Marriage 101 for Men!

Today, I'd like to welcome my friend, author Sherri Mills. She's stopping by on the blog tour for her newest release Marriage 101 for Men: Why Taking Out the Trash is a Turn On. Great title, right? This is a companion to her first book, I Almost Divorced My Husband, But I Went on Strike Instead.

Get out of the doghouse and back into the bedroom simply by swapping the TV remote for the toilet brush! Whether you’ve been married for three months or thirty years, failing to help around the house remains a major cause of discord. Following this book’s principles, a husband learns to decrease disputes and increase intimacy by:

• owning his share of household work
• listening to his wife’s needs and communicating his own
• spending the time on chores now to make more time for love later.

Using Marriage 101 for Men as a guide, you’ll be able to understand, alleviate, and ultimately eliminate the symptoms of stress in your relationship and be happier and more satisfied with all aspects of your marriage.

 

 

My Review:

 

I haven't yet read Sherri's first book (though I have a copy of it) but I'm very familiar with her story of going on strike for eight days when she was running ragged and on the verge of a breakdown trying to work full time, keep the house, make dinners, do laundry . . . well, you get the idea. Not only am I familiar with the story, I cheer Sherri for taking a stand. After the success of that book, she had a lot of men (and women) saying they felt it was geared toward women, and she needed to write a book for the men. So she did.

 

The book is a really easy read, which is great for men who don't particularly like to read. It's full of humorous truth in how men and women relate and communicate, and how we can stengthen our marriages by understanding why we women appreciate a scrubbed toilet more than a dozen roses. Sherry manages to tackle the issues of our changing world with so many women now working outside the home, and how we need to adjust both expectations of ourselves as women, and the expectations men have of us when getting married, or even when they've been married years and now their wives are working outside the home when maybe they didn't before.

 

Men, if you want to learn how to get lucky with your wives more often, I suggest reading this book. Seriously. Wonder why your wife is often angry or resentful? This book'll tell you. And women, if you need to figure out how to get the hubby out of his chair and loading the dishwasher, then give this to the man in your life.

 

Here's where you can buy this little gem (Father's Day is coming up. Just sayin'):

 

Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Books & Things

 

 

Meet the Author:

 

Sherri Mills has been a hairdresser for over 45 years. She has had her own salon long enough to see life happen before her very eyes. She has listened to real-life problems and followed real-life outcomes—-successes and failures—and through several generations, longer and more extensively than marriage counselors can.

In her practice she has seen the pain from too many divorces that didn't have to happen. She has been obsessed with trying to save as many marriages as she can.

 

Sherri's first book, I Almost Divorced my Husband but I Went on Strike Instead, was written to women, with detailed instructions on how to deal with the double-duty double standard of householder work and how to have more appreciation for their own husbands.

 

Men wanted instructions of their own, so Sherri outlined in this book real solutions to issues that sabotage marital accord. The book is written in such a manner as to make sense to the male partner in the marriage.

Friday 5: Desserts

Welcome to this week’s Friday Five. If you haven’t been here before, this is nothing more than my random rambling about something that interests me, with a list of five, in no particular order. This week’s list is Five Desserts I Can’t Resist. Hope you enjoy!

Five Desserts I Can’t Resist

Mississipi Mud Brownies: My dear friend Debbie  introduced me to these irresistible little delights. When I was sick after my surgery for so long, and could barely eat anything, this was one thing I had no problem eating. Because these are so amazing, I’m putting the recipe at the bottom of this post for you. (Full disclosure: Debbie is a seriously amazing cook. You should check out her blog where she shares many recipes with step-by-step pics for the cooking challenged like me.)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies/Bread: The cookies are especially irresistible when they’re homemade, but I’m not a food snob—I’ll happily eat them store bought. The bread is pretty much the same story. I’m not sure why the combo of the pumpkin and chocolate chips tickle my taste buds so much, but they do. And who am I to refuse my taste buds what they desire?

Cookie Zookie: I’m sure that’s not the official name (if there is one) but I’m talking about a hot, gooey, not-quite-cooked-all-the-way chocolate chip cookie topped with a scoop a vanilla ice cream and a blob of whipped cream. The two best I’ve found are at the local Winger’s restaurant and a yummy little place that serves nothing but dessert called The Chocolate (which happens to be where I had the launch for Rapunzel Untangled).  If you’re in the area, you should definitely stop by and get one. They make them fresh while you wait.

Debbie’s I Love You Cake: Yup, Debbie does it again. I’m a chocolate cake lover anyway, but when Debbie throws her masterpiece together, I can’t possibly say no. I’ve tried to make it myself and it’s never quite right. Maybe that’s the “love” part that she adds. She calls it the I Love You cake because she bakes it in a heart shaped Bundt pan and always managed to know just when you need it most. I’m giving you the recipe for this below also. Hopefully your try at it will work better than mine.

