Conversations with Sammie Booktuber: Books, Queer Representation!!

Jessi sits down with Sammie Varella — BookTuber, BookToker, and queer lit advocate. They dig into representation gaps in publishing, sapphic fairy tale recs, TikTok algorithm struggles, and the Emmy-eligible Escaping Twin Flames docuseries.

Music by: AJ Music Group

Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey

Artwork By: Zummi

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Listening to voices, stories can be strange. It's good to open up to new stories and finding backstories of how people came to be. Only to free the mind of what blinds us with only a glance gives us a chance to see people be who they truly are. From silent voices to shining light. Stories that inspire awareness and change. I welcome you to Jesse's Stories, Unheard Voices. My favorite thing I've been learning about so far. We'll talk later. Okay, so that I will learn from Sammy. What made you want to become an influencer in the book world?

SPEAKER_00 1:06

So I've always been reading. I've always had quote unquote my nose in a book. I I was always that kid that couldn't get to stop reading, but I was actually called stupid for a very long time because I couldn't read. I struggled reading, and then a certain turf got me into reading. And I had exploded from there. And I haven't put down a book since. But actually, during the pandemic, when I was living with my fiance now wife in her mother's basement, and we had a room just to ourselves, I was like, I need to start doing something. And I always kind of reviewed on Goodreads and I started filming, and then we got our own house, and I filmed more because we had our own library. And I realized there were a few big queer specific book talkers, but there were only that I knew of one or two Sapphic ones and Sapphic specific. And I don't, my content's not Sapphic specific, but it's Sapphic heavy. I try to represent all queer identities, but being being Sapphic myself, that's the one that I lean towards. And I think that's fully okay if you lean towards whatever representation you are, but obviously read all identities and cultures because you don't learn that way. But yeah, December of 2020, early January of 2021, I started very much posting videos uh about book content on TikTok. Cool. That's good to know. Then I've actually been following you since you started.

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Then when I first got out of the cult.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

But I was actually doing it. If you go back far enough in my TikTok account, you can see the dog grooming videos I did before when I was in grooming school, and that's what I started with.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

So okay. I'm trying to think of when I would have started following you because I discovered you on TikTok when I was just scrolling, and then I really liked your content, so I stuck with it, and I've stuck with you for I guess now four years. So it's I've stuck with you for a pretty long time. So that says a lot about your content. Thank you. Appreciate that, but it's too kind. And your dance moves. Dances are important. That is a person who loves dancing.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

I got that's how I got quote unquote my following blew up, is I was dancing with books, and that's what would be trending. And the algorithm was like, Oh no, you want to try something else? Absolutely not. You have to continue to dance with books. You can't do long form content, you can't sit down and talk about a book, you have to dance, monkey dance.

SPEAKER_01 3:35

That's hilarious. Oh my gosh. Thanks. Well, so great. That's like me and my cult content. Now TikTok won't let me do anything but LGBTQIA cults. You're like not as in LGBTQ, just very big at cults, but twin flames universe, to be clear to anyone, cults. That's all I can do. That's all will let me. And if I try to do any of my books, I get 30 views, 10 views, or nothing. It's ridiculous. Yeah. Stories is multi-purpose, even on TikTok.Anywhere else I am. I don't know about anyone's chessie's stories. Stories. I didn't do more than one thing. Thories are everywhere. They're in books, they're in games, they're in your life. It's everywhere.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

I cannot do one subject. I know.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

I have multiple hyperfixations. Don't you understand? Exactly. True.

SPEAKER_01 4:34

Pokemon. That's a story. Thank you very much. Okay, sorry. I'll totally get on a rant on that very easily. You're funny. Well, yeah, you're bringing up that brought up that for me and the algorithm. Even on YouTube, it's the worst. So I'm trying to find a hashtag that stays with every video that I do, interview. So that it's consistent enough for YouTube to go, yes, it's the same content.

SPEAKER_00 5:03

Oh my gosh. That I don't know what TikTok did. It's sidelining now. I don't know what TikTok did with the freaking hashtags, but now they're all out of whack. In my own hashtag, it's like you only have so many. And I don't know what's going on. It's insane.

SPEAKER_01 5:16

It is I know that YouTube, they changed their algorithm too. So now it's based off of first how many views you get within the first couple hours that still plays a part, but then you're niche, so you have to be specific. That's why I said I'm trying to figure out hashtags to make it seem like I'm specific without being specific. Interview, I can use that in every single one of my interviews as a hashtag. Colts, I technically tested that out with Pokemon for fun, and it does, it goes well still. They didn't flag word for it. Yes. So just trying to find things that work. Like when I do anything for Jesse H, their interview, I did all LGBTQIA stuff themed, and then I still stuck with Jesse's story, and then I did interview. And I went, should I do cult? No, it feels wrong. So I just didn't touch that hashtag. So it makes it hard to try to figure out how to make it work with YouTube, too.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

It's insane. It is truly each form of social media, Instagram, X. Oh my god, no, Twitter is X, TikTok and YouTube, they're all just I don't know how to do it anymore. I feel old, I feel like it's just it's rough out there, man.

SPEAKER_01 6:28

It is Instagram, especially. I don't understand it. I can do the same posts as everyone else around me, but not get anything from it.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

So fun thing, they're moving side note again, they're moving to a subscription tiered service. Your content, unless you're paying, it's not being seen. It's great. I'm like about to throw the towel in with Instagram. That's so rushed.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

That explains a lot, honestly. Yeah, I'm not paying anyone anything. I see the little subscription button for a lot of people, including Instagram, but I ignore it and go, no, thanks.

SPEAKER_00 7:00

I'm good. Like, I can barely afford to live. How do you think I can subscribe to a thing that's gonna push my content out? No, nothing. Yeah, exactly. And when you're discriminated against, period.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

At least I personally dealt with that in my life multiple times and even presently, one time with my drop. But anyways, we could easily go off topic on that too.

