Rae: Welcome to the blog. I’ve got a spiced Latte with Almond Milk and a drizzle of chocolate in my mug. What’s in your cuppa?
RG: Thank you so much for presenting us today, Rae! Oh yum! Your latte sounds heavenly! I like my coffee straight up, usually late morning, after a run and breakfast, and then a few cups throughout the day. Unless I’m in a hot tea mood, especially if it’s a London Fog with coconut milk. 😊
Rae: Congratulations on your recent release of “Bending Love” in the Anthology Love Gone Viral. I love that all the proceeds from the sale will be donated to World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. Romance fiction is so powerful and the community is so giving. I can’t wait to hear how much you all raise.
RG: Thank you! I love that we’re doing this and I’m grateful and humbled to be part of these wonderful writers who donated, not only their time, but their stories, to help raise money for World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. This especially hit home for me, as I’ve spent time with families in the Appalachia area who struggle with feeding their families on a daily basis. It’s heartbreaking and something I want to help change.
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1. What is your must read book and why?
RG: WOW! This is a difficult question. I have several times infinity plus one, but I’ll narrow it down to one, otherwise, we’ll be here for the rest of the year. 😉 ANYTHING and EVERYTHING by Alex Westmore. But my all-time favourite by her is Ride for Tomorrow – it has zombies, a lesbian romance, and a cool twist. What’s not to love about a romance set during the zombie apocalypse?
2. If I visit your hometown, where am I going and what’s the best place to grab a bite?
RG: Head on over to East TN, Rae, and I’ll take you to Open Doors Coffee House for your spiced latte with almond milk and an amazing breakfast of scrambled eggs, avocado, and gluten free toast or a waffle, if you prefer. Then after sitting on my porch for a spell watching birds and squirrels, we’d hop on our bicycles and pedal to Ole’s Guacamole for Pechuga Fundidas. In the evening, we’d drive to a little “hole-in-the-wall” called Ridgewood BBQ for – you guessed it! – mouth-watering traditionally smoked beef BBQ and fries (this is the real reason we rode our bicycles earlier). One sec while I go grab some now…
3. What is one thing readers would be surprised to know about you?
RG: Okay, back. YUM! You missed some amazing BBQ! Let’s see, where were we? Ah, surprises! Does anything surprise anyone anymore? J/K… I could talk about my desire to learn how to draw comic books, as I am a writer and can barely draw stick figures. However, the one thing that would probably surprise most people is – I have become an expert in rescuing mice from glue traps. One rescued mouse – I have a special bond with this one in particular, because it liked my expensive chocolate above my partner’s inferior pseudo-chocolate – gripped my finger with its tiny paw before dashing away. It was beautiful!
3. What is your guilty pleasure?
RG: FINALLY, Rae, an easy question! 😊 At the moment, it’s Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon’s Rick and Morty. I can’t get enough of them! I recently bought a couple of Rick and Morty shirts, started collecting the comics, and am currently watching Season 4 (no spoilers, please).
5. What are you afraid of?
RG: I’m terrified of people finding out my fears and then using them to prank me. (Not today, buddy!)
6. Tats or No Tats? If tats, how many and what did you choose for your first one?
RG: Ah! If only my tats could speak, the stories they would tell… Luckily, they can’t! But if they could – the first one might tell how my parents completely freaked out when I came home with one. My mom, knowing nothing about tattoos (my ENTIRE family was adamantly against them), thought it would “go away” if I simply scrubbed it with alcohol and bleach – don’t worry, I didn’t do it. I have two, but am planning on at least one more. My first one, a dragon, is on my left shoulder – you might even get to see it if you run or work out with me. 😛
7. Binge watcher or weekly viewer? Which show(s)?
RG: Both. During work, I enjoy the background noise of “The Office” and I just let it run continuously – I may or may not be known to reenact lines of random episodes at random times (but, if you’re really curious, feel free to ask my partner about it).
During my downtime, I enjoy watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fringe, and Rick and Morty. I try to limit the episodes to 1 or 2 at a time so I can savour each one. Although, one year I binge-watched Fringe, because John Noble was going to be at DragonCon. 😊
8. If you could pick a book you’ve read and make it into a movie, which book would it be (besides yours 🙂 )?
RG: Besides mine, eh? I would love to see Westmore’s Ride for Tomorrow turned into a movie. Also, Jane Lindskold’s Through Wolf’s Eyes. Both would be amazing to watch!
9. What is the one thing you can’t live without?
RG: Well, Rae, we’ve had to learn to live without a lot lately, haven’t we? However, I have to say, gluten free chicken wings and French fries covered in cheese from Beef O’ Brady’s. Unfortunately, I discovered my local one – after a long bike ride to get there – was closed down without warning and without signs ☹. Thankfully, there’s another one about thirty minutes away and Bite Squad delivers. 😉 What? I bet you thought I’d say BBQ from Ridgewood – that’s for special occasions and you coming down would be a special occasion. 😊
10. What’s the one career gives you the shudders?
RG: Answering phone calls. Been there. Done that. Not for me.
11. If I opened up your handbag/bag/briefcase, what item would I be shocked to see?
RG: Hmm… Well, it would depend on the situation. If we’re talking my daily life, I stuff my pockets full of different things. The hand sanitizer would be no surprise right now, neither would the mask or wallet, but you might be surprised to find a lighter (nope, don’t smoke) and a pocket knife (hey! I’m a country girl – it’s a useful tool to open things, slice an apple, etc.).
If we’re talking hiking, then the duct tape in my backpack may surprise you (again, country girl – we use duct tape for everything!).
12. What app on your phone/ipad gets the most use?
RG: Well, since quarantine/self-isolation, it’s been Bite Squad. Hands down. I should buy stock in it 😉
Rae: Thank you for hanging out today.
RG: It’s been great getting to hang out with you today, Rae! Hope everyone has a fantastic week and enjoys the book!
Randi Goldleif lives in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee with her partner. Always drawn to reading and writing, she dictated her first story to her mother in the first grade.
She constantly found herself in trouble during elementary and middle school because she was either reading books in math class or reenacting grand adventures of damsels in distress on the playground.
When not creating stories, she can be found hiking, running, or hanging with friends.
Website: https://therandigoldleif.com/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/randi.goldleif.7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aylashaladiah