Ice Cream: Okay, normally at home I never eat ice cream. If we have ice cream in the freezer, it usually goes bad before it gets eaten. But offer to take me to Leatherby’s or Coldstone, and I’m totally in. Even if I’m not hungry. At Leatherby’s I always order Shane’s Chocolate Chip Swirl with cake batter and vanilla ice cream and a side of hot fudge because their hot fudge is heaven in my mouth, as is the loads of chocolate whipped cream that surrounds the ice cream. Mmm, my mouth waters even now. At Coldstone I get oatmeal cookie batter ice cream with cookie dough and hot fudge mix-ins. No calories there.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Combine till smooth with hand mixer:2 Cubes butter, melted and slightly cooled (so you don't cook the eggs when adding them)
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanillia

Add to above mixture using a folding in method rather than hand mixer so as not to over mix:
1 1/2 C. flour
1/4 C. cocoa powder
1 C. chopped pecans
1 C. coconut

When combined, "pour" into a 9x13 greased pan and Bake 325 degrees for approximately 50 minutes. Remove from oven and while still hot, spoon 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream in dollops on top and when slightly melted, spread with knife to cover the brownie. When cooled frost with a chocolate buttercream frosting.

I created the Friday Five graphic from an original image copyrighted by: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_10806220_number-five.html'>marincas_andrei / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Heart on a Chain Review

I would like to thank Janalee from Romance Junkies for taking the time to read and review Heart on a Chain. Here is a little bit of the wonderful review.

"HEART ON A CHAIN is a powerful, humbling and unbelievably moving tale of one young girl’s struggles to face unrelenting odds."

"Bravo, Ms. Bennett, you moved this reviewer beyond words."

"I always had a tissue close at hand to wipe the tears shed because of the horrid things done to Kate. The ending is beautiful."

"This reviewer cannot wait to see what Ms. Bennett writes next!"

For the full reveiw click here.

Purchase your copy of Heart on a Chain today.

Motherhood Matters Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Motherhood Matters Motherhood is a divine calling---but it may not always feel that way. Now you can show the women in your life how much they matter to you, with this delightful and heartwarming volume of wit and wisdom about the divinity, reality, and rewards of motherhood. Fresher than flowers and sweeter than chocolate, it's a perfect gift for the women who give so much. In these hectic days where life's demands can quickly become a heavy burden, Motherhood Matters helps you find more memorable moments and take the stress out of the to-do lists. Written with clarity, concision, and wit, this short, yet indispensable handbook is better than flowers, more guilt-free than chocolate, and gives back to the woman who sacrifices so much of herself every single day.  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Connie Sokol Connie Sokol is a mother of seven, a national and local presenter, and a regular speaker at Education Week. She is a monthly contributor on KSL TV “Studio 5,” and regular blogger for KSL "Motherhood Matters." She is a former TV and radio host for Bonneville Communications, and columnist for Deseret News and Utah Valley Magazine. Mrs. Sokol is the author of several books including the award-nominated romance Caribbean Crossroads, the 8-week Challenge program of Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, Life is Too Short for One Hair Color Series, as well as talk CDs and podcasts. Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats.

Website * Facebook

Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Runes Book Trailer

Runes Blurb:Seventeen-year-old Raine Cooper has enough on her plate dealing with her father’s disappearance, her mother’s erratic behavior and the possibility of her boyfriend relocating. The last thing she needs is Torin St. James—a mysterious new neighbor with a wicked smile and uncanny way of reading her.

Raine is drawn to Torin’s dark sexiness against her better judgment, until he saves her life with weird marks and she realizes he is different. But by healing her, Torin changes something inside Raine. Now she can’t stop thinking about him. Half the time, she’s not sure whether to fall into his arms or run.

Scared, she sets out to find out what Torin is. But the closer she gets to the truth the more she uncovers something sinister about Torin. What Torin is goes back to an ancient mythology and Raine is somehow part of it. Not only are she and her friends in danger, she must choose a side, but the wrong choice will cost Raine her life.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

Friday 5: Movies

Welcome to this week’s Friday Five. If you haven’t been here before, this is nothing more than my random rambling about something that interests me, with a list of five, in no particular order. This week’s list is Last Five Movies I Watched on TV. Hope you enjoy!

