Bookstagrammars are some of the most interesting groups when comes to literature. Exploring the idea of writing book reviews and falling in love with novels of different genres, we came across Kajree, who at a very young age has inspired many about how books are just not those boring pages to flip but are those who give a colourful streak to your thoughts and make your imaginations go wild.
1. Why choose being a bookstagrammar if you write so well?
Although I’m a bookstagrammer, I haven’t stopped posting short snippets or my writings on Instagram. I cannot really tell why I wanted to become a bookstagrammer in the first place, whether it was because of my undying love for books or because I wanted to try something new - I myself am not sure.
But I remember coming across a bookstagram account on Instagram and how much it had intrigued me. That was the first time that I got introduced to this community of bibliophiles and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. Also, I had been a massive book lover and I guess this was one way to show my love for books.
And also, plagiarism was one aspect of social media which scared me a lot. I didn’t want any people to copy my writings and post it as their own. Although getting featured was an accomplishment on its own, I decided that I’d rather post and discuss books than see my work getting plagiarized.
2. What do you mean by “polyethinic”?
Polyethnic to me means being a part of or following various ethnicities. It doesn’t mean just following one sort of ethnic group but being a part of many and being proud of it.
3. “The type who whines and cries and feels unworthy of all the time”, explain these lines from your post.
I had always been a little insecure about myself. There were days when I would start crying at night after the lights were out for reasons unknown. It just happened without any reason. I’d feel this tugging inside my heart, a painful feeling that I cannot quite explain. It’s like, I’d be happy one minute but then I’d be crying. I couldn’t really explain what I was feeling, or why certain things and words hurt me so much. I used to cry at the silliest and smallest of things; maybe because I was a little too emotional. And there were times I had felt unworthy too. Certain things tend to trigger it, you know – like, when people don’t really understand you or tell you that you didn’t deserve it or things as such. As I had said before, I was always an insecure girl and maybe that was one of the reasons why. So yeah, this is what those lines from my post meant.
4. What differentiates a bookstagrammar from a blogger? State the Pros and cons.
Well,a bookstagrammer and a blogger are similar on many terms but they are different too. A bookstagrammer can be a blogger but a blogger might not really be a bookstagrammer.
A bookstagrammer is one who mixes books with instagram; book lovers and bibliophiles, mainly. It is a platform that has bought bibliophiles together and given them the chance to showcase their love for books and photography. One can meet a lot many people in this community and form amazing friendships. There are, however, certain problems too. Like, for instance, bookworms are often considered as nerds and are not given so much importance. Also, there is always a struggle to be at the top, to brainstorm ideas for photos, to maintain a feed. Sometimes, bookstagramming can get a lot stressful too. A blogger can be of many types, though. There are book bloggers, who review and talk about books; fashion bloggers, food bloggers and what not. Being a blogger helps in getting our word out into the world, to let our voices being heard. But to reach that level, to be known and recognised, takes a hell lot of work. The hardest thing for a book blogger would be getting books for reviewing from various publishing houses.
5. You yourself have an unique name. Why chose “the art of living” as your blog name?
The art of Living was actually supposed to be the title of my book. It was a part of a duo-logy and I loved this title a lot for some reason. However, that book never saw its end and I had to leave it halfway due to lack of inspiration.
Also, I wanted to spread some positivity through my blog, like make people believe in love and life again. ‘The art of living’ was something through which I wanted people to not give up and rather fight and think deep and realise. So I chose that as my blog name. And anyway, naming my own blog after my name seemed a little too obvious.
6. Why this field of books and art when at this young age you have a lots of things already to achieve?
Ever since I was ten, I remember wanting to be a writer and create emotions with my words. I was the type of girl who would read books in the class and scribble short one-liners on my notebooks. Books had been my favourite since a very young age and writing was a sort of solace. Bookstagram is comparatively new to me, having started just some months ago. But the thing is, ever since then, I had wanted to be involved in this community of books and art. I had this urge in me to have my feelings and emotions heard, to let people know that it was okay to be a nerd, to be a bibliophile and to be you. I wanted to be someone people looked up to as an inspiration, you know. I still do. And I strongly believe there is a lot to achieve in life. But I also believe that time is a weird thing, and if I have to make a mark in this world, I have to start now.
