In the latest edition of Booktalks, we sit down to chat with fullof_lit. A bookstagrammer who promises honest reviews, bubbly reels and engaging conversation – her Instagram feed is a delight to read.
It’s full of vibrant colours, great scenic pictures of the books she is reading, and regular features such as What This Week.
Simone reads and reviews a wide variety of novels.
Thrillers are more common, but there are books such as the epic fiction tales The Duzy House of Mourning and Dancing on Broken Glass, the latter being a book that has really stayed with Simone.
Simone started her Instagram back in 2018 and it is going strong today, with her account on the road to 10,000 followers.
Be sure to follow Simone’s Instagram, and thanks so much to Simone for taking the time to do this interview with us.
Q: What inspired you to start an instagram account dedicated to reviewing books?
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I think I was inspired to start my book account because I love reading so much and nothing excites me more than sharing that love with anyone who will listen. It just brings me a lot of joy.
Q: Your Instagram feed is beautifully curated. I love the different graphics you use and backgrounds for pictures of the books. Can you walk us through your process for creating content around books?
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I am a free spirit and for that reason I can’t commit to one aesthetic or really even an aesthetic at all. I could just as easily want beautiful flowers in the picture one day and then want a picture with roller skates the next. I’m all over the place. I just like to take a picture of my kindle or a book wherever I am and whenever an opportunity presents itself. Like today I’m at my daughter’s practice so I took a picture of my kindle being held toward the sky and with Valentine’s Day painted doors. My feed is all over the place because I’m all over the place. I am a total you see what you get type of person and I think my feed reflects that. Also…. I love everyone’s pretty pages. I just don’t have one 😂
Q: Are there any books that you think deserve more attention or love from readers?
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There’s so many of them. Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock, Between You and Me by Lisa Hall, Saltwater by Katy Hays, and Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild.
Q: Which book from the past year had the biggest impact on you, and why?
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So without going back and going through all the books, I read last year I might have to go with a book that I’ve finished in January of this year. Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild, which I mentioned above. It was just some such a moving portrait of loss and what it means to be human and it just really stuck with me and I have yet to stop thinking about that book and that doesn’t happen very often.
Q: How has your experience as a Bookstagrammer changed your perspective on the book industry or reading culture?
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My experience as a bookstagrammer has greatly changed how I see book reviews actually. I’ve seen a lot of people afraid to leave a negative review or a review under four stars for fear of not being able to get an arc from a publisher again. I’ve even been told not to post a negative review. I’ve also seen a lot of positive reviews for books that I’ve had people personally tell me they didn’t really like but weren’t comfortable posting their true feelings. I do agree it is uncomfortable to not post a glowing review. I also don’t think it’s realistic for every review to be positive. There’s simply no way you’re going to love every book you read. The ones that I don’t love I try to review respectfully with constructive criticism and explain what I didn’t like. And absolutely no author bashing.
Q: Have you formed any meaningful connections or friendships through Bookstagram and what’s your favourite thing about engaging with other book lovers on Instagram?
Yes, I have a few people that I am really close to that I met on bookstagram. There is one specific person that Has been a complete best friend to me in the most unexpected ways.
Q: Do you have any dream projects in mind beyond bookstagramming —like hosting a virtual book club, starting a podcast, or even writing your own book?
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I think I’d love to host a podcast. I love to talk. I love information. I love being learning new things and providing knowledge where I can and I think I could offer a lot to a podcast by hosting one! I’ve also always wanted to write a book and I wrote a lot of stories when I was younger and I would start writing books and it’s just not something I’ve ever finished. My dad tried his hand at Screenplays And I got the writing bug from him.
Q: Where do you see your account, @fullof_lit, heading in the next few years? Any exciting plans or goals?
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I would really love to hit 10k by the end of the year! I really want to facilitate more relationships with authors and publishers because they’re the reason books are what they are and why I’m here sharing my love for these amazing stories.
Q: As you grow the account and hopefully hit that 10k follower number, is there any content or features you are hoping to introduce as you grow the account?
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Hmm…. I don’t think there are any content or features that I’m hoping to introduce mainly because I have my must read author Monday that I do sometimes, and my book release post on Tuesdays and those are sort of my thing. I hope to continue doing those for sure. Pub day is a major thing for me every week. I love it so it’s really important to me that I share books being published.
Q: And a nice fun one to end it 🙂 What’s your go-to reading snack or drink?
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I will snack on anything that is a carb along with a cup of tea. My go to snacks are Goldfish, cheez-it’s, chips, Pringles…. all carbs are welcome lol. When I’m behaving, I just drink tea. I drink tea year-round 365 days a year with a little sugar and milk and I am happy as a clam.
Thank you very much to Simone for taking the time out of reading to do this interview. Be sure to follow her over on Instagram at fullof_lit.