Interview and Giveaway with Amber Stockton

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood. Today, she is an award-winning best-selling author, speaker, and virtual assistant who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have a daughter and a son, and an Aussie/retriever mix named Roxie. She has sold 14 books so far with more on the horizon. Three of her novels have won annual reader’s choice awards, and in 2009, she was voted #1 favorite new author for Barbour’s Heartsong Presents book club. Read more about her at her web site: www.amberstockton.com.

Tiffany has graciously offered to give away a copy of one of her books. See below for details.

Hi Tiffany! Thanks for being with us today. Why don’t you tell me a bit about your family. How many children do you have, and if they still live at home, how old are they?

I have 2 children, ages 3-1/2 and 1-1/2. They obviously still live at home and are quite under foot. :) They were born exactly 2 years, 1 week, and 1 hour apart. I spoke to my son in utero and told him he had to wait until his sister had her 2nd birthday before he arrived. He listened. :)

Wow, they sure are young. You must stay really busy around the house. Why did you choose to work from home rather than find a job elsewhere?

The spring before we discovered we were pregnant, I lost my job of 11 years due to cut-backs and corporate decision to eliminate me because I earned more than any other equivalent employee in my position. The economy at the time made it nearly impossible to find anything to equal my income, so my husband and I talked it over and we decided I’d increase my work from home. That summer, we learned we were expecting, and it solidified our decision. I’ve been working from home ever since and wouldn’t trade a moment of the opportunity to be with my children every day.

What is the most challenging aspect of working from home while raising children?

Time. I don’t have a lot of it with my children so young right now and so dependent upon me to change diapers, get them dressed or help pick out clothes, prepare all their meals, clean up after them, bathe them, etc. Nap time is what I consider my “sacred” time. I worked very hard once my son started giving up his morning nap to get my two children on the same nap schedule. It doesn’t work every day, as either one of them have been known to take short naps or no nap at all from time to time. However, for the most part, they nap 2 to 2-1/2 hours every afternoon, and that gives me a solid block of time to be as productive as I can be. I also work after they go to bed or first thing in the morning before they wake. I snag whatever time I am able to find.

Oh goodness, do I ever sympathize with you. My two kids are three years apart, and I started seriously writing when my youngest was just four months old. It's hard to get ANY extra work besides mommying and housekeeping done some days. Did you ever get your children involved with your home business? What advice would you give mothers thinking about having their children help with their business?

Right now, no. They are too young. But I do encourage them to help me with little things like taping up mailing envelopes, carrying books and other items to the car when we have to make a run to the post office or other errands, and I explain to them the importance of mommy needing to focus on work sometimes while they are awake. I have been blessed with two children who play well together (when they aren’t engaging in typical sibling squabbles) or independently, so when I have a pressing need to complete a task for the publisher for whom I’m a virtual assistant, or work that needs to be done for my writing career, I can usually complete it without too much discipline interruptions. I pray it remains this way and only improves as my children get older. It would be wonderful to have their help with my work at home when they are old enough to be involved.

If you're married, what challenges did working from home present to your marriage, and how did you compensate?
Again, it’s the time. Because I work first thing in the morning, during nap time, and after the children go to bed, my husband and I often have to schedule “us” time. We were both single for the entire decade of our 20’s, and we’ve only been married 5 years this year, so we’re still fairly new at this. However, he is a gamer and when I am busy, he disappears into his gaming world, often not communicating to me that he’d like to spend time together. I try to remember to schedule that time, but removing the spontaneity has forced us to be creative in other ways for our time together. And we often have the conversation about communication to remind each other of the importance of letting the other one know how we feel. We’re both guilty of slipping into our “single” mindset, so it’s a daily practice.

If you could start all over again, what would you do differently? What would you do the same?

I often tell people I see every day why authors wait until their children are older before getting started with a writing career. It certainly wasn’t in MY plan to have a career first then a husband and children. My goal was husband and family then career, but God obviously had another plan…and a unique sense of humor. I’ve had to adapt. I’m not sure I’d go back to my original plan or not, as my life now is giving me a substantial amount of content for my speaking career, and it’s forcing me to depend on others to help me through this where if I had it my way, I might not have reached out as much as I do.

As for what I would do the same? That’s easy. I’d choose again to stay home with my children.

