As a child, creativity was embraced in your home. Your mom is a fashion designer, and you grew up making your own magazine articles. What was it like growing up around that? 

So inspiring! Spending hours in fabric shops, fashion houses and sewing rooms definitely had an impact on me. I have always had a love of fashion because I admire my mum’s creative flare so much. I used to sit and watch her create something from nothing, and it’s that concept that fascinated me. So I used to try and do the same in my own way. For quite a few years, my goal was to become a fashion journalist, because I wanted to combine my love of writing and clothes. As I got to know the industry, my ambitions changed. But I still love being creative, and I still happily sit and watch my mum design and sew.

You also grew up in a single-parent household, and your mom taught you the value of a pound early on, which is something I’ve come to appreciate in my life, as I grow up. How has that impacted you?

It has helped me appreciate the simple things and develop an industrious spirit. As I said, my mum can make something out of nothing, and not just when it comes to fabric. She was kind of like a superhero growing up, and her independence and work ethic rubbed off on me. At the same time, understanding the value of money has helped me to have a healthy view of money. Like most people, I worry about finances now and then. And I can’t deny how a full bank account can ease daily stresses. But I strive for other things besides wealth, which I think that comes from learning to live with little. I can find contentment in the simple things very easily.

In one of your blog posts, you talked about being the only Black girl in the room, and being one of the few families in your town. First, I’m so sorry that you’ve been subjected to racist comments. That’s not okay. I think, personally, I’ve found our differences are very much apparent to ourselves, but others sometimes don’t notice - why that is, I don’t know. Maybe we’re more concerned about how people perceive us and less about how we perceive others. Yet, as everyone collectively continues to acknowledge, learn, and educate themselves more and more, we’re all recognizing that the lack of noticing is itself a major problem. Looking back on what you’ve felt, what is something you wish people knew?

Education is necessary, and I’m happy to see more people taking it seriously. I wish people knew how hurtful their ignorance and lack of empathy can be. It doesn’t take much brain power to consider others just as human as you, it should be instinctive. No one is second best because of the colour of their skin. I also wish people would try to see the stereotypes in modern media as what they are: stereotypes. Construction for nothing more than entertainment. They create an idea that a person of a certain colour or ethnicity should act a certain way. But the jokes, the costumes, the imitations, the remarks, and the comments hurt and continue to hurt for a long time.

How did you learn to love the skin you’re in?

Years and years of trying. And even now, I still have days where I struggle with my self-esteem because it has been knocked so hard in the past. But I’m surrounded by plenty of naturally confident women who look just like me - that really helps. I also take inspiration from the incredible characters I meet in books. This is why representation is so important.

I agree. Speaking of books, I first found you on Instagram through a book photo you had posted. When did your love of reading start?

I have loved books for as long as I can remember. My mum says she discovered me reading by myself at 3, and after that there was no stopping me. I was obsessed with Matilda Wormwood and bookish Disney characters like Belle. To be like them, I would also sit and read books. Then I started to love the characters in the books I was reading, so I read more. Books became a comfort. In every photo of me from my early childhood, I’m holding a book or huddled in a corner reading. It has always just made me so happy, and always been the best way to escape.

Quite a few of the people I know kind of stop reading for fun when school gets really literature-intensive, and assignments get a bit more labored. Have you experienced this at all?

Yes! When I started secondary school, there were way too many distractions and I read a book a year, usually the one I was assigned for homework. Anything was more exciting than a book at that age. But I studied English Language and Literature in the later years at school, and that actually reestablished my love of reading. So by the time I graduated, I was back to reading about 50 a year. It dipped a little again, but in 2018 my love of books came rushing back.

I think another thing that maybe turns people off from reading for fun is that in school, we’re taught to find the “themes” within books, to deeply analyze and find the metaphors and symbolism and all of that. When you read, do you do that? Do you find that it enriches the novel, or is there less of a purpose behind it that school teaches?