7. "sometimes, it might get hard to breath. you'll feel like you're drowning, like you're dying. but hold on, it'll get better. hold on, for you'll survive." This might inspire a lot of people to live a happy life. We would love to know about your inspiration!
We all are human and we all face problems in life. I had had a pretty traumatic childhood, something that not many people know about. I don’t talk about it much and I’d like to keep it that way. I still have nightmares from that period of my life even now and it’s wounding. I was young when I had my heart broken for the first time; young and naïve enough to think I was in love. Well, it had had a drastic impact on my life (one of the reasons that led me to write) and I was utterly devastated by it. I had gone to the point that I didn’t even want to live anymore.
The thing is, it wasn’t just about a mere breakup but the feelings that came along with it were more heartbreaking. What if no one loved me after this? What if I would never be enough for anyone? What if I’d be alone? What if no one understand me? I was devastated. After that year, I had had people giving up on me, talking behind my back, seeing me for something that I was not. I knew I wasn’t the most popular girl in school and definitely not someone who could express herself freely.
I used to remain in a bubble of my own. I used to cry at the silliest of things and it was a disaster. I would feel worthless all of the time. Along with it came a mental state of minor depression. It was something I can’t really explain in words. It was like a hammer hitting right at my heart, shattering it bit by bit. It was painful and the worst part was that I couldn’t even express what I felt. But things got better. I started writing my emotions on paper, giving it a new voice. I took to writing on Wattpad where people were really motivating and encouraging. I tried to divert myself by reading self help books. In short, I didn’t give up. Even though I remember trying to self harm a lot of times, I didn’t give up. Things got better and I know that it will eventually get better for everyone. This is what inspired me to write those lines.
8. “It scares me; the shadows I see through my window right now, it scares me. I turn around on my bed. It’s empty and I don’t like it.” We found this bit alluring and got more curious to know that what bothered you to this extent.
Truth to be told, this was a bit made up. I mean, I’m not really bothered by the dark but shadows do scare me sometimes. Also, I love sleeping alone. Getting the whole bed to myself is the best thing that can happen to me, apart from getting free food. So yeah, this part was completely out of my imagination.
9. Love never can be done by just words. Actions make it more precious. Share your views regarding this.
Love is difficult to understand and explain. Everyone has a different interpretation of love and so do I. Love doesn’t only include telling someone you love them, but instead proving it.
Anyone can message someone expressing their love in words. Anyone can copy paste quotes from Google and send it to their loved ones. But staying by their side and proving it is the toughest thing. Little things matter. Just being by the side of your loved ones when they’re in despair, holding their hands when they’re falling and crumbling down, understanding them and never making them feel worthless about themselves – all of these little things matter. A person can never be assured of the love through words. What you can do for them, and what you will do for them matters.
But then again, it’s a completely different thing for writers like me who aren’t so good at expressing feelings. We tend to write about our loved ones, talk about them in our stories and poems. We have a different way of showing our love, through words yet through action. This makes love a little more worthwhile.
10. Describe Kajree in few words.
Kajree is a bibliophile who crushes over fictional characters and searches for them in real life. She’s a little weird and nerdy and bookish, but when she loves, she loves from her heart. She’s the type of girl who’d never give up on the people she loves. Oh, and she’s a very big lover of everything sweet (give her desserts, she’ll love you forever).
11. We we’re glad that you agreed for this interview. Let us know your experience in this field of Writing and how was it while answering these questions!
Writing has been synonymous to living for me. It has helped me grow into a better and stronger human being and I had learnt a lot from it. I had made new friends, met people who’ve gone through the same journey as me. The most beautiful thing about being a writer is when people message me telling me how much they could relate to me work and how much they loved it. Appreciations like these had really boosted my confidence, which was practically zero before. And I’m thankful for writing because otherwise, I wouldn’t have been sitting here and giving this interview.