I completely understand. It's so hard to find writing time with little kids running around. And I think it's even worse for unpublished writers. I really think if I didn't get my first book contract for Sanctuary for a Lady when I did, I wouldn't still be writing. It took so much of my energy away from my family, and I wasn't even getting paid for it! That's hard. Is it worth it? What keeps you home instead of having an outside career? 


Most definitely! I knew at a young age I only wanted to be a wife and mother, but nearly 15 years of work outside the home helped me see I also needed to work. God provided the means and the opportunity for me to have it all and stay home. It’s a tremendous blessing in so many ways. 


Oh goodness, are we every opposite. I WOULD have chosen that career before marrying and becoming a mom. But God had different plans, and I found myself pregnant after only nine months of marriage.

*****

Tiffany has graciously offered to giveaway a copy of one of her books to one lucky winner this week. To enter the contest, you need to answer Tiffany's question in the comment section below. The giveaway will end Saturday, November 10 at midnight. Tiffany will be back with us again on Thursday, sharing her breakfast casserole recipe. Yummy!

So, Tiffany's question for you to answer is . . . What do you see as one positive and negative aspect of working from home. Why?

Keep in mind you'll need to answer this question to be entered in the giveaway.

In the meantime, take a look at one of her new novels out this month, Stealing Hearts.

When Grace Baxton comes face-to-face with the thief who broke into her uncle's home, she isn't prepared for meeting Andrew Bradenton—not a young boy out to cause trouble and no hardened criminal, either. The judge sentences Andrew Bradenton to work for the Baxton family, and being forced to see him almost daily, Grace struggles with forgiveness. Out of guilt, Andrew offers to help Grace search for an heirloom book. When a handsome stranger appears with the book in hand, warming Grace's heart and finding favor with her uncle, Grace is torn over her growing attraction for both men. Andrew tries to prove the stranger is up to no good, but after key documents and money go missing from her uncle's safe, Andrew is seen as the guilty party. Will Grace discover the truth in time?

Interview and Giveaway with Author Ruth Axtell

 I'm very excited to introduce my guest for our August interview this month, Ruth Axtell. I first met Ruth when I joined a group of writers who wrote novels set in Europe, and have since been impressed with Ruth's knowledge of writing and general wisdom about life. She's been very helpful to me both personally and professionally, and I'm glad the rest of you get to meet her. Ruth and I also blog together on a site that caters to Regency Romance lovers: Regency Reflections.

Ruth will be giving away one copy of her newest novel, Her Good Name, to one winner. Be sure to leave a comment at the end of the blog post to enter the giveaway.

Tell me a bit about your family. How many children do you have, and if they still live at home, how old are they?

I have three children: a son (on the verge of 21); daughter (on the verge of 19) and a son (17).
They were all home for the summer, but two will soon be off to college again.

Wow! Those are such exciting ages, right on the brink of adulthood. You must be really proud to see your children entering that stage of life. Why did you choose to work from home rather than find a job elsewhere?

For two reasons. I always wanted to spend the early years with my children. I couldn’t imagine missing out on their babyhood. Secondly, my husband had gotten a position in the Netherlands, and that’s where I had all three of my children. It would have been difficult to find work outside the home in a foreign country without first learning the language fluently, and learning the “system.” (Every country has its way of operating). This was also about the time that I decided to pursue writing fiction full-time, and so it seemed an ideal set-up: stay home and raise my children and write historical romances on the side.

The Netherlands. How fun! That must have been a really neat experience for you and your children.What is the most challenging aspect of working from home while raising children?

Carving out that time for yourself. I remember sitting at my laptop with an infant on my lap and typing at my current WIP. You just learn to find those moments (like nap time) when you can get a few pages written or brainstormed. Then when they go to school for a good portion of the day, that becomes your most productive writing time.

Ah, yes. I can completely sympathize with the need to find a little bit of alone time. Did you ever get your children involved with your home business? What advice would you give mothers thinking about having their children help with their business?

 My oldest son read my first published book (and said, “Wow, it sounded like a ‘real’ book.”); my daughter has been my most valued “first reader” (meaning, I can give her the opening chapters of my work- in- progress and get some quick feedback. This gives me a good indication of whether a reader will like it and be drawn into the story. She has read most of my published books, but now with college her reading time is less. My youngest son just recently tried reading one of my books but I don’t think he’s finished it. My son’s girlfriends have enjoyed reading my books!

Oh goodness! I can just imagine my boys handing their girlfriends copies of my novels one day. If those poor girls don't like it, what are they supposed to do? Lie and say it was great??? If you're married, what challenges did working from home present to your marriage, and how did you compensate? 

