Bookwild - Having Fun on Instagram

Episode Date: October 11, 2022

We are back this week to talk about our journeys to and on Bookstagram, what we love about Bookstagram, and what we've learned since joining it.  And of course, we talk about a few books too.You can also watch the episode on YouTubeFollow us on Instagram!Garehttps://www.instagram.com/gareindeedreads/Katehttps://www.instagram.com/thegirlwiththebookonthecouch/And check out Ally's Instagram that we talked about here:https://www.instagram.com/allysbookshoparoundthecorner/Books We Talked About This WeekStay AwakeThe Girl on the TrainThe Last HousewifeKismetHow to Survive Your MurderBlood SugarNotes on an ExecutionReal EasyPlease See Us More Than You’ll Ever KnowThings We Do in the DarkAlias EmmaA Flicker in the DarkDate NightAll Good People HerePretty GirlsTv Shows We Talked About This WeekNine Perfect StrangersHandmaid’s TaleGrey’s AnatomyThis is UsChuckOrange is the New BlackEuphoria Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian 

Hey guys, welcome to the Killing the Tea podcast. This is Gare and Kate. And we are going to be discussing all things, chills, thrills and kills. Kate and I are going to be talking about our favorite books, TV shows and movies that are in the thriller or crime fiction genre, as well as some reading habits and other items related to how we met on Bookstagram that will fit in with this podcast. So So thank you so much for joining us. And we hope that you have fun and get totally terrified. Yesterday when, so I read all of Stay awake yesterday. And both of my dogs sat by me like the whole time. It was so cute. The Megan Golden. Yes. Yeah. I really liked that one. I loved that one. That is like when the unreliable narrator isn't necessarily like drunk or like, like when it's amnesia, sometimes you can do it in such a good way. And I felt like she did really

well with it. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I cannot stand the like trope of having the amnesia because of somebody drinking too much. It's not as cool with a drinking. I mean, I really liked it with the girl on the train because a lot of other people weren't doing it. But then I felt like because that was so successful. It started to be the thing after. And I was just like, I'm not, I'm not into this. Yeah. Yeah. So. All right. Well, I guess this is the episode too. Yeah. Of killing the tea. Mm-hmm. With my dear friend Kate. Yeah. Yeah. Our favorites. Kate is my favorite. Oh, stop. Stop. You're killing me. I don't know how to accept compliment, so you can't be doing it.

Oh, no. You get that a lot? No, I don't. You don't? No, I don't. Oh, my God, Kate the Great. I don't talk to a lot of people, though. That's going to be like your podcast host's nickname.

That's a good, that's good point. Now I, we're going to have to incorporate it. Yeah, Kate the Great. Now I'm going to have to think of something cool for you, too, though. Just as long as it's not like scary, Gary. I just thought like gear bear was the first thing I could think of. I get that a lot, actually. I get that a lot of Bear, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. So all of our favorite things is kind of the theme of this episode. Yeah. If we were musical theater fans, we'd break into that song about favorite things, but we're not. A few of my favorite things. Yeah. That one.

that'll be the ringtone just kidding nobody wants to have me so yeah I mean I guess that's kind of a good theme for us to have for this episode because half the reason

that our friendship is the way it is is because we are realizing that we have a lot of favorite things in common and we were brought together by the amazing community of books to grail. So what like how did you find bookstagram? Like what got you into it? Do you remember?

So I'm trying to think what year it would have been because like I technically like have been active as someone who was actually posting in it really only since December in terms of like having the podcast like I would post about books every now and then. I was definitely following a lot of people for a really long time. So I can't completely, I can't totally remember when. Like, I feel like it was, it might have been like 2015 that I started realizing, like, I really could get good book recommendations by like following people that posted about stuff that I read to.

And so for a long time, I was just using it as like, I would see a post and like read about the book a little bit and then maybe add it to my good read or my TBR. So that's how I used it for a really long time. And then I always said that I wanted to talk to authors about their books. And for like my husband and I for our work, we do a lot of podcasts for people. And I was like, I have all of the equipment. Like I need to go ahead and try. And I was like, I didn't think that as many authors would respond.