I really feel privileged to have been asked for this interview. It is my first and it’s amazing. The questions have made me reflect back on my works and made me think about the story behind it and I’m grateful to your team for doing it. It was really fun answering those questions.
12. Where do you see yourself in next 5 years.
Next five years, you ask? I see myself touring the world for book signings, with my book in my hands, and meeting my fans (let’s hope for it). I see myself giving speeches at various book stores, meeting new people and writing more books. I see myself slowly achieving my goals. If not this, then five years from now, I see myself in college and missing my first period due to oversleeping. Yeah.
13. We know you are into writing novels too. Though do you aspire to be a poet someday?
The first ever piece of writing I ever wrote was a poem. So were the second and the third. I wrote about Mother Nature first, which was suggested by my mother. The next was about my brother and the next I don’t really remember. They used to be simple poems which were longer and rhymed unlike modern poetry nowadays. Though honestly speaking, I don’t aspire to be a poet some day. I’ve tried writing poetry, some totally nonsense and some better, but I’ve realised that poetry isn’t for me. I write short stories and novels better.
14. How was been your NaNoWriMo experience been? Has being a writer on Wattpad helped you through it?
NANOWRIMO is a national novel writing month where authors strive to complete or write 50k words in the month of November. I wasn’t aware of this initiative until last year, 2016, which was the first time I decided to take part in NANOWRIMO. At first, I was really skeptical of the whole idea because school and homework and being in the 10th didn’t give me enough time to write. But even so, I wrote a thousand words everyday and by the end of the month, I had a written more than 50k words. It was really a proud moment for me. Wattpad did help me achieve the word goal. I updated my novel on Wattpad every day for people to read (although it has been taken down now) and it helped me be on track. Also there were many inspiring people on wattpad who gave many tips on how to tackle NANOWRIMO. So yeah, it was really helpful.
15. Tell us about your work on Wattpad. Tell us your Wattpad journey.
I was introduced to Wattpad probably when I was in the 7th standard, I don’t quite remember. I was searching for online websites to publish my work on when this popped up on Google. I instantly created an account there. Initially I was on Wattpad with a different username and only a few people knew about my account there. But then later, I changed the username to my own name and I had never felt better. At first, however, I was just a reader there like most of the people. I was still doubting my works, still contemplating whether to post or not. Later that year, I finally posted the first chapter of my first ever book Reign. It was a historical fiction and although not abruptly, people did like it. I didn’t have too many followers or reads at first but it gradually grew.
People in Wattpad are extremely helpful when it comes to constructive criticism. They have pointed out my mistakes and helped me improve my writing a lot.
A few months later, Reign was ranked in the top 300 historical fiction list. I swear that was one of the happiest moments in my life. Getting ranked amongst the many thousands of books on Wattpad was amazing. I have had around 9 published books on Wattpad but recently took most of them down due to lack of inspiration and because I wanted to concentrate on my novel.
The thing is; Wattpad helped me gain some confidence and present my writings to the world. Even though I did post my stories online, there was always a fear of people not liking it and criticising it in a brutal way. But writing and posting on the app frequently made me overcome my fear and helped me improve my writing skills.
16. Any specific genre you like to read and also write upon?
I’m a huge sucker for Young Adult Contemporaries. I love teen fictions too, but stories that have a unique storyline and are diverse are my favourites. I love contemporaries not because of the love interests but because I can relate to it on many levels, and also because it’s easier to think upon, according to me. And yeah, I also love writing YA contemporaries. I think it is because being a teenager myself I can best describe the emotions of the people in my age group and write something that most of them can relate to. Although, I try to read and write almost every genre, be it fantasy or historical fiction.
17. Are you into cosplay? If yes, then right now which character would you like to be?
I love cosplaying, although I haven’t really done much. If I could do one right now, I’d definitely be Kaz Brekker from Six of Crows. Why, you may ask?