SPEAKER_00 7:21

But I feel like we can go off topic on a lot of things.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Yeah, yes. I'm trying my best to be well focused, but I'm gonna be just as bad as you.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

I feel like that we should just be horses with the blinders on. We've got this, it's fine. We have questions in front of us. Stop it.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Oh my gosh, funny as a child. I used to have a eye patch. Yeah, it was on this side to get my lazy eye left side strong. That's what I thought. So I have experience doing that. Maybe we should. It's actually like this. I say it mine. Oh my gosh. Okay. Alright. I'm not cry laughing, you are. Alright, let's see. I wrote a really long one that technically was part of this that I didn't read fully. Oh no, I didn't read this one. What was the book that inspired you to want to influence others in the community to read the books you love?

SPEAKER_00 8:20

That's probably hard. I'm gonna go with the first book I ever read that I saw myself represented in. Uh, I came out, quote unquote, later in life. Same. Came out when I was 23 years old, so I didn't read any queer representation until pro uh after I came out. So there was a book called, let me go through the catalog of my brain right now. Take your time. Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Colhorse. Colehorse? Colehst. Fire and Stars. And it is a why a novel about a princess who has to marry a prince, but she ends up falling for his sister instead. It was so good. And I was like, this is the first time I felt my represented in a novel. And I was like, why is this not being talked about? And this came out, I think, in 2016, 2017, maybe earlier, but that's when I read it. And I was like, why aren't more people talking about this? Why aren't more people talking about queer books? And like I said, there were a few, and this was before TikTok. And there are so many people who were talking on book Twitter on booktube before I got on there. I am not the start, nor will I be the end. There are so many amazing creators out there, but that's what kind of wanted I read that and I was like, we need to talk about more pro books, whether they be sapphic, gay, trans, non-binary, queer and disabled, queer and my any other minority, queer and indigenous. We need to talk about them more. So that's the book that kind of was like, I need to talk about representation of all minorities, especially queer, especially disabled, like those are the and Latina, those are the ones and Jewish, those are the ones that I am myself and I wanted to spread the joy and word about. That was a answer. No, that was a good answer.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

That was a very good answer. I just was thinking of for me personally, my first one was Cinderella is dead. Because that was the first book I ever read. Because only because I saw it on TikTok and everyone was sharing, every booktuber within the community was sharing the same exact book. And when I have to read this, I have to read this. And so I actually became obsessed with that author. I recently bought a Cinderella is dead signature. I love Amanda Montel and her. I have two favorite authors, and that's it. I'm that specific besides Shakespeare, but Shakespeare doesn't count because Shakespeare isn't presently alive. But I have two and I love her so much. I'm obsessed. Every time she comes out with a new book, I've pre-ordered every one of them. I'm right now reading The Vanquishers. I still need to read the second one. So there's three I haven't read of hers and one that's coming out. So it's four I haven't read of it.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

Yeah, you preordered Sleep Like That.

unknown 11:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:01

Yeah, The Arc of About.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

I am obsessed with her writing, period. And just yes, she writes beautifully. I love her voice. I love everything. The Amanda Montel, like Cultish, I highly recommend reading that. And her current one, which I still need to read, is Magical Overthinking. Those books are amazing. And even though she's straight, she does do well representing everyone in her books because she's linguistic. So she her voice is great too. Just as I always don't want to say her name wrong. My favorite within the community. But of Cinderella is dead. That's why I'm only saying Aylan Bayron. Thank you. Because I never want to say her name wrong.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

I was very lucky to meet her last year at a convention that I help run at the store that I work at. So she is a lovely human being and just wonderful. I would love to have her on here.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

She was one of my gold people to have in interview series, just like Amanda Montel is. Like I told you, only people that I know that are not stranger danger. And I know them through words and social media communication. Yeah. Like Amanda Montel and I, we've talked. Yeah. But I also know there's a certain status, even though they're both self-published authors that are well known and have gotten some. I don't know if Amanda Montel has. Kaylin Byron. I don't want to say her name. Bayron. She, I think, has gotten publishing. It might be Baron. No, I think it's Bayron. Bayron. Baron.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

I don't want to say it wrong. It's okay. You know what? Half the time my last name is said wrong, and it's okay. That's why I didn't even try your last name when you first. Don't even worry about it. I don't want to offend it. It would never be uh offending. No worries.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

I can do Sammy. Sammy, I can do. Virella. Virilla. Close, yeah. Close. Then how do you pronounce your last name? Virella. Virilla. Yes, I was close.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

That's exciting. I didn't fully fail. Okay. Sorry. And we Americanized it. Like when my family is Puerto Rican, Armenian, and it's a VA. Well, we and everyone's, oh, so you're Italian. I'm like, no, I am Puerto Rican.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

Yeah, see, I thought nothing of your last name. My brain, this is I go with no judgment, at least when I first read anything, I let you tell me that you need to see Nadine's interview that I did. For she is queer and Armenian and fun, and I love her, and you should see it. That's all I can recommend.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

It's fun recommending stuff because I can never stop recommending books. Have you read queer and specifically Sapphic and Armenian? Uh Tilin Vascuni. Sorry, bro, and her newest one, Lashaba. Something. Oh shoot, now I can't remember. It just came out. But I'm writing these down so I can add to my list.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

You've been literally the only person I've gone off of books that I own. You should see my Sapphic. Yep. It's huge on top of my culty books, because I want to stay educated in that department too. But yeah, I have a lot. I I wish I could show you how big. When we're not recording, I'll show you because it's messy. But it's a lot besides my Pokemon books. They're in there too. You're the person I've literally gone off of. So that's why I'm writing as you tell me.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

It's sorry, bro. It was one of my favorite books last year. It was so good. It's a really good bi-representation and Armenian representation. Oh my gosh. Nadine is Armenian and queer.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

She does write, but that's all I can say. There is no books out there, but she does write. Doesn't mean you're not an author just because there's no books. It's okay. Exactly. Thank you very much. You don't have to be published either to be an author or writer. Exactly. Because some people write forever. Absolutely. Okay. Sorry. I can focus. Oh, you're right. Uh, here's a fun one that I've been looking forward to hearing what you say on this. Do you feel there is plenty of representation of queer community and the books you read?

