Introduction
With a writing journey spanning 16 years and an impressive portfolio boasting over 130 published works, Pedro Iniguez has carved out a unique space in the literary landscape. Pedro Iniguez’s stories not only reflect haunting elements of the genre but also explore deeper societal anxieties and cultural narratives. In this interview, we dive into the mind of this prolific writer, uncovering their inspirations, favourite characters, and thoughts on the evolving nature of horror. From the unsettling complexities of their characters to the call for greater inclusivity within the genre.
GNoH: Please tell the readers a little bit about yourself.
Pedro Iniguez: I’m a Mexican-American horror and science-fiction writer from Los Angeles. I’ve been writing for about 16 years with somewhere around 130 published credits, including short stories, poems, a novel, and a few collections.
I started writing seriously when the late, great Dennis Etchison encouraged me to keep at it. He became a great friend and mentor and I thank him for setting me on a path I didn’t know I needed to be on.
Which one of your characters would you least like to meet in real life?
Pedro Iniguez: There’s a character by the name of Doctor Andrzej Severin in my short story, “The Body Booth,” which can be found in my upcoming horror fiction collection FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE. He’s a retired doctor with a severe case of jaundice. He’s creepy and full of bad intentions. That’s all I’ll say.
Which of your characters is your favourite?
Pedro Iniguez: A little girl by the name of Maribel in my short story, “Shantytown: A Mexican Ghost Story.” She lives in a shantytown in Tijuana. Strange things are happening at night and the adults simply look away or don’t seem to care. But Maribel knows the truth. She’s very intelligent for her age and sees the world for what it is: a place full of monsters.
Which of your books best represents you?
Pedro Iniguez: It’s a three-way tie between my sf poetry collection MEXICANS ON THE MOON, my upcoming horror fiction collection, FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE, and my upcoming sff collection ECHOES AND EMBERS. Those three speak to who I am as a writer, my thoughts, fears, dreams, etc.
Other than the horror genre, what else has significantly influenced your writing?
Pedro Iniguez: Science-fiction had a huge influence on me growing up. The works of Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Willam Gibson, Phillip K. Dick, etc.
The term horror, especially when applied to fiction, always has such heavy connotations. What’s your feeling on the term “horror”, and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?
Pedro Iniguez: Horror is found in everyday life, in every literary genre, whether you realize it or not. Once people realize that, they can begin, I think, to embrace the aspects of the horror genre as a whole and dive into a real exploration of our collective fears.
Should horror be political?
Pedro Iniguez: It certainly can be. There are stories told simply for the sake of entertainment, and that’s wonderful. I myself do this, but tend to favor political underpinnings in my horror. I want to say something and speak to my fears of racism, hate, anti-immigrant rhetoric, capitalism, etc.
Why do you think so many people enjoy horror?
Pedro Iniguez: It’s a safe way to examine the ugly things in life, of facing our fears, taboos, things that make us uncomfortable. Sometimes horror helps us make sense of the world. We also get a thrill of it, sometimes, a rush, like bungee jumping or going to a haunted maze.
What, if anything, is currently missing from the horror genre?
Pedro Iniguez: There have been vast improvements over the last ten years or so, but I’d like to see more people of color get published. Publishing is still dominated by white authors, and I’d like to see more publishers take a chance on voices or perspectives they may not be used to. People from different walks of life have unique things to tell us. Different ways of presenting stories. So I’d definitely like to see more inclusivity in horror.
What new and upcoming authors should we take notice of?
Pedro Iniguez: Oh, so many. Literally, everyday it seems there are new voices to watch out for. And so often they’re not new voices. Many times, they’ve been toiling for years to make a name for themselves. Some authors to watch out for include A.P. Thayer, Cynthia Gomez, M.M. Olivas. But there’s a wealth of writers; all one has to do is seek them out and read.
And who would be on your Mount Rushmore of horror?
Pedro Iniguez: I think Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and Clive Barker may have left permanent marks on the genre in ways that will transcend time.
Of course there’s Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker, but I think the four I mentioned influenced me a bit more.
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative, that have stayed with you?
Pedro Iniguez: One reviewer, speaking of my upcoming collection FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE, said I was a master of the craft of the short story. And Publishers Weekly said I managed to carve out a unique space within weird fiction and that fans of Clive Barker’s Books of Blood would be pleased. Those made my day.
