Interview with Rachelle J. Christensen

As I'm sure all my blog readers know, I'm a pretty busy person. It's hard for me to schedule in time for interviews and the like, so when I called Rachelle and asked her to come do an interview with me, I had to get a little creative.

Tristi: Hi, Rachelle? Hey, listen. I want to interview you, but I need you to go grocery shopping with me and follow me around.

Rachelle: (dead quiet)

Tristi: Um, are you there?

Rachelle: Are you sure you don't have the wrong number?

Tristi: This is Rachelle Christensen, right?

Rachelle: Yeah ... but why do I need to follow you around at the grocery store?

Tristi: I want to interview you. You know who this is, right? Tristi Pinkston.

Rachelle: Your voice does sound familiar, but I have to be careful. I get a lot of wrong numbers, you know.

Tristi: I get a ton, too. In fact, my phone number is just one digit off that of a popular store in the valley. I get calls for them all the time.

Rachelle: Okay, so, what grocery store?

We made arrangements to meet the following day. I was pushing the cart, my children dutifully holding on to the sides, like they have been taught to do. Rachelle looked adorable, as always ... I looked frazzled, as always.

Rachelle: You know, usually when I'm invited to do a blog interview and the blogger chooses an unusual place to interview me, they pick a tropical island or something like that.

Tristi: (fishing a child out of the macaroni display) I know, and I'm sorry. But my imagination has become somewhat pragmatic lately. I have to multitask. Thanks for being such a good sport.

Rachelle: No problem.

Tristi: Now, where were we?

Rachelle: We weren't actually anywhere yet ... you haven't asked me a question.

Tristi: Oh, right. Now, your book is all about a wrong number. What is the most embarrassing wrong number you've ever placed?

Rachelle: I can’t think of one that I dialed, but I can think of one I answered when I was in high school. I talked to the girl—she was all bubbly and excited—for about three minutes before I figured out she wasn’t calling me! We looked each other up in the year book, she was a senior- I was a junior, to figure out who we were talking to.

Tristi: A guy called me up and asked me out one day. Turns out he really wanted to talk to someone named Sandy. What's wrong with me? Why didn't he want to ask me out? I mean, this was before I was married and had four kids and was very unavailable. He could have asked me out, now, couldn't he? Couldn't he?

Rachelle: (looking uncomfortable) But if he didn't know you, maybe he didn't feel right about asking you out?

Tristi: What's not to ask? I was an adorable teenager, completely adorable, I tell you!

People on the aisle stopped to stare. Rachelle took the cart and gently steered it toward the deli.

Rachelle: Let's get a drink. I know I could go for some water.

Tristi: Don't tell me you're one of those water-drinking nuts.

Rachelle: I am.

Tristi: Me too. Salud!

We both filled up water cups, and I got a snack for the kids. We sat down at the nearby table. Rachelle reached across the table and patted my hand.

Rachelle: Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?

Tristi: Oh, yeah, there was. What is the most irritating wrong number you've ever received?

Rachelle: When my husband and I were first married, we moved into the USU Mobile Home Park. You kept the same phone numbers there and we soon learned that the previous owners had skipped out on all of their bills. Every day we would come home and hear the greeting tune for Discover card asking the people to pay their bill. Other times we were harassed and accused of hiding information about these people to help them escape their debt!

Tristi: That would be a good plot line for a book, too. You should think about that. So, you're a busy mom, in addition to being an author.

Rachelle: Yes. My kids are adorable. Yours are equally as adorable.

Tristi: (beaming) Yes, they are rather cute little things, aren't they? That one (pointing) just got accepted to Julliard.

Rachelle: Really?

Tristi: No. But maybe next year, when he's six.

We finished our water cups and stood up. I took the opportunity to throw five loaves of bread in the cart, and Rachelle helped me find the peanut butter with the lowest sodium.

Tristi: So, remind me where to buy your book?

Rachelle: You can buy it directly from the publisher here, or you can go into Deseret Book or Barnes and Noble. It's also on Amazon.

Tristi: So basically, I would have no excuse whatsoever not to get your book.

Rachelle: That is correct.

Tristi: And by extension, my blog readers also have no excuse.

Rachelle: Well, you did make it very easy for them to find. All those links, and things.

Rachelle helped me out to the car with my groceries, and we got the kids buckled in.

Tristi: Thanks, Rachelle!

Rachelle: Not a problem. Any time.

Tristi: What are you doing tomorrow? I need to go to Costco.

Rachelle: Oh, my! Look at the time.

You can learn more about Rachelle J. Christensen by visiting her blog and her Web site. But I don't think she'll come help you grocery shop - she only does that for me.