We recently connected with Kristen Cioffi and have shared our conversation below.

Kristen, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

My very first “bookstagram” post was in August of 2018 and I had no idea that bookstagram even existed. I created a book account as a means to escape a very hard infertility struggle that I was deeply into at the time. My husband said that maybe I should focus my mind on one of my hobbies to help destress and I wept “WHAT HOBBY?!? Eating pizza?! Turning into a couch?!?” And he kindly reminded me that all I do is read. So here I am. I created a book account, posted an intro post, shared some reviews…and well the rest is history. I made some beautifully wonderful and ridiculous lifelong friends that are like family. Met authors at events and literally blacked out from excitement. Read books that have changed my life. Met publicists that hustle so hard for books and authors they believe in. It’s awe-inspiring. Bookstagram has brought me so many fantastic opportunities (attending events such as Oprah’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, ThrillerFest, Reese’s Book Club) that I’m grateful for. But all of this involved taking steps into an unknown world and being selfish. Doing something that I needed at the time. I don’t think many people take a moment for themselves anymore or ask- what is it that I need to be even semi-fulfilled? How can I make it happen? It doesn’t have to be some grandiose quest or decision. It can be a small step.

Kristen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a first grade teacher and a mom of a 9 year old boy (Keegan) and 5 year old (Maisie) and 2 mutt-tastic rescues Duke and Daisy.

I’m a reading monster, always have been. I was that little girl that would max out her library card every month and take out the max 10 possible books at a time (always RL Stine and Christopher Pike- fun fact, I met RL Stine at ThrillerFest and in my geekdom I could only manage “I LOVE MURDER!” like a creep.). I run the bookstagram account @kraysbookclub and currently have 41,800 followers. I cohost Not Yo Mama’s Book Club and partner with Book of the Month to host a book club with them as well.

I’m a purely opinionated menace on my account and I don’t refrain from being fully honest about my book opinions. I didn’t start my account for anyone but me, and I have continued this way over the past 7 years. No one loves every book and I won’t pretend I do either! Blech! I refuse to sugarcoat a damn thing and I am 100% myself.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I was 100% fully, completely, unapologetically myself. I still am and always have been. People will see right through you when you are putting on an act or doing things purely to gain followers. They will know when you truly believe in something vs when you are just trying to be an influencer. Be you down to your core and you will be appreciated. Be genuine. It comes through. Also- you MUST be open to meeting people. You have to be willing to create, foster and keep relationships. You have to have people that have your back. There are a lottt of not nice people out there that are ready to cut you down. If you have people that have your back, nothing can bring you down. It makes these turds look like fools. You have to be assertive enough to form relationships in the industry that you are interested in. Reaching out and introducing yourself. Hustling. Promoting. Being a yes person. A lot of work is put into being an “influencer” whether it’s your job or a hobby.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The people. Always the people. The community. The readers, the authors, the publicists, the publishers…everyone that encompasses this little corner of the bookstagram world. These people have become my closest friends and like family. They have been life-altering and I wouldn’t change this experience for the world.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: HTTPS://www.Instagram.com/kraysbookclub
• Other: Https://www.goodreads.com/kraysbookclub