SPEAKER_00 14:59

Me personally, the books that I read, yes, because I tend to read primarily queer books. But I don't think that there is enough diversity within the queer books that I read. It is usually white and queer where there is not enough black, brown, Asian, disabled, indigenous queer representation in the books, not nearly enough, because we are not like white people. I am white presenting, but still half of me is white. My mom is very white. So white and queer is the majority. It is still by far, probably at least 80, maybe more percent of the market. There is not enough BIPOC in disabled Latina queer stories. There are a good handful of them, and they're damn good. Excuse my language. They're very good.

SPEAKER_02 15:50

I didn't know where we were at.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

They're there you go. Like I just read Thirsty by Jazz Hammonds. So flip-flap and good. It was a like if you like euphoria or secret, not secret societies, but elite societ college societies for women of color and talking about pressures of drinking, of pledging society, of school, of toxic friendships and relationships. It was so well done. And that is women of color and sapphic and gender expression. It was so good. And it just came out. So that's one I would suggest. But there's not enough, I digress on that. There's not enough representation even within our own community. Like queer stories still, there's not enough. Even though people are always like, Well, stop shoving your quote unquote lifestyle down our throats. We're not. It's just that the representation is finally becoming seen and mainstreamed. We aren't having to go to fanfiction and print out our shit like we had it like 2000 when I was in high school and middle school and high school when like my friends and I were printing out fanfics and our binders, and or my friends and I were writing fanfics back and forth to each other. And that's what we did in between class in classes and everything. But there's I think kids are much luckier than I was because I part of me always knew I was queer. I never I dated men until I was 21, 22, and not and something always just really never made sense. I was in love with a man for a very long time, but then I started dating women. I was like, oh yes, this is this in it equal that I was missing. So there's never there, not never, but I think there will be a day where we will have equality, but I don't think that day has come upon us to come vote on that question.

SPEAKER_01 17:48

I love that, and I fully agree with that. That's why I read more of most of the recommendations I take from you are not of white authors. I try to go towards authors that just aren't white, period. So most of my books are of backgrounds I honestly relate to. My background is mixed. Yes, I look very white. But I grew up in a household that spoke German and Spanish. And again, I'm mixed. I don't fully know my full background, but I know where I relate and I relate to the non-white lifestyle, even though I come off white. I also am technically part of the disabled community too. And it I don't always like using the word disabled, but I've grown a little more accustomed now to it. I like taking back the word special needs. So I like using the word special needs because of the negative thing that's always been there in history with the word, because I like doing the feminist thing of taking the word back. So I personally like using special needs, but I will absolutely use disabled if it is too painful for some people. I absolutely will. I understand it fully and completely, but I'm a part of both of those communities. And I feel like, at least since you technically are part of both too, that you can relate more with those that are not because of your experience, just because you are treated not part of society, period. When you are part of the disabled community or part of just the queer community, period. Both things you are not counted as part of society because history has made it that way. So to me, seeing books and also getting advice from you on both things has made a huge impact on my life of oh my gosh, I can find characters I can actually relate to. And I love television when we actually have characters like Owl House, I'm obsessed with, and Hasman Hotel. Oh my gosh. I love both of those so much, but I haven't found anything else that are close to either one of those yet. Have you watched Run the Princesses of Power? Writing that down.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

She Rose of the Power She-Ra and Legend of Korra are two of my old standing favorites. I've never gotten into it like 2020, like during lockdown in 2020.

SPEAKER_01 20:03

Legend of Korra. I've tried with that one. There's certain things because my attention span is so short that I just can't do like music, I can do and can stay with it if it's good music, like Hasm Hotel. And storyline, if it keeps on changing within five minutes of the story, then I can do it.

SPEAKER_00 20:23

Just so you get a better understanding for me, at least, story-wise. I get it. I've been off my ADHD meds for a while, and I'm just like, what can I do? Can I read? Can I do this? Do I have to do five different things at the same time to actually focus on the one thing that I want to do? Yeah, I get that fully.

SPEAKER_01 20:39

I normally have to, like when I'm writing, I have to write multiple things, and then I have to also be having like something on my phone going on, or I can be reading at the same time. Or like when I'm reading a book, I have to be petting my cat and coming up with background noise, or having another book going out eventually, some point in time. But yeah, I get it. I have to get multiple things going to just focus on the one thing I'm that makes sense. Just so you know, I wrote some of these awkwardly. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

Stop. You I think people who are women presenting, female presenting, we are, especially at birth, have just been trained to say sorry for things that we don't need to be saying sorry for, so knock it off. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 21:23

I will attempt to, but no guarantees. We'd also be cool to be the same story. Okay, here we go.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

What are you currently reading? That's a loaded question. I think I'm reading like ten things. Maybe not ten things, at least five things. I'm currently reading Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig, which is the finale in the duology from One Dark Window, which is a actually which is a straight romance. Oh, interesting. And I'm asking I actually freaking love it. It's one like one of the best straight romance fantasy romances, fantasy, romance subplot. It's a dark fantasy, it's so good. Absolutely would recommend it to anyone. It has one of the coolest magic systems I've ever seen. It has matt like tarot cards, but it's a magical card system. It's so cool, very intriguing, and I love just the realm and the world building in it, but it's very easy to get into, in my opinion. I'm reading The Stardust Rail by Yumi Kitasi, which comes out I think June 11th, and it's like a Indiana Jones meets an intergalactic space art thief, who is also at the brink of having to save her friend, who is an alien species on the brink of extinction, and pretty much Earth's access to the entire galaxy and being able to travel through space. You can either save the alien species or save galactic travel in Earth. So that's that. And that comes out June 11th, and it's really good. So I'm about 100 pages into that. Um, I'm I'm listening to The Infinity Alchemist by Case and Callendar, which is about which it's polyamorous and it is YA. It's about three alchemists, a really cool magical world. I'm only on chapter two. It's for my own book club. Oh yeah, you have one. We need to still pronounce that a lot. It's not it's called Pause Pages and Brews on the app Fable. You can find it uh on there. It's pretty cool. We read BIPOC, queer, and minority voices every month. Uh we pick one indie book to vote from, and then three either sci-fi fantasy romance and ya choices. So that's my book club. But yeah, Infinity Alchemist was our choice by Casey Callender, and that's pretty good so far. And then I'm also listening to I have too many. I'm so sorry. Uh Blood of the Root by La Darren Williams, which is about a young boy whose mom mysteriously disappears, and on the exact same night she disappears, he comes into his magical powers, goes through the foster care system, and then years later finds out that his mom and the answers he's looking for may be found at a HBCU for the magically inclined in the South. So it's pretty much the She Who Shall Not Be Named series for the young black and magical. And it's so beautiful. Oh wow, that's awesome. I love that. Not queer, but still very good and still very necessary. Yeah, and it's what you're currently reading. Just hold that message. Sorry, five things I'm currently reading.

