As my guest today I'd like to introduce Empi Baryeh. She's a long time reader but new author. She like so many of us ie authors shares her experience of going from a hobbyist to a professional writer. I have to say her bio and personality really pulled me into this piece and made me want to read her book. I'd say with that impression she's doing amazing in her new endeavors as a professional. See for yourself. 
WRITING AS A HOBBY  VS WRITING PROFESSIONALLY

Someone once asked me whatthings I've learned as an author that you didn't know when I started out with mywriting. I thought that was an interesting question and a topic I'd definitelylike to blog on. I'll turn it around slightly and talk about the differencebetween writing for fun and writing as a career.
I started writing around the age of thirteen, so there was alot of learning for me to do, and even as recently as four or five years agowhen I started pursuing publication – and in fact before I actually signed acontract – writing was simply a hobby. If I didn't feel like writing, it wasn'ta huge deal. There were stretches of time that I wasn't putting too much effortinto writing, when I easily allowed life to encroach on writing. I have toadmit, though, it was nice to write for a small audience of friends…much safer. 
But I'd always wanted to turn writing from a hobby into acareer, and suddenly I had to develop blurbs, synopses and query letters. Then,of course, there's promotion, which is a vital tool for any author, even thebig name ones. That meant I now had to worry about—ahem, expect—reviews fromreader who knew nothing about me other than a two paragraph author bio in thebook.
Though, I'd taken up blogging long before signing my firstcontract, that first sale meant blogging had become serious business. Blogtopics had to be better thought-out, and I couldn't let two weeks go by withoutat least one post.
But most importantly, there's nowa need to be more systematic in my writing habits with a little more plottingincorporated into my pantsing ways. That means I worry more when my musedecides to take vacation or when other aspects of my life make me spend lesstime writing than I'd like.
But I plod on as I continue toaspire to the day when my passport states novelistunder "occupation."Empi***AuthorBio
EmpiBaryeh is an author of heart-warming, sweet and sensual African and Interracialromance. She lives in the city of Accra in Ghana, where most of her stories areset. She speaks French and a teensy bit of Spanish.Herdebut novel, Most Eligible Bachelor, came out in February and is available fromEvernight Publishing and other online book retailers. Chancing Faith is hersecond novel, which comes out in Print and eBook on 31st March, 2012.VisitEmpi Online:Blog: http://empibaryeh.wordpress.com
Website: http://www.empibaryeh.webs.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/empibaryeh
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/empibaryeh
Twitter: @empibaryeh
COMING 31st MARCH, 2012,FROM BLACK OPAL BOOKS CHANCING FAITH BY EMPI BARYEH
BLURB :Hedidn't do short-term relationships…American ad exec,Thane Aleksander, doesn't date co-workers either—until business takes him toGhana, West Africa, and he meets Naaki. Now he's at risk of breaking all therules. Can he stop this headlong fall before it's too late?Untilhe met her!Naaki Tabika has aburning need to prove, to herself and others, that she's more than wife andmother material. To do so, she's prepared to give up everything for her job.Meeting Thane, however, makes her want to get personal. But falling for herboss could destroy her career. Will she be willing to risk it all for the onething that can make her truly happy?Two divergentcultures, two different races, two career-driven professionals, only one chanceat true love—will they find the faith to take it, or will their hearts besacrificed on the altar of financial success?
EXCERPT :Thaneknew he was in for it now. He could hardly believe he'd really done it…He'd kissedNaaki. Kissed her! What the hell was he thinking? Thane tossedhis jacket aside and yanked off his tie. Of all the stupid—Raking his fingersthrough his hair, he muttered a curse. The urge to hit something assaulted himwith a force that should have surprised him. The perfect punching bag wouldhave been his own body, since it was apparent that he needed to pound somesense into his skull. Right now, the only thing pounding was his heart as itthreatened to burst out of his chest, throbbing partly out of anger but mostlyfrom his pulsing desire.Damned if he didn'tstill want her in his arms. She made him feel like a teenager—and not in a goodway. Vulnerable wasn't a desired state of mind as far as he was concerned. Hesat down with the adjoining door in full view, still unable to comprehend howhe'd dropped his guard. How he seemed so willing to let downhis defenses around her.He'd panicked inthe elevator, allowed himself to be captivated. He'd worried about her, touchedher as if he cared. She'd kissed him back, moaned against his lips and hisknees had gone weak. He could have made love to her right there in the lobby.He could care about her, and caring was the last thing he could afford to do.Dammit. Naaki wasn't a woman you got involvedwith on a whim. He needed, at all cost, to avoid her—the woman who'd so easilybrought him to his knees, who'd caused his body to come alive and made himwant—Just want.***BUY LINKS:Chancing Faith isavailable for pre-order at the following sites:Black Opal BooksBarnes & Noble*Look out for ChancingFaith on Amazon and other online booksellers from 31st March.*Buy Most Eligible Bachelor at: EvernightPublishing
GIVEAWAYEmpi is giving away a free ebook each week for her blog tour. All youhave to do is leave a comment. Each blog you comment on gives you one vote, sothe more blogs you comment on the greater your chances of winning. At the endof each week, Empi will select one lucky winner. The prize is thewinner's choice of an ebook copy of either Most Eligible Bachelor or ChancingFaith.