We catch up with Toni Rae, author of I Dated This Guy Once… In a book that is part Eat, Pray, Love and part Sex and the City, Toni takes readers on her adventures in 21st Century dating and shares all that she has
learned along the way with plenty of laughter, wisdom and points to ponder for the
modern woman.
Buy on AMAZON in both Kindle and Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Dated-This-Guy-Once/dp/1458211223
Questions for Toni
Rae, author of I Dated This Guy Once…
1. Tell
us about your new book I Dated This Guy Once…
I Dated This Guy Once… is a memoir focusing primarily on
going through the volatile years of ages 18-26 and how to navigate your
decisions, your focus, your career and love life. The book is about instilling
love where judgment exists, compassion where doubt exists and positivity into
these years which can be sometimes dark and daunting. Growing up isn’t
easy for anyone, especially not in today’s society.
2. What
was the defining moment that made you realise you wanted/needed to write this
book?
I was laid off three times in about three years and decided to
take the next job offer that presented itself, regardless of where or what it
was. I took a job offer teaching English in South Korea, something I would
never of even considered doing had the opportunity not came knocking on my
door. The defining moment for me to write this book, and share my story, is
because so many young people, at least 25,000 hired in Korea in 2008 alone, go
through the exact same feelings and emotions I did. We all feel in search of
something outside ourselves. I needed other young people to feel that they’re
not alone.
3. What
are the key bits of advice that you want to share with others?
Dating in the 21st century can be a real pain in the
ass, but it is better than sitting at home eating bagels and feeling sorry for
yourself. That’s one piece of advice. The other is just to love, love
everyone and everything you surround yourself with. Sometimes one random act of
kindness can change your tiny little corner of the world, so if you can’t
change the world, change your little corner of it. Be a soft heart to a tough
soul. Fall in love every day, with something or someone, but at the very least,
fall in love.
4. What
are your thoughts about the modern way of dating, in particular online dating?
The modern way of dating, is as I mentioned, quite painful. With
cell phone apps such as Tinder, Coffee Meets Bagel, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish,
Skout and so on and so forth, you can pretty much meet anyone, anytime, with a
quick swipe of a finger. It is unbelievable. But what has this done to
communication and dating? It has made it less likely for a man to approach a
woman traditionally, or even give a man the confidence and communication skills
he must ascertain in order to actually facilitate a successful relationship. In
other words, people aren’t communicating like they used to,
everything is virtual. Online dating is a bit better than dating apps, because
sites like Match and eHarmony match people with you in a systematic way
regarding your personality and circumstantial expectations for a potential
partner, which is obviously better than swiping left or right through photos of
strangers on your cell over a beer at the local bar. Either way, I think online
dating can be extremely successful, if you’re actually going
on dates and putting yourself out there. Just simply getting out of the house
should be your number one goal for finding the love of your life, unless you’re
seriously considering a food delivery man.
5. What
do you think the future holds for dating?
That is a tough question. The future scares me a bit in the
world of dating. We are already seeing our youth of society date and
communicate differently. I was sitting next to this adorable 9 year-old boy at
a squash match in a private club in Greenwich, CT a couple weeks ago. He was
talking about his EX-girlfriend, yes a 9 year-old boy about an ex-girlfriend.
Not only was he talking about her, come to find out, they had never actually
met in person. They had friends at near by grade schools, met on facebook,
started texting and video chatting and eventually broke up because they didn’t
go to the same school. Okay, now I know you might be thinking, that’s
not really that big of a deal. And maybe it’s not. But what
sort of communication skills do you need, or could you possibly develop,
carrying on a relationship via technology? That means that there is no personal
or physical connection, just a virtual or emotional connection based primarily
on looks. You could pretty much carry on an emotional relationship with any
attractive person at this level, which scares me a lot, because emotions can be
deceptive. So what do I think the future holds? Maybe a plethora of basic
communication and dating skill classes? Your guess is as good as mine.
6. Do
you believe that there is someone out there for everyone?
I do believe there is someone out there for everyone who wants someone. There are definitely
people in this world that are far better off being and staying single, and
actually prefer it that way. Then there are the rest of us, who find love,
desperately want to be in love, get married, and stay married. I am a hopeful
romantic, and believe if you’re single, your soul mate could be
right around the corner. Or he/she could be sitting in front of you at
Starbucks, if you would just look up from your iPhone or Mac every once in
awhile. I think the most important thing, is to always be present. Stop looking
in the past, stop thinking of the future, and be present in every moment, then
and only then will happiness find its way to you.
_______________________________________________________________________
There you have it, Toni Rae unveiled!
_______________________________________________________________________
There you have it, Toni Rae unveiled!
Buy on AMAZON in both Kindle and Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Dated-This-Guy-Once/dp/1458211223
Buckle up, Toni Rae is giving away two hardbacks worth $30. Stand a
chance to win one of them by entering this giveaway. Good luck.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway













