Author Pedro Iniguez’s story Fun Gus, is a dark, and creepy tale about a dating app that leads a woman to meet a man…. consumed by fungus. Hey, dating is hard.
“The thoughts had crept back like little vermin, gnawing at her mind, torturing her like they always had.”
Fun Gus by Pedro Iniguez, featured in Dark Spores by Crone Girls Press.
Q (Crone Girls Press): What inspired your story in this anthology? Tell us the “story behind the story.”
A (Pedro Iniguez): My story was based on online predators, dating apps, and people in failed relationships who were prone to fall for their traps. I thought that lent itself pretty well to the chilling discovery my protagonist makes by the end of the story.
Q: Why do you write horror? What about the genre appeals to you as an author?
A: I write horror to spark conversations with readers, and myself, regarding matters or themes that may be uncomfortable or unsettling. I also like to utilize it as a vehicle for social critique and as an internal dialogue to address questions about life. By story’s end I find that I usually end up with more questions than answers, but the important thing is that the tales give us something to think about.
Q: There are a number of different flavors of horror. Where does your story fit, and what drew you to this particular category?
A: I would say this story is a mix of quiet horror, fungal horror, and body horror. It was only natural though, that body horror would go hand-in-hand with fungal horror. Something alluring about watching extreme transformations.
Q: What do you love about mushrooms? What drew you to this anthology?
A: I find mushrooms fascinating. They are beautiful and alien all at once. They vary in shapes and colors and toxicity. They grow in the strangest of places. What’s not to love?
Q: When you’re not writing, what might we find you doing? (Free time or for a day job?)
A: I like to paint, lift weights, read, fish, do some archery, visit museums and bookstores.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: Currently, I’m working on a horror novel. I also want to shop around a few children’s picture book manuscripts I wrote. Apart from that, you’ll be seeing more poetry and short stories from me in some upcoming anthologies. I’ve also got a comic book and two fiction collections due out in 2025.
Be sure to check out Pedro Iniguez’s children’s picture book, The Fib, as it is due for publication October, 2025.
About The Author
Pedro Iniguez is a horror and science-fiction writer from Los Angeles, California. He is a Rhysling Award finalist and a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize nominee.
You can read more of his work and learn about the author on his website: https://pedroiniguez.com/
Find him on his socials:
Instagram
BlueSky
FaceBook
Be sure to check out their story in Dark Spores
Crone Girls Press 