SPEAKER_01 24:22

I think we've made a three. I think you have two more to go. How did I lose Cal? I might have lost Ken.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

Uh the Stardust Rail Boycott book or Infinity Alchemist. Okay. Yeah, dynamics. Oh, you got a big picture.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

All right. Let's see. Do you have a favorite author or authors of multiple authors right now?

SPEAKER_00 24:46

Oh my gosh. That again, loaded, flip-flapping question. I one of my favorite authors, two of my favorite authors of all time, are Samantha Shannon, Prior to the Orange Tree, and The Bone Season. She is a powerhouse in fantasy and will probably go down as one of the greatest fantasy writers of this generation, in my opinion. Freaking phenomenal. Love her, recommend her all the time. And then also Heather Walter, the author of Malice and Misrule, which is a queer retelling of the origin of Maleficent, where she falls in love with Aurora, one of my favorite books. Her newest one comes out in August. It's called Crimson Crown, and that is the rise of the evil queen from Snow White, where it's witches, and it also has historical tidbits and the things that happened to Anne Boleyn. If you know the tutors really well, you'll pick up like, oh my gosh, this happened to Anne, this happened to Anne. And they're like staples of what happened to Anne Boleyn and the King Henry VIII mixed in with that story. It's so good. The world buildings, phenomenal witches, snow white. It's so cool. It's it is my favorite book of the year. And then I love Merrill Wilsoner and Ashley Herring Blake. Two of those are two of my favorite romance authors. I also do love Chen CSE Higgins. I have too many favorites. You can't all very good.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

I actually have read At least Malice. I've read that one. I did it listening on wow. I listened to the audiobook. I cannot think right now of what I listened to it on. Audible. It was audible. I listened to it on Audible, but that was a recommendation from you that I originally took. And then I saw the second one, which I haven't listened to yet, but I own it. So I still need to listen to the second one because I'm obsessed with fairy tales. Like literally, I went to a college class of just learning the history of fairy tales and fairy tales around the world. So I am a total geek and obsessed with fairy tales. So if it's sapphic or anything within the community that is fairy tale, I'm there. I will read it.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

I know I will read it. I think I have a few TikToks that are all just sapphic fairy tales.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

So much I've only read straight fairy tales because that's what I grew up reading obsessively. And I know them all by heart and I know their history by heart, but I don't have the history or the knowledge of these. So it makes it brand new and great and exciting and relatable. The other one's not really that relatable, but it's just exciting.

SPEAKER_00 27:15

Ben Alderson writes some really they're spicy. That's my gay fairy tale retelling. Lord of Eternal Night is a beating the beast vampire retelling, which bitch in a which in a vampire retelling, Alpha of Immortal Flash is uh Red Riding Hood retelling. There's so good.

SPEAKER_01 27:34

I've started actually, you'll be the first to get it. Of knowing now. I have been rewriting, at least retelling Beauty and the Beast, but I'm not gonna say what the twist is or anything. But it says within the community, but I did my own little obsessive twist because I love the story idea. I don't love the original back in the day why it was written, since it technically is Stockholm Syndrome. You can't deny that. Yeah, but I like the idea that it eventually grew into over time, which is beauty from within, not outside. But yeah, I did start writing that on top of my own sapphic novel I've been working on, which is YA.

SPEAKER_02 28:18

Amazing!

SPEAKER_01 28:19

Yeah, that one I hope to come out near the same time as my memoir. So I'm trying to write them both at the same time. But yeah, it will be my first almost adult book besides my poetry book. But yeah, otherwise it's children's book. Whatever flows your boat is amazing. Thank you. I write in every category, just like as you can tell. Interviews in every category, stories, just re-putting that out there. But our next is oh, do you have a favorite line or lines of any of the books you read? If you don't, that's okay too.

SPEAKER_00 28:57

Probably my most recent one that I can think of would probably be From the Stardust Grail by Yumi Katasi. And it's the you can't live in the universe without leaving a footprint. And it talks about the inner workings of this book are so good. And Yumi just writes these beautiful stories. This is her second novel, but her debut, as well as being a thriller and a s in it and being in space, it is about the environment, it is about the human condition, and it's just it talks about that constantly. And I think it just speaks to us as human beings, even though we think we don't matter, our being not that we don't matter, but that our existence is so small, you do leave a footprint no matter what, even no matter how small it is, no matter how large it is, you were here, and that's what why I liked it so much. I like that a lot too. Wow. Making me want to read the book.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

A lot of your books are lone, to be fair.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

I have a difference. It clocks in a little over 300, so it's not too bad. Thank goodness. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 30:04

Because I tend to go towards the ones that you recommend that are within the 200, 300 range, because I am a slow reader, fun fact. But so I go towards more of young adults or comics. I do have a lot of comics. I can't think of every one of them, but everyone I've read, like the authors that did The Walking Dead, they chose to do a sapphic story. Clementine. Thank you.

unknown 30:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 30:30

And I've read both of them so far, and there's a third one apparently coming out too. And I want to wait for that one to come out first and read it before I do a review on my channel of all three. So I want to be able to review all three, not just two.