After his job in the Netherlands, my husband carved out a business for himself working out of the house, so both of us got used to being on our computers. We sometimes had our own separate offices—even if it meant a corner of a bedroom and sometimes shared a real office. We’d take a coffee break together to chat. But it gave us a lot of flexibility with our schedules.

If you could start all over again, what would you do differently? What would you do the same?

Hmm. That’s a tough one. My life has changed drastically in the last few years. I’m divorced now and sometimes wish I had not left the working world—or maybe gotten some other kind of training once my children were a little older. I know it’s not too late now. So, I consider myself in transition for the moment, looking—and waiting on the Lord—for where He would have me go next.

Those transition phases can be so tough, but I'm trusting God has amazing things in store for you and your future. Is it worth it? What keeps you home instead of having an outside career?

It was definitely worth going on this writing journey. The Lord played a big part in my ever becoming published. I went through a 2-4 year period when my youngest child was still pre-school age, when the Lord had me put my writing “on the altar.” When He gave it back to me (with my first published multi-book contract) I knew I had the green light from Him to pursue writing, not just as something that fulfilled me in a way other types of work had not, but also as a ministry.

Now, I’m at the beginning of a new phase in my writing (the woman who is designing my new website called it a kind of “rebirth,” professionally); I’m publishing under my maiden name, with two new publishers, as well as having a few self-publishing projects in the works for the coming year. My children are on the way to leaving the nest. I am beginning to see my writing career as running my own business in a way I haven’t up to now.

Ah, tell me about it. There's days I feel like I need a business degree to be a writer, and a early childhood degree to be a mother. Of course, if I spent my whole life going to school to earn these degrees, I wouldn't have time to be a mother or a writer, which are both pretty important to me! 

It sounds like your at a pretty exciting (or maybe scary) place in your career. I wish you well, and hope you sell a ton of books with your new publishing endeavors.

Ruth will be back with us on Thursday, sharing a recipe with us. For those of you interested in the giveaway, you to leave a comment below with an email address. The contest will end Saturday, September 1, at midnight.

When twenty-four year old Espy Estrada, an immigrant’s daughter from the wrong side of the tracks, lands a job in Holliston, Maine’s best neighborhood, she hopes to attract the  town’s most eligible bachelor, only to find that catching Warren Brentwood’s eye is a far cry from capturing his heart.  In the 1890 thriving coastal town, the leading lumber baron's son fights his attraction for Espy. But a church project throws them together and Warren discovers there’s more to Espy than a pretty face. But when rumors circulate about her, Warren believes the worst. Disgraced, Espy leaves her family and hometown for the nearest city with little money and no acquaintances and is forced to spend the night on the street.  A man who heads a mission for the homeless finds Espy and offers her shelter. Espy finds the true love of God while working at the mission. When Warren asks her to come back, will she be able to face the townspeople and return home?

The Myth of Free Time

In the fall, all four of my children will be in school, albeit not all full-time (my youngest will be in a three-day preschool program). Whenever this comes up in conversation, the enviable response is, “What will you do with all of your free time?”

Ah, free time—that mythical land to which every mother longs to go. As someone who currently works part-time from home, I rarely have free time now, and I don’t anticipate that changing once the children are in school.

I think the bigger question is what does this say about the current view of mothering. My mother stayed at home, but her time wasn’t consumed by doing for—or entertaining—me. Sure, household chores ate up some time, but once we were older than three, time spent in childcare dropped considerably for women of my mother’s generation.

That kind of mothering has fallen out of favor, and with it the rise of no time, free or otherwise. I am grateful for my mother’s example, for it gives me the fortitude to follow in her footsteps. Direct care of my children has lessened as they age; correspondingly, time I spend taking care of the household has also dropped as the children have picked up more of the cleaning chores.

In turn, that has allowed me to pick up some of the things that I put on hold when the children first arrived: reading, writing, knitting and sewing, for example.

While I’m looking forward to a quieter house next fall, I won’t have to worry about how to fill my suddenly “free time” since my time has always been mine to fill. I’ll take the 24 hours given to us each day and try to use it wisely—just like I do now.

Sarah Hamaker is a freelance writer and editor, and author of Hired@Home, a guide to unlocking women’s work-from-home potential now available on Kindle. Her stories have appeared in previous Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband and four children. Visit her online at www.sarahhamaker.com, where she blogs about working from home.

