Gabriella Shlyakh Interview | 'Tiger, Tutor, Delivery Girl' | Respect the Author
Gabriella Shlyakh sat down with us to talk about growing up in Staten Island, writing, inspiration, and her new book'Tiger, Tutor, Delivery Girl'.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised on Staten Island, NY.
How did you get into writing?
When I was a kid, both my parents and older siblings worked quite a bit to support the family and were commonly out of the house. I found myself having to find ways to entertain myself from an early age. Making up complex backstories for all my dolls turned into short stories scribbled in a composition notebook, and that turned into eventually sharing my later work online.
What was your favorite book growing up?
I really had a taste for action-adventure books from the 1800s, 1900s. Robinson Crusoe, White Fang, Call of the Wild, and The Count of Monte Cristo really captured my imagination and transported me somewhere else, as a nerdy little girl growing up in the NY suburbs.
What is your favorite book as an adult?
Wild by Cheryl Strayed was really formative for me.
What is the name of your new book?
Tiger, Tutor, Delivery Girl
What inspired you to write the book?
Being stuck in COVID lockdown, virtually unable to go anywhere, constantly hooked up to the news cycle gave US citizens a really surprising look into the nature of how we treat our nations's service workers. This made me wonder what that could look like in the future with an even larger threat looming above the United States.
Tell us more
Tiger, Tutor, Delivery Girl follows a college tutor named Lyle, who's comfortable coasting by on the dirty work his sisters do for a local loan shark. After his grisly death, Lyle finds his whole world upended, and his family fugitives on the run in the Californian desert.
Where do you go to get into writing mode?
Getting to a space with super minimal distractions is really important for me. Sometimes my ADHD can make it hard to stay in the scene in my head, or work on the perfect line, so I like to lock myself up in my room, or I head to a local cozy coffee shop here in Glendale.
Atmosphere is really important all around! So I also like to make a story-specific playlist for each one of my projects on Spotify, so I can really get into the right headspace.
Tiger, Tutor's playlist featured a lot of Moderator for the rich, old-world soundscapes. I also have a lot of songs from the awesome Alex & Tokyo Rose, which make you feel like you're hurtling down a highway on a Ducati somewhere.
Who needs to read this book?
If you're a fan of non-stop irreverent sci-fi titles like The Terminator, Neuromancer, or even Borderlands (like me!), I'd recommend this book.
Who inspires you?
My friends! Maybe this is a little corny, but I think my friends are incredible--I watch them consistently grab life by the horns and create what they want to see in their lives. A lot of these people didn't have the help, or people believing in them, and they just went ahead and did it anyway. Whether it's me watching them raise the future generation, or take the art world by storm, each and every one of my friends is a massive inspiration to me.
How important is reading and literacy for youth in this world?
Literacy, and the ability to critically think for oneself is one of the most invaluable skills any single person could learn. While reading at a high level is still a difficulty for many young (and even older Americans), it will only get more important for us to be able to tell fact from fiction in the years to come. However we can support disadvantaged populations to fill the gap, we have to wholeheartedly support the effort.
What is some advice you would give to someone with a dream?
It's going to take a while, so buckle in! A lot of people tell you "don't ever give up on your dream, no matter what", but I think this can be kind of a abstract, sort of vague piece of advice for people just starting out.
Sometimes you have to step away from your craft because of an illness, child-rearing, or a work commitment. This doesn't mean you're "giving up on your dream." I think framing a craft as something you only have one shot at can be really limiting and all-or-nothing. So instead:
Be patient and strap in. There are going to be a lot of moments where others will doubt your judgement. Where YOU will doubt your judgement. Just know that if you have that gnawing dream that won't leave you alone--the most truthful, healthy thing you can do is chase that thing down, while ALSO giving yourself grace, patience, and time to get good at whatever that is!
Where can people find your new book?
Connect with Gabriella Shlyakh
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeahyankee/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/YeahYankee
Facebook.com: https://www.facebook.com/YeahYankee/
Website: http://www.yeahyankee.com
Photography credit: Looking Glass - Sara Jae
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