SPEAKER_02 30:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

But oh my gosh, that's a really good series. I highly recommend that to anyone. I read through it within two days, which says a lot for me.

SPEAKER_02 30:51

Some of them might take longer.

SPEAKER_00 30:53

Well, art is by Tilly Walden, and I love, love, love her stuff. So I've wanted to read it.

unknown 30:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:00

Highly recommend it. It kept my attention to the point that I wanted to go back and read, and then I went, why is there a second one? And then when I went back on Amazon, because that's where I've been buying them, it showed, Oh, there's a second one coming. And I went, I'm pre-ordering right now. And I purposely I actually follow her. There's certain people I follow, like Dr. La Lich, I follow her. She is within the culty realm of she is the expert of cult and has names, twin flames universe, a cult, so therefore it's a cult. But yeah, like anything hers, yeah, of Tilly's, of I'm trying to think out who else I follow. It's all a lot of sapic, but more on the comic side, besides Kaylin Byron. I've followed her for since Cinderella's death. Oh my gosh, yes, that's my forever my favorite ever. I've really liked her take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. That was a cool one. I highly recommend it, especially if you like Broadway, because it still has that feel in her writing. She definitely switches the tone of her normal tone, and you're with more male characters. It's just it's a gay book, but it's really well written. And I've seen the Broadway play of Jacqueline Hyde, and I've read the original Jacqueline Hyde. So reading hers, it's yeah, it's her baby. It's an amazing wow. Okay. I could talk about that writing forever. It's okay. She writes very well. She does, and she can change her voice, which is beautiful. That's something a personal goal of mine is changing my voice in my writing. So that's why I love her so much, because she does what I wanted. I don't know if I'm there, but I would love to do that myself too. I bet you are. Thank you. I appreciate it. Since I'm doing children's young adult, I guess, memoir poetry. Because when people ask me in my own interviews, what I write everything. I think that's an amazing talent. Not everyone can do that. Thank you. I appreciate it. It's harder to market, but you have to be your own marketer all the time. Oh yes. But at least I'm technically only in one niche.

SPEAKER_00 33:16

Yeah, there you go.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

Technically, it just comes off straight with some of my books, but I'm definitely not straight and I don't write straight. That's the only thing I don't like about my other children's series is that I come off straight and then people go, Oh, wait. Oh. That's it. Criticism for myself on that. All right. Our next question. I'm getting lost.

SPEAKER_00 33:39

You're good.

SPEAKER_01 33:39

Oh, how long? Well, you've already done this question. I don't need to ask it. No. I'm gonna go to your dogs' names. It was a question of how long you've been a booktuber influencer. You technically did that already. I did.

SPEAKER_00 33:51

I did a two for one earlier. You did. I did it really well too. My dogs. I have two babies, one that who is a pandemic baby. Her name's Ellie, and she is named after Ellie from The Last of Us. So that's Ellie. She's a Yorkie something mix, and she's a love. I freaking love both these dogs. And then Yoshi, who's a little crackhead. And obviously named after Yoshi from Mario. So my wife and I were we are dinks. We are dual income, no kids. Love that. That's the best ever. Just dogs who take up all of our income. So we game a lot. We watch movies. We have live, we have Legos all over the house. We have a library. Library. Library. Let me try and actually announce you words. It's okay if you don't. And so that's how we spend most of our time. And we game together, we watch movies together. We I love spending my time with her. She's my best friend. I digress. So we named our dogs after I got Ellie because we we both love The Last of Us. It's both one of our favorite games of all time, especially part two. I'm very excited for the second season of the show. And then Yoshi, Jesse just loves my Jesse, loves Mario, and she grew up playing that. I did not grow really grow up with a Nintendo, but she did. And she's how about Yoshi? And I'm like, yes. But her since you love Pokemon so much, I gave her a Pokemon name because we call her Spoo. Like I call her Pooh all the time, but her Pokemon name is Spoodlewoodle. Thank you. I love that. That's a good name. My girls, they're not bald, and I love them. Both terrier mixes, both very small, both little crackheads. Okay. That's all you can expect from little terrier mixes.

SPEAKER_01 35:42

Those crackheads. You have dogs? Uh, I did. I've grown up with the animals. I do. I have two kitties right now. My small dog that I did have actually died a year ago. Her name was Millie. And then I have Matilda, who's in my room right now. She's one who's made a screen appearance for one of my YouTube videos. I think it was my React video to myself on the cult, but uh I call her Tilly, aka Tilly, Matilda, but she is technically named after Matilda from the movie. Matilda. Uh she's a smart girl. And then there's Max, her brother, and he is they're both very sweet kitties, but they both have a lot of energy and like to climb up walls like spider kitties. And they like to chase each other and bite each other randomly. And I love them both dearly. And yeah, I know my mom because she is my roommate. I have no shame in that. Um, she has favoritism over Max, and Tilly is the one who gets the not favoritism from her, but that's okay because she gets the favoritism from me. Tilly is my golden child. Max is too, they both are, but Tilly's the one who gives me more attention, so you love the best girl in different ways.

SPEAKER_00 36:57

It's fine.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

Yes, with Max, he likes to squish me and sleep on me. And with Tilly, she likes to start off that way and then go to my legs, and then she goes everywhere. And then she likes to stay near me. For every interview I've had her, she normally comes on my bed, or she'll walk across and go to her favorite window. Or if I accidentally shut the door, which I've learned to never do and keep it open, she'll scream at me of let me in now.

SPEAKER_00 37:24

I understand that. Yoshi is extremely vocal, and if something is bothering her or she wants something, if you're you don't have to scream about it. I do though. I do. Like, well, thanks. Liz, let the whole neighborhood know that I'm like trying to dry your paws, and she's moment I'm like it. I'm like listening, like screaming. I'm like, not hurting you. I promise you. Like you're touching my let's like scratch, scratch.