I can’t help it, haha! It’s like it was drilled into me and now I over-analyse everything, looking for the hidden message or the deeper meaning. But to be honest, not every reading experience has to be that heavy. Not every novel you pick up has this profound message hidden in the chapters, and looking too hard takes away the fun. Sometimes a book is just good because you enjoyed reading it. I don’t think annotating pages will always enrich the reading experience. I definitely wish my teachers had put more emphasis on the fact that an author creates to teach or entertain. And if a book entertained you, or it taught you something, I think their job is done.

What’s a lesson you’ve learned through reading - whether it’s through hitting a goal, staying dedicated, a takeaway from a particular book, or something different?

I’ve learned that creativity has no limits and takes many forms. You can be creative in the way you achieve your goals, the way you make your breakfast, or the way you interact with another person. It’s a really hard notion to define or set hard rules for, and that’s what I love about it.

Your blog features lots of book reviews and monthly-round ups. What does your reading schedule look like? 

My reading schedule doesn’t really exist. I read the most during my lunch break and before I go to bed, but I listen to audiobooks when I’m driving or cleaning, and sometimes I’ll dedicate a weekend to flying through pages. It’s very much if and when I have time. 

This might be an impossible question, but what are your favorite books?

My favourite books?! That’s like choosing a favourite child! Still, there are a few that pop into my mind: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shutterfly, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Animal Farm by George Orwell, The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Speaking of favorites, what is your favorite part about reading? For me, it’s that I get to live a million lives in one, and in a way that film doesn’t quite replicate.

That’s a good one! I love the escape. I really like how I can open a book and almost fall into the pages. A good story is absorbing, and my favourite thing is how easy it is to get lost in it.

One thing I admire about you is how goal-oriented you are. You share your goals on your blog, so you aren’t afraid to speak them into existence and share them with others. 2020 has been unpredictable in some ways, but what are some of your goals for the last few months of the year?

Thank you! My biggest goal right now is to improve my photography. I really love it as a hobby, and I want to get to know the ins and outs of the craft. I also have a goal of working on more campaigns with brands. I love creating flat lays and lifestyle content, and more projects coming my way would be fun. And I also have a goal of reaching 10k followers on Instagram. It’s not something I can actively change, but it will be nice if I ever reach it.

I think you will! When the going gets tough, or when those unforeseen circumstances do come about, what’s your secret for sticking to a goal?

Break it down. This is where the journal comes in. Discouragement is just a part of being human - it happens. So, I like to remind myself of why I started. I write out the goal, why I want to achieve it and how I’m hoping to get there. It’s one of the best ways for me to stir up motivation to keep going. 

Another thing I really admire about you is that you don’t shy away from more serious topics on your blog. One subject you’ve touched on is friendship, particularly how not every friendship is forever. I think friendship breakups are harder than other breakups, and I love the way you pointed out that a friendship can be good, and still end - the two aren’t mutually exclusive.

Thanks so much! I’m glad you liked that post. It was a really hard one for me to put out there. At the time, my anxiety wasn’t well-managed and I had withdrawn a little from my friends. As a result, they withdrew from me, to the point of cutting me out. But I still believe friendships can be good and just reach their expiry date. I have rekindled a few and lost a few. So, I wanted a way to process the feeling of loneliness without becoming bitter, so I wrote about the tough truths that had suddenly fallen on me. 

Similarly, you’ve talked about choosing your own family, and how it’s okay to not be close with your extended family. How did you come to peace with, and accept that? How do you move past guilt, if you ever feel it?

Time and patience. I don’t feel too much guilt, but I definitely wish my entire family was closer. I have a lot of cousins, and I think it would be lovely if we were all really close. But it’s one of those “it is what it is” things, sometimes you don’t have a choice in how that aspect of life plays out. It took a while to be okay with that, but once I realised I could find family in friends, I found a huge amount of comfort. Generally, a true friend sticks closer than family anyway.

