meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Currently Reading Podcast

Season 2, Episode 11: What It's Like to have 70K Followers on Bookstagram :: Special Guest Host Sara Hildreth of @fictionmatters

The Currently Reading Podcast

Meredith Schwartz

Arts, Books, Society & Culture

4.61.8K Ratings

🗓️ 14 October 2019

⏱️ 63 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Meredith and Kaytee are recording with a special guest this week, Sara Hildreth of @fictionmatters on Instagram. We'll chat with her about building a 70K follower account and how that affects her reading life.

You'll hear a "bookish moment of the week" from each of us: a long-awaited pre-order arrives, a forthcoming release that we're excited to read, and exploring a new literary scene.

Next, we discuss our current reads for the week. We are each sharing two books that we've read recently. We've got some differing opinions about books we've all read, which is my FAVORITE thing.

We'll move on to a short Slow But Steady update from each of us, with more observations about what Slow But Steady can be and doesn't have to be.

For our deep dive this week, we are going deep into the backside of #bookstagram, asking Sara about her history on the platform, how she keeps her reading life in balance, and her favorite and least favorite parts of being a BIG bookstagrammer.

Finally, this week, we are Pressing Books Into Your Hands. Each of us is sharing a book that we can't wait for you to read.

As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!*  

.

.

.

.

.

1:13 - @fictionmatters on Instagram

2:12 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling, Illustration Edition

3:35 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

3:47 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

6:46 - The Familiars by Stacy Halls

7:09 -The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

10:37 - Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

13:15 - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

16:36 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

16:37 - Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

17:11 - She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

19:25 - Bad Blood by John Kerryrou

21:42 - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

21:57 - The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

22:15 - The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton

22:19 - Episode 11 of Season 1

25:13 - The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

26:51 - Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

26:57 - Mary Heim in Episode 36 of Season 1

28:15 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling

30:43 - Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

30:57 - North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

31:05 - On Writing by Stephen King

31:24 - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

31:32 - Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery

32:28 - The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander #5)

32:43 - How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

52:52 - Possession by A.S. Byatt

57:22 - The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

59:33 - I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam

1:01:31 - Connect with Sara: @fictionmatters on Instagram, fictionmattersbooks.com

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hey readers, welcome to the currently reading podcast. We are two bookish best friends who spend time every week talking about the books that we've read recently, and you should know we won't shy away from having strong opinions so get ready.

0:24.5

We are light on the chit chat, heavy on the book talk and our descriptions will always

0:28.0

be spoiler free.

0:29.6

We'll discuss our current reads, a bookish deep dive, and this week we are pressing books into your hands.

0:34.9

I'm Meredith Monday Schwartz, a mom of four, and full-time CEO living in Austin, Texas. And it turns out I like reading just as much in the lone star state as I did in the

0:44.6

golden state. And I'm Katie Kom a homeschooling mama for living in New Mexico and I

0:50.3

love how booksagram can build real friendships and connections between readers.

0:55.0

This is episode number 11 of season 2 and we are so glad you're here.

0:59.0

We are so glad listeners that you are here and you're going to be glad too because we are

1:03.6

joined today by Sarah Hildreth. She is one of our favorite bookstagammers

1:08.2

giving us all sorts of reading inspiration at Fiction Matters.

1:13.4

She teaches high school English at an all-girls school

1:16.1

and lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband

1:18.3

and her puppy, Mr. Bingley.

1:21.3

Sarah, we are so glad that you are joining us on currently reading.

1:26.0

Welcome.

1:27.0

Thank you.

1:28.0

I am so excited to be here.

1:29.0

We're really excited to have you.

1:31.0

It's been fun trying to coordinate all three of us us but we're here and we got it and

1:34.4

Meredith lives in Texas and it's crazy. I know and I have we have so many questions to

1:39.7

ask you about being such a successful bookstore grammar.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Meredith Schwartz, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Meredith Schwartz and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.