Q&A with Authors from Wattpad Books

Get to know Shay Bravo

Get to know Shay Bravo!

In celebration of publishing Historically Inaccurate we interviewed the author Shay Bravo! You can buy your copy today wherever books are sold.

Who is your OTP?

Kaz and Inej, from the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo!

What is your favourite book?

The Six of Crows Duology is one of my all-time favorites, though there's always time and possibility for other books. There are a lot of books I like and there are so many books I still have to read (:

What TV show are you currently obsessed with right now?

Honestly, I recently watched Over the Garden Wall for the first time and in a single sitting (since there's only ten episodes and they are all around twelve minutes long) and I absolutely loved it. I liked the aesthetic and eeriness of it, it was the perfect fall watch and I might watch it all over again in October. Other than that, I've watched Forged in Fire a lot as my partner and I love swords and knife making (watching it that is, I am not a skilled blacksmith at all) and it gives me ideas for high fantasy story weapons.

What is one app you would not be able to go without using even for just one day?

I would say Messages, but probably Instagram haha. I don't really post a lot, but I like to look at what other people post online, I love seeing pictures of books, nature, pets, and food, especially if there's a recipe attached to the latter!

Where is your happy place?

The house I grew up in in Mexico. It was surrounded by orange trees and they would bloom with flowers in the late spring. I could cross a little path of rocks to the left and I would be in my grandmother's house, who had a little convenience store back then. It was a small house, but we were happy, and sometimes I wish I was there all over again.

Can you describe your perfect writing area?

A coffee shop (before COVID of course) dimly lit, with people muttering in the background. It's raining outside, but barely so, and there is a large cup of an iced latte next to me. I have headphones and I'm playing the current stories playlist, or Lo-Fi music. Hopefully, it's under sixty degrees outside so I get to have a jacket too!

What motivates you to work hard?

My parents. It's not a lie that us Latinxs are hardworking people and my parents have been working since I have memory. One of their favorite things to tell me when I tell them to take a day off and relax is that "there's always more to do at home, so (they) can't relax". I used to not see my dad a lot because he was working in the US when growing up. Not a moment in his life has he stopped working hard, and neither has my mother. They motivate me to strive for better and be happy at the same time I work. Whenever they tell me they're so proud of me for writing a book and getting it published, or how my father pre-ordered eight copies even though I told my parents I could gift it to them, it makes me so happy. Makes me want to try even harder, for them.

What makes you laugh the most?

My sisters and my partner, I can't count the number of times I've had laughing fits with them. I love light-hearted humor and dark humor, from dad jokes to Soledad's "What keeps me going is humor and the reminder that one day all humanity will cease to exist". I think humor is a great outlet for a lot of stress sometimes.

What is your favourite animal?

Cats! A couple of months my partner and I adopted a nine and a half year old cat named Tommy and he is the light of my word. He is super affectionate and calm, he doesn't even swat things off the table! He has a bit of what some people call resting grumpy face, but I tell everyone how friendly and cuddly he is.

What are your hobbies?

I like to paint, draw, embroider, and cook, the last two which I do okay at. I like to keep different creative outlets for whenever I feel the dreaded writer's block or just do not feel like writing for the day. I'd love to dabble into illustration and hopefully get skilled enough at it to do some freelance work on the side.

How would your friends describe you?

This one is a tough question! Possibly a goober, which I've been called by multiple people sometimes, though I'd like to say that's because I try to make them laugh a lot. Online I'm a lot more reserved and can seem a bit serious, but I try to be a good listener and make people smile. From making dad jokes, to dancing around, or showing them a meme I just found while scrolling through the internet, I hope my friends think fondly of our friendship.

What is the tallest building you've been to the top in?

The John Hancock Center in Chicago! My sisters and I went to visit the city before we moved back to Texas and it was amazing. I loved seeing the city light up at night and get the chance to tip over and take in the view.

Is your glass half full or half empty?

I like to think of myself as a dreamer with a foot on the ground. I can't lie and not say I don't have anxiety that sometimes takes a very strong hold of me. Mental health is important to me and I'm glad that it's more visible and acknowledged these days. I want to hope for a better future, and hope all my dreams do come true, but I also like to see at what's going on right now and try to help in whichever way I can. So, I'd say the glass possibly needs a bit more water, but I'm happy it has some in it right now.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Introvert! I think a lot of us bookish people are, but my work (a barista) has helped me a lot at meeting new people and striking up conversations. It doesn't mean I wouldn't rather be in my house reading a book or writing by a rainy window though haha. Large groups of people are always a bit intimidating, but it gets easier if it's a bunch of friends coming over to play Cards Against Humanity or a couple of Nintendo Switch games.

What is your favorite family holiday tradition?

My dad made a small fire pit next to his grill back at my parent's. He also built a table and we have a small swing close to it, and every weekend whenever he grills BBQ we like to hang out and talk. The Holidays doesn't change this, and I think one of the fondest memories of my family come out by hanging around the fire, talking about life and gossiping about extended family. When I couldn't be there last year for New Years it hurt a lot, and I know these times are making it hard to even think of visiting for Christmas this year, so we'll see what happens.

What are your pet peeves?

I don't have many, but could being rude to food service and retail workers be considered a pet peeve? We're just trying our best, and sometimes even when we're just being nice and asking about someone's day we get snapped at for it. My partner likes to say thank you and have a good day and says it doesn't cost you anything but the person you're saying it to might get their whole day made for it.

What is your ideal way to spend a weekend?

With my cat and partner, relaxing at home watching shows. Or better yet, going out to the beach or into the mountains. My dad would take me and my sisters out to go grill at parks and we'd just have a cookout at the park, sometimes to ones hours away from home, and those are also such fond memories I have of my family.

Can you tell us what you're currently writing?

I am currently writing a road-trip book through the American Midwest, at least parts I've personally visited, the first few chapters are up on Wattpad, and I'm super excited to get to work on it more these upcoming weeks. The title is "In the Midwest of Nowhere" since I love a good pun. Other than that I hope to get back into writing a fantasy novel and hopefully publish it one day.