Meet Romy

While going through my Instagram feed, the most unique and beautiful bookstagram pictures I come across are taken by @romysbooks. I am very glad that Romy agreed to do this interview with us! Enjoy learning about this enthusiastic international bookstagrammer!

Stay Bookish: Hey Romy! I am so excited to learn about you and your unique bookstagram. So, what made you want to start a bookstagram account?

Romy: Hey Priyanka! Believe me, the feeling is mutual. I started my bookstagram way back in 2015 when my bookshelf was just a baby and I still had curly bangs. I stumbled across a bookstagram account and I was amazed by how many books she had and by her photography skills. So I decided that I wanted that, too. Only that my first pictures were a low quality, weirdangled mess, haha! I guess I’ve come a long way.

How would you describe your “theme” on your bookstagram account? I tried many themes so far and I must say, this one is my favourite. It perfectly represents the coziness of my room (at least I hope so!). I’m trying to make people wish they were sitting next to me, a cup of tea in the one hand, nose stuck in a book, and chocolate in front of us. My theme is warm and full of fairy lights, pillows, funkos and, of course, all my book babies!

Do you think bookstagram is an effective platform to express your opinion on books? A thousand times yes. Though it’s mostly focused on the art of bookish photography, I always thought of it as a great way to express my feelings about the books I read (sometimes with a little too many capital letters. You know, when the fangirl takes over). I found some of my favourite books thanks to all the positive voices on bookstagram! It’s a great way to write small reviews and to recommend all those books we love.

Your Instagram is booming! It’s so gorgeous, too. What is your favorite part of having platform that reaches out to other people who also love books? Thank you so much! I never imagined my account becoming so big. Eleven thousand people is huge for me, especially with the fact that there aren’t as many people living in my hometown. My favourite part has to be the interaction. I get to know so many lovely people and I seriously can’t imagine my afternoons without discussing and fangirling/-boying about all the books, shows and everything else! Luckily I have quite a few active followers, so I can interact with them daily. Direct messages also never fail to make me smile. Bookstagram is just a beautiful way to get our love for books out into the world!

What are your views on the Instagram community? How supportive are they? How has been the response so far? Well, I call them dearies, so this has to say a lot! The bookstagram community is just lovely. I always get the sweetest comments and amazing response. Also, especially when talking about more serious things, I feel like many people take their time for reading my texts which always warms my heart. People on bookstagram are beautiful, every single one.

What tools do you use for your bookstagramming? I am not a professional! I use my mobile phone (which is a Samsung Galaxy S7) to take my pictures and edit them with VSCO afterwards, that app is magical.

Most of the people who follow you on Instagram speak English and as you are a bilingual, does that cause any problems when you write the captions or interact with them? There are no problems at

all! Quite the opposite in fact. Bookstagram helped me improving my English as well as reading a ton of English books. I am glad that I’ve chosen this language to interact with people. Of course I am always nervous about making mistakes or sounding weird, but writing and talking in English gives me the perfect opportunity to reach people from all over the world which is something that amazes me every day once again.

Do you face any problems regarding people using you bookstagram pictures without your permission? I’ve seen my pictures flowing around on other accounts here and there and of course it’s not the best thing ever, seeing people claim your work as theirs. But as long as people share my pictures giving me credits or at least stating that they haven’t taken them themselves, I take it as a compliment. At least it shows me that they like my work. I’d always appreciate credits though. It’s more respectful and can make more people smile.

A lot of people find reading to be an escape from reality for a bit. Do you feel this way ever? I do. Because I probably won’t be able to explore cities of starlight, ride dragons or go for an epic heist. I like my life the way it is but it’s just that sometimes, reality isn’t enough. Or maybe something is going on that occupies my mind even though I don’t want it to. Taking a book and diving into its world, getting to know these characters as if they were friends of mine, it’s the perfect escape. To me, books are magic. Humans making fictional people and worlds come to life just with their words... sounds like magic to me.

What would be the one piece of advice you’d give new bookstagrammers just starting out? Do whatever makes you happy! Just grab your books and a phone or a camera and shoot all the pictures! Your theme doesn’t have to be the most perfect of them all, because every single bookstagrammer probably started with too many filters and bad lighting. Try new things every day and stick with whatever works best for you. You create a bookstagram for yourself first place. So that’s why it should make yourself the happiest. Do not focus on pleasing others. Again, do what makes your smile grow wide and your eyes shine.

Now answering the fun questions, let the fangirling begin! Favourite book? It’s been Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro for three years now. This book is seriously so underhyped. The story deeply touched me and whenever I grab the book and go back, reading that last page that made me cry so many times, I feel my eyes burning all over again. It’s a beautiful book and I think every single one should read it.

Favourite TV show? I have two, and please don’t make me choose between them. The 100 and The X Files. Two shows that aren’t much alike but my love for them is so huge! Especially for their main characters, oh how much I love them. (And pshhh, I am such a sucker for slow burn romances, so Bellamy & Clarke and Scully & Mulder totally own my shipper heart!)

Favourite social media platforms? Instagram and Pinterest, for all the inspiration!

Hogwarts House? I might be a mixture of Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. So, Gryffinpuff?

Any hidden talents? Certainly not cooking or baking. Well, I am good at dealing with other people’s emotions. I’m a listener and I’m always trying to give honest advice.

3 adjectives that would describe you? caring, sarcastic and chaotic.

Any book recommendations for our readers? Apart from Never Let Me Go, definitely The Hunger Games, Six of Crows, A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Darker Shade of Magic and anything by Mona Kasten. She’s by far my favourite German author and her books deserve to be read by people from all over the world! I had so much fun answering these questions.

written by Priyanka

photos by Romy