1. What bands or music have been you Life's blood at various times in your Life?
RT: I started listening to Poe's HAUNTED when it came out over ten years ago, and have pretty much listened to it at least weekly since. I'm also a fan of female singer/songwriters like Jonatha Brookes, Fisher, and Imogen Heap. That said, I adore 70's rock: Pink Floyd, Eagles, Heart, Moody Blues, ELO, even Foreigner and Styx -- all the really early stuff.
2. When you consider your books, A WALK IN THE SNARK, and THE MANCODE: EXPOSED, what were those deciding factors that told you how you wished to emerge as an indie author, and how has your creative brand been received out there?
RT: Relationships have always fascinated me, and writing about them comes naturally to me. I started as a blogger in 2008 and found my voice and my audience. Humor and tragedy and structures that I've studied and worked to combine for years. If you look at classic Greek structure or even Shakespeare, many times these elements are present in a single story.
Writing humor comes naturally to me -- finding the funny in a situation is most likely a defense mechanism for me and I realized that early on in my writing career and in life. The trick with humor, particularly satirical humor, is making it accessible. I'm not sure that I've been completely successful in that regard: people either get it or they don't. And that's okay!
We don't like everything we read, right? Why should writers expect everyone to love their work? I don't. But for the most part, the humor books are easy to write, have fairly good reviews, and sell decently.
3. Were there any developmental stumbling blocks that challenged you to find the finalized content of BROKEN PIECES, and how did you overcome any limitations?
RT: Not really. I knew in the writing of this book that I needed to structure it based on themes surrounding relationships: sexual assault, grief, trust, love, loss, etc. From there, I wrote 'pieces' that worked within that structure. The only tricky part was how to organize it -- chronological made no sense, since I share different episodes and experiences that occurred over many years. As to whether I made a conscious choice of poetry, prose, or essay: Also no. I wrote each piece based on a theme and went in the direction I felt inspired by.
My brilliant editor, Jessica Swift, suggested I present it in 'pieces' which reflects the title. What I love about this concept is that people feel that same sense of discomfort and uneasiness that I felt as I lived through them. Even if people don't get that, they feel it, which means I have achieved my goal -- of creating an emotional response.
4. What has been your process or strategy for plugging into the self-publishing landscape as it is today, and maintain a distinct media or promotional presence?
RT: Perhaps for a non-fiction writer, this is somewhat easier. My online persona IS me, not a character or plot-line. We always say to 'brand the author, not the book,' so I find that occasionally sharing lines or excerpts is helpful for giving people a quick glimpse into my work.
That said, I work hard daily, to build relationships on social media. I have fifteen years of sales and marketing experience in pharma so I base selling books on my experiences there -- the hard sell NEVER works. Engagement, connection, and visibility are always my primary goals. Having a diverse platform is also very important: It's not just spamming links on Twitter (which I don't recommend any author do). Rather, it's optimizing your website, blogging regularly, interacting consistently on social, advertising (I prefer Google AdWords), and doing things like blog tours and working with book bloggers and book reviewers to help create buzz or my books.
5. What is going on in America right now, that you feel is against your ethical grain, and how might the challenging hurdle(s) in society be righted for the better?
RT: Clearly 'rape culture' and slut-shaming sickens and disgusts me. I go out of my way to share articles about these topics because while most people are disgusted by rape and sexual assault in this country, it still happens all the time, every day, practically every minute. I wrote recently that sexual assault is not a competition and I truly believe that: It's ALL bad and it ALL needs to stop. Any crime against children is particularly disturbing. I know my abuser got only two years in jail, and he had abused several children, not just me. It's hard to believe that not much has changed.
6. Would you name several indie author peers whom you believe are writing truly dynamic or innovative books, and what have you admired about their ways?
RT: Lorna Suzuki has sold the movie rights to her Imago series -- very impressive! They hired her as a consultant so she's on set. I'm so impressed with Lorna's books: she's indie, they're extremely well-written, and the main protagonist is a young, strong female. I also admire Steena Holmes, Christine Nolfi, Frederick Brooke, Justin Bog (SO talented), Eden Baylee, R.S. Guthrie, and so many more. Talented writers, best-selling in some cases, yet still so down to earth.
7. Share something you have found completely ridiculous in the world, discovered recently, that might make our day...
RT: Okay, this is cool but kind of silly. Forget all the creams, botox, and laser surgery, (I have). Use plain old baking soda to create the best exfoliating scrub on earth and for pennies! I also learned that the best way to clean my wedding ring is to soak it in hydrogen peroxide mixed with vinegar, then boil it in water for 10 minutes. Safe for any gems save emeralds. Totally works!
8. What is next 'on the wing' for Rachel Thompson?
RT: Next is the print version of BROKEN PIECES -- finally! I recently signed with Booktrope to create an updated print version of the book which will include book club questions. I'm going to see that out in the fall.
I'm also working on the next in the series titled, BROKEN PLACES, (taken from this Hemingway quote: The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. - Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell To Arms) It will discuss the various 'places' I've been in my life, as a daughter, wife, mother, and woman. I'm looking forward to delving more deeply into that.
I'm also in edits for my social media, marketing, and branding book for authors. The book covers much of what I discuss in my BadRedheadMedia.com blog -- practical, how-to tips that I use plus what works and what doesn't.
I've also got an erotica book on the horizon as well as the final 'Snark' book, titled CHICKSPEAK: UNCOVERED (what 'I'm fine' really means). Meanwhile, I'm writing a monthly social media column for the San Francisco Book Review and a weekly column for BookPromotion.com. I miss sleep.
To discover best-selling indie author @RachelintheOC Thompson's books further, find them here:
A WALK IN THE SNARK: http://www.amazon.com/kindle-store/dp/B004KKZ3GC
THE MANCODE: EXPOSED: http://www.amazon.ca/The-Mancode-Exposed-Collection-ebook/dp/B006G5EMCK
BROKEN PIECES: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00AR0T74S
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