SPEAKER_01 37:54

That's it's not it's not active screaming. No, but it is active scratching from her kitty spider kitty days. She can go higher than her brother. He weighs more, to nicely put it. She's definitely the skinnier one and can just climb up. She could literally be like from Spider-Man. And I'm I love Spider-Man too, but she could be Spider-Man, but she's a Spider Kitty. So I tell her no Spider Kitty when I don't want her climbing up walls. No Spider Kitty. But yeah, I'm very close to my two children. I count them as my children. How can you not? Yeah. So technically, I just have cat babies that are furry. They they as I take a lot. There are dog turrs, the daughter, dog tur. I like stuff. Yes, exactly. See? And I used to have a third child, but yes, we'll eventually adopt a dog again. I don't know when, but at some point this year I do know that that is as far as my knowledge goes. Because I do love all animals, and I don't do well without having lots of animals.

SPEAKER_00 38:58

I relate to animals, they're very relatable and comforting. And Christoph was not wrong when he said reindeer are better than people. Fully agree. I second that.

SPEAKER_01 39:09

Fully agree with that. That's a good song reference, too.

SPEAKER_00 39:12

But yeah, it's true. I I'm a Disney as I have my Mickey necklace on. I worked at Disney and I love Disney. I did the college program.

SPEAKER_01 39:22

Oh nice. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:23

Fun facts about Siammy.

SPEAKER_01 39:26

I love Disney too, but I'm more of on, at least as of lately, just on the marble side of Disney. If it's I love Scarlet Witch and the Spider-Man, and that's as far as it goes. At least you try to make me go outside a lot. Nope. Like Miles Morales, specifically Spider-Man. I don't care about the white Spider-Man because they're not as cool as Miles Morales. Just saying. Yeah, Miles Morales has the best storyline out of them all, period. I literally am fans of storylines. That's what I pay attention to. And he has the best storyline ever and speaks Spanish. Miles Morales is multi-talented compared to all the other Spider-Men. Yeah. He is ping compared to the rest. Have you played the video games? I have not. I was gifted actually a Switch. And because I'm having my sibling and I grew up fighting over gaming, and they won most of the time. Yeah. I never was into games until I left the cult and was introduced to different communities on Twitch. So I'm working my way to gaming. Right now I have a kitty game and a Pokemon game. And I was just told by a group of people because I'm going to try writing an article and do my own review on a game. So I can possibly get a position writing reviews on games for a crappy pay, but I would like to do some writing besides my books for a living, too, on top of YouTube. I'm going to start trying to play more games. It's just a gradual process for me. I started playing the kitty game. It's where you're pretty much like a kitty knight and you go talk to the village people. I've made it to two parts of the story so far. I do story games. That's it. I do everything in my life is story oriented. If it's not story-oriented, I'm not doing it. It's as simple as that. These are the games I have. So I guess Katria Fables. That's one of the ones. And then Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. That one's a good one. I've only started this one. I haven't played this one yet. And then there's a third one called Unpacking that I'm looking into get so I can review and write a review. I don't want to just hear about, hey, this is a good book for you to write that book. Good game for you to write a review about. I want to play it and immerse myself in it too.

SPEAKER_00 41:40

I will say the one thing with the Switch, the Spider-Man games are exclusive to Sony. Boo. So they're only on as of right now. You can get the first game, and I think maybe Miles on Steam, maybe, which is PC gaming, but you can't get them on Switch yet. Boo, that sucks. Then I just need to steal that from my sibling. They're gamers. Yes, I'm exclusives. Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Miles Morales, and then Spider-Man 2. I would only do Miles Morales. That's the only one I would do. Miles is in Spider-Man 2. Oh, okay.

unknown 42:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:12

Oh, I think I've seen on Square Venom.

SPEAKER_01 42:15

Oh, okay. You get to switch between playing them. It's really cool. I will absolutely do that. When it will happen is questionable, but I will absolutely do that. Just know that. The hyperfixation on Spider-Man. It's not like I also I love I also love Miles. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Team Miles all the way. And then have you checked out Scarlet Witch?

SPEAKER_00 42:34

Um I've I watched the TV show and I in a few of the other stuff, but I haven't read any of the comics for her or anything besides that. She is queer-coded technically in the comics.

SPEAKER_01 42:45

Like I learned her history through fixation. I was an obsession with her due to WandaVision. But yeah, she actually is queer-coated, and she is technically from her time period, at least in the 70s, I think she was made. I don't know. No quoting me on exact timeline. But she was the first queerish seeming Marvel character to exist. At least in her time period, she had that impact because she is definitely not straight. And she just saying, she's definitely not straight. Yes, she was made by a white cis male, but she's definitely not straight. But I like the fact that she's not a good guy or a bad guy. That's also part of what I love about her, and the fact that she is an actual mom hero, superhero.

SPEAKER_00 43:33

The morally gray are the always some of my favorites.

SPEAKER_01 43:36

Oh yeah. And I guess Miles Morales in the second one becomes morally gray due to the multiverse, which also exists for scrub. I like I guess I like characters with multiverses. That's that. I just noticed that theme within myself. Miles Morales multiverse, spiderverse with something has put inside of me. Yeah, the multiverse. Just like with books, there is a multiverse of book. I could totally play with this continuously. Let's see. How do you feel? Even though you kind of went over this, but I guess you can go even more into this. How do you feel as a reader/slash influencer? Everyone can make a difference with the representation in books and just media everywhere.

SPEAKER_00 44:22

I think, like I said, I think there needs to be more representation in general inside our community. It can't just all be white. It can't just all be either gay or sapphic. It needs to be, there needs to be ace rep, there needs to be arrow rep, trans rep, non-binary rep, there across all minorities, again, across all genders, sexualities. There just needs to be more. And that's full stop. That's there just needs to be more. And these shows need shows, books, movies, what have you need to not be canceled because there aren't the viewership. There are the viewership, it's just you're not marketing them. But as an influencer, can I make a difference in this? Probably not. I again I'm just a footprint here, but I can make a difference to maybe my community. I have been very lucky with people like you who followed me from the beginning or have just maybe started following me and are new to my community. And those are the people who I know I can make a difference for who like what I have to say, who are interested in what I have to say and are like, hey, maybe I'm gonna pick up an indigenous polyamorous book. Maybe I'm going to pick up a trans Peter Pan retelling. Maybe now, since I like, because I'm not gonna make a difference in one per in the mass general's life. I but me as an influencer, I can make a difference in maybe one person's life. And I think that's good enough for me. I feel like you've done thousands or more.

