Hache Pueyo is an Argentine-Brazilian writer and translator. She won an Otherwise Fellowship for her work with gender in speculative fiction, and her work has appeared as H. Pueyo in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, and The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, among others. Her bilingual collection, A Study in Ugliness & Outras Histórias, came out in 2022. Her debut novella is But Not Too Bold, and she recently talked about it with Daryl Maxwell for the LAPL Blog.
What was your inspiration for But Not Too Bold?
But Not Too Bold was written for a submission call of Dame Blanche, a small Brazilian press I wanted to try. The only thing I knew was that I wanted it to feel like a fairy tale, and fairy tales, to me, exist in a reality that is outside of our own, strangely grounded at times, but with no desire to explain the surreal or the strange. The rest is an amalgamation of things I like or find visually stimulating: monsters, poppies, tarantulas, dalmatians, Art Nouveau, endless descriptions of extravagant food…
Are Dália, Ms. Matilda, Lionel, or any of the other characters in the novella inspired by or based on specific individuals?
Not really, no—they just appeared naturally as the story formed itself in my head.
Same question, but specifically about Anatema. What was your inspiration for her?
A mix of three things. Spiders, my favorite animals; my love for monsters, especially the ones that look monstrous; and Bluebeard, my favorite fairy tale as a child. I took from Bluebeard the shades of blue, the solitary wealth and a collection of dead brides—and the title comes from the Mr. Fox variant, of course. It’s not a retelling, but the influence is definitely there. I always joked that Anatema is a mix of Bluebeard and No Face from Spirited Away.
How did the novella evolve and change as you wrote and revised it? Are there any characters or scenes that were lost in the process that you wish had made it to the published version?
This is one story that didn’t change almost at all from start to finish: the version that was published is pretty much identical from the one that I originally wrote, probably because it’s so short! It was a really quick process, too; a matter of a few days, and it was done.
What was your inspiration for Capricious House? Is it based on or influenced by a real place, or is it entirely your creation? If it is based on a real place, what is it, and where is it located?
I lived in Barcelona during part of my childhood, and one striking thing about it is the architecture. I think Catalan Modernisme had a huge impact on my aesthetic taste. The Capricious House is not supposed to be based on one specific location or set in a real place, but I think the closest I can think to the facade is Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller and his demolished Casa Trinxet, or Gaudí’s Casa Vicens.
Tarantulas figure largely in the Capricious House. What drew you to incorporate tarantulas into the novella?
I love tarantulas, and the idea of them roaming the house was gorgeous to me (not so gorgeous to other people, apparently). Also, many spiders eat other spiders, so it made sense for Anatema to have some snacks around.
Have you ever had a tarantula as a pet? If so, what was its name, and can you tell us a bit about it?
Never!
Tarantula’s are also a regular part of the cuisine of Capricious House. Have you ever eaten tarantula? Do you have a favorite way for them to be prepared?
I haven’t—I’m mostly a vegetarian.
But Not Too Bold is your debut as an adult author; what have you learned during the process of getting your novella published that you would like to share with other writers about this experience?
The process for But Not Too Bold might not be too helpful, as it was first published in Portuguese, then translated by me, and submitted traditionally. But if you don’t speak English as a first language and you come from a country outside the Global North, one thing that helped me was starting out with short fiction magazines, both to get to know the publishing process, other emerging writers, and the community that exists around the genres you write.
What’s currently on your nightstand?
I just started reading Toddler-Hunting and Other Stories by Taeko Kōno and Why Did You Come Back Every Summer by Belén López Peiró.
Can you name your top five favorite or most influential authors?
More than specific favorites, there are some authors whose books I’ll read without even looking at the synopsis, like Camila Sosa Villada, Yōko Ogawa, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Leïla Slimani and Stephen Graham Jones.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
Was there a book you felt you needed to hide from your parents?
No, there wasn’t any kind of restriction for reading when I was growing up, but I definitely wouldn’t have respected it if there was.
Is there a book you've faked reading?
I don’t think so? Maybe for some homework.
Can you name a book you've bought for the cover?
Many, but some that come to mind are The Silence of Bones by June Hur and A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos, both have perfect and evocative covers.
Is there a book that changed your life?
It was very formative for me to read Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi as a teenager and discover that it had been written by an eighteen-year-old girl—it was the first time that I thought of publishing as a real possibility.
Can you name a book for which you are an evangelist (and you think everyone should read)?
Lately, I’ve been really annoying about recommending Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi, The Sentence by Gautam Bhatia and Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt to everyone who will listen.
Is there a book you would most want to read again for the first time?
Mmm, tough one. Maybe Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko.
What is the last piece of art (music, movies, TV, more traditional art forms) that you've experienced or that has impacted you?
I just watched the three Nosferatu movies!
What is your idea of THE perfect day (where you could go anywhere/meet with anyone)?
I’m afraid I’ll have to bore you with the next few answers and say no idea.
What is the question that you’re always hoping you’ll be asked but never have been? What is your answer?
I don’t think I have any, sorry!
What are you working on now?
Finishing an equally monstrous short story for an anthology and editing an upcoming project.
Book Review: But Not Too Bold