This week’s wonderful Bookstagrammer is Johnee, or @johneepixels7! As a self-proclaimed book nerd, Johnee loves discussing queer lit, including everything from spicy romance to apocalyptic sci-fi. His Bookstagram account is a welcoming place where fellow readers can find community and bookish fun. Whether you’re looking to multiply your TBR list or need your daily dose of laughter, Johnee’s Reels and recommendations will do just the trick. In this interview, Johnee shares his fictional crush, his favorite bookstores, his top fandoms, and much more!
Johnee Pixels of @johneepixels7
Instagram | TikTok
Thank you for joining us! Let’s start the interview!
Why did you start your Bookstagram?
I started on BookTok and eventually began cross posting the content I was creating to my Instagram feed. At one point, I realized I could also share carousels and photos of my books, which wasn’t really the right format on TikTok, and therefore made a more active choice to be more involved in Bookstagram!
Where are you from?
The simple answer: Australia. The more involved answer: I’m originally from the Philippines, moved to Australia when I was two, and then moved to Canada in 2012!
What do you want your Instagram to bring to the world?
I want to bring more awareness to queer books and queer authors! My goal is to uplift the voices of marginalized authors in these specific areas when I can. In an ideal world, I’d be able to uplift all minorities, but being one account with this focus, I can count on doing what I can for these groups. I know there are many Bookstagrammers who strive to promote diverse reading in other areas, which is where I encourage others to also get their influence from!
What’s a fun fact about you?
I’m a huge horror movie fan, with Scream and A Nightmare on Elm Street being my favorite series.
Who are your favorite Bookstagrammers?
I have too many, but here are a few (I wish I could name them all!):
- @franksforeword
- @amaboutbooks
- @fictionalfates
- @more.than.manga
- @orlandoreadsqueer
- @dyls.library
- @kevintnorman
- @zoranne_
- @ezeekat
What are your favorite books, and who are your favorite authors?
- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Shrefer
- Lie With Me by Philippe Besson
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
- The Guncle by Steven Rowley
- Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
Who is your fictional crush?
Robin Blythe from A Marvellous Light (a kind-hearted himbo).
What’s on your TBR list?
I don’t think there’s enough room! But the three most immediate on my list are:
- The Brightness Between Us by Eliot Shrefer
- Evocation by S. T. Gibson
- You and I, Rewritten by Chip Pons
What’s your special approach to content?
Finding a balance between what I think my followers want to see and how much creativity and parts of myself I can inject into it. But mostly, ensuring I have fun while creating it!
What’s your Instagram aesthetic / page theme?
Chaotic! It can be three books about queer pirates one day, a trending audio the next, a mini review another, or a life update!
How often do you post?
For the most part, I try to post every day but have been better at allowing myself to miss a day or two if I’m not feeling up to it!
What does your Bookstagram mean to you?
It means being able to connect with like-minded others who share the same passion for reading, where we can hype each other up about our favorite books and encourage which ones should be read next! It’s about providing a space where we can be kind to one another and also laugh at ourselves without fear of judgment.
What’s your favorite bookstore?
It’s a toss-up between Glad Day Bookshop or Little Ghosts Books, both in Toronto.
Who would you have supply you with a lifetime of books?
Tor Publishing!
Which author would you love to take a selfie with?
M.A. Wardell.
Which book have you claimed to have read that you didn’t?
Oh my gosh, I tried to think of one, but I don’t tend to claim I’ve read something when I haven’t!
What are your favorite fandoms?
For TV? Buffy and Survivor. For books… Queer fantasy? Lol.
Do you have a favorite book cover?
Wranglestone by Darren Charlton (the updated version with the purple hues).
When did you know you had made it as a Bookstagrammer?
The first time (and I can’t remember when) when someone mentioned they read a book because of me and they loved it.
Do you have any advice for aspiring Bookstagrammers?
You don’t have to have the most beautiful shelves or perfect photos to post. You don’t have to read 30 books in a week to post. Find the thing you want to say most about your passion for books and figure out how to say it in a thousand different ways through related sub-topics and personal experiences. And then, just do it! Once you find your community, interact with it and engage the way you would want others to engage with your content!
Thanks to Johnee for telling us all about his gorgeous Bookstagram. Be sure to follow him on Instagram and TikTok for some diverse queer book, graphic novel, and manga recs!
Check out another amazing Bookstagrammer here!
To browse Johnee’s recommendations and more on Bookshop, click here!
