What can you tell us about the inspiration behind “Nightmare of a Million Faces” and a woman’s struggles against shadows both within and without?

This story was inspired by the assault on women’s rights and the lack of agency women are typically allowed to wield in this world. Women also face battles men typically don’t, such as matters of reproductive rights. Some women are forced to give birth, others are forced to abort. Many times their government or their partners don’t give them a say in the matter. Many women in relationships are also victims of emotional and physical abuse and feel powerless to speak out for fear of safety or that no one will believe them. This story touches on some of those matters, some by way of internal fears, and some of which are external. Anastasia driving out into the desert in the middle of the night, for example, was my attempt to depict how alone someone can feel when faced with these terrors.

Did you find it a challenge to write from a woman’s point of view? Would it have been as effective if the main character had instead been male?

It’s always a challenge to write through someone else’s eyes, but I found it was very important to share this story and try to be as honest as possible. Here, I knew the protagonist had to be female. I think of the women in my life; friends, family, et cetera, and it hurts to think of the things they’ve gone through, or may go through, unfortunately.

Here, the story mirrors the abusive power dynamic of Anastasia’s relationship with Robert and Riley’s with the creature. What is it about such relationships that appeals to you as a writer?

Sometimes we are at the mercy of things that scare us, and those things become our voice and they control our lives until we are destroyed by those very things. That lends itself to the horror genre very well, I believe. We must speak up and reject these monsters in our lives. Sometimes, that takes a moment of courage. Sometimes, it’s already too late.

Not only do you skim through the shadows and stars of prose, you are also a poet. Do you find that one form of writing influences the other? Are there other genres or styles you would like to pursue?

Prose and poetry always inform one another, I find. Sometimes I play around and find new ways to integrate form, rhythm, and choice of words into new stories and poems.

I typically write horror and science fiction, but lately I’ve been dabbling in crime/noir. I’ve also been influenced by the style of Cormac McCarthy lately. He was a fine writer.

What’s next for Pedro Iniguez? What can eager readers look forward to in the coming months?

So far 2023 has been kind to me and I’ve had a good number of stories and poems published over at some great venues. My bibliography, for those interested, is posted on my website over at pedroiniguezauthor.com.

I have a cool story coming out sometime this year in an anthology I can’t speak about yet, but it’s got some absolute horror legends and icons in it, and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ll post updates on my social media and website when the time comes. Apart from that, I’m working on a horror/crime novel and that’s where a lot of my focus will be towards the second half of the year.