, thrilling story. 

Visit Tracy's site:
http://www.freshcoffeeblog.com/2014/04/shadows-of-valor.html

NEW SIGHT by Jo Schneider - just released!

OVERVIEW:

After succumbing to the sudden and terrifying urge to rip people’s eyes out of their sockets, 16-year-old Lysandra Blake finds herself tied down in a psych ward, convinced she’s crazy. The doctors have no answers, and Lys is ready to give up when the mysterious Jeremiah Mason appears, telling Lys that she’s not insane—she’s addicted to a rare and deadly drug that she has no recollection of using. Mr. Mason offers to take her to his facility where he can treat her. Desperate yet suspicious, Lys agrees to go with Mr. Mason to his facility where she meets with a fellow addict, the tall and handsome Kamau. Together they discover that Mr. Mason may not have told them the truth about their condition—they’re thrown headfirst into a world of daunting powers that are not only unbelievable, they are dangerous.

Find it on:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Jolly Fish Press (April 22, 2014)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches

About the author

Jo Ann Schneider grew up in Utah and Colorado, and wonders how people who live in flat places can tell where they're going. In her sixteenth year, Jo went with her family to Europe. This spawned a travel bug that will never be satisfied. One of Jo's goals is to travel to all seven continents--five down, two to go. Perhaps the most challenging thing Jo has ever done (besides write novels) was stick with her Shaolin Kempo classes long enough to earn her black belt. Persistence, not an overabundance of mad skill, is what got her there, and she just keeps going back for more. An intervention may be in order at some point. Being a geek at heart, Jo has always been drawn to science fiction and fantasy. She writes both, and hopes to introduce readers into worlds that wow them and characters that they can cheer for. Jo lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her adorkable husband, Jon, who is very useful for science and computer information as well as getting items off of top shelves. By day she is a mechanical designer of disgustingly expensive hand-crafted steel lights, and by night she is a ninja. Woosh, woosh.

Easter Nest Cookie Cups

Photo by Elsie Park

These are the cutest mini-muffin-sized treats complete with green colored coconut "grass" and jelly bean "eggs". My girls and I made these adorable cookie cup nests for Easter. Cookie dough, coconut, jelly beans and food coloring: Eight dollars. Spending time with my sweeties: PRICELESS!

Easter Nest Cookie Cups

1 package (16.5 oz.) refrigerated cookie bar dough of choice (I used snickerdoodle)

¼ cup prepared white frosting

5 drops green food coloring

½ cup sweetened flaked coconut

Jelly beans

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 24 mini-muffin cups. Place one square of cookie dough into each cup. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Remove pans to wire rack. Cool cups completely in pans on wire rack. With tip of butter knife, remove cookie cups from muffin pans. Arrange on serving platter. Drop food coloring in resealable food storage plastic bag. Add coconut. Seal bag and shake and mash around to evenly coat coconut. Spoon a tiny amount of frosting on top of each cup. Add a pinch of green coconut. Top with jelly beans.

Springtime at the Park Place

My husband, three little girls and I have lived in our new home (new to us, but built in the 80s) for 6 months and are experiencing our first spring around the one acre yard. It has been a lot of work raking, seeding, mowing, weeding, and junking old things left behind by the previous owner. And aside from a startling moment when I ran into a garter snake while moving and stacking old bricks (I didn't kill it, knowing he'd come in handy catching moles in my garden), the entire experience has been fun, and has given me a sense of accomplishment knowing the yard is my own and that it's what I've always wanted.

The real treat was watching so many trees catch color within days as temperatures warmed and snows melted. I was delighted to discover that the tree right outside our livingroom window blooms pretty pink flowers in the spring. Beautiful!

 A gorgeous crabapple tree lining our driveway stands out in singular beauty against the green trees surrounding it.

Closeup of the crabapple blossoms. STRIKING!

An exciting thing was planting 7 fruit trees in the latter portion of our yard. I've always wanted my own mini orchard and now (assuming I don't kill the trees in their youth) I can do that. I planted two cherry trees (Bing and Stella), two apple (Fuji and Gala), two peach (both Elberta) and one apricot (Chinese). It takes 2-5 years for most trees to begin producing fruit, so that's why I wanted to plant them right away, so we would have several years of bounty before my kids pack up and leave the nest.

My Gala apple tree blossoms. That's all they'll do for a few years before they start producing fruit. At least I HOPE they produce fruit for me. I'm a novice fruit tree grower.

We have gobs of onion grass clumps springing up all around the yard, sending off a pleasant, light whiff of green onion when we walk through them. We haven't tried eating them, but they sure smell good *smile*.

Cute little purple flowers (Hyacinths I believe) have popped up all around the yard. They look like miniature versions of the lupins that grew around the home I was raised in California.

And I can't forget to mention the mass of Irises that have grown wild from years of being left to themselves. I'll let them bloom this year, see what color they are, and then transplant the ones I want and let the ladies in my church or my neighbors have the rest (they must bring their own spades and pots, however, and dig them out themselves *smile*).

Not so cute are the hundreds of dandelions popping up, too. Though my girls love the bright yellow flowers, and even pick them to "give to mommy," I know the truth. They are a WEED, a nasty, horrible weed that takes over your lawn if not dug out or killed some other way. And once they produce those giant puffballs of flying seeds that children delight in blowing (yes, I did it as a child, too) they take seed in hundreds of other places. It's all I can do to merely keep the infestation from my lawn.

 A shade tree in our back yard. The purple-pink blossoms standing out against the tall green trees behind it. LOVE IT!

 My oldest (8 years old) mows the lawn for the first time. She did a great job, but the mower took off going down hill with her skinny body a couple times *laugh*. What a cutie!

The beautiful shade trees surrounding our back patio bloom flowers of a purpley-pink hue. My little two-and-a-half year old stands by her froggy sandbox.

I decided I wanted boxes for my garden. I've heard they are easier on the back (if they are tall enough) and that it's better for controlling weeds. Using the warped and damaged 2 x 4s my husband got free from work, I designed and constructed two 8' by 4' boxes, painted them with some old stain we had to keep them weather resistant, and I lined them with old lumber tarps to keep them from rotting on the inside.

This year I planted spinach, green onions, carrots, peas, stringless string beans and multi-colored bell peppers. I hope they come up. I'm not known to have the greenest thumb *chagrin*

Having our own home and large yard has allowed us to enjoy a firepit anytime we want without worrying about smoking out the neighbors or bothering them with boisterous voices or music. We love a good weenie roast complete with marshmallows, good friends and family.

I love my home and yard, and I enjoy doing the work to make it what I want it to be. Yes, springtime at the Park household has been a delight so far and certainly not a disappointment in any way (but I also realize that my enthusiasm stems from my being here only 6 months. Catch me next year when I'm doing this all over again. My attitude may be more on the ho-hum side. . . . We'll see *laugh*).

Remnants of a large Quaking Aspen stump we burned out (took about 5 days of letting it smolder to finish it off). We had a weenie roast around the makeshift pit. Great coals!

The absolute BEST part of doing yard work is that it has enabled me to FINALLY get my weight down to 160 pounds (not my ultimate goal, but certainly closer to it).

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).