Hi friend!
I hope you’re staying cool under this HOT weather. Our apartment doesn’t have central air so we have fans nonstop 🥵. In today’s newsletter we’ll chat about reaching out to bookstagram influencers, traveling with a baby (must haves), and TWO giveaways at the end. 🎉🎉
Bookstagram Dos/Don’ts (from a bookstagrammer)
If you follow my account, you’ll know I post many book reviews BUT it’s not my full or part time job; I do it for fun and to inform readers of diverse titles (niche on Latinx books). So what’s the best way to reach out to a bookstragammer (also applicable to an influencer)
Make sure you’re following their account (and have been a follower for awhile) before reaching out
Does your book/product match with the person’s page posts? For example on my page I post primarily Latinx picture books + diverse PB recs (You’ll hardly see an adult book rec)
Know how to request! Most don’t do DMs, see if they have a link on their page/website (Do your research 1st). I actually do have a book requests form but that doesn’t mean I’m going to post every book (more info on my request form)
Unless it’s a paid campaign from the direct publisher, bookstagrammers don’t take money in exchange for reviews. If I don’t love the book, it’s not getting posted. Check with your publicist if they do bookstagram campaigns with book influencers. I’m in a group of book influencers and for paid campaigns, they’re cross posted across many influencer pages which can help with outreach. If they don’t do paid campaigns, check to see if they can do a book tour (they share books to influencers to post a certain date), OR reach out to the Picture Bookstagram Guild who can chat further with you on how to arrange titles out to influencers.
Lastly, we all talk. If you happen to be rude or pushy with a reviewer, we all find out and stay clear. Be ready to pitch your book and make sure it aligns with the person you’re reaching out to.
More info on Dos/Dont’s from my friend Ale here (oldie but goodie post).
Traveling with a Baby
In July I went to visit my family in Alabama. Was it stressful to fly with a 7 month old? Oh yeah, but some things we brought along made the trip easier. The biggest thing for our baby was recreating his sleep routine to kinda match the plane so when it was bedtime he went into a sleep sack, noise machine (although I turned it off bc the plane had good white noise), & he slept outstretched. Our plane didn’t have a bassinet for request so baby rested on my My Brest Friend pillow. I made a list (here) of all the essentials if you’re ever in this situation (Also included our go-to doggy carrier with removable wheels since we traveled with our pug). Photos from our time in AL:
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Author interviews
Welcome Dolisha Mitchell & Margarita Engle. They both have 2024 releases! Let’s jump in with all things books & two giveaways! 🎉
Dolisha Mitchell
Dolisha is a writer, editor, and founder of the @blackkidlitcollective (Home of the Black Kidlit Awards). She wrote an amazing book on playtime that features all kinds of kids playing independently and with friends. You’ll see kids with hearing aids, prosthetics, and in a wheel chair just having fun. 2 Fun facts: The draft of this book was shared with me for input on the sentences. We both worked together at Little Feminist Press when they were doing the book boxes. Here’s a photo from the team:
What I love about Dolisha’s book: The book features real photographs and rhyming text. I love that the sentences at the bottom of the page are isolated so my baby can track my finger as I read each sentence. Although my baby is only 8 months, we talk (in simple words) about the ways the kids are playing in each scene and how their differences empower them. Sneak peek inside the book:
And now the interview with Dolisha. ▶️Press play for the 1.5 min video:
You can get copies of Dolisha’s books on my Bookshop (linked) & request this title at your local library too! Follow Dolisha @dolimitchell 🎉
Margarita Engle
Margarita is a Cuban American poet and author of many award-winning titles. Fun fact: Margarita was my madrina for a writing program. We worked 1:1 for 6 months on my novel in verse project (which I’m still revising). One of her releases this year is a beautiful story touching on her mother’s childhood. Eloísa's Musical Window / Eloísa y su ventanita musical is about a young girl named Eloísa who loves music but due to her family's finances, can't afford a radio. Instead, she listens to the melodies through an open window. The music is her escape through hard times. Sneak peek:
And now the interview with Margarita. ▶️ Press play for the 1.44 min video:
You can get copies of Margarita’s books on Bookshop (linked) or Amazon (linked). & request these titles at your local library too! Follow Margarita @engle.margarita
🎉 TWO G I V E A W A Y S! 🎉
Special giveaway for newsletter subscribers! Margarita and Dolisha are gifting copies of their books! Margarita is giving one winner: one copy of the English edition, one of the Spanish edition, & a classroom set of bookmarks. Dolisha is gifting a winner a copy of her board book+sticker sheet!
How to enter:
Stay subscribed to my newsletter & fill out this giveaway form ⭐️
2 Bonus entries: Follow @Aventuras.En.ESL & @engle.margarita /@dolimitchell on Instagram
️5 Bonus entries: Leave a Goodreads review for their books
Giveaway closes on Sept 13. Winner will be announced on on the next newsletter, you have time to enter!
🎉The winners of the AUG newsletter book giveaway are Yesenia Flores (THE BIG SQUEEZE) & Mariana Rios (HOW TO EAT A MANGO).
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Did you know I do educator guides & other work? Check out more of my work (here).
Until next time!
P.S. Excuse the typos, I promise there’s a human behind the screen and not a 🤖.
-Delia Ruiz @Aventuras.En.ESL