In honor of Read-A-Romance Month and Romance Awareness Month, this August we’ll be sharing insights from members of the romance bookish community! For this month’s issue, we took a look at this community and what makes it so special in this article, and interviewed internationally best-selling romance author TL Swan to learn more about her writing approach and widespread impact in this article. Here, you can read the full interview with romance novel reader Sherrece Tanner. For her social media, see below!
How long have you been interested in reading as a hobby/academic interest/etc.? In other words, how would you describe your history with reading?
I have always loved reading. As a young child, I devoured every book I could get my hands on, and was reading well ahead of my age group in school. I did not, however, appreciate the high school curriculum when it came to reading, and books like Animal Farm would turn anyone off, in my opinion. Being a teenager in the 80s, I read everything [from] Sweet Valley High to Sidney Sheldon, Lace by Shirley Conran and Jackie Collins. My genres as an adult, well I continued with all of Jackie Collins’ books, threw in some Danielle Steele, and had a passion for books about serial killers, as did my brother. In the last decade, I have devoured all of Lucinda Riley’s, Marian Keyes and a NZ author by the name of Deborah Challinor. My love of this recent genre of smutty, dark romance with HEA’s, has only happened in the last 12 months.
On average, how many books do you read a week? A month?
On average I can read 3-5 books per week. It depends on how many pages there are, but I am a quick reader, so it is not unusual for me, on my days off, to read a whole book. At last count, my book challenge for this year was well and truly smashed (I had set the total at 80), and I have read, to date, 152.
What is your preferred reading method (i.e., paperback/hardcover, Kindle/iPad, audiobooks, a combination of these, etc.)?
I was always a traditional paperback, love turning actual pages, the smell of books, but I developed an unhealthy addiction to my Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited Feb 2023, and have never looked back. So, I have some very sad paperbacks on my bookshelf that have gone unread and unloved.
How did you first get into the book community on social media? What social media platforms do you use to explore book-related content?
I happened across this amazing book community once I started purely reading this genre of books. I was watching reels on Facebook, and first and foremost came across Willow Winters. I have a friend in Australia who saw I was reading those books, and recommended TL Swan, her Cygnets Group of Indie Authors and it went from there. I made sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook. I then started to notice the same few “bookish accounts” pop up, then the words Alpha, Beta and ARC were used (I was needing to look up a whole new language of terminology), and wondered how I could do that. I made some comments, and then some of these same bookish accounts would reply, along with new authors to me such as AK Landow, who interact with their readers, and I was amazed. I purely follow bookish accounts through Instagram, but also [am a] part of bookish specific groups on Facebook. To help with promoting these authors I have even added TikTok, which I swore I would never do.
Do you have a bookish account on social media to post about the books you’re reading/interested in? If so, what inspired you to make a bookish account to post on? What is your approach to sharing about, promoting, and/or recommending different authors and books?
My bookish Instagram, was initially my health/weight loss then menopause personal journey, but I have changed that, including my handle, to be mainly books, and the reviews I do. I [realized] during this process of discovering Indie Authors and all the processes involved, that these authors are there [for] everything, and rely a lot on readers, like myself, to help with getting the word out about their works. I was already sharing things I loved, so for me promoting authors and books was no different. The books and authors I have read, and often engaged with are amazing, and anything I can do to help them, I absolutely will, no question.
Are you in any book groups for any authors on social media? To what extent do you network with authors? Have any authors sought you out to be a part of their beta team/ARC team/etc.? Have you opted into these opportunities?
I am in several, as well as private chat rooms. They are often, specifically related to being members of the “street and/or ARC Team”, so this is the way authors, and their PAs, can communicate what it is they want us to share, and, in some cases, when. Being “in the future” I have a permanent world clock on my phone so I know what time and day it is. I have had solo engagements with a few authors, but often communication is via the group setting. One of my close “bookish friends”, Lakshmi, is the one who has helped me navigate the ARC world, and we chat daily, while the world is sleeping. Lakshmi introduced me to a group on Facebook for Beta/ARC Readers, and she suggested I sign up to Wordsmith Publicity and Valentine PR for the same reason. Lakshmi is also very good at seeing authors’ posts about wanting ARC readers, and I have discovered a number of new authors and amazing writers, as a result. I have mentioned to a few authors I know well that I am interested in beta reading (have no experience), and have recently been involved in my first one. I would love to do more. I always ask or sign up to ARC read for authors I know, but with some, once you have done one, often you are automatically included, and do have the choice of opting out. I have signed up to receive newsletters from a lot of authors, and that will often mention opportunities to ARC read coming up as well. I don’t keep a track of how many I sign up for, but there are several authors I love whom I always want to be part of.