Photography Business Basics with Michaela Wickman

We're back again with photographer Michaela Wickman, and today Michaela is going to share some basics about photography business with us. For those of you who haven't entered our giveaway yet, Michaela and I teamed up to offer a $50.00 gift certificate to Canvas on Demand. To enter, visit the Interview with Michaela Wickman.

Thanks for coming back again today, Michaela. We're happy to have you. Let's jump straight in. On Monday you suggested those interested in photography to visit some photography forums and get the book Understanding Exposure. What do you advise people do after that?

I am a member of NAPCP (National Association of Professional Child Photography… www.napcp.com), and it’s a great place for photographers and parents to discuss topics. Some of my other favorite forums to visit are www.fredmiranda.com, www.ilovephotography.com, and www.learnshootinspire.com. I also subscribe to Popular Photography and Photoshop User Magazine, where I’ve learned a ton of new tips and tricks and the latest news on camera gear.

At what point did you start getting professional equipment, like a nice camera and photography program?

I got equipment pretty soon after I realized this is what I wanted to be doing. I started with a Canon 40D and soon upgraded to the Canon 5dMarkii. As far as lenses, I have several, but I am definitely a prime lens kind of girl. My favorite versatile lens is my 50mm 1.4. I edit my photos with Adobe Lightroom 3 and Adobe Photoshop CS5.

How did you know you were ready to go from amateur to professional and start charging money for your sessions?

Once my portfolio was reviewed and I was accepted into a paid pro forum online, I knew I was ready.

I think everyone can see just how ready you were. The pictures above are beautiful! How much of photography is taking pictures, and how much is computer editing? Which part do you enjoy most? Why?

I’d say 50/50 for both parts of the questions. I enjoy both shooting and editing, and I spend equal amounts of time on each. It takes time to get ready for a session, and there’s lots of planning and prepping involved. My editing has gotten much faster now that I have a routine, but again, it still takes quite a bit of time!

What do you most enjoy photographing?

Babies!

Anyone who stops by your website or facebook page will see how much you love snapping pics of little ones. You're so talented in that area! What aspect of photography gave (or still gives) you the most trouble?

Family sessions have always been a weak spot of mine, but I am learning to love them more and more. The trick is to pose everyone so they don’t look posed, if that makes sense! But, for the most part, we get a few posed family shots and then I let the kids be kids. You really have to just feed off of their vibes and go with what works. You can’t force a 2 year old to give their sister a kiss or a hug to their Dad, but sometimes they will do it and that’s when I am snapping away. Those moments in-between are precious.

I remember trying to get our nineteen month old to look at the camera for those family shots. It was rather interesting. You had some bunny ears that my youngest loved, but instead of simply looking at those bunny ears during the picture, he kept pointing or wanting to get up and go take the bunny ears off your head (like he's doing in the picture to the left). I was really happy with how our family photo (pictured above) turned out, but it did take a bit of work.

When did you start learning about photography, before or after you had kids?

I took a photography class in High School, but that was a long time ago! I really started becoming obsessive with photography when my son was around 3 months old. I woke up thinking about photography and went to bed dreaming about it.

I'd say that's a sign you're becoming obsessed. I'm the same way with writing though, so maybe it's not all bad. Do you have a college education? And if so, were your studies at all related to what you're doing now?

I have a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from St. Norbert College. It has helped me immensely with the business side of photography. But no, I don’t have an art degree or photo degree, just a lot of late nights studying the craft on my own!

Oh goodness, there are days I wish I had a business degree to help with the business aspect of writing. Mostly I just ignore the business and keep writing on a novel until it gets to a point where I can't ignore the business any longer. I'm sure you find your training really helpful. For younger readers interested in pursuing photography, are there degrees or certificates they can earn in the subject?

As far as I know you are able to go to a school for some sort of degree or certificate. But again, I am completely self taught and don’t know much about the schooling part of it. As I mentioned, there are some great associations that pros can belong to that are very beneficial.

I find it encouraging that people can work hard and achieve success in photography without necessarily going to school. Heading off to classes can be a really hard thing for a mom to do, both in terms of finding the money and taking care of her kids and house. Photography seems to give stay-at-home moms some nice options. Are there any last words of advice or encouragement you want to leave our readers with today?

If you are serious about becoming a photographer, practice, practice, practice! If you own a SLR Camera, switch it to Manual mode. This is the ONLY mode I shoot in because I have 100% full control of my settings. Oh, and read that camera manual! If you know your gear inside and out, you will be much more confident when the time comes to use your camera and get the shot.

