Mom-preneurs and other Sleep Deprived Friends

Entrepreneur hours aren't 9-5. Not if they want to be successful.

Recently another writer chastised me for having my computer on while my husband was home. I admit, it stung. The implicit message was that whatever work I was doing on the computer wasn't as valuable as whatever I might have been doing for or with my husband.

Fortunately for me, my husband does not agree with her. He knows that it takes more than full time hours to start and run your own business...and when you are hand-creating the product you sell (ie writing the novels you publish) it takes even longer.

I love the term Mom-preneur. It signifies that Mom is also a full time job. Staying at home to raise your children and running a business isn't all together too different from having a full time job and starting a business on the side. In other words, in both of those situations you will both burn the midnight oil and burn the candle from both ends!

That was me, last night. (And many, many other nights.) I had the idea to create a Cozy Mystery Magazine Sample book many moons ago and finally had time (or finally created time) to finish it.

The other amazing authors on this blog provided their samples, covers, bios, photos, and legal permissions, and I put it all together. It's in approval stage right now...first to Nancy who spearheads the blog, then to the other authors.

After that I will publish it to Smashwords for free to be distributed to all of the online bookstores. As soon as it arrives on those shelves it will be published to Amazon (so that it can be made free there as fast as possible.) It will also be available for any of the authors here to give away from their blogs and hopefully from this blog as well! Until then, here's the cover...I have to say, I'm rather fond of it!

Traci Tyne Hilton burns the midnight oil writing The Mitzy Neuhaus Mysteries, The Plain Jane Mysteries, and other things like a Shaker Romance (coming winter 2013.) She has two zany daughters in gradeschool, a chicken with post traumatic stress disorder, a duck with entitlement issues, a dog who won't stop sleeping on the couch and a very nice husband who doesn't mind (usually) if she has to work while he is at home.

Staycation and the Work at Home Mom

Three things to know about this week:

#1. I have a deadline in two weeks, and a book that is missing the all-important last scene.
#2. My inlaws are here for ten days.
#3. My husband has to work most of this week.

I'm not overly stressed about it (yet) in part because my mom and dad-in-law are great folks and understand tight schedules. They also seem to like work more than relaxing, so if I just say "I have to work, will you enjoy your grandkids for a while?" They will. Also, if I say, "My house needs painted, are you game?" they are. So, as far as company goes, I've got it made.

But I'm not under-stressed either. I mean, the deadline is LOOMING. This isn't an indie book so I actually have to write it on time. Someone out there is also putting work into this project and I have to hold up my end!

This might be my favorite place on Earth.

I'm very thankful that this one is a staycation. They came to us. I can easily sneak off to my bedroom to write a blog post (you know, if need arose at the last minute...) And I know all of the fun quick trips in the area.

Daniel (my husband) worked all morning so we all ran to the store and bought the Girl Scouts uniforms for the coming year. The store that sold them is conveniently located next to a craft store, a hobby store, a Christian book store, and a bakery so after a little window shopping we had scones and fresh bread samples.

Then Daniel came home and hung out with his parents and kids while I wrote for a few hours. And finally, we finished the day with a bike ride along the waterfront and a little splashing in the river. If we were out of town...I don't know. I don't think hiding in the bedroom to write would have been as comfortable, or finding quick fun activities would have been as easy.

I have several days to juggle enjoying guests and getting my job done, so if you all have anymore tips for me, I'd love to read them!

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Traci Tyne Hilton is the author of The Mitzy Neuhaus Mystery Series, The Plain Jane Mystery Series, and one of the authors in The Tangle Saga series of science fiction novellas. She was the Mystery/Suspense Category winner for the 2012 Christian Writers of the West Phoenix Rattler Contest, a finalist for Speculative Fiction in the same contest, and has a Drammy from the Portland Civic Theatre Guild. Traci serves as the Vice President of the Portland chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association.

Traci earned a degree in History from Portland State University and still lives in the rainiest part of the Pacific Northwest with her husband the mandolin playing funeral director, their two daughters, and their dog, Dr. Watson.

Connect with Traci at Facebook!