There’s criticism that the internet brings about hate and negativity, that it enhances divisions and conflict. There’s some legitimacy to that, but the internet can also bring people together, transcending borders and limitations. You live in Yorkshire; I live in San Diego, and we’re able to talk and share a love for reading and blogging. To learn more about you, what does a day in your life look like?

I love that! I really love how the internet can bring people together. 

I wake up around 6:30 and try to go for a quick walk before breakfast. It not only wakes me up, but gives me a chance to relax before the day begins. After breakfast I head to work. I run a small charity with my mum, that makes clothes for disabled people. My mum left the fashion industry and put her design skills to making the lives of the vulnerable easier. It’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. Seeing people regain their confidence and independence is incredible, even if it’s something as simple as a little alteration. 

My favourite customers are the school children. They already feel as if they stand out in some way because of their disability, and the modern fashion market is just not accessible enough. But when we create an entirely bespoke garment, or adapt their school uniform so they fit in with the rest of the pupils - the smile on their face is priceless. We’re very small, so sadly the pandemic was a huge hit on us. But it’s worth fighting to stay open, as we’re the only charity in the UK doing what we do.

After finishing work, the blogging begins. During the weekdays, the light isn’t always great so most of my photos are taken during the weekend. I write reviews, posts and do the general blog admin during the week. Because of work, every day is different, so I never know how much time I’ll have to blog, but I try to make it work! During the evenings, I do my best to wind down with a book or a scroll through Instagram before I go to bed. And then repeat!

Reading gives us the opportunity to see things from a different perspective. From one person on one side of the world to another, what is something you wish people knew about you?

That I’m very shy, which I have been told can come off as arrogance. Shy people are often misunderstood. Since childhood, I have been naturally very quiet, and it takes a lot for me to reach out to people, even online. I find it easy to be outgoing when I’m talking about books or photography, but there are some occasions where I’m a little more reserved. I know people tend to assume bloggers are egotistical, but I’m easily overwhelmed with a lot of attention on me. So I wish people knew my timidness does not equal pretentiousness. I’m just a bit awkward sometimes! But I’m working on it!

All differences, aside, what is something everyone should know how to do?

I think everyone should know how to manage their time. It’s an essential part of being an adult and one of the fundamental skills in reaching success. You don’t have to study the art of time management, but I think everyone should know how to operate productively. And show patience. I think time management and patience actually go hand in hand. We live in a world where everyone is rushing all the time, and people feel guilt for not “hustling.” At the same time, I think everyone should know how to show patience. With everyday life, with other people, and most importantly with themselves.

You’ve said your mom introduced you to the idea of a fulfilling, creative career, and I think people don’t prioritize that enough, or it gets lost in the shuffle of “real life.” it’s such a daunting question, but what do you want to be when you grow up?

I would like to be a writer/photographer/book reviewer/blogger/content creator/creative consultant. I’m hoping there’s a job out there that allows me to try all of those roles in one. If there isn’t, I guess I’ll just have to make one.

What’s next for you?

Hopefully a life as a full-time creative. But in the meantime, more book reviews, photography galleries, and lifestyle posts. I have a few social media campaigns I’m working on with amazing brands, which is very exciting. I hope jobs like that continue to find their way to me.

That’s incredible. I want to thank you for sitting down and talking with me, and agreeing to be interviewed. What makes this so special for me is that we’re getting to know each other on a deeper level, and we connected over something really internal - reading. And while we both have blogs, we’re coming together to collaborate, rather than compete, especially since we do have a shared interest. How do we get more of this not only in the blogging community, but in the world - shared, genuine connections off of shared interests and collaboration over competition?

Thank you for having me! I had fun answering your questions (and exploring your blog). Unfortunately, I think only those who want to build genuine connections and create a collaborative atmosphere can do so. It’s not possible to control the billions who are online daily. But, I think it’s important to see the value in those that do want to build up rather than compete, and go from there. Kind of like making the best of what you have, something from nothing :)

Be sure to check out Chapters of May, Anika’s lifestyle blog.

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