Known as the “Bad Redhead” and Rachelinthe OC, Rachel Thompson is the author of Amazon Top 100 book The Mancode: Exposed and A Walk in the Snark ,which hit number one on the Motherhood list. When she’s not writing, Rachel’s blogging at RachelInTheOC or sharing her knowledge as a social media consultant through BadRedhead Media.  The thing I love most about Rachel is how much she interacts with her Twitter and Facebook followers. For all these reasons, but mainly because of her snarkiness,  Rachel’s my current Author Crush. Keep reading, and then see how you can connect with her yourself.

A big Thank You to Rachel for taking the time to answer these questions.

TBF: Are you working on a new book? Any hints you can give us on content?

RT: I am! My next book is almost complete. Titled Broken Pieces, it’s narrative nonfiction that is not humor like my other two books. I’m looking at a November release date, if not sooner. I’m also working with Pavarti K. Tyler (award-winning writer) and Jessica Swift Eldridge (editor) on a new literary erotica anthology: Penny A Page Erotica. We’re taking submissions now. It’s really fun to write and be involved in this process.

TBF: What tweet about you is your favorite, and why?

RT: Someone mentioned me in the same sentence as Malcolm Gladwell and Lucille Ball. I thought that was awesome. I can’t find it right now, darn it. But it was great. I also heard from a male fan yesterday who says he’s going to get #TeamRachel tattooed on his…bum. (Does this mean I’ve finally made it?)

TBF: You’re from the OC- what stereotype about the Real Housewives on Orange County annoys you the most? I ask this because I’m from Atlanta and have my own pet peeves about our series.

RT: I could write an entire essay on this! But mostly that we’re all rich, vapid, have fake body parts and are blonde. Also that the county is one big beach. We have a lot of beautiful beach but lots of inland cities too, which includes Anaheim (hello, Disneyland) and Santa Ana, two relatively poor areas. And I was actually raised in the Sacramento area. I moved to the OC in my thirties and am actually moving back to Sacramento in October.

TBF: How do you make the perfect martini (or how does your husband make it for you)?

RT: Yea, he’s my bartender for the most part. I’m partial to non-sweet drinks usually, so I prefer a Dirty Martinis: vodka, tiny bit of dry vermouth, strained olive juice, and lots of olives. Mmmm, perfecto! I do make a mean Screwdriver though, I must say.

 TBF: Are you a dark chocolate or milk chocolate girl?

RT: Milk, but I’ll eat any chocolate as long as it’s not that fake white chocolate stuff or filled with goo. Nutella plus a spoon equals me in heaven.

TBF: What’s currently playing on your iPod?

RT: I wrote a post recently for @InClassicStyle about the music that helps me to write. I’ve been listening to Poe’s Haunted every day for over ten years and I’m still not sick of it; lots of Madonna, 70’s rock, Sheryl Crow and Zero 7 (and Beatles, Jeff Buckley, Fisher, Jonatha Brooke, Garbage, and…ok, that’s not even close to all of it but I don’t want to take up any more room). I do seem partial to strong female voices and interesting lyrics, though.

TBF: If there were a movie about your life, whom would you want to play you? Any other picks for the significant people in your life?

RT: I’d love a redhead (of course), so I suppose either Christina Hendricks or Julianne Moore. My daughter loves young teen actress AnnaSophia Robb, so that’s who would play her. Steve Martin for my guy, and the kid in that new Timothy Green movie, C.J. Adams.

TBF: Who’s your favorite musician or band?

RT: I don’t have a favorite since my musical tastes are so diverse, but definitely Poe and Madonna, for sure. And soundscores by Thomas Newman are beautiful and heart wrenching.

TBF: What are you reading right now? I’m usually reading client books (for my company BadRedheadMedia)! But I just finished A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness and have just started Shadow of Night, the second book in the trilogy. I kinda thought I was over the whole vampire thing, but I love how these books are written and my mom and sister loved them so I had to give it a shot. My TBR pile includes:
David Vinjamuri (@DVinjamuri), Forbes writer, author, and NYU professor’s new book Operator;
Say My Name by Rebecca Tsaros Dickson (@thinking2hard13);
The Seventh Level by Joe Hefferon (@HefferonJoe);
The Broken Road by Melissa Huie (@MelissaHuie);
In One Person by John Irving;
Sand by Lili Tufel (@Lili_Tufel),
And…well, that will keep me busy for a few months!

Feel free to connect with Rachel on Twitter @RachelintheOC or @BadRedheadMedia; Facebook at BadRedheadMedia or The Mancode: Exposed; G+, YouTube, Pinterest, or Instagram at RachelintheOC, or email her anytime at RachelintheOC at gmail dot com (her author account) or BadRedheadMedia at gmail dot com (for questions on author marketing and social media).

I’ve also started four author (indie and traditional welcome) promotional sites. Like us on Facebook and find out more!