Reading Into The Power of Connection: Feature Interview With April Cote
With Diamond-Michael Scott
Instagram Message on February 14, 2021, from @the_enchanted_april
“Hello! I’m happy we’ve connected! Oh, yes, visiting Maine is a must. It is the main vacation spot of New England. It’s where people from New Hampshire and other parts go on vacation. Portland in particular has so many amazing restaurants and a great city vibe. Kennebunkport is the best small beach town, very picturesque. I recommend coming in the summer and the fall. And by the way, there are plenty of cool bookstores in Portland” — April Cote
Connection is one of my three core values (the other two being expansion and freedom). I, in fact, am fond of saying that books as the new “universal currency of connection” — a great way to meet and bond with others.
April and I met on Instagram a few months ago and we have been chatting about books since. The even better news is that “in the spirit of connection,” she graciously agreed to share more about the role that books have played in her life. Check out my interview of her below:
Tell us a little about your life journey
My name is April and I am a Californian living in Maine. I moved to Maine 15 years ago. I live in the southern part of the state with my husband, who is a structural engineer, and our two children. One is a sophomore in high school and the other is a freshman in college. Maine is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen and I love living here.
What originally fueled your love for books? And what were some of your earliest memories around reading?
My parents fueled my love of reading. They are both readers and as a family, I remember constant trips to the library and used bookstores. My mom took me and my sisters to the library every other week. We would all walk out with the max amount allowed to check out. I miss those library trips to this day.
She would also take us to a used bookstore where the books were so cheap, like $0.50 each, so we could buy armfuls.
When I was about 9 years old, my father read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy to me and my little sister. Every night we would sit down, and my dad read them to us. This is hands down one of my favorite memories from childhood. I will never forget listening to him read us the most amazing adventures I had ever heard. The magic that I experienced while he read is something I never wanted to go away. I was a reader before that, but after that, I knew I had to continue looking for that magic, and I have chased after it ever since.
Describe the significance books have played in your life
Books have been a part of my life ever since I could remember, and I can’t imagine a life without them. They were a constant comfort through life and any difficulties that I faced. It’s cliché, but they were the perfect escape. I was shy as a kid, so reading was a way for me to be an adventurous kid. I was too frightened to be around others.
How have your reading habits and interests evolved over the years?
Throughout my childhood and early adult life, I had only read fiction. I had read non-fiction here or there, but never consistently. About 15 years ago, I started reading memoirs, which led me down the path of reading more nonfiction. Now I read a mix of both. I always have 4 or 5 books that I am reading at once, so one or two will be fiction, and a couple of nonfiction. I also discovered audiobooks many years ago when I had a long commute. That changed my reading experience greatly, and now I am never without a book going on in the background. The most used sentence in my vocabulary is “Hold on, I need to pause my book.”
Who are 2-3 of your favorite authors and why?
This is a tough question. After a lifetime of reading, there are many authors that have made a huge impact in my life. Since I was a kid, because of my dad reading me The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien has and will continue to be a favorite, since that is where the real magic of reading started.
Maya Angelou was the author who got me to fall in love with memoirs. Because of her books, I realized that we all need to read more about people’s lives and stories. It’s how we learn, and how we can empathize with a situation we may never experience otherwise. Her writing is poetic, and her stories are so courageous and inspiring. I tell everyone that I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a must-read.
Are there any writers in your family?
There are — My father, Wayne Barrett, and my daughter Guinevere. (Yes, her name came from the story of King Author, another childhood favorite of mine.) are both incredible writers. And I’m saying this not because they are family but because they are truly great at what they do.
My father is a published indie author. He writes horror and thrillers. I will never forget the first horror short story of his I read in high school. I got chills. I couldn’t believe my own father could scare me like that! I loved it. Whenever I read his books, I am in awe of the horror he can create and just how damn good he can write.
My daughter Guinevere writes beyond her years. When she was in middle school, she wrote a horror story. When my dad read it, he said he was intimidated by her and that he couldn’t believe she could write the type of characters she did. In high school, she wrote a short story about a man who is in purgatory between heaven and hell. Her teacher who gave her the assignment told me she was blown away by the story and her talent. She said there are people who write, and then there are people who are writers, She said Guinevere was the latter, and she begged her to never stop, and that she hoped to see one of her books on a store bookshelf someday.
What are a couple of your favorite bookstores in Maine? And what about them appeals to you?
My favorite books stores are Books A Million, Bull Moose Music and Books, and Nonesuch Books. Books a Million is a chain and the other two are local independent stores. All three have a great collection of new and used books.
I like Books A Million since they have a larger selection of books, but the other two have a larger selection of used books. Growing up, my family mostly went to used bookstores. So it is nostalgic for me to walk around these spaces.
Describe a perfect day of reading for you. Where are your favorite places to read?
A perfect day of reading would be a sunny day, sitting out on my porch that looks out to the woods and my bird feeder — a couple of books to switch between, with a cup of coffee or a glass of ice tea to sip on.
And do you prefer hardcover/paperback, digital books, or audiobooks?
I don’t have a preference as to what format the book is in, whether it is hardback, paperback, or digital. Digital is great because it can be on my phone and I can read almost anywhere. But then I can’t display it, so I usually go buy a copy if I loved it.
Audio is my favorite because it means I can multitask. House chores are no longer boring! Although, that too leaves me without the physical copy on my bookshelf. But I’m fine with that. I’ll take knowing I can hit play and have a fantastic story and a great narrator telling me a story anytime I wish.
What 2-3 books are you reading at present?
I always have far too many books going at the same time. I’m too impatient to wait to start one that catches my attention. I have three fiction books I am reading, Americana by Don DeLillo, Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James, and The Traveling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. My nonfiction is Know My Name by Chanel Miller.
And are there any books at the top of your list of “must-reads” for the remainder of 2021?
I don’t have any specific books planned for 2021. Although, I do plan to read all or most of Don DeLillo’s books, and Korean fiction by Korean authors. I fell in love with Korean fiction a few years ago and I plan on reading as much of it as I can this year. I also want to read more history. We should all be reading more history, especially in today's climate, so we can remind ourselves that history need not repeat itself. It allows us to focus on what we still need to work on and change.
I’m sure I’ll add more must-reads before this article is even made public, because life is too short, and my to-be-read list is far too long to only read one book at a time.
