BESTSELLER FOR A DAY AND GUEST POST BY R. THOMPSON AUTHOR OF A WALK IN THE SNARK

 

I want to welcome Rachel Thompson to Books R Us. Rachel is the author of A Walk in The Snark. Thanks for stopping by.

 

Sometimes I think I'm too jaded. Then I think no, it's just the lighting  ~

Rachel Thompson, A Walk In The Snark

 What is the Mancode.

People ask me all the time about my motivation for my book A Walk In The Snark, and where the Mancode came from. It’s simple really – after eighteen years of marriage, I just got really tired of changing the toilet paper roll. So I wrote about it.

Sure, my husband is a really good guy and we’ve made it this far but come on -- there are lots of silly things he does that kinda drive me crazy. I wrote my first essay Men are from Seinfeld, Women are from Friends about a year ago on my blog. The response was huge, overwhelming. Clearly I wasn’t the only chick out there whose husband suffered from an allergy to household paper products.

Why can men change the world but not a toilet paper roll?

I found that writing about Mancode issues really helped me understand the way men think. Not that it makes any sense – I am a chick after all. More like having the keys to a really loud, remote-controlled kingdom. For example, why do they clutch the TV remote as if all of mankind depended on it? My guy has literally torn the house apart in search of the remote (while I could care less. I’ll just read or write, play with the kids, organize my sock drawer). *whistles*

I felt as if I were in an episode of that old Leonard Nimoy program (on tonight’s episode of “In Search Of…” observe the male of the species find a little box without which he cannot function). And don’t get me started on the volume. Let’s just say my folks can hear what he’s watching…and they live 500 miles away.

I expanded on the Mancode into Chickspeak, cause I have many guys who tell me they really want to understand the way women think. In my book, I hand them a secret decoder ring while deconstructing Shoe Math, Chick Time, and what “I’m fine” really means and send them on their way.  

One fella says my Chickspeak essays have become like a bible for him and his fiancé. I’m no therapist—if you want to learn how to make a dirty martini, I’m your girl—but I’m thrilled he’s found my writing helpful in figuring out their closet space issues. (Hint: give her as much space as she wants and don’t question her purchase of yet another pair of black shoes. Yes, they are different than the others. Yes, she does need them. #asif)

It’s this interplay, the interaction that fascinates me and why I keep writing about men and women. My husband is a good sport, as well as a constant feedback loop of research so it’s a win/win. And it’s not just stories from my own life--I love and am so grateful for my Twitter and blog followers so much because they share their funny stories with me every day and continue to inspire me.

I’m hard at work on my next book " "The Mancode: A Survivor’s Tale"  which I plan to release late summer. Meanwhile, I’m participating in a wonderful promotion by the Indie Book Collective (which I co-founded) called Bestseller For A Day this Wednesday, April 6^th where my book will be just 99 cents! Help me launch up the Amazon charts this one day only! Tell your friends, your mom, even your dog! Remember, you don’t need a Kindle to read my (or ANY) eBook. Just a computer or a smartphone. 

As our Bonus Buy (2 for the price of 1), you can also purchase a fabulous collection of short stories and poems by fab fellow author Kimberly Kinrade. Her book Bits of You & Pieces of Me is also just 99 cents BUT if you return to the site and fill out our fairly painless form, Kimberly will rebate the purchase price. #Woot! Also, you get five entries into my contest to win up to FIVE $10 Amazon Gift Cards!!

Thanks to Eileen and Melissa for this opportunity to connect with you. Please email me if you have any questions or comments at RachelintheOC@gmail.com or come visit my blog anytime RachelintheOC.com or Twitter or Facebook or Goodreads. I’m everywhere (except, ya know, the kitchen). I also teach writers ePublishing, social media and other cool stuff over at the Indie Book Collective so find me there as well.