What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult?
Pedro Iniguez: The discipline to do it. There are often days we as writers may not feel like writing. Life gets in the way, or we feel tired or lazy. We have to force ourselves sometimes to sit down and start writing. Writing is work. But there are joys to be found within that work.
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Pedro Iniguez: It can definitely be exhausting but when you know you’ve got something good, it makes everything worth it. It’s when you step back and look at the fruit of your labors that you get that reinvigorating sense of joy.
What’s your best advice for new authors about social media?
Pedro Iniguez: I have no advice other than be safe, be kind, and be proud of the work you share.
How do you balance making demands on the reader with taking care of the reader?
Pedro Iniguez: I don’t think about that. I just write. People can like what I write or choose not to. After I’m done with a story, the rest is out of my hands.
Writing is not a static process; how have you developed as a writer?
Pedro Iniguez: Over time I’ve learned to develop my voice and style and that’s not something I could have done early on. You also get better at catching mistakes and amassing tools to store in your toolbox so you know how and when to break the rules later on.
What’s the most surprising thing you learned while writing your books?
Pedro Iniguez: That every time I had doubts and wanted to stop, I pushed myself to keep going and found things worked out in the end. If you keep going, things tend to get better.
What does literary success look like to you?
Pedro Iniguez: I don’t know that I have an answer. But I get a joy out of writing things, having them published, having the work connect with readers, and of course getting paid for the work. I think a combination of those things is success to me.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received regarding your writing?
Pedro Iniguez: The best advice I’ve gotten is to keep writing. Only good things come from that. You get better, you have more work to send out, etc. Just don’t stop.
Do you have a favourite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?
Pedro Iniguez: That’s a tough one, so I’ll say no, but I am fond of this opening line from my story “Nightmare of a Million Faces.”
When the sun plunged beneath the horizon, the striations of red clouds looked like gashes raked across the sky; flayed wounds ready to rain blood on a thirsty desert.
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
Pedro Iniguez: My last book was a sf poetry collection, MEXICANS ON THE MOON. It was a collection of 50 near-future poems with a Mexican-American perspective.
This year, I’ll have two collections out: FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE, and ECHOES AND EMBERS, along with a comic book, CATRINA’S CARAVAN: BLOOD CYCLES.
I also have one book coming out in October that I can’t quite mention yet, but I’ll say it’s a bucket list item for sure, so look out for that!
Currently, I’m working on a horror novel.
If you could erase one horror cliché, what would be your choice?
Pedro Iniguez: I wouldn’t erase anything.
If your partner was going to leave you for another author, which author would you like them to end up with and why?
Pedro Iniguez: A future version of me!
What’s the one question you wish you would get asked but never do? And what would be the answer?
Pedro Iniguez: You just asked it! Joking aside, I don’t have an answer. People can ask or not ask anything they’d like.
Pedro Iniguez

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.
He is the author of MEXICANS ON THE MOON: SPECULATIVE POETRY FROM A POSSIBLE FUTURE.
Apart from leading writing workshops and speaking at several colleges, he has also been a sensitivity reader and has ghostwritten for award-winning apps and online clients.
Forthcoming projects include his horror comic, CATRINA’S CARAVAN: BLOOD CYCLES (Chispa Comics), his horror fiction collection, FEVER DREAMS OF A PARASITE (Raw Dog Screaming Press), and his SFF collection, ECHOES AND EMBERS: SPECULATIVE STORIES (Stars and Sabers Publishing), which are slated for 2025 releases.
Fever Dreams of a Parasite by Pedro Iniguez

Publisher: Raw Dog Screaming Press
Release Date: March 13th, 2025
In Fever Dreams of a Parasite Iniguez weaves haunting tales that traverse worlds both familiar and alien. Paying homage to Lovecraft, Ligotti, and Langan, these cosmic horror, weird fiction, and folk-inspired stories explore tales of outsiders, killers, and tormented souls as they struggle to survive the lurking terrors of a cold and cruel universe.
With symbolism and metaphor pulled from his Latino roots, Iniguez cuts deep into the political undercurrent to expose an America rarely presented in fiction. Whether it’s the desperation of poverty, the fear of deportation or the countless daily slights endured by immigrants, these tales are about people who are usually overlooked. This fresh perspective is often delivered with a twist that allows us to see the mundane with fresh eyes.
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