Three words are going to change, shape, and define 2014.

HANDS FREE MAMA

If you don’t already know and love Rachel Macy Stafford (“Hands Free Mama”), you most definitely will this year.

Literary agent Steve Laube predicted that in 2014 “There will be at least one surprise breakout Christian book.” [To read the entire article of 2014 publishing predictions, click here: http://www.authormedia.com/2014-publishing-predictions.]

Friends, this is that book.    

Rachel started blogging about her daily struggles and her desire to live a less distracted life. Her blog, Hands Free Mama, boasts 1 million hits a month, and her Facebook page, The Hands Free Revolution, has over 100,000 fans and friends. Her much anticipated debut book, Hands Free Mama: A Guide to Putting Down the Phone Burning the To-Do List, and Letting Go of Perfection to Grasp What Really Matters, was released on January 7 by Zondervan.

Her endorsers include well-known names such as Glennon Doyle Melton, author of the New York Times bestseller Carry On, Warrior, and founder of Momastery.com, and Arianna Huffington, chair, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group and author of thirteen books.

Rachel is a featured columnist for the Huffington Post and is leading a six-week workshop for HuffPost Parents readers. [Check it out here: “Stress-Less Parenting Workshop.”] 

I could go on and on, listing Rachel’s credentials and the rave reviews and overwhelming accolades she’s received for Hands Free Mama, but I want to tell a slightly different tale from my perspective of editor and friend.

In August 2011, I received an email one Saturday from a stranger who had happened upon my website. She wrote:

Hello there! It has been a pleasure to “get to know” you through your blog and through your comments on my blog! I so appreciate all of your encouraging and positive words. I truly feel your entrance into my life has been divine intervention. I think you might be able to give me some advice/wisdom that I need to make a decision.

Indeed, our blossoming relationship—both personally and professionally—did seem like a divine intervention! We started “chatting” on email, getting to know each other. Ironically, she used to live in my small town, just a few miles from me. Her two girls even took swim lessons from the same instructor as my two girls. I began to feel a kindred connection with this woman I had never met but who I could tell had talent, passion, and authenticity, and I knew—just knew in my heart—that she was destined for greatness.

Rachel and I continued working together over the next year-and-a-half. Editing for her was divine. I’d get lost in her words, forgetting that I was supposed to be proofing and critiquing and finding mistakes (which were always few). Typically, writers are talented for their thoughts and words, not necessarily for their correct grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, verb usage, etc. However, Rachel is gifted in all things writing—sentence structure, grammar, showing not telling, unique voice, flow, attention-grabbing titles and headlines (I could go on and on …).

Rachel is a dream client.

Then we actually got to meet in person. Ahh! We were both excited! But I was worried—would she be the person I had gotten to know online?

Indeed, she was.

It instantly felt like we were sorority sisters, kindred spirits, good friends.

Others often ask me: “What is Hands Free Mama like?”

One word: AUTHENTIC.

Rachel is authentic, sincere, humble, kind—REAL.

These characteristics are why she’s so loved by her fans.

Rachel’s authenticity has led to the phenomenon of being Hands Free—of showing millions how to open their hearts and hands to each God-given moment.

Leave the laundry until tomorrow. Learn to dance with your kids in the rain. Love each moment your kids call your name. Live in the present. Join Rachel and live authenticity.

*Hands Free Mama is now on the New York Times Best-Sellers List. Her book is available at HandsFreeMama.com or on Amazon.   

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Win a copy of Hands Free Mama personally signed by the author, Rachel Macy Stafford!

To enter to win:

1. Share this on Twitter: “Win a signed copy of HANDS FREE MAMA via @ChristiMcGuire: http://wp.me/p3cLRA-14Y”

2. Like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ChristiMcGuireWriter. Share this post http://wp.me/p3cLRA-14Y on your FB page and tag me.

3. Follow me on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/christimcguire. Go to my pin at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/4151824630580300/and pin it on your boards!

A winner will be chosen at random and notified on February 10, 2014.

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If you have publishing dreams like Rachel, I can help you through the process.
Visit my Services page for more info on my editing and consulting services. 

©2011- 2013 Christi McGuire. All Rights Reserved.