On this episode of Bookstagrammer of the Week, we are getting to know more about Amanda, otherwise known on Instagram as @amanda.the.bookish. For those who love the dark academia aesthetic, Amanda’s social media feed is exceptionally appealing visually. It is easy to get lost in her shadowy posts featuring her favorite reads. So, fix your favorite warm beverage, throw on your cozy sweater, and let’s read more about the bookish lifestyle of Amanda.
Goodreads | Instagram
Thank you for chatting with us, Amanda. Let’s begin the interview!
Why did you start your Bookstagram?
I’ve always loved books (I taught myself how to read one day when I was 3, too impatient to wait for my mom to finish a story), and at one point in 2017, I ran across some Bookstagram accounts on my Explore page. The incredible art they were creating inspired me after a few months of lurking to begin my own journey among these incredible creatives!
Where are you from?
I live and work full-time on a heritage guest ranch in the remote, wild mountains of Colorado! I’m the sommelier and dining room manager here. I grew up in the Midwest but was born in Nevada. I’ve always joked that I have been trying my whole life to make it back to the mountains, and I finally did that when I was 22.
What do you want your Instagram to bring to the world?
My goal for my Bookstagram is the same goal I have for my home: to be a place where people feel loved, seen, heard, and encouraged. The world can be a very isolating, difficult, and cruel place, and I want my space online to be a deliberate curation of joy and safety. Finding people who are open about mental health or struggling in the same way as you are is so vital. I also love how books can bring people together when nothing else can and how creating a place of quiet safety can be a real game-changer.
Fun Fact about you:
There are a lot of really random facts about me, and I can never tell if they’re “fun” or not (hello, over-thinkers, you get me), but one I like to talk about is that in college I got essentially a minor in Ancient Languages, one of which is Greek, so I can read the Odyssey, or any number of ancient Greek philosophers in their original language.
Favorite Books and Authors:
One of my favorite books in the entire world is The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab. I have 27 different editions, including a custom-bound leather one I commissioned. The message it carries – of being worthy to be remembered and the pain of being invisible, really resonated with me.
TBR List:
I’m a mood reader through and through! The surest way to get me to NOT read a book is to line myself out with a deadline to-be-read-this-month-or-else list. Every year, I turn all the read books on my shelves backward so I have a visual representation of what I have yet to get to, and… it’s a lot, folks. A LOT. Help me.
What’s Your Special Approach to Content?
When I popped onto the Bookstagram scene, EVERYONE was doing rainbow stacks and light, bright flatlays with faux florals, and so I did that for a while, too, but it didn’t seem authentic to my style. I’m an old soul. I like antiques, handmade paper, and dark wood, but I didn’t see that in my feed at the time. While I hesitate to say I was the first to really dive into the dark academic aesthetic, I felt pretty isolated in branching in that direction.
My approach to creating content is to allow myself to grow and change, trying to focus on the aesthetic that brings me the most joy.
What is your aesthetic/Instagram page theme?
Dark academia, or perhaps a dark antique academia!
How often do you post?
Posting is much more sporadic now for me than it used to be. Back in the day, when the algorithm rewarded a creative for posting, I would post up to twice a day, every day. For the first few years, I never, not once, missed a posting day. Now, I’ve come to realize that posting every single day can feel like futilely shouting into a fabricated void populated by red-eyed IG bots, so I post when I can, usually every other day, and I give myself grace when I just can’t do it.
What does your Bookstagram mean to you?
Bookstagram is a world where the things I love are loved, in turn, by incredible people all around the world. The connections I’ve made, the lifelong friendships forged, and the books and authors and small businesses I’ve been given the ability to champion are worth so much to me.
What’s your favorite Bookstore?
My “local” Indies are all about an hour and a half or more away. So, anytime I get to go into a bookstore, it’s my new favorite.
Who would you have supply you with a lifetime of books?
I kind of feel like I already have that, honestly, through the incredible authors and publishers I’ve connected with on Instagram! It’s a dream come true.
Author to take a selfie with:
I’ve got two of my favorite authors: Victoria “V.E.” Schwab and Brandon Sanderson. But next up on the “goals and dreams” list are Rebecca Ross and Erin Morgenstern!
Favorite book cover:
Uhhmm have you SEEN the book covers they’re coming out with lately? I’m obsessed with so many. The most recent ones that made my jaw drop were A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft and Swordcrossed by Freya Marske.
Is there any book you have claimed to have read that you didn’t?
Not my style, haha! I don’t on purpose lie to people about what I’ve read. I’ve accidentally led someone astray, and, too late, after they’d mentioned a bunch of spoilers did I realize that we were talking about two separate series by the same author. Whoops. I’m such a lawful good alignment that I then read the other series so it wouldn’t seem like I’d lied.
When did you know you had made it as a Bookstagrammer?
I’ve been recognized in public, which is funny because I don’t post my face a lot on my profile; and both authors and Bookstagrammers I’ve met in real life have recognized my handle, which is wild to me. This year, I met a personal goal of having one of my photos displayed at someone else’s home!! I kind of hope there’s more to aspire to, though! I’d rather not have made it all the way just yet.
Any advice for aspiring Bookstagrammers?
Like anything else, it’s hard, but so worth it. If you focus on creating real connections, a supportive community, and making friends who love the books you do, that’s the rewarding part. The algorithm and our own competitive nature will try to tell you that it’s only worth it if you have a certain number of followers, or get some specific book or piece of merch, or rise to some level of fame. It’s nice to get free stuff, but what will make you happy – what will make you stay when only a few people see your art, isn’t the free stuff. It’s the real friends.
Thanks to Amanda for discussing all of our favorite bookish topics. Don’t forget to follow her on Instagram and Goodreads for your daily dose of dark academia vibes and books!
If you want to meet more of our Bookstagrammer friends, check out Introducing Rachel: A Helpful Source for All of Your Bookish Tips!
To check out what other Bookstagrammers are reading, find some recommendations at Bookstagrammer Picks – What Are Their Favorite Picks?