What are your thoughts on the book community, both at large and in your specific niche, considering your own experiences and interests within it? How do you find the broader book industry has changed over time? Describe the book community through a social lens. Has this community granted particular social/friendship opportunities you might not have experienced otherwise?
I am grateful everyday to find like minded, amazing people in this book community. I feel like I have found my people. I have struggled with my health, and still do, and as a nurse, during the lockdown and covid, I have found myself becoming more introverted and choosing to isolate myself. Reading has always provided escapism, for me, and I realised how shallow I had become prior to lockdown, in things that did nothing for the soul. I had put my emphasis on those experiences and people that I usually would not, and felt I had had some true friends and connections. Even as adults, some people are cruel, and I found myself a target of hate, and needed to take a step back. I didn’t recognise myself in the mirror, nor did I like her, so I went back to the things in life I found pleasure from, reading. I have mentioned to several authors that they, their books, and the community of readers that follow them, truly have saved my life. I have no words for how grateful I am. The writing from some of these amazing authors is like therapy amongst the words. I can feel there is so much passion and personal experience, that it has honestly helped me, and continues to. I know this genre is not for everyone, and I have to choose whom I talk to about what I read and do as part of ARC reading, but I have learnt not to care if there is negativity. My page, my bookish account is my personal space to do with as I choose, and if my “followers” don’t like it, that’s more than okay. There is the saying, you are not everyone’s cup of tea rings true here.
What are some of your favorite genres and tropes to read? Do you often follow the trends in terms of genres and tropes that become popular, or do you stick with a particular set of favorites? Do you follow an author regardless of what sort of stories they write?
I have always loved romance, so this romance genre was a natural progression for me. I enjoy biographies, historical romance, and I have also, in the past, read paranormal and books such as Harry Potter. I don’t mind the odd murder but prefer my books have a happy ending these days. Once I follow an author, I stick with them. I may not love everything they write, but once they have me, they have me for life.
Who are your favorite authors and how did you discover them? Do you read a lot of indie authors, mainstream authors, or a mixture?
My favourite authors are Deborah Challinor, Lucinda Riley, Diane Chamberlain, JoJo Moyes, Marian Keyes. My favourite Indie Authors are AK Landow, Carolina Jax, Ryan Marie, Jade Dollston, LA Ferro, Elizabeth Aton, Sadie Kincaid, Willow Winters, Missy Walker, TL Swan, Samantha Skye, Nicky Redford, Elle Nichol, Jagger Cole, Victoria Lum, VR Tennett, and Nicole Abrams. I tend to only read Indie Authors these days, as I get so many recommendations and have a TBR list I may never get through. I hold Lakshmi and Thorunn responsible for my TBR list and the fact I may never get through it. Also, some of these amazing indie authors support other indie authors, and promote them, and I love that.
When do you write reviews for what you’ve read and what platform do you share these reviews on? What is your approach to or thought process behind writing a book review?
I review on Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram/Facebook, sometimes and BookBub as well. I very rarely use TikTok, just because I am old and not that tech minded…..yet. This may change as I get more comfortable in this space. I think about how the book resonated with me, how it made me feel, but keep the descriptions as per what the author has mentioned, and never give spoilers on any platform. I may mention spice level, and sometimes will put warnings in regards to topics as a heads up, but will often direct them back to the website where authors have put all this information. I have recently been in Amazon jail, in regards to my review, so in the future it will be very bland and within their guidelines (*insert rolling eyes).
Do you feel a certain obligation or pressure to give authors glowing reviews if you get a beta/ARC or you’re a fan of the author, whether you’re connected to them somehow or not?
I don’t feel an obligation to give glowing reviews, but very rarely, at this point, have I truly not liked a book. I have only had one DNF, and with this, I chose not to review in anyway, as, just because it wasn’t my kind of book, doesn’t mean it was bad. In this case, in the future, if I rate a book 3 stars or less, or DNF, I would have to think seriously about reviewing them in the future. This only applies to a new author.
Do you attend author/book events? What sort of impact do these have on your perspective of the book community?
If I lived in the US, I for sure would attend book events. I do try to attend lives on Instagram so I can engage there, and this is where I resonate with other bookish people, and friendships develop, or they have from me.
In an age so flooded with technological influences, what keeps you inspired and motivated to continue reading?
What keeps me inspired? The promise of escape, too often find comfort and relatable words on paper that can provide healing and counsel, because a world of fiction and a book boyfriend is sometimes all you need to find peace in a world where you sometimes think you don’t fit.
Instagram: instagram.com/sherrecepqreads_alot
TikTok: tiktok.com/@sherrecetanner
Facebook: facebook.com/SherrecePurplelicious