I love creature features, and Pedro Iniguez’s “The Curse of the Cucuy” delivers hand over fist… or should we say claw over claw? The story tells of a young man who takes a trip to the small Mexican town his father came from, hoping to learn something about his father and himself. What he finds– no, wait. Spoilers. Wouldn’t want to ruin the end of the show!
Q (Crone Girls Press): What do you write? How long have you been writing? What are your preferred genres and why?
A (Pedro Iniguez): I’ve been writing since 2009. I tend to write Science-Fiction and Horror Fiction.
Q: What draws you to the genre of horror/dark fiction? What do you find there that you don’t find anywhere else?
A: There’s something very raw and real about the Horror genre. Fear and death are universally understood and they’re things everyone has to deal with or think about at some point in their lives. It’s this common understanding that allows you to connect to Horror’s characters no matter how outrageous the premise might be.
Q: Of the characters you’ve created, who is your favorite, and why?
A: It’s hard but my favorite character is Theo Martinez from my science-fiction story, “The Seeds of Foundation.” He’s a simple construction worker planning one very creative funeral arrangement for his aging father. He’s thoughtful, loving, and selfless.
Q: What do you find the most challenging about the writing process, and how do you meet that challenge?
A: The actual act of writing itself is kind of scary and frustrating. But nothing beats reading a finished story you know you’d love to read as a fan.
Q: What was the worst writing advice you ever received? The best writing advice? Why, and how did it affect your writing?
A: I don’t think I’ve ever received any bad writing advice. There are so many tips, tricks, and philosophies out there, that it just comes down to what works on a personal level. Ray Bradbury and Dennis Etchison come to mind when I think about great advice. They were proponents of just diving into the work without overthinking anything. The thinking process comes later, when you’re revising and editing.
Q: If someone asked you to recommend books/stories similar to what you write, who/what titles would you be giving them? And, why?
A: My writing is an amalgamation of so many great writers spanning so many genres, but if I had to narrow it down I’d say The Dark Country by Dennis Etchison, Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein, I am Legend by Richard Matheson, with some sprinkles of William Gibson and perhaps Robert E. Howard.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: I have a fiction collection titled, “Synthetic Dawns & Crimson Dusks,” coming out soon, and I’m also writing my second novel as well.
Q: Anything to add?
A: I’m happy to be doing what I love most in life. Writing for me, is a big reward in itself and I hope to do it until the wheels fall off.
Pedro Iniguez
Pedro Iniguez, formerly of Eagle Rock, California, a quiet suburb of Northeast Los Angeles, now lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Since childhood he has been fascinated with Science-Fiction, Horror, and comic books.
His work can be found in various magazines and anthologies such as: Space and Time Magazine, Crossed Genres, Writers of Mystery and Imagination, Deserts of Fire, and Altered States II.
Pedro can be found online at: https://pedroiniguezauthor.com/, and you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
To read “The Curse of the Cucuy” by Pedro Iniguez, pick up a copy of Stories We Tell After Midnight 2. And, once you are finished, please think about leaving us a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Reviews make our cold, dark little heart so happy…
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