Last Five Movies I Watched on TV

Hunger Games This is one of the few movies they’ve made from a book where I like the movie as well as the book. I’m a huge fan of the books. My biggest complaint with the books was how rushed the last half of the final book felt. We’d been waiting for two-and-a-half books for the payoff, and it felt mostly skimmed over. I don’t think I’m spoiling anything here (unless you haven’t read the books and still plan to) by saying that for Katniss to finally get a grip and choose Peeta was the payoff I’d been waiting for. But then it was kinda like: I love Peeta, we got married, the end. C’mon, where was the big declaration scene? But I digress. The movie did an excellent job of following the book, and the three main characters were inspired casting. I can watch this one over and over and never tire of it.

Mission Impossible: GhostProtocol If you’ve heard the story behind this movie, apparently it was a vanity project because he couldn’t get anyone to back him on it. I went in with low expectations, but since it stars Jeremy Renner (*sigh*), I went. And I was pleasantly surprised. Actually, more than pleasantly. I really enjoyed the entire movie. Tom Cruise, who I don’t care much for as a person, was fantastic in it—as he is in almost everything he does. He might be a bit of a creeper in life, but he’s an amazing actor. The movie is exciting, fast-paced, and, oh yeah, did I mention you get to watch Jeremy Renner in it?

Red Dawn I’m talking the original version starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey pre-Dirty Dancing. Cheesy by todays standard, but still it’s emotional and taut as this group of teens deals with their world changing forever when their small town is invaded by big, bad Russians (made during the Cold War, who else would be the baddies?). Swayze and crew do a really good job of portraying teens who have no idea what they’re doing with the guns and arrows they’re suddenly forced to use, and when faced with whether or not to kill the enemy who is a human, after all. I rather like the movie as they become fierce warriors. (Full disclosure: haven’t seen the remake yet so can’t compare it.)

Up Seriously, how cute is Russell? What an absolutely adorable character. Ed Asner’s crotchety old man is pretty adorable, too. The movie begins on a sweet note that quickly turns heart wrenching as we watch Ellie and ___’s life together, including what he perceive as lost dreams and failures, only to end up alone when his beloved wife dies. His escape is to float away in their house and park it at their lifelong dream destination ____ Falls. Russell, who has his own heartbreaking story, ends up on the porch of the floating house, and we viewers are treated to a story that’s fantastic on every level (talking dogs, ___’s that I always knew were real, flying above the world with all the comforts of home, adventure, love, loyalty, and fantastic drawings by the animators).

The Secret World ofArietty I wanted to see this in the theaters, but never was able to go before it was relegated to the world of DVD’s and BluRay. Then it showed up on Netflix. Paint me happy. That it was done by the creators of Ponyo was reason enough to want to see it. I wasn’t disappointed. I thought the story of the tiny Borrower Arietty and the bad-heart (but not bad-hearted) human Shawn was sweet. The romantic in me hoped for her to suddenly become human-sized, or for him to shrink to a few inches tall, but still, it was pretty awesome.

 I created the Friday Five graphic from an original image copyrighted by: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_10806220_number-five.html'>marincas_andrei / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

Need a Great Idea for Mother's Day?

Then you'll want to pick this book up for the mommy in your life (mom, wife, sister, friend, anyone who has a child). This book is absolutely perfect for anyone who has little children - even if those children are now grown.

 

In this narrative you’ll discover several mind-saving rules, which include:

• Don’t throw your pregnancy test away before the full three minutes is up.

• Unless there is a rush on the grocery store pending a zombie-virus outbreak, never take your kids shopping.

• If your toddler is going to chew on a Band-Aid, hope it’s one found inside the community swimming pools chlorinated pool and not one found in their locker room.

• Never throw up in a cookie sheet.

• Things can always get worse. You could discover your child playing with a used tampon applicator. It’s not a whistle, sweetie.

• And most importantly, the moment one of your children is seriously ill, forget about everything else. You have the greatest honor in the world – being a Mom.

This is a reposting of my review:

I don’t think I’ve ever both laughed and cringed my way through an entire book—simultaneously. Seriously. Anyone who’s a “mommy” can so entirely relate to Rachel McClellan’s Confessions of a Cereal Mother.

McClellan sheds light on the side of motherhood that we all pretend we’re not experiencing, as if it’s somehow shameful to admit that we all have days when we look around us and wonder where in the world all these little people came from. Or that we’re not the perfect mom who rises before her children to make a nice, hot breakfast and send them out into the world well-fed and prepared rather than in a frenzied, chaotic haste. McClellan shows us that we are all completely normal when we feel overwhelmed by life, and that we’re not alone. Then you’ll hit the last chapter (no spoilers, I promise) and your heart will thud with McClellan as you remember exactly why it is that you did become a mommy—and how grateful you are for being one.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s had a child, not matter how old that child now is—whether a baby whose name you can’t remember or an adult who sometimes feels like a complete stranger that resembles a child you once had. You’ll laugh, cry (sometimes absolutely sobbing that finally someone understands), and nod when you recognize yourself in the amazing pages that McClellan has gifted to us.

