We chat with author Hache Pueyo about But Not Too Bold, which is a sapphic monster romance novella wrapped in gothic fantasy trappings, think The Shape of Water meets Mexican Gothic,
Hi, Hache! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello, thanks for having me! I’m Hache, a South American author and translator currently living in Brazil. My debut novella But Not Too Bold comes out in English for the first time on February 11, 2025.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I frankly have no idea! I’ve been writing and musing about my stories for as long as I remember.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Flicts by Brazilian author Ziraldo.
- The one that made you want to become an author: Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Sentence by Gautam Bhatia
Your debut novella, But Not Too Bold, is out February 11th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Spiders, poppies, keys, delicacies, extravagance.
What can readers expect?
Unusual cuisine, fairy tale logic, dioramas of memories, and an excessive number of spiders.
Where did the inspiration for But Not Too Bold come from?
But Not Too Bold is not a retelling, but it’s vaguely inspired by the Mr. Fox variation of Bluebeard, not only in its title, but in some of its elements, like the dead brides killed by the mysterious owner of the house, and the bloodied key that can unlock their secrets.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I had a lot of fun writing this overall, especially describing the world within the Capricious House, the exuberant mansion in which the story takes place, as well as its needlessly complicated hierarchy of employees.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Not really! The idea appeared quickly and fully formed, so I just sat down and wrote what is the final version in a few days.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on the edits of a project that hasn’t been announced yet, so more soon!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up in 2025?
Agustina Bazterrica’s The Unworthy (translated by Sarah Moses) and last volume of the Vita Nostra trilogy, The School of Shards by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko (translated by Julia Meitov Hersey).
