On this edition of Savvy Bookstagram Saturday, I get to introduce the Lovely Allister Marie. I found Ally on Tik Tok, and later on Instagram, I’ve been a huge fan ever since. Her smile is contagious, and her story is beautiful and inspiring. I may have a huge girl crush too, sorry honey still love you, lol. Let’s get started.
1). I know you love romance, what is your favorite trope?
A). Fantasy / Why Choose – Both together is perfection!!
2). How long have you been creating bookish content?
A). – I created my TikTok in 2019 (I think), and I started posting here & there in 2020, but the end of 2021 was when I started to be consistent.
3). If your book boyfriend could come to life, what would he look like and what kind of personality would he have?
A). I am all about the tall, dark-haired, beautiful eyed, morally grey, bad boys with tattoos! Love them to be powerful, strong, protective, & possessive. I LOVE when they put their women first & are the most caring, loving, & attentive significant others but I also love them to be smart asses that take no shit & can easily keep up with their badass significant other.
4). List your top 5 favorite authors?
A). I can’t list 5 😂 I have so many that I love & I would feel bad leaving out others! I recommend so many amazing authors & I love finding new ones too!
5). In the last few months, you’ve been creating more sultry posts and TikTok, Is there a reason behind it, and what advice would you give to anyone wanting to do the same but are scared?
A). I have finally found my self-worth & slowly been starting to get my confidence back. I come from a background of trauma and was a victim of DV & SA. It messed me up & completely screwed with my self-image. I’m also a mom on top of that, so for the longest time, when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t like who I saw or how I felt. It was a combination of everything, including my mental health. I was depressed, defeated, anxious, & unhappy. I am by no means fixed or 100%, but reading books with strong, powerful FMCs paired with good support from family & friends really turned things around for me. I started reading these books & wanting to be the FMC. I wanted to be powerful, strong, confident, & so on. One of the biggest things that inspired me was seeing other women on Book Tok being so vulnerable, open, & honest, & posting spicy content. Seeing them lay themselves bare & open up while dressing sexy was so incredibly empowering. So one day, I woke up & said I’m taking back my self-worth. I went out, bought some lingerie, took photos, and then posted them. It was the sexiest I had ever felt & made me feel incredible, but that wasn’t what really made me happy. It was the 4 messages I got from other women who were not only relating but felt inspired to do the same because of my post. THAT’S why I do it. It’s not just for me. It’s to empower other women & help them see how beautiful & sexy they are.
6). I have to say I loved the Meg reel as Hercules is one of my favorite Disney movies. How long have you done Cosplay? And because I haven’t done it, how fun is it, and do I need to do it immediately?
A). I used to cosplay a lot. I am a massive comic book nerd & grew up obsessed with Marvel & DC. I also was super into anime growing up as well. I’ve always loved dressing up & embodying a character I love, so I decided to start doing it again, & have been having so much fun with it! It’s so much fun & I recommend everyone to do it! Go to conventions & meet people as well. Cosplayers are some of the most loving, supportive, creative, & amazing people out there! They make it so much fun & never judge or ridicule! Everyone is doing it to have a good time & they are such great hype people!
7). If you had to describe your creative space i.e…. TikTok or Instagram what would you want people to know?
A). – It’s a safe space. It’s a space for everyone from every aspect of life. I want people to feel welcome, loved, & supported. I also want them to feel like they can reach out & talk to me about anything, not just books.
8). I heard about your Book Tok cruise, can you tell us all about it? I can’t attend this year but man will I be shaking my ass up the pier next year lol. We will have to have you back on the blog after so we can hear all about it.
A). – I just decided one day I wanted to go on another cruise but I wanted my book friends to come with me! So I booked it & posting a TikTok inviting people to come with me! I’m super excited about it & would love to make it a yearly thing!!
9). What do you do for a living? And what do you love more, your job or smutty Book Tok?
A). – I work full-time as a dispatcher so it’s a difficult job! I love what I do, but it’s not easy by any means & can be extremely difficult. I love helping people though, so no matter how hard it gets it will always be worth it. If I can help & try to save people’s lives and make some measure of a difference it is always worth it. I love reading my smutty books & it helps to keep my mind out of the dark aspects of my mind, but helping people will always come first.
10). Do you set a reading goal each year? If yes, what is your goal?
A). – nope! I don’t set a goal b/c my life & job make my schedule crazy! Plus I hyper fixate so if I set a goal & don’t meet it, it will drive me insane. I’m super competitive lol
11). Book Tok grew so fast and it’s such an amazing community with so many women celebrating reading, sharing their work, and appreciating others’ work by creating videos in honor of their books, what do you love and what do you hate about it?
A). – Like all things, there will be good & bad. I do my best to focus on the good! The biggest thing I love about BookTok is the amazing creators on there who not only recommend good books & make good content, but educate. Education is HUGE & I think it’s super important to listen to the voices of others. Educating yourself on things is what helps you grow as a person & I have learned SOO much from various people on there. I also love the community & friends I’ve made on there! We have a great support system as well & even have a discord where we all talk/converse all day every day! We don’t just talk about books either. We have support groups, mental health awareness, gym/workout groups, meal prep, recipes, spicy photo appreciation, & so much more! It’s so amazing!
12). You have someone come up to you and want a recommendation to (dip their toe in the water so to speak) by delving into romance, what’s the first book you think of? And why?
A). – I can never recommend just one. I ask people questions. What do you like? Do you want magic, mafia, romcom, etc. what kinda movies are your favorite? Etc. I get to know the person & that helps me to recommend the right book. Everyone is different.
13). Do you snack while you read? and if you do what’s your favorite beverage and snack?
A). Not really. Sometimes I do, but I usually read at night. If I do snacks, I have been trying to eat healthier, so fruits, chicken, etc. when I’m being unhealthy it’s twin snakes, gummies, flaming hot munchies / hot fries, jolly rancher chews, etc. I love food in general so I eat everything
14). Are there any red flags that your favorite book boyfriends have that you think man, that is hot but in real life would run for the hills?
A). There are tons. I had a real-life stalker & that was terrifying, but in books it’s hot. If my man was a serial killer in real life, that would be a massive red flag. If he sent me a pair of hands in the mail from any man who touched me, he probably wouldn’t go over well. So yea! There are so many red flags in fictional characters, but I love it, lol
15). Before we go, Tell me three things about you that I’ll find interesting.
A).
Omg idk where, to begin with this. I train in MMA.
I have many medical issues including Autoimmune disease, multiple surgeries, chronic pain etc.
I used to be a competitive Latin ballroom dancer. I’ve traveled to a bunch of different countries. I’m an open book! You can ask me anything. I also have lots of crazy stories too! I’ve been through some shit, but it’s all for the plot 😆
If you would like to catch up with Ally and follow her content, learn more about the cruise, which sets sail in April with hopefully a second one next year. Here are all her socials.
Socials are IG : Allistersreads
TikTok: AllisterMarie
Facebook: Allister Marie
Lemon8 & Clapper (if TikTok goes): AllisterMarie
Thank you, Ally, for stopping by and sharing your story and your passion for books, life, and safe space for all with us. I look forward to catching up with you after the cruise and getting all the deets. Till next time, my lovelies.
Love, Magnolia xx
Rustic Magnolia 