Tastemaker Salon: An interview with Alana Cooler (@wellred.bookclub)
What makes good book club picks, the perils of reading only frontlist, and how to personalize the synopsis of your books for the Bookstagram community
Alana Cooler (@wellred.bookclub) is not only a Bookstagrammer extraordinaire, but the proprietor of Bookish Bliss, which runs literary retreats for readers and booklovers (!!!). We met over social media, and then in person, first for cocktails at the Biltmore Hotel where I busted out my favorite Los Angeles noir/crime trivia and then when Alana hosted me for a book club event.
She’s such an absolutely lovely human, with great taste in books, and excellent words of wisdom for anyone looking to connect more deeply with the Bookstagram community.
What’s your bookstagram handle?
@wellred.bookclub
When did you start your bookstagram?
2021
How did you get started/what made you get started?
I initially joined Bookstagram because a friend from my book club recommended it. For the first year, I just lurked in the background without being very active since I didn't know much about the Bookstagram community. But after observing for a while, I decided to start posting my book reviews and sharing the selections from our book club!
How many books a year do you read?
If I include audiobooks, probably around 100. However, I can read about 48 physical books a year.
What are your favorite genres? How would you describe your taste/social media aesthetic?
Before bookstagram my reading passions were non-fiction/memoirs and historical fiction — I'm drawn to emotional stories. However, my book club’s enthusiasm for thrillers has helped me grow to love that genre as well. Ultimately, I gravitate towards any book that sparks insightful discussion. For our meetings, I look for selections intense enough to prompt diverse perspectives and questions from our group. Full transparency, my bookstagram aesthetic isn't as elaborate as some — I simply photograph the books I'm reviewing with a pleasant background, add a spring filter, and call it a day.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
OBVI YOU, Stephen King, Jane Austen, Fiona Davis, Krisitn Hannah, Xochitl Gonzalez, Alex Michaelides, Steven Rowley (honestly a ton!)
What makes a book stand out to you?
A book really stands out to me when it has something unique and fresh — a premise, characters, or storytelling style that feels distinctly original. OR novels that stir up deep emotions and make me cry.
What do you wish people knew about bookstagram/booktok/the book blogging community?
We are generally nice! At our core we love stories and the connections stories create. Who does not like to bond over a good story? The negative is probably that we spend too much time trying to read the newest releases and not enough time retaining what we are actually reading (I started working on this in 2023).
How do you decide which books to read, and then which books to feature?
If I like an author I will generally try and read most of their books. Marketing and what arcs/books publishers send me helps too. And of course the synopsis is a big part — I tend to know how to pick books I will like!
What's the best way for authors to reach out to you? Are there things authors do when they reach out that you hate?
It helps when authors offer to send you a copy of their book without the pressure of reviewing it. It also helps to give a synopsis that is not from the marketing team, but what the book is about at the core!
What kind of book are you dying to read? (I don't mean a book that exists—but if you could design the perfect book you're dying to read, what would it be/what kind of elements would it have?)
I can not tell you because I am writing it (I kid). It has or would have some Fight Club elements but from a female perspective (that is the best way I can pitch that right now LOL). [Editor’s note: UM OKAY can you send me pages right this now?!]
What’s a thing you see publishers or authors do on social media that drives you CRAZY and not in a good way? (you don't have to name names!)
When authors bash other authors or give below 3 star ratings, with cruel comments on their page, just DNF the dang book.
What's the book you recommend the most often and why?
Well, besides your book The Hurricane Blonde — I always recommend First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung, it was the first time I was assigned a book in undergrad where I couldn't put it down.
What's a book you love that you don't see getting enough love on social media?
First They Killed My Father! Gosh so many, marketing pushes new books each week so there are so many books that do not get the love they deserve.
Do you ever DNF books? And if so, at what point/what causes you to DNF?
ALWAYS. So many reasons, but to be fair to most authors it is the timing, my brain can only handle certain books at certain times.
What question(s) do you wish people asked the bookstagram community more (and then answer it!)?
HMM Not sure about this one, I do think we are getting better about sharing the face behind the books so maybe — Who are you at your CORE? I am a dog loving, plant eating, loyal friend who loves the beach & nature, sad books, good food, good connections, good stories, Kacey Musgraves and a rooftop bar! [Editor’s note: That sounds like all the elements of a perfect summer—I love it!]
Backlist beauties
Recommending: Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Year published: 1979
I recently picked up and devoured The Reformatory by Tananarive Due (which I HIGHLY recommend, but which came out in the last year, so it isn’t at all backlist, at least according to my definition). But it made me remember how much I loved Kindred, which I read last year for the first time, despite it being an American classic I’d had on my shelf for years. Like The Reformatory, Kindred tackles America’s racist roots and the way racism continues to shape our society today through the lens of speculative fiction.
The main character, Dana, finds herself time-traveling against her will from her home in Pasadena back to the antebellum South, with increasingly dangerous consequences. The book is beautiful, and painful, and riveting, and a bona fide page turner. Pick it up, if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.