Make yourself comfortable while I tell you something about myself.

Jamie Shaw is a writer living in Mill Valley, California.

While completing her MFA in Poetry, Jamie resisted the temptation to take out student loans and took a day job as an advertising copywriter. Sure, her academic colleagues made a sexier time of grad school with loads of free time to debate literary theory at the local pub. Instead, Jamie toiled away at her most unsexy day job, and attended night classes in order to complete the degree. Of course, she still made a noble effort to happen by the local pub now and again to maintain artistic street cred.

As her corporate career wore on, she questioned what it all meant and wondered where it would lead. She loved writing, but felt stifled in her 8x8 plastic cubicle.

Then she realized she could work from home.

Now that her days are free of commutes, staff meetings, water cooler chitchat and other workplace time-wasters, she can focus on writing and still have time to pursue other passions like cooking, yoga and gardening. And she doesn't have to sit in a cubicle.

As well as accepting freelance projects, Jamie writes the North Bay Dining Reviews for AOL Digital City and select food columns for FashionTribes.com. She lives in Mill Valley, CA with her husband, Michael and her wee beast, Ruby.