Shay Miranda is an author, essayist, and educator whose work explores history, memory, and the lives we build for ourselves. She writes historical fiction across centuries and cultures, alongside personal essays on creativity, identity, and the ongoing work of becoming.
Her work has appeared in A-Culturated, Globetrotters, and Teatime History.
She is the writer and editor of Life in Draft, a literary publication about building a creative life while still figuring out what that life might look like, and the author of A Woman’s Place, a monthly column exploring the lives and legacies of women throughout history.
Meet the Writer
My Story
I was born in sunny southern California in 1997. Throughout my life, I’ve lived in different places within the United States, but New York City has been my home since 2020. I graduated from Western Governor’s University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education, and have worked as a teacher at schools in Harlem and the Bronx.
I have always had a passion for writing and telling stories. Ever since I could write, I knew I wanted to be an author. I started my publishing journey in 2019, and eventually published two novels and a novella. In 2024, my writing style shifted, and I discovered my passion for history and telling forgotten stories. This is when I knew I wanted to be a historical fiction writer.
I want to learn more about the daily lives of the people just like you and me throughout history. I want to write stories that make ordinary people memorable. And that’s what I’ve set out to do, and I can only hope to keep learning and growing in the meantime.
Current Projects
Founded in 2023, Bookmarked by Shay is a weekly Substack with new posts on Tuesdays. With a passion for diverse literature, Shay writes lists, reviews, and recommendations for readers who love learning new things, exploring history, and hearing from diverse voices.
Bookmarked by Shay
Substack blending personal essays, dispatches, and recurring columns about the writing life, womanhood, creativity, and the beauty of everyday living.
Life, in Draft
Ongoing historical fiction project. Ten books across ten centuries, telling stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. This is part of a challenge to write ten books within a year (September 2025-June 2026).
Stories Across Centuries