Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Brown.
Jasmine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been a reader since I was strong enough to lift a book, but my love for it became consistent in about third grade. My mom took me to see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in theaters and I was in such awe of the story that I begged my mom to take me to the store to get the rest of the books in the series (at the time the first three were out). I remember reading the Chamber of Secrets and getting to the plot twist at the end and just being mind blown at what I was reading. That was when I felt what reading could do, how it could make me feel excited and completely consumed by words. From that then, reading helped get me through high school, reading YA with other teenagers going through the same growing pains that I was. I was always worried growing up that I would be made fun of because of the books I was reading, so I remember always hiding them in my bag and sneaking in pages while hidden inside the bag. I was always shy and no one in my family or friend circle read, so by the time I left for college, I decided to make my @diaryofaclosetreader Instagram account as a reading diary to keep track of books I was reading and my thoughts on them. I never thought anyone would ever really care or follow my reading journey, I just did it as a way to get out how the stories I was reading were making me feel. Fast forward almost five years later, and I’ve joined a book club with other readers I’ve met online, I’ve made a few lifelong friends, and have even gotten the chance to meet some authors who have inspired and shaped so many moments of my life.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
For the first two years, it was hard for me to get over worrying about the stigma behind reading romance or YA, so I really only posted when I was reading other genres. I was worried that people would dismiss me because of my preference, but all I was doing was censoring myself. Why should I be embarrassed about reading romance and YA? Reading those genres has taught me how to navigate my feelings, how to communicate with my partner better, and has allowed me to walk in other people’s shoes and see a world different from my own. Once I decided I wasn’t doing myself any favors by censoring myself, I felt like a weight had been lifted. I was finally showing myself for the first time, and I instantly saw a difference in how I was interacting and participating in my account. I started showing my face more (I always covered up before) and love talking about books more than ever.
We’d love to hear more about Diary of a Closet Reader.
With my account, I share mini book reviews, book news, new releases, and movie adaptation updates. The thing I’m most proud of is the friendship I’ve made along the way. And nothing makes me smile more than when someone messages me that they’ve read a book because I posted about it and we go back and forth about why we loved the book.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
I think the biggest barrier is being taken seriously, especially in romance. I think there’s this stigma that it’s not “real literature” and to me, that idea is a problem. To me, reading makes me feel powerful and gives me confidence in myself, and no one who reads should feel any less than that.
Contact Info:
- Email: diaryofaclosetreader@gmail.com
- Instagram: @diaryofaclosetreader
Image Credit:
Jasmine Brown
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