Thanks for being with us today, Michaela. I'm sure our readers enjoyed hearing your story. For more information about Michaela Wickman Photography or to schedule your own photography session with her, visit her website at www.michaelawickmanphotography.com. And if you're interested in seeing Michaela's most recent portraits, check out the MichaelaWichmanPhotography facebook page, which she keeps updated with her latest shots.

Also, I'm blogging today about foreign settings in books over at Craftie Ladies of Romance. Stop by and say hi if you have a chance!

Interview and Giveaway with Photographer Michaela Wickman

A few months back, shortly after I'd signed the contract for my debut novel, Sanctuary for a Lady, I found myself in need of a self portrait for promotional purposes. Not the picture I'd been using that my husband had taken with his cell phone one day. Oh no. I wanted the real deal. You know, the kind where you actually drive to a studio and pay someone to take it. In most places across the U.S. getting a portrait taken wouldn't be a problem, but considering I live in North-of-Nowhere, 60-miles-from-the-closest-fastfood-restaraunt, northern Michigan, I had a bit of a conundrum. How was I going to find a good photographer?

So I went to the internet, and looked at some of the pictures on Michaela Wickman's website.

Then my mouth fell open and I said, "She does NOT live only two hours from me. That's way too close. Certainly she lives in some major city where she charges an exorbitant fee for her wonderful pictures." But as I contacted Michaela, I learned that not only did she live within driving distance, but she also had two kids under five and worked from home. So of course, after she took the wonderful pictures you see below (plus a few dozen others) I had to interview her for Making Home Work.

Me

My husband and boys

Hi! Michaela, Tell me a bit about your family. How many children do you have, and how old are they?

I have two kids. My son Lincoln is 2 1/2, and my daughter Sawyer just turned one.

Wow, two little ones so close in age must keep you really busy. Why did you choose to work from home rather than find a job elsewhere?

It’s a give and take. I enjoy staying home with my kids, but enjoy working as well. I wanted to work part-time, and finding a really amazing part-time job that also covers the cost of day care for two children is hard to come by.

It sounds like you found a good balance with your photography business. What is the most challenging aspect of working from home while raising children?

Time management! I try to get most of my work done while they are napping, but how long of a nap they will take is always a bit unpredictable. If I don’t get everything on my ‘to-do’ list done, I find myself staying up late in the evenings trying to finish.

Oh yes, I can relate to that. I except I'm the opposite and I get up early in the morning to catch up on my work. What challenges do working from home present to your marriage, and how do you compensate?

As I mentioned above, the time management of working from home has been my biggest challenge. I don’t have set office hours and find myself constantly doing some sort of work related task in the evenings when the kids have gone to bed. My husband and I make plans to hang out when we are both home. I stop what I’m doing at a certain time. I try to keep my work Mon-Fri and dedicate weekends to family. I often have sessions on the weekends, but none of the editing gets done until the week.

I struggle with the same thing sometime. You want to spend time with your family, but when you've got a pile of work in front of you, sometimes it's so hard to know when to draw the line and stop working. If you could start all over again, what would you do differently? What would you do the same?

I think I would have set up my own office area sooner. For a long time I’d use our dining room table as my ‘work’ area. No wonder I felt like I could hardly get things done! Several months ago I set up a working space in our basement. I feel very productive now. It helps having photos I love surrounding the desk space, a dry erase board with my ‘to-do’s’ on it, and all of my files and folders right next to me in my ‘own’ space.

Now I'm jealous. I've been writing for three and a half years, and I still work at our kitchen table. Enjoy that office space, Michaela! What keeps you home instead of having an outside career? Is it worth it?

It is SO worth it! I love what I do and am passionate about it. My ‘job’ never feels like work to me.

If someone is interested in getting started in home-based photography, what are the first two things you recommend they do?

There are so many amazing and FREE online resources for those interested in honing their photography skills. Just Google ‘photography forums’ and a bunch will pop up. There are some talented photographers who willingly dedicate their time and talent on these forums to help those just starting out. The book ‘Understanding Exposure’ by Bryan Peterson is a must read.

Thanks so much for interviewing with us today, Michaela. Michaela will be back again on Wednesday with some photography business basics. To see more of Michaela's photographs or learn more Michaela Wickman Photography and her photography packages, check out her website.

