How Bookstagram Changed My Life
To say that I was never a reader growing up is an understatement. I LOATHED reading. I, of course, was like every other millennial who grew up reading the Harry Potter and Twilight books was the reason for my existence, but other than that it was school required reading.
Even then if I could not spark notes the book I was fucked. I guess one could say that I was a late bloomer when it comes to reading.
When I thought about reading or choosing a book to pick up, I never thought about romance. I remember being in middle school and early high school going into a bookstore, heading into the romance section and pulling out the most Fabio looking cover, opening the pages and DYING of laughter at what was inside. Who could ever want to read something like this, let alone be caught buying something like that. Boy, if I could have known where the fuck I would end up.
Fast forward to January of 2021. A little bit of back story for some of you, but I went through a few years of some pretty serious medical shit that left me unable to have kids. I was set to go into what was the first of many surgeries that January. I knew I was going to be down for the count for a few weeks but nothing to bad. What I did not expect was to go in for a minor laparoscopic surgery to bleeding out and being opened up hip to hip. I was unable to move for weeks on my own and I was miserable.
Like every other person during the pandemic who didn’t already have TikTok, I downloaded the damn app. While in recovery one day, I was scrolling the clock app as one does, and I came across a video of a girl talking about a book that was a Disney villain retelling and I listened no further. I exited the app, moved my happy ass over to amazon, and bought Desperate Measures by Katee Robert. I knew nothing more about this book other than the Disney retelling part. Two days later my life would be changed forever… okay a bit dramatic but still very true.
I fucking DEVOURED that book right the fuck up. For those who haven’t read that book, it is a Jasmine and Jafar SPICY AF retelling. It is the first book in the Wicked Villains Series, and they all are centered around a BDSM club. If you have not read them, I highly suggest you do, but know they are very much smut heavy and not too plot heavy. Any who, I found myself throwing my whole heart, soul, and pussy into these books. I purchased all six books, plus the short story novellas, and binged all the books in a matter of days. What was I supposed to do now? Had I just become a reader? I did in fact become a reader as I proceeded to make my way through Katee’s entire, very long, back log of books.
I promise we will get to the social media of it all soon! Over the next year, I fell in love with reading romance books. Never thought that it would happen to me! I even had my own little bookshelf, and my husband was getting into reading. What he was not into was me telling him about all the depraved shit I was reading in these books lol. Eventually a year later, I decided that I was going to make a book Instagram page. I didn’t know if this was a thing people did or would even be in to but I wanted to see if I could connect with other like minded people. So, on February 2nd 2022, I posted my first photo to my bookstagram and Elenaspnwlibrary was born.
This image was Elena’s first bookstagram post.
I was shocked to find out that not only did other people post about books on social media, but that there was a whole community of people who posted about all kinds of books. I was so happy to have found people that loved this shit as much as I did. What was crazy is when people started to tell me that they were reading the books I was talking about and visiting my page for recommendations.
I can say that when I started this silly little page of mine, I never in a million years thought it would be anything. I never thought I would have any type of following. I genuinely never thought I would make lifelong friendships or have some of the amazing opportunities that I do. November of 2022, I was picked for my very first rep position. Dark and Disturbed was the very first company that took a chance on me and 2 years later I am throwing my name in the ring for my 5th term with them. I have had the immense pleasure of being featured in a magazine which was WILD to me. I am now having companies and events reaching out to me wanting me to work with them and I still cannot wrap my mind around it.
I have always been the person who was told that you are too much. That my personality was too much. I have been told that I was pretty, but I would be so much prettier if I was smaller. I have never felt like I truly fit in anywhere, but then I found the book community. I found a place that only is my loud bold fat goofy self encouraged, but it helps others find themselves. I am constantly in awe when I have people send me messages about how my page has helped them through a tough time or that my page and stories sometimes are the only things that make them smile. When I go to signings and people are genuinely excited to see me or tell me they love my page, it makes me feel so overwhelmed in the best way possible because going from a girl who was always too much to someone people lookup to… words can not express what the did for me.
I never thought that picking up a fucking book would lead me to this moment in my life. I never expected any of this. I never expected to meet my best friends because of this. I hope that it isn’t cheesy to say but my life is changed because of this space and I am forever grateful. Is being on social media hard sometimes? Of fucking course, it is but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I will be 85 wrinkly and posting about smut naked if y’all will still have me. I look forward to growth and to seeing where this wild ride will take me.
