On the Importance of Reading Diversely
An interview with author & bookstore owner Ashley Marie Mireles-Guerrero
I’ve got a fun interview in store today, but a quick request first: Have you read Love Apptually? If you enjoyed my book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads.
And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? I’ve got more copies in stock on my Etsy shop, so get yours signed with extra goodies you can’t get anywhere else.
Now, let’s dive into my conversation with Ashley Marie Mireles-Guerrero, author, bookstore owner, and advocate for marginalized groups in publishing.
Ashley and I go wayyyyy back from my hometown of Fresno, all the way to high school speech and debate. It was so great to catch up after all these years and swap stories as fellow book lovers.
And because it’s Pride Month in a nation that seems hell-bent on banning books for daring to celebrate queer and BIPOC experiences, I sat down with Ashley to discuss the importance of reading diversely.
Keep reading for some amazing recommendations!
(Note: All links lead to Bookshop.org. If you make a purchase, you’ll support local, independent bookstores like Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore, and I’ll earn a small commission as an affiliate. It’s a win-win!)
An Interview with Ashley Marie Mireles-Guerrero
1. Hi Ashley, tell us about yourself! How would you describe who you are and what you do?
I like to tell people that I do all things books. I’m an author, a bookstore owner, a publishing professional, and a book advocate. I currently work for Familius Publishing as the Director of Sales and Marketing as my day job. By night, and in my spare time, I run a bookstore pop-up called Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore and serve on the IBPA’s Board of Directors.
2. What were the first books that made an impact on you?
I’ve always been a book person. As a kid, I remember begging for the World Book Encyclopedias because I just really wanted a shelf full of books. The early DK Explorers books were a big hit for me, but the first book I remember reading over and over was A House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. I was able to meet her earlier this year at Fresno State and had her sign the dog-eared, tattered cover version that I read as a kid.
3. Describe your journey into the publishing industry. How did you get your start?
I started in publishing in the warehouse. I was doing data entry and warehouse management for Familius in 2016 when our marketing manager went on maternity leave. She started to train me little by little and made the decision to not return to work. I was quickly brought up to speed on the marketing side of things and took over in an interim position that turned into a promotion.
4. In addition to being a publishing professional and bookstore owner, you’re also an author. Tell us about your books!
I’ve published 12 books with a 13th contracted to release in 2026. My first book was a bilingual book about foods across Latin America called Proud to Be Latino: Food/Comida. I’m also the author of Familius’ ABC Primer Series, which has 10 titles.
My most recent book (and possibly my favorite so far) is a board book called 100 First Words for Little Californians, which is a play on traditional 100 First Word books but with slang, icons, and locations throughout California. I’m also pitching a new book about learning to make tortillas, so hopefully, that will be my 14th book!
5. Let’s talk about reading diversely. What does it mean to you, and how do you make diversity a core part of your mission?
I firmly believe that reading diverse books will create a more empathetic society. Unfortunately, publishing (and corporate publishing especially) has a history of gatekeeping, and stories by truly diverse authors don’t always get the same space in the industry or on the shelves as white authors. I’m so happy to see diversity increasing in both the books published and the industry itself, but we’re still not where we should be.
I’d love to see a day when the books that are published reflect the true diversity of society. With Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore, we’re trying to create a space where books that are missing from B&N or buried in Amazon’s algorithm can be highlighted and uplifted. Fresno is a majority-minority city, and we deserve to have a diverse bookstore that reflects the city in characters, authors, and languages.
6. What types of representation do you want to see more in stories?
I think we’re getting to a point where there is a lot more diverse representation. I’d love to see more stories where these diverse characters aren’t facing racism or homophobia. Black and Brown joy needs to be centered more.
7. Since June is Pride Month, which queer romances do you recommend most to readers?
I’m so excited for Pride Month this year because I have a ton of Queer books that I’m in love with.
First one, not quite a true romance but a queer love story I have to mention nonetheless: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a must-read. I read it in a day, and it’s a pretty long book. It’s set in the 1980s but feels so modern and fits into the slow-burn romance trope.
Another one that’s quickly becoming a modern classic is Red, White, and Royal Blue. It reimagines that Trump never won the presidency, and instead, a woman with a teenage son does. There’s an enemies-to-lovers theme and the fake relationship trope.
On the WLW side of things, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School has been a hot seller for us. The main character is outed at her old school and moves to a Catholic school to “start over.” But she finds that there is one openly Queer girl who is her absolute dream girl, and now she has to decide to continue in the closet or embrace her identity fully and win the heart of her dream girl.
I also love Cafe con Lychee. This is an enemies-to-lovers tale with a family rival twist where the main characters are Queer boys, and the rival families are a rival boba tea shop and a Puerto Rican coffee shop. There’s so much diverse representation in this book, and the descriptions of the community jump off the page.
And because I love YA romance with bisexual representation (something I wish I had when I was in high school), I have to recommend Some Girls Do. The openly gay track star falls for a scrappy bisexual beauty queen who isn’t quite sure she should come out of the closet. This one has a secret lovers theme but also looks at the very real risks of coming out for many folks in the community. It gets the most praise for having very realistic coming-out conversations and an incredible character arc for both girls.
8. On this Substack, we like to get grumpy and share our hottest takes. What’s making you grumpy about diversity & inclusion in the publishing industry right now?
Everything! Not really, but I have seen a lot of publishers take dramatic steps back from the progress they made in 2020. So many houses (5 really big ones in particular) have scaled back their DEI efforts, and sadly, a lot of the layoffs seen in the industry have impacted diverse entry-level staff.
I’m also disappointed to see that many who are making real efforts toward race and culture diversity are still leaving out Disabled and Neurodiverse representation.
9. Now, let’s end with your moment of sunshine: what have you loved reading, watching, or doing lately?
I just finished Red Helicopter: A Parable for Our Times by James Rhee, and I didn’t expect a business book to make me laugh, cry, and want to change the world, but here we are. I highly recommend it to anyone trying to create a people-first culture in any organization.
I’m also eagerly waiting for the next episodes of Bridgerton. No further comment on that.
Finally, I’ve LOVED popping up all over Fresno with Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore. The overwhelming support and excitement from readers has been incredible!
10. What’s next for you? How can people keep in touch with you?
Next, we have a Silent Book Club meeting at Tioga Sequoia on June 18th from 6 pm - 8 pm. Anyone is welcome to join us! You bring a book and read silently for an hour, then chat with fellow readers about what you’ve read.
Keep Up With Ashley
You can learn more about future events at www.judgingbythecoverbookstore.com or on Instagram @judgingbythecover.books. Ashley is also on Instagram with author updates at @ashleywritesbooks and her DMs are always open for anyone who has questions about publishing or just wants to chat books!
Are there other authors or bookish folks you’d love me to feature in a future interview? Drop your suggestions in the comments below, and share your favorite queer romances for Pride Month!