SPEAKER_01 45:47

At least that's just my personal opinion that I feel like you've I appreciate.

SPEAKER_00 45:52

But if I I've talked to my wife about this and I've talked to my mom about this and many people in my family, if it stops bringing me joy, if I'm not happy, it's not something that I'd be doing. But I know that I can make a difference in maybe one person's life. That's all that matters. As long as I'm bringing other people happiness and I am still finding joy in it, that's what matters. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 46:16

And you're educating people too, at least for me personally, because when you are, I'm gonna bring up cults because that's a forever recovery process in general. At least for me, first coming out and then dealing with the toxic side of community. It was a breath of fresh air to actually be following someone healthy and going off of books that are representing everyone, because that's what I specifically look for personally when I'm looking for book recommendations, because I don't have that knowledge, as I'm also still learning parts of the community and learning language, because I've definitely gotten yelled at before for not using correct language, which was scary.

SPEAKER_00 46:56

So I apologize. No, no, no. First of all, I don't think anyone should ever yell at anyone. I think there's people are always learning. I'm always learning. There are people who are in are in drenched in the queer community who are still always going to be learning because things are always changing. We're always learning new things about ourselves, our community, the people around us. And you should never be yelled at for something that you've just learned or something that's new to you. If you're like being, I don't know, homophobic, transphobe, all the other X, Y's, or Z's, yeah, yell at them. But it's if you're learning, you're making an effort, and that's all that matters. I am definitely still learning and digging my feet deep within just reading.

SPEAKER_01 47:43

I'm personally more of on the Sapphic side. I will absolutely read if there's a favorite author, which I do have. If she writes, gay, I'm gonna read it. But I'm more of going towards Sapphic. So when you do your recommendations, I focus, hyper focus on Sapphic or anything within that realm, or comics, which I've had other booktubers, which for me, once I have the same for a long period of time, it's hard for me to fully my rigid side fully get to new people. But thanks to my own YouTube channel, I've been having to push myself outside of more of that. And it's fun because then I can find sapphic and even trans. There's a really pretty, you'll probably know the name. It's a comic, and it's definitely of the trans experience. Star something. It's one of the first books I actually read into. It's not a series, it's a standalone book.

SPEAKER_00 48:35

I have about an alien species, right? Correct. Yes, yes, yes. I know who's why uh uh Axelrod is the last name.

SPEAKER_01 48:43

Yes, that's a really good, at least trans representation story that I've read. I have one other book. I'm trying to get more trans rep to within my own collection because I definitely mainly go towards those who are not quite. If you want a trans Peter pan retelling, Peter Darling. Peter Darling. Okay, I need to add that.

SPEAKER_00 49:04

Peter Darling.

SPEAKER_01 49:05

You should see all my notes right now. I have a lot of books added on Peter.

SPEAKER_00 49:13

It is also dragons, but it is 500 pages, I will have you know. So maybe not possibly, but that is To Shape a Dragon's Brath by Monaco Blackoose, and also an absolute masterpiece of a book. I'm still putting it down there. That one just might take me a year to read, but it's okay. The sequel is not out yet. Okay, thank goodness. Then I can hyper focus on what I'm currently reading. Like, how do you read so much? I'm reading five books right now. How do you remember them? I write everything down.

SPEAKER_01 49:43

Oh wow, I like that. With me, I keep it up here. The only time I have to write down stuff is literally for interviews and questions and stuff, because that's stuff I can't hold in my head. I can hold information about books and people.

SPEAKER_00 49:56

Yep. I've been hidden, I've had seven major concussions. Like, okay. Have you seen Fifty First Dates? Yes, I love that movie. Awesome. Okay, I'm a 10-second Tom. You tell me something, you tell me your name, I'm like, yes, I've got it. 10 seconds later, what is your name? What is this? I know I have no memory of this place. That's okay. Good thing the interview is recorded. That's all I have to say with that. And then if it's a hyperfixation, I'm like, I know all of this information and I can tell you everything about it. That is it. And then I'm SpongeBob because all he knows is fine dining, fine dining and breathing, but we forgot his name. That is, those are my two personalities, and that's all I have. And obviously, that's the end of the interview. I'm kidding. The end.

SPEAKER_01 50:44

Bye, everyone. That would be an interesting way to end this. I have hyperfixation personality, and then know every single fact and small detail about people that they don't want to know about themselves, and on top of the kids I work with during the day, and though technically that falls into my job, anyways. But then yeah, I can literally do details in depth, and then when it comes to stuff that you're supposed to know details of, like important work of paperwork and stuff, I don't pay attention to those details. So that's why I said all I do is books and people, and that's as far as oops, and that's I can't quote movies either. I can't quote anything. Oh, I can quote movies. That's that shit sticks in my head. I can't do it that has to be so specific and keeps my intention, just like with a book, too, or else has nothing, unless I've watched it a lot, like Fried Green Tomatoes. I'm trying to think of something else. Beauty and the Bees, The Last Raya and the Last Dragon, which is one of my favorites ever. Speaking of queer-coded characters, here we go. Yeah, but it's so well represented, and I'm obsessed with that movie. I've rewatched it. It's a comfort film of mine. I will literally go to it and rewatch and rewatch. Just drives me crazy. I rewatched last night, but that has zero queer code to it. Actually, it does have some, considering its time period. But have you seen Drive Me Crazy? Yes. Yes. There is a little queer coding that I didn't realize because I rewatched it last night and only skipped over the parts I can't stand. But there is some queer coding in there. And I never realized how blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah it was. But it's very cock talk through.

