Tête-à-tête with Sulagna Mondal a.k.a. @diaryofsulagna | Indian Bookstagrammer

Today, we have with us, Sulagna Mondal a.k.a @diaryofsulagna to have a bookish conversation and talk more about her bookstagramming journey.

Know Your Bookstagrammer - Sulagna Mondal

About Sulagna in their own words:

Hi. I'm Sulagna a genderfluid soon-to-be clinical psychologist from Bengal. I come from a family of readers from where I got my love for reading. In fact, my interest in knowing the stories of others is what inspired me to choose my profession. [ Follow Sulagna on Instagram at @diaryofsulagna ]

Favorite Author(s):

Keigo Higashino and Jhumpa Lahiri

RELATED READ: List of Must Read Books by Jhumpa Lahiri

Favorite Book(s):

The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee, The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri and Malice by Keigo Higashino

Favorite Quote:

"I am a cosmic accident and soon I'll be dead."
— Dan Brown from Origin

ADD TO CART: Origin by Dan Brown

*******

Q1. What made you want to start with your bookstagram?

I started my bookstagram account in 2015. At that time I didn't know anything about bookstagram. I wanted a platform where I could just post about the books I read. I didn't expect there wold be tons if like-minded people who I'd be able to connect with.

Q2. What do you do when you’re not reading?

If I'm not reading books, I would be reading mangas and webtoons. Or I'd watch anime. I have a constant urge to read. It could be anything. It could be reddit posts as well.

Q3. What makes a good book, in your opinion?

It should be meaningful to the reader. For me, good books are those with which I'd be able to connect with, if not the characters, then the story. If not the story, then the emotions the book is evoking.

Q4. Which book(s) do you think deserves a screen adaptation?

I'd really love a screen adaptation of The Lives of Others (it's not a well-known book, it's a hidden gem) and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (it would be Game of Thrones level epic) .

Q5. What book do you wish you could experience again for the first time?

I really wish I could read the Percy Jackson books for the first time again.

ADD TO CART: Percy Jackson Ultimate Collection

Q6. What book(s) have remarkably changed your perspective on a given subject or life in general and how?

Definitely The Lives of Others and The Lowland have changed my perspective of the naxalite movement on India. Bother these books helped me see the movement from the other side.

Q7. The photos you click are absolutely gorgeous! For someone who's just starting out with Bookstagram or reviewing books, what’s the secret to creating great book photos?

Natural lighting is the most important thing. Next you can go through some VSCO filters on Pinterest and select which one suits your aesthetic the most. Accordingly edit your pictures in VSCO. Don't use the filters on Instagram as it ruins the quality of your pictures.

Q8. What tools do you use for your blog and bookstagramming?

My go to photo editor is Fotor, which helps me to automatically enhance my pictures. Then I go to VSCO to add the pre-edited filter. Sometimes I used Snapseed to adjust the brightness and contrast of my pictures. For blog, WordPress and Blogspot would be the best options. I use Snapseed to make my headers on my blog.

Q9. Where do you get your inspiration from? And how you overcome the days of non-inspiration where you cannot get anything done?

I honestly let it be. I don't force myself to click pictures when I'm in a creative block. I also take pictures of my books in the garden or outdoors because there's no hard and fast rule that all your pictures should be flatlays.

Q10. Who are your favourite female character? And what common mistakes do writers make while writing female characters?

Katniss Everdeen hands down. Nowadays authors tend to make female characters who are all physically strong and badass but in doing so they make these characters apathetic and one-dimensional. A good female character would have a mix of all emotions.

Q11. We have seen you posting about webcomics. What are your top recommendations from there, especially if someone wants to get into it?

I definitely recommend Na Yoonhee's works. Her webcomics evoke such heavy emotions. Whale Star is my favourite webtoon by her. Other two recommendation would be A Good Day To Be A Dog and Unholy Blood (for the action lovers)

Q12. What stories/books from India do you hope to see more of?

More sapphic romance in the YA Contemporary genre.

Q13. What is the best advice you have received and how that has improved you?

I honestly haven't heard any advice about bookstagramming but once in a while when someone messages me and tells me they love my page, it pushes me further to improve myself. Other bookstagrammers on the platform are a constant inspiration to me.

*******

Rapid Fire:

The weirdest thing you have used as bookmark: my debit card

Top 3 fav genres: Mystery, Romance and Literary fiction

Name the first three books you think of: We Were Liars, The Girl and The Ghost, and The Hunger Games

Best book that you have received as a gift: The Alchemist (gifted by my best friend)

Top 5 books on your TBR:  A Little Life, Silent Parade, Love on the Brain, The Thursday Murder Club, and The Bride Test.

*******

Fill in the blanks:

I am currently reading: The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell

I lost my sleep reading: Beach Read by Emily Henry

I got out of a slump reading: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

*******

Check out more from our KNOW YOUR BOOKSTAGRAMMER Series - CLICK HERE