This month’s Mompreneur, Kara Hamilton channeled her entrepreneurial spirit when embarking on the journey of becoming an author.

Before becoming a mom, Kara had worked extensively in the modeling and acting worlds for many years in New York, San Francisco and internationally. After having her two children, inspiration struck while spending time away from her family for work in New York. Kara had been looking for a book to aid her with the care of her new baby, her growing toddler and her little poodle. She wanted to teach her children (as well as others) how to properly behave around dogs in order for her dog Smokey not to become one of the many, many dogs who are abandoned to shelters each year.

Not being satisfied with her choices of books on the topic, Kara tapped back into her roots as a journalism major and the picture book A New Leash on Life was born. The book would not have been written had it not been for Kara becoming a mom and wanting to lead by example. While Kara majored in journalism and always enjoyed writing, being a mom finally pushed her to make this dream come to life. The trickiest part of becoming an author, besides carving out time to write, was to obtain a publisher and choosing the perfect illustrator. Luckily, Kara managed both and her book is slated to be released this April.

To learn more about Kara and her book as well as upcoming events, visit her website at karahamilton.com. Kara supports the work of The Humane Society of The United States and will donate 10% of the profits of her book to their cause.

"A New Leash On Life" tells a story of adjustment when the parents of Smoky, a miniature apricot poodle, welcome a new family member, a baby. "A New Leash On Life" uses appealing narrative verse and charming, fuzzy soft-colored illustrations to speak directly to an audience of young children. The point of the story is to encourage families and parents to be patient with an adjustment process when they bring home a new baby to a household that already has a treasured pet. While the human baby is helpless and demanding at first, the pet also needs to adjust to a different amount of human attention from adults, also sharing space with a new family member. Tips and techniques for training young children in appropriate ways of interacting with dogs are specified. Included in "A New Leash On Life" is a Q & A section with the Moms of the Humane Society of the United States. There is also a helpful Baby Training Manual addressed towards a small child, to give advice about positive ways to interact with a dog. "A New Leash On Life" offers young families a valuable resource to encourage the retaining of a beloved pet after the birth of a new family member. The author chooses to support the work of the Humane Society of the United States by donating 10% of the profits from "A New Leash On Life" to it's cause.

Nancy Lorraine