Like when I started, I literally was like, I might be able to have like, like one a month. And then for a while, I was able to have like four. And then I hit like a weird stall in August. So that happened. But it was really cool like finding out like how many authors are like interactive even on bookstagram. And so yeah, like I started like actually adding by posting stuff like December of last year. That's insane because I feel like it was at least spring that you and I became friends. So like you weren't a huge part of Bookstagram for very long until we became friends. Yeah. Yeah. That's amazing. I love that. And it was like authors that kind of really connect to this, which we found out last week. Right, right. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. But I mean,

I love that though, because I found out about Bookstagram for like four or five years ago, I believe. and I used to post, you know, just aesthetic pictures of myself reading a book on my personal Instagram and somebody that I know, like, was like, do you know that there's just a huge community of people on Instagram that solely post about books? And she was like, you should do like a separate one for all your books. And it was like January. I just remember because it was very cold. and it was like that time when you're kind of like maybe you know upstate New York when it's cold and

the weather's really bad like maybe now I should just kind of get a hobby so yeah yeah never hurts to have a hobby yeah so then I just made one and I started following people and it was so cool like I mean it still is cool I still really enjoy it but I just remember that feeling of finding a community that I could really build friendships on and and like you said it kind of opens doors to have conversations and be in a conversation with different authors that you went normally because even if you go to a book signing you might be like hi like my name's garret or like I'm Kate the great I love to but like you can't have like an actual like big conversation because there's like a line behind you, you know?

Right. That was kind of my, I guess, I mean, I consider authors to be celebrities, you know, like. I know, I'm just as excited to meet them as I would, like, actors and actresses and pop stars and everything. So. Yes. To me, like, that was kind of the big thing when I started to be followed back by authors or they would respond to me and I was just floored because it was. Yeah. It's like such a rush to have the opportunity to have conversations with them. I agree. I love that. And I haven't looked back. I know. Me neither.

I'm like almost five years. And I know you've been really, you've been acted for a while. Yeah. But I also like at the same time, I just feel like it's just the beginning. Like I feel like I'm now like still trying to like figure out what I want. Like my aesthetic to be. Yeah. Play around with that. But it's just for something that I've been doing for five years, it doesn't feel. feel like I'm like five years into something. It just feels like it's the beginning for me. Yeah. As long as Instagram sticks around. I think Instagram will stick around, especially since they like finally stopped making

so many changes all the time. My God. I just, that was rough for a second. I follow accounts on book talk, but I just don't have the time or the energy to make a a TikTok. Like I know. I know. Mad props to people who do it. Like no, you know, no shade whatsoever. I just cannot. I mean, like sometimes I wake up in the morning and I'm like, oh man, I forgot to take a picture to post today. And I can do something really quickly, like a stack of books or like bookmail or something like I love taking pictures on my bed spread because my like comforter is

white. So like colors in the book really pop out. But they do. I just couldn't imagine waking up and being like, oh, shit, I forgot to make a TikTok. Let me be in for work. I know. I can't remember which month it was. I think it was June. I made myself do a reel a day for 30 days because like, like, where you not got lucky, but a difference in our experiences is you like started when reels weren't like the only thing Instagram was like pushing something.

hard. So like I would like make myself do reels and I was just like oh my gosh, but I need to do more. Like it does reach more people for like my account like that still needs like growth. But I haven't been doing them as much. I've been working more. I mean, I don't know. I really do like the accounts that have reels and pictures. I yeah. I'm probably going to be one of them until like Instagram like holds a gun to my head and they're like you have to do this. I know, I know. But I mean, I like that. So I mean, if you like continue to post your pictures and you also have reels, I think that's like an even balance for someone. Yeah. That's a you're also more like tech savvy than I am. Yeah. It is like our job too. Like we just like make social media content

for other people. So I just know more from that. Yeah. But I mean, you're really good at it. So I feel like that comes down. Thank you. Like I probably spend the same amount of time trying to figure out what I want to take for a picture that you could in making a real because you could probably do it in your sleep. Right, right. That's a good point. Yeah, your feet is a lot cleaner, though. You have an aesthetic. Mine is like all over the place right now. So we'll figure it. I'll figure it out. I like that. The other thing is I don't have a separate bookstagram. And I am like, do I need to do it?

I want you to. Yeah. Well, I guess I need to somehow call it Kate the Great, some version of that. I like that. I am actually kind of happy with my bookstagram aesthetic for the first time in five years. Nice. However, my only concern is I feel like even for just photos, certain things are not trendy as much as they used to be.

Like even like filters and stuff like that. Like I have presets for Lightroom that I like love and I have spent so much money on presets trying to like play around with what ones I like. Yeah. What if the like super clean look with the colors, you know, in the book cover popping out like, what if that's just like all of a sudden people are like, no, we want we want dull. We want grinchy. Yeah, they do do that.

