10 Quickfire Questions with Caroline Pears

Please introduce yourself in six words... Book-lover, Dreamer, Photographer, Adventurer, Tea drinker.
What are you currently reading? I have just finished reading – A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh who also wrote Brideshead Revisited. I laughed and squirmed my way through it. It’s a bitterly funny novel and Waugh was an excellent writer but a cruel satirist. Next book on my large to be read pile is Aunt Diana by Rosa N Carey.
How many books did you read in 2018 and how many are you planning for 2019? I didn’t log how many books I read last year but I averaged about three a week. I often pull all-nighters when a book is particularly gripping! This year I have started to record my books as I finish them - 15 so far. I don’t plan how many I am going to read for me reading is like breathing its just a natural part of my life.
When did your love for reading start and which book sparked this passion? When I was still in a cot my parents used to put a catalogue in with me to help me fall asleep apparently, I was obsessed with any kind of book. I learnt to read by reading all the sweet wrappers in the sweet shop my Grandma worked in. I was obsessed by reading Enid Blyton when I was at primary school, they banned me from getting anymore of her books out of the school library and I cried! The Famous Five were always my favourite. My love for reading has continued throughout my life and never waned.
Who's your favourite author and why? My favourite author is Nevil Shute. I discovered his books during my teens -The Pied Piper is one of my all-time favourite books, so emotive, vivid in description and wonderfully written. Shute was an exceptional writer who captures your attention from the fist to the last page.
What motivated you to start your Bookstagram and what advice would you give to someone new to the gig? I am a photographer, I have been posting on Instagram for a few years now. I had occasionally posted about books I was reading and asking for book recommendations. At the end of last year books helped me through a difficult part of my life. I became more involved in the Bookstagram community. I joined a few online book clubs; the only trouble was I had always read the book that they recommended. It was then it dawned on me that I should share my passion more online.

My advice for any new to Bookstagram or Instagram - Is always be authentic, my photos and gallery are curated because that’s how I like my feed to look. I always post what I am genuinely passionate about. Never get obsessed with likes or comments, post high quality photos and if you lose your mojo take a break - don’t feel you have to post for the sake of it. The most important thing though, I can’t stress this enough is to engage, explore new accounts, leave meaningful comments on peoples posts and always reply to comments left on yours. Just enjoy it it’s a lovely community to belong to.
What’s your all-time favourite book quote? “We can experience nothing but the present moment, live in no other second of time, and To understand this is as close as we can get to eternal life.” P.D. James. (The Children of Men)
Do you have any exciting projects planned for the future? I have just invested in a new smaller Bell Tent with the intention of going on solo camping, reading adventures this year. I want to grow my fledgling blog and stick to a posting schedule on there. During the summer holidays this year I am going to attempt to start writing my first book.
Your bookstagram account is so ascetically pleasing would you judge a book by its cover? I admit I am drawn to blue books or books with a simple design. If I have read great reviews about a book it wouldn’t matter what the cover was like, I would read it regardless.
Finally, if you were stuck on a desert island and could only take one book, what book would that be? It would have to be War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy as at least by the time I finished it I would have forgotten how it started!

Connect with Caroline

Email - pears39@photographer.net

Blog -Pear 39