Giveaway: For our giveaway this week, Michaela and I teamed up to purchase a gift card to Canvas on Demand. This is an online photography site that puts a digital picture on a canvas backing, making your picture look like an oil painting. So if you want a new twist for that latest family photo before you hang it on the wall, this gift card might be perfect for you. To enter, head on over to Michaela Wickman Photography's facebook page and click 'like' (which you'll want to do so you can see all the great pictures she's constantly posting on there). Then come back here and leave a comment with your email address letting me know you liked Michaela's page. The giveaway will end on Saturday, February 25, at midnight.

Photo credits: All photographs taken by Michaela Wickman and used with permission. The copy of the canvas photograph came from Canvas on Demand and is used in under the "fair use" guidelines.

The Shame of Self Employment

When I tell people I'm a writer, at first they're excited, they're interested in this 'talent' I have for applying plot to paper and multiplying that talent page after page. But eventually, when it's clear I am not on the New York Bestseller's list, the question comes. What do I do, for a living? The answer is complicated.

Then there's the people who already know me, know my books, my most recent internal deadline and the triumphs and challenges I have endured along the way. From them I get jokes. They sneer when I talk about being happy it's Friday or moan that I have to get back to the grind on Monday. They go on about how lucky I am and kid me about all the sleeping in and soap operas I must be enjoying. Because I work from home, wink, wink.

So here's my take.

I am very lucky. I love what I do, but I chose it, it didn't choose me. And though not everyone may be able to write. Anyone can work from home. So if it's such a party, why aren't all my clever friends joining me? I'll tell you why. Because my job is harder than theirs, with little money and plenty of fear. I bet on me everyday. No one signs my paycheck, yet. The only one over my shoulder is me. I don't know what I'll make next month and it's scary. But I do it. Sometimes I'm a starving artist, but I am always doing what I love, what I've dreamt of and I'm proud of that.

When there isn't school, I can sleep in. But I may write until two in the morning, when there is school the next day. Sometimes Saturdays are nothing special, but I do keep a schedule and weekends, I'm typically 'off'. Having a child in school helps.

The truth is, I don't mind so much, not being taken seriously. It's a lot like the people who overlook stay-at-home moms, when really, that's the hardest job there is. So I do both. I am the bread and the butter and the other stuff.

The truth is, every best selling author was me once upon a time. The next Harry Potter may be in my laptop, but I'm judged, because I haven't been on any magazine covers, because I don't live in New York and I haven't been discovered. But I have been. I discovered me a long time ago. I know a lot of nine-to-fivers with 401ks that can't say that. ;)

Most of my fellow bloggers and maybe most of our readers, know these feelings. So maybe this is a high five, good for us, from me. But for everyone else...when someone tells you they work at home and you envy the morning coffee and afternoon talk shows and the laundry that never seems to pile up...just take a moment and consider ALL of the ways that their lives are different than yours.

I'm chasing a dream. What have you chased today?

What is holding you back from working from home?

Getting started working from home can seem like a daunting task. My story is not so unusual in that my current work-from-home career as a freelance writer and editor kind of just happened.

Nine years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, I was working as managing editor for a large trade association in Washington, D.C. Two months before the baby’s due date, my husband got laid off his job, which we had been expecting.

Instead of my quitting like we had originally planned, I officially took maternity leave, not knowing if the generous 16-weeks leave would be enough time for my husband to find another job.

During my time away from the office, the association asked if I could work from home on a few projects. With hubby still out of work, I agreed. Thankfully, my husband started a full-time job with benefits before my leave time expired and I was able to segue from a full-time employee to a contract, at-home worker.

Today, four kids and nine years later, I love working from home and have no desire to go back to an office environment. I’m constantly grateful for the work that I have on a fairly regular basis, but know that not every woman can so easily find at-home work.

That’s why I wrote Hired@Home: The Christian Woman’s Guide to Working From Home. The book details how to think about work and gives tips and suggestions on what at-home work to pursue. Sprinkled throughout the book are the testimonies of more than 50 women who work from home in a variety of professions, jobs and businesses.

This summer, I converted and updated the book into ebook format for Kindle and Smashwords. I will be giving away one ebook or PDF copy this week to readers who answer one of the following questions in the comments section of this blog. Your answers might be used in an upcoming issue of my free, monthly e-newsletter (to sign up, visit my website at http://www.sarahhamaker.com/).

To enter the contest, answer one of the following questions in the comments section of this blog:

What is holding you back from working from home?

If you currently work from home, what held you back from starting sooner?

I look forward to reading your responses!