SPEAKER_00 52:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:29

I can't do that stuff. I literally have to watch mainly cartoons. That's that tends to keep my attention. I can't watch real people unless the plot line continues fast within five minutes. That's literally my attention span range. It has to be within the first five minutes. If it's not, I can't do it. Like drive me crazy. I can do certain parts of it because it's within five minutes, something new happens. Yeah, I get it. But yeah, it's both sorry. I thought of that. And see, it wasn't a guarantee I was gonna say sorry. I can track myself too. I do that to keep my attention somehow. Um welcome to me, Sammy. I don't hide anything even on a recording. That's neither do I. It's all out there. There we go. See, we both do it the same way. And I don't know if you have seen it, even in the docuseries, even though it is very well edited by Inval Lesnar, who she is, I believe, I don't want to say what she is, but she has immigrant background and speaks Hebrew. And I don't know what other languages she speaks, but I love her very much. So I'm putting that out there. Of she's the editor, one of the head editors. If you check out my interview series of behind the scenes of Escaping Twin Flames, you'll get to hear some of her talk. She's really cool, but very unaccomfort human of mine. But yes, sidetracked. I just thought that was important because she that she does fall in line. She's not technically part of the LGBTQIA community, but she does have similar experiences still technically within her own life. And she's worked her butt off to get to where she is, and she has got an award for our series. Her team and Mimi, who I will be interviewing near the end of the month. Mimi and the rest of her editing team, something laying is five people or six. Kevin something Hubbard, I don't know his last name. There's five of them. I'm trying to make sure to say it so they know. I know it's them together as a team. They won an award. It's an Eddie award. I guess it's important. Cecilia told me it's important. So it's important. And right now the docuseries is up for Emmy eligible, so it means hasn't been nominated yet, but for three awards, it's eligible for, which is editing, of course, directing. So Cecilia, so it goes involved, Cecilia, and then the series itself. So myself, the contributor, and everyone behind the scenes and in front of the camera. It's so cool. I thought that was important. Especially because of the representation within that docuseries itself. So it's very exciting. I really want a season two, so I keep on hyping that up publicly. I had to take that opportunity. Please don't ever stop taking the opportunity. It's exciting because Docu series eligibility. I cannot say nominated yet, but eligibility. I'm hoping that they will take in itself, in all honesty. Yeah. And one award at least so far. The Docu series has gotten an editing, which is exciting. Go editing team. Mimi. All names. I won't remember everyone's names. All team. Go team.

SPEAKER_00 55:49

Like people come up in the Oscars and they have those lists and they're like, let me thank the plethora of lists so I don't forget any names.

SPEAKER_01 55:56

I would totally need that. I did do an award that you see back here. But it was for my poetry book of song and poetry. It was a seasonal, this one's seasonal, and then I got an actual second place an award. And I only have it on one of my poetry books, the seasonal. I went, I don't want to go through the process of putting the other one. So it's gonna just stay with showing at least this one on the book itself for those interested in poetry.

SPEAKER_00 56:34

Poetry is not my thing, but I will say sapphic poetry is always my thing. It does have Sapphic in there, but it's a mixture of a lot of stuff. I will say, so I don't know if you watch Bridgerton at all, but I recently in the last few years have gotten into Regency romances or historical romances, and I'm like, I've always hated them, and then all of a sudden I've found these sapphic historical and regency romances. I'm like, why have I never loved them before? And I'm like, oh yes, I found out why.

SPEAKER_01 57:03

Oh yes, that's funny. I've seen the advertising for Bridgerton, but I've never gotten into it. I did try watching the first episode, but within five minutes it lost my attention, so I haven't gone back since. Just so you know, that's literally it's valid. Yeah, I don't based on what you've told me on TV shows, it's not gonna be your thing, and that's okay. I tried though, because I wanted to try to fit in and be a part of the conversation with everyone, but I can't because I don't have the attention span.

SPEAKER_00 57:29

Also, just watch the if you want to be in on the conversations, be like, I totally watched the season. I watched the recaps and I know everything that's happening. I could do that, that I have the attention. I I'm gonna listen to those recaps are core. It's three minutes. I what I need to know, let's go.

SPEAKER_01 57:45

I'm totally doing that. Thank you, Sammy. Good advice. And now the most important part of our interview. Are you ready? Let them know where they can find you so they can follow you and be a part of your book club. Go be a part of Sammy's book club.

SPEAKER_00 57:58

You can find me on every uh other than X. I do not do the Twitter, the X, the Twitter. The Twitter. I don't do Twitter. I can't. That's one social media I cannot keep up with. I barely post on threads, but every other form of social media you can find me on. TikTok is where I mainly post under Books, Dogs, and Coffee, YouTube, Instagram. You can find me Books, Dogs, and Coffee with a 9-1 at the end. And then more recently, I have started a bindery account, which is Patreon, but for bookish content creators. But you can find me at binderybooks.com for that. It's completely free. I do have paid tiers on there, but please go to the free side because I understand not everyone can pay for anything in this account. Free content. And then I also have my book club, Pause Pages, and Bruise on Fable. It is an app. It's on iOS and Android. So you can join the book club through there. Again, we read BIPOC Queer, Minority, Any Own Voices, Authors every month, and we vote on which books to read. And I'll also put it down in the description below.

SPEAKER_01 59:06

So yeah, some of those I'll actually have to get the link from me from because I I do have some of those links already, just because I follow you. But some of those I definitely will need links to, but they'll be down below. Please be a part of Sammy's Look Club and just follow her in general, learn stuff. And thanks so much for being here, everyone. Which is uh I hope you enjoyed this episode with many more to come. Please if you'd like to help leave a comment and grow, whether it's positive or not, the podcast for everybody, even the YouTube channel. Whether it's a channel, please follow, like, subscribe, but leave a comment down below on Spotify. Please say hi. Apple Podcasts or anywhere you listen to this podcast. Thanks so much for being here. And until next week, tell your story on Wednesday at 7 a.m. Tell your story because you all have a story to tell. And thanks so much for being here, Sammy.