Grungy, gungy, gungy, gingy. like something like really dark and I'm like oh man I know dollars in presets here I come you're gonna have to like make your own maybe so that you can sell them no there are so many accounts I mean I feel like I used to be good at it when it was like I you I don't even remember what app I used to use because now I use lightroom but yeah I used to use an app and I would kind of like mess around with them and be like oh I really like that but my presets didn't work well for everything picture that I took. Yeah. That was kind of the problem that I like ran into. Um, so I don't know. Hopefully the clean bright look just stays trending for. Yeah. A while now. But I do know a few

accounts that I would love, love, love if they made their own presets and sold them. Yeah. Mm-hmm. It does make it a lot of easy. It's, it's like a more seamless process when you have it. Yeah. It is really easy. Like I go. I go back and forth between like three, so I can just check all three. And then I usually save them and decide which one I like the best. Nice. But yeah, did you, do you think that like after joining Bookstagram, like, did it impact your way in a sense of either expanding your reading horizons or finding that you were interested in maybe other things because of Bookstagram? Mm-hmm.

So it was especially following more authors, is what I think helped me, like, find out about even more books and authors because so many of them, like, promote their friends stuff or people that are connected to as well. So once I even, like, started booking people for the podcast, sometimes they would, like, recommend people too, or they would be like, you would really love this person, like, I'll connect you via email. So in that sense, like I literally was even getting like connected to more people. But there were also just like more books I was finding out about than I was before. I started following even more authors. So that made a big difference. I feel like you asked another question, a second question. And now I can't think of what it was.

Other hobbies. Like did you find that like you became interested in other things because of Bookstagram other than just like different genres? genres to read. I don't think so. I mostly still just read and watch TV. So I don't think I added any like other hobbies. I can't think of any others. Did you get another hobby? I became like a little bit more interested in photography. I mean, you wouldn't like you wouldn't know it because like my pictures are very like basic. Which like is what my. Well, but that's like hard to accomplish. People don't realize that like simple takes time to look good. Right, right. But like my like I want my aesthetic to be like not spending an hour on a picture because like at the end of the day I am on this platform to talk about

books and you know, my like list of books that I want to read and things like that. So like people who spend hours on their photos, they look absolutely gorgeous. And I'm so jealous that they have the for that, I don't. Yeah. Yeah. You know, like I just, you know, they're a little basic, but like, even like playing around with like how high books are in the picture or like portrait mode or things like that, like I found that like I did have a little bit more of an interest in photography because of bookstore. Like, I'll get a book in the mail and try to picture like what I want my picture to look like when I post on Instagram or like see something. when I'm driving and be like that would be a sick picture for Bookstagram if I had like this book,

you know. But yeah, like I think that that definitely wasn't something that I really was interested in until, until Bookstagram because I didn't really have, you know, like it was like selfies with my friends. That's what I was using my camera on my phone for. You know, like it wasn't anything extraordinary. Yeah. Yeah. You know. Yeah. Um, but. then yeah I feel like and now like I like kind of like look at like Pinterest and other people's like feed and I'm like more interested in like the picture that they took as much as I am the book. I also read digital books and that's another part where like it does the picture is not as pretty when you're using a laptop and then if or not a laptop an iPad but then if you take a

picture with the Kindle it's black and white. So I do you need I have thought about like like how to get a little bit more creative with that because I just can't bring myself to turn pages. You would think that like your background looks good because you have books and like Tyler's always like, you need bookshelves. And I'm like, but I don't want physical books. I don't know though because I feel like you are definitely a very creative person. And I feel like you do have an aesthetic all on your own. But I think you could still take pictures with your Kindle because a lot of people have, like me,

like I have an aesthetic. There's a lot of other people who have different aesthetics too that they kind of take a very similar picture or they take like the three exact same picture. It's just a different book. You know, and you can use like, you can use programs to put the image of the book on your Kindle.

cover or whatever. So I totally believe in you. I think that Kate the Great is going to be popping off on Instagram by the time. Yes. I need to just post more pictures because you're completely right. It's like it's still like technically easier to do than trying to learn how to lip sync with a real sound. Right. Yeah. And I probably would post more than So I probably should. I think you got it. Yeah. I also like feel like my little like casting stick that I do kind of came a thing because of

of Bookstagram. I would, yeah, I would think so. I like didn't. I used to not take it as seriously. Oh, yeah. Before it was before I started posting them on Bookstagram. The only reason I started doing it is because I have a really bad memory. So when you're trying to keep track of like a bunch of characters.