Pick a copy up today at:

Amazon or at your local bookstore (including Barnes & Noble, Seagull, and Deseret Book)

Working it Out

Author Rachael Renee Anderson

Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

Blog * Facebook * Twitter

Working It Out
A chance encounter . . . 
Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.

A chance for love . . .  
Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.


Giveaway Details
Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/31/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rapunzel Untangled Review

I want to thank Mandi Slack from Mudrock and Pink Nail Polish for taking her time to read and write a review of Rapunzel Untangled.

Here is a little of the review:

"This is a cute book. Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett will leave you smiling page-after-page." "I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and recommend this book to anyone who loves a fun, clean, romantic read."

For the full review click here.

Purchase your copy of Rapunzel Untangled today!

Friday Five: Theater Movies

Welcome to this week’s Friday Five. If you haven’t been here before, this is nothing more than my random rambling about something that interests me, with a list of five, in no particular order. This week’s list is Last Five Movies I’ve Seen in a Theater. Hope you enjoy!

Last Five Movies I’ve Seen in a Theater

Oblivion I really liked this movie. Of course, I’m a fan of most things dystopian, so this was right up my alley. Plus I Iove movies where people are going along in their contented lives until something comes along to make them question all that they’ve always believed. Tom Cruise was fantastic as always. (Love him as an actor, no so much as a person.) It’s a bit mind bending here and there, though not so much you can’t figure out what’s going on. Great scenery and an interesting premise make this a movie well worth seeing.

The Host Weirdly, this was my third time watching this movie. Not because I love it so much I wanted to see it three times, but just because circumstances caused me to be invited to it three times. It was a good adaption of Stephenie Meyer’s book. Saoirse Ronan was really good. It was a little disconcerting at first having the voice coming from her “head” but I’m not sure how else they could have done it. Loved the two leading men (Max Irons and Jake Abel), and thought William Hurt was great. I suggest reading the book before viewing the movie. I think you’ll get more from it that way.

Olympus Has Fallen My daughter-in-law wanted to go see a movie, and it was between this and The Call. We showed up to a specific theater, and decided we’d see whichever was playing there and it was Olympus. I really didn’t know what it was about, only that I could spend two hours watching Gerard Butler, never a bad way to pass time. I was surprised to find I really liked the movie. It was far-fetched, but that’s never a hold up for me. It’s a movie, for crying out loud, not a documentary. Gerard both looked and was amazing. It was pretty action packed, and without a romance to hold it I thought I might not like it, but I truly did. It’s a good one to spend a few bucks on.

Silver Linings Playbook I genuinely had no idea exactly what this movie was about, in spite of all the Oscar buzz it was receiving. I wasn’t sure if I’d like a romance between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence based on their real-life age difference, but I’m happy to report that it wasn’t an issue in the slightest. Bradley manages to look young and vulnerable, while Jennifer is mature and cynical, making them seem the same age. This movie about two broken people who almost accidentally find one another was absolutely amazing. It’s a strange path they take to helping each other become whole, which made the journey that much more enjoyable. Robert De Niro was absolutely amazing—and almost as crazy as his son. I’d watch it again.

Oz: The Great and Powerful I liked this one well enough, but I don’t know that I’d really recommend it or bother to see it again. James Franco was pretty good, playing the slightly wacked playboy Oz in this prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It was kind of cool to see how he became Oz, but there were a few things I wasn’t so crazy about. Mila Kunis, who I generally really like, was really good—until she became the witch. And I don’t mean that in a good way. Even with all the fantastic makeup (you rock, Greg Nicotero) it couldn’t hide that innocence that’s inherent in her face, and her voice wasn’t nearly creepy enough. Michelle Williams was only so-so, but Rachel Weisz was fantastic. She was the real star of the movie for me in spite of her limited screen time.

Jack the Giant Slayer Okay, I know this makes six, but I can’t remember which was the more recent movie between this and Oz, so I decided to include both. Besides, it gives me a chance to rave about this movie. Loved it! Who thought the story of Jack and the Beanstalk could actually be exciting, funny, and romantic. Nicholas Hoult is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors (so happy to see him successful after his fantastic turn in About a Boy). Ewan McGregor is another actor I’m happy to sit and watch for a couple of hours, and man did he look good in this one. Some of the special effects were less than stellar, but I can overlook that in the face of a good story. I definitely will be buying this one on Blu-Ray.

I created the Friday Five graphic from an original image copyrighted by: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_10806220_number-five.html'>marincas_andrei / 123RF Stock Photo</a>