As promised, The Husk’s monthly theme reveal for May 2021: Books, reading, literature and general bibliophilic tingz.
In planning this month's themes I found out that May is National Get Caught Reading Month. So I reached out to Micronesian authors and bookstagrammers who I wanted to feature. I learned from @telbong on IG that unbeknownst to me, the growing Pasifika bookstagram community was already coordinating this month’s #PasifikaReadathonChallenge in line with Pacific Islander and Asian American Heritage Month. The synchronicities!
So this month let’s read, let’s get caught reading and especially let’s get caught reading books and poetry from Pasifika writers 🤎.
In May, every Friday will be a Q&A with a Micronesian bookstagrammer. Bookstagram could be described as the literary section of Instagram. Whereas the IG baddies à la Kylie Jenner have you wishing you had a fuller bosom or a fuller bottom, bookstagrammers are the reason your TBR1 stack is 15 feet tall.
This week we learn more about Gee, the bookworm behind the IG account @talking.story.
Island(s) you're from? Guåhan (Guam)
Name: Georgiana, more commonly known as “Georgie” or “Gee”
Bookstagram handle: @talking.story - It’s literally me talking about stories, but it’s also a play on a phrase we say on Guam. When someone is gossiping or talking nonsense, we say, “Quit talking story!”
Why did you start an IG for your books or reading? Who or what inspired you?
Firstly, because it looked like fun! On my personal account, talking about books felt like speaking into a void. I mean, it still feels that way on my bookstagram, but at least it’s a void into the right community. It’s also a way to keep me accountable about sharing my opinions and documenting my reading year.
What has it been like to join the Bookstagram community?
It’s been pretty quiet. I don’t post every week and don’t expect a lot of traffic, but another reason why I joined was to get recommendations for new genres and titles, rather than the mainstream ones we will hear about on the book community of YouTube. It’s been fun finding new things.
This is pretty specific lol but what other Micronesians/Pacific Islander bibliophile accounts or websites do you recommend that people should follow?
I’m pretty new myself and I would l like to discover more of them as well! I’m just going to plug @novelisticnotions because she was the first Pasifika person I knew with a bookstagram. She made it look like fun and her taste is very diverse.
Do you have a favorite Pacific Islander author?
In all honesty, I’m on a journey to read more Pacific Islander authors, so I have yet to pick a favorite.
What's your favorite part about having an Instagram account just for your books/things you're reading?
My favorite part is that there’s now a special place to go for recommendations without the influx of media from non-bookish accounts.
Also, I feel like as Pacific Islanders, we have a different point of view to contribute to the book community.
What do you think makes a bookstagram account worth following?
PLEASE have a different opinion and not be so determined to have a negative take on EVERY book you read. That’s not fun.
I like an account that doesn’t just read new releases. As a teen and throughout college, I never had money to keep buying books as I please, so I’ve never kept with the times and I’m always reading back-listed books from an ancient TBR pile. Middle-grade is a genre I have a soft spot for, so I like an account that can read books for all ages. Reading was some of the best parts of childhood, so in a way, some books are a way to keep me there.
Go follow Gee on Instagram!
She was very kind to answer my questions. Her photos are SO CRISP. The authors should be paying her for the photos she’s taking of their books. I liked what she said about accounts that don’t just review new releases.
Once again, I want thank you, Gee! I appreciate your time!
Other links for you bookworms
Many times readers are also writers. I think readers and writers will enjoy this video of Kurt Vonnegut talking about the shape of stories:
If you want to support more Guam-based authors, I came across Emmie B on Amazon. Her bio said she lives on Guam and was born in Jacksonville.
A reminder for us dreamers: Don’t Forget Your Dream, courtesy of Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee, via Irene Shih on WhatShihSaid.com.
Carol Ann Carl’s moving ekphrastic poem she presented at the Why It Matters virtual workshop is now a beautiful video. Enjoy.2
Have a great weekend.
Thank you for reading. Write to you again soon.
Cheers,
Jasmine3
TBR = “To be read”, as in the stack books you’ll read after you finish watching that YouTube video recommending more books.
I was fortunate to witness Carol Ann unveil this at a virtual poetry workshop last month. It was as moving in that moment as it is in this video.
Don’t you think my sign-offs are so long? I’m saying goodbye 85 times. But I guess that’s very Islander of me. How many times do we say “goodbye” at a family party before we actually leave?
Anyway, have you subscribed yet?