and like a thriller especially like one of the worst things is when you get to the end of the book and they're like Kate's the killer and you're like oh shit which one was Kate? She? You know so like I'd be like oh like this girl's like beautiful and blonde like I'd like put like Blake lively next to like the character's name

so I like I could differentiate between them and then that was kind of something that like really popped off because I used to not like really care you know, I just wanted to watch a movie and I didn't care about like casting or like, you know, have like huge names and like stuff like that. But I feel like that probably took off because of the bookstagram and now like I'm more interested in it because of that. So. Yeah. That's kind of cool though because it's like I think some of the stuff that does take off the best is stuff where like

you were just doing it for fun at first. And so then it was probably like fun for like. other people too. And it was probably, I'm assuming a new concept. I know some people cast books still, but I feel like yours was the one I was seeing the earliest. But it's cool when like this, it just comes from something you were having fun with. And now you're like, okay, like, I can really plan these out and post them and like people love them most people. Yeah. Yeah. I really think it's cool. The only like, I mean, I love when people do their casting things too. I don't think there were any bookstagramers that did it when I started doing it. And, you know, people make like reels and the way that they kind of set up their pictures of their cast is so original and so unique.

The only time that like it's become a problem for me is when I literally will block people when they copy the exact collages that I do. Oh my gosh. like even down to like having like the um the head shots of the actors and actresses like being black and white and I'm like this isn't that's a whole yeah yeah yeah like yes it is it is because there are some really people are not original no no and there's some like really cool ways that like people set it up and like how they kind of post it and I'm like this is awesome like I'm like I'm like this is awesome Like I love it. There's one. Her name is Ali and her account is Ali's bookshop around the corner. Yes. She does this really awesome thing where she doesn't necessarily like cast an entire book,

but she'll pick an actor or an actress and list the different characters in books that they would be good in. So it's like more about like that personal like actor and what she could see them in compared to like casting the entire cast of characters in. one book. So she does that and I think that's like awesome. That's a really good idea. I saw her post last night because she also kind of does like pop culture memes with a like book slant to it. And she some of those ones from don't worry darling were cracking me up last night. My god. She is so funny. She is so funny with the mean the memes that she comes up. And like you said, Like it was like one or two hours after those pictures were on the internet and she was like six or seven memes like she's so quick too.

Yeah. I don't know how she does it. She must drink a lot of coffee. Probably because it was at night. Maybe she lives in a different time time time. I just don't think she slept. She probably just like straight up all night to make the memes because she's like I'm going to get a whole of this before it gets old on the internet.

Like yeah, I thought I was busy. and I always felt like I was busy for the past like five years. She just like absolutely knocks it out of the park because she's so quick. And they're like they're so funny. Yeah. Like they're so funny and she does them so like it's not like it's just like a meme that somebody made that was half-assed and like not that funny just so they could be the first person. Like hers are actually really hilarious. They were all good.

Another thing we love about books to Graham, Ali. Yes. I love like the specific. niche like applications of like large pop culture memes like it's like think of how many niche communities like it's not even just book instagram like there's so many that like put their spin on stuff yeah yeah it's really fun that's cool yeah i think that like right now we're probably like at the height and it's only going to get better of like originality on bookstagram because a lot of people are doing just like they don't care about like following any trends or yeah anything specific there's

just like posting whatever they want. Yep. And it's really cool. That's the vibe for sure. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Um, especially like, I love when you see like a book trending on Bookstagram that you didn't expect or like maybe not a lot of people have talked about. And then you kind of, you know, find even more friends because. Yes. I mean obviously right now we know that like the last housewife is bringing everyone in the book the community together um because Ashley Winstead is just amazing she's definitely yeah that's definitely one of my favorite books of the year too yeah I think that I mean that has we yeah we agree I feel like that still is my absolute favorite I've read a lot of good books this year but I do you think

that's my favorite. Yeah, I think it's my favorite so far too. Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed part one of this episode. If you did, make sure that you come back on Thursday for part two. And don't forget to stay up to date with everything that we're reading and talking about on our Instagrams at Gare Indeed reads and at The Girl with the book on the couch. Links are also in the show notes. So make sure you follow.