Accomplishment: Author, Social Media Consultant

When she’s not writing, Rachel is a mom, wife, and recovering pharmaceuticals rep who used to sell Trojan brand condoms. Her recovery has been a long process, but she says she’s doing okay. Her experience selling prophylactics to such fine establishments as The Mustang Ranch gave her some useful insights into the “ins and outs of men,” which she used in writing her books.

I first met Rachel on Twitter, and her refreshingly honest tweets about men, women, relationships and book promotion kept me eager to read her daily dose of snark. Now, I’d like to share some of Rachel’s blunt, but wise thoughts on writing, publishing and her experience so far.

I started writing my blog back in ’08 and when I wrote my first Mancode post, “Men are from Seinfeld, Women are from Friends” (included in my first book), people loved it. They bombarded me for more! I knew I had hit on something many people could relate to: the differences between men and women but funny – the Mars/Venus thing was so done; people related to my essays because we all live it daily.

I wrote many more essays along that theme, adding in different situations and perspectives: love, loss, work, parenting. That became my first book, A Walk In The Snark. My second book, The Mancode: Exposed, is more a riff on men and women; the situations we find ourselves in (or create) and how we interact.

As for fiction, I contributed to a horror anthology called last year for a group I was involved with at the time. Not my normal genre, and it wasn’t all that much fun for me to be honest. But it was a good experience to step outside my comfort zone and try something new.

I’m currently writing a paranormal romance about a man who falls in love with a woman who looks exactly like his dead wife.

When did you consider yourself to be a real writer?

Gosh, there are so many levels to answering that question! I’d always considered myself a writer, but when I received my first royalty check for a real book, that I’d written, that real people had bought, from Amazon, I’d say that pretty much cemented the fact that this gig was for real.

I’d also add working with my editor, graphic artist, proofreader, and formatter really solidified my efforts in producing quality books. Each of us has a vision for our work and seeing it become what you picture in your mind is incredible.

In my own experience, I started blogging in ’08, Facebook in ‘09, and Twitter in ’10. I took to Twitter especially well and built up my following aggressively in a targeted way on a daily basis (still do – no automation for me). When my book came out in 2011, I had a decent following of around 6K followers who were also my supporters, beta readers, and happy to help me get the word out and even buy a few copies.

What’s even better: when Mancode came out, I had double the amount of followers in all areas and therefore had double the amount of support. Even I couldn’t have predicted the book would hit the Amazon Top 100 Paid Overall within one month of release.

Here’s the bottom line: social media itself doesn’t sell your books (okay, a few). But we human beings are a curious group. We want to know about our authors. Coffee or tea. White or wheat. Mac or PC. Social media is a critical component for people to learn about who you are, get to know you, your work, how to find you and your books. And if you don’t have it, other authors in your genre will.


Imagine you’ve died and you get to choose the career in which you’ll be reincarnated; would you choose the same path? Why or why not?

What are the biggest challenges for you in your writing career?

No. Not at all. Sure, I’ve had rejections, bad reviews, and someone tell me my work was unfit for publication (I ignored that person and sent it to an agent I was working with at the time who loved it. Ahem.) Some days are better flowing than others, but my brain is constantly brimming with ideas. There is always something to write about.

Drawing on real-life experiences helps me to shape each book. My next nonfiction collection isn’t humor at all, but based on difficult situations. The raw, honest stuff that people run from is what I thrive on (just take a look at my blog sometime. If you offer to guest post for me, beware.) Then there’s Book Three in The Snark Chronicles trilogy and my paranormal romance.

How could I possibly quit now?

Aside from her blog, you also find Rachel on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Her books are not for those who like sweetness and butterflies, or light, kindhearted humor. “Life can’t always be martinis and beaches.” Don’t I know it. If you want satire and witty commentary on the stupid things men and women do, or a hand up on the nightmare that is social media for authors, Rachel’s your girl.