We’re thrilled to chat with NYT bestselling author Kiersten White about her love for collecting books. With her novel Lucy Undying now available, she speaks to us about her treasured childhood reads like Anne of Green Gables and special editions of her own novels, highlighting her packed shelves with literary gems, awaiting this new book’s arrival. In this interview, she shares how her collection started, the quirky keepsakes that make it personal, and how she balances her ever-growing to-be-read pile. Plus, she reveals her secret to lending books without stressing if they don’t return!
How long have you been collecting your books?
I have a few favorite books from when I was a child — Anne of Green Gables, Redwall, some Terry Brooks–but we really began collecting books in college when I saved up for a fancy leatherbound edition of The Lord of the Rings for my spouse. We cycle through a lot of books in our house with constant donations, but somehow, books manage to take over every flat surface anyway.
What is your favorite book on your shelves?
I have a tiny, adorable Japanese edition of my very first book, Paranormalcy. It makes me happy every time I see it.
Do you organize your books a certain way? Is this the only way you organize or does it change? If so, how often do you reorganize your books?
My bookshelves are organized by type of book–a section for middle grade and picture books, a section for graphic novels, a section for my books and foreign editions, a section for books by people I love. But the shelves are always overflowing, and I do my best to go through and reorganize them every couple of years. We also have two bookshelves in the garage, plus desks, side tables, and nightstands that hold overflow. When we put in our floor-to-ceiling shelving, I like to think I’ll be more organized, but…I won’t.
If you have keepsakes, knicknacks, and trinkets on your shelves, what is your favorite?
We have a lot of extended family, and when people visit they love looking at the shelves because it’s like a game of I, Spy. There are trinkets and keepsakes and goodies everywhere. My favorite is a simple wooden bowl filled with beach glass we collected on a trip to the island of Lesvos.
Do you have any fandom art/collectibles on your shelves?
Star Wars is all over our shelves. From special editions to visual dictionaries to Lego sets to — my favorite — a glass candle holder with Obi-Wan Kenobi looking very much like a religious figure. But we also love supporting local artists, and have numerous pieces from a nearby glassblowing workshop and a ceramics artist, Sue DeWulf. Our rule of thumb for art is this: Will nervous nieces and nephews suspect the piece is haunted? If so, we always find room for it.
Do you have any special editions of your books on your shelves?
I have several custom leatherbound editions of my books that were given to me as gifts from my young adult and middle-grade publisher, Delacorte. They’re so beautiful and make me feel very fancy. I also have a few copies of books that were painted on by incredibly artistic readers.
How do you keep track of your TBR pile?
I don’t. I’m very much a mood reader! I’ll have a stack of seven books I’m supposed to read, and instead, I’ll get caught up in something like Dungeon Crawler Carl and read the whole series in a week. Sometimes, reading can feel like part of my job, and I love anything that is pure escapism.
Do you let your friends borrow your books?
Absolutely! I love lending out books. If they don’t come back, it’s an excuse to buy another copy. During the lockdown stage of the pandemic, I became the middle-grade graphic novel library for the whole neighborhood. It was such a delight getting to put books in young readers’ hands. (Most of them, unsurprisingly, never reappeared on my shelves.)
Do you have more than one copy of a book on your shelf? If so, which one and why?
I have multiple copies of both Frankenstein and Dracula. Both because they’re my favorite classics but also because I’m such a sucker for a gorgeous edition. Bonus if I can get coordinating covers!
Are you particular about the format of the book you purchase, hardcover or paperback, or whether they’re new or used?
I love buying hardcovers, I prefer reading paperbacks, and ebooks are my actual favorite format because I have bad wrists and can prop up my e-reader at any angle. But I will absolutely buy a hardcover edition of a book I loved on my e-reader. We also have a local used bookstore — Artifact Books in Encinitas, California — with bins of old sci-fi and fantasy books. We love digging through and finding the best covers.
Do you break your spines when you read paperbacks?
You will never know which paperbacks on my shelves I’ve actually read because they are as pristine as a brand-new copy.
What do you do when you run out of shelf space?
Usually, we take a huge load of donations to our local library and Little Free Library. But now we’ve gotten to the point where the only answer is building floor-to-ceiling shelves…with a Beauty and the Beast ladder. I’m not mad about it.
Kiersten White’s love for collected and written stories is truly inspiring. Her latest novel, Lucy Undying, adds another gem to her growing library and will enchant readers everywhere. With her shelves ever-expanding, Kiersten shows us that the magic of books is something worth sharing and celebrating.
Wanna read another story by Kiersten White? Check out this article.
Be sure to browse our Vampire and Werewolf Books to Sink Your Teeth Into bookshelf on Bookshop.org for more vampire book recommendations!