Well, he is one of the characters that I absolutely love. Sassy and savage and a prodigal thief with a heart that loves a girl, I think I can relate to him a lot. Also, he’s really easy to dress up as. Formal black pants, white shirt and a black suit along with a crow cane – complete Kaz Brekker look.
18. Which will be your top three books/ book series at the present moment and why?
At the top of my ‘favourite books’ list will of course be the Six of Crows duo-logy. This is such a series that has touched my heart immensely and made me cry and laugh at the same time. The characters are my ultimate favourite; their back story and the way they’ve fought to be where they were. All of it was in the right proportion – emotion, love, friendship, revenge, scheming – and it was just the perfect book for me.
My second favourite book currently will be the Abandon trilogy. This is a retelling of Hades and Persephone’s story and I absolutely love it. I loved the portrayal of death in the book and the fact that the ending wasn’t obvious. There was the right amount of mystery and romance blended into a perfect dark thrilling read.
The third favourite would be Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I got the books as a birthday book and I was so glad for it. The book tries to show things aren’t as they seem from outside. It is my favourite because the plot is intense and diversity can be seen in the book. It is not a cliché romance story but talks about friendship and overcoming fears too.
19. You have been and are REP for many book boxes. How does it feel to be one?
When I first joined bookstagram, I was really skeptical about the idea. I didn’t know much bookstagrammers and didn’t have any idea about the whole thing. But then when I got selected to be a rep for TUJ book box, which was my first rep selection, I was beyond overjoyed. I had never imagined to get selected. Then getting chosen as a rep for the other companies was overwhelming too. Being a rep has been a lovely experience. I have met new people and learnt the stories behind the companies. Conversing with like-minded people, no matter how old, was one of the best parts of being a rep. Even though the curators were often older than me, I still felt at ease talking to them and discussing books and future boxes. Getting those rep packages is another thing, but meeting those people, talking with them and forging new friendships and becoming a part of the inner circle is something that I’ll cherish forever.
20. Why do you think bookstagrammers and book reviewers are not given that much attention these days?
In this age where people judge others based on their popularity and ‘coolness’, bookstagrammars and book reviewers are often termed un-cool by many people. They think of us to be bookish nerds, fan-girling over people who do not really exist. Another reason can be the fact that not many people understand bookstagram. They don’t know what it actually is and so the support is not much. It may also be because of the fact that not many are readers. They’d rather watch the movie adaptation rather than reading the book and that’s why, bookstagrammers and book reviewers are not given that much attention today.
21. One of your favourite book reviews?
My favourite book review will be that of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. It is the sequel to Six of Crows and one of my favourite books ever. The best thing about Crooked Kingdom is the characters. I loved how the characters aren’t cliché and have their own stories to tell. There are instances in the book that made me weep and then there are instances that made me smile and giggle. I will never be fully able to explain why I love this duo-logy so much. It had given me sleepless nights; it was a mixture of emotions and adventure and I loved every bit of it.
The portrayal of love and brotherhood was amazing. Kaz and Inej, Matthias and Nina, Wylan and Jesper are adorable human beings and I adore them a lot. Their stories have motivated me in weird ways, although I haven’t faced any big problem as them. Kaz has inspired me to love truly and care for my friends, Inej has inspired me to be tough and strong, Nina has inspired me to love for my family and friends, Matthias has inspired me to never let go and be strong, Jesper and Wylan has inspired me that no matter how bad life gets, there’ll be good days too. The series has taught me to fight back. This book was even better than Six of Crows, and I can never stop loving or talking about it. It’s perfect, it is simply perfect.
22. All time favourite bookstagrammers?
This question is a bit hard to answer. There a hell lot of bookstagrammers that have been a great inspiration for me. I’ve learnt about angles and photography and amazing book recommendations from all of them so I cannot really chose just one favourite. I admire each and every one of them, for the effort they put in their pictures and for being such amazing bibliophiles.
23. What will your autobiography say?
I’ve never really given a thought to this, though. But if I had to write my autobiography one day, I’d title it ‘The Art of Living’. It’ll be written in the third point of view, telling my story so that it can inspire people to not give up. Yeah, that’d be it.