Notho-Pan: A City on Angel Wings by author Maxwell I. Gold is an incredible work of prose that truly emphasizes how lucky we are to have the authors we do in this book, because they are absolutely amazing in what they do.
“I saw that defiled plastic race, rotten and decayed, their mouths filled with ashy fruit-bodies and fungal fractals that stained the sides of their cheeks.”
Notho-Pan: A City on Angel Wings by Maxwell I. Gold, 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 (Maxwell I. Gold): I was researching different types of mushrooms and the poem itself was titled “Notho-Pan: A City on Angel Wings.” Angel Wings are a type of mushroom fairly common in North American, so I began looking into the syntax and the scientific name of that mushroom. One of which is Nothopanus porrigens. The mushrooms themselves balloon upwards almost like angel wings, or a set of wings how they’d fan out. I took the image further and created a cosmic deity as a giant living mushroom named ‘Notho-Pan’ with a city on its back.
Q: Why do you write horror? What about the genre appeals to you as an author?
A: Horror in general appeals to me because I think it allows us as people to cope and deal with our emotions and anxieties in a much healthier way than any other genre.
Q: When you’re not writing, what might we find you doing? (Free time or for a day job?)
A: In my day job I am the Executive Director for the Horror Writers Association.
Q: What’s next in your writing journey?
A: I have released my 5th book of poems “Tiny Oblivions and Mutual Self Destructions” from Raw Dog Screaming Press and recently signed a contract to have another book of poems released in 2026 by Shortwave Publishing titled “Neurotica: Poems.” Of course, there are plenty of side projects to keep me busy between now and then.
About The Author
Maxwell I. Gold is a Jewish-American prose poet, author, and editor with an extensive body of work comprising over 300 poems. His writings have earned a place alongside literary luminaries in the speculative fiction genre. His work has appeared in numerous literary journals, magazines, and anthologies including Weird Tales Magazine, Spectral Realms, Chiral Mad 5, and many more. Maxwell’s work has been recognized with multiple nominations including the Pushcart Prize and the Bram Stoker Awards.
Be sure to check out their story in Dark Spores
Crone Girls Press 