Latinx Heritage in Horror Month 2024: An Interview with Ericca Chavez
What inspired you to start writing?
I was inspired to start writing because of the ghost stories I would hear as a kid, in particular, La Llorona; they sparked my imagination. I made up worlds in my mind and found myself lost in them—still am most days. Then one day, I decided to bring these worlds to life by actually putting them down on paper.
Tell us about your work in 25 words or less.
My work can be described as heavily supernatural-creature-infested, with mystery, a bit of chaos, and strong feminine characters in the mix.
What was it about the horror genre that drew you to it?
The horror genre holds an essence of abnormality that we don’t experience in day-to-day life. I found this aspect the most intriguing because it takes what we know and throws us down a spiral of scenarios that we would never imagine/want to experience. Yet seeing the main character mostly intact by the end inspires resilience to get through our own lives when abnormality does appear.
Do you make a conscious effort to include LatinX characters and/or themes in your writing and if so, what do you want to portray?
When I first started writing, I didn’t pay attention to the cultural backgrounds of my characters, instead, I chose to put my focus on the plot. Obviously, I learned that without some kind of background, there wasn’t flavor to the characters themselves. Eventually, I found a lack of Latinx and Chicano characters in the books I would read and thought why not incorporate them into my own work? My current works do make an effort to include them and by doing so I want to portray that we(LatinX) are allowed to appear in horror and show how we thrive in it as well.
What has writing horror taught you about the world and yourself?
Writing horror has taught me that the most horrifying things in the world can be found much closer than we believe, which is an unpleasant thought. With it, it inspires us to be better humans and to find the good things within our communities.
As for what horror has taught me about myself, my fears are my biggest weapon in writing and in general. Because they are mine at the end of the day, I can learn to wield my fear’s limits.
How have you seen the horror genre change over the years? And how do you think it will continue to evolve?
In recent years, I have seen changes to the horror genre with more inclusion of diverse cultures as well as more diverse characters. As to how horror will continue to evolve, I can’t quite foresee. Because horror mirrors reality on some level and has a pop cultural tone, there’s no definite indication of the path it’ll take. But I will welcome its evolution with open arms.
Time to daydream: what are some aspects of LatinX history or culture – stories from your childhood, historical events, etc — that you really want our genre to tackle? (Whether or not you’re the one to tackle them!)
Coming from a Mexican background there are a few cultural aspects that I would like horror to tackle. The major ones in mind though are machismo and mental health. These topics have been addressed here and there, but I think diving in with a new perspective and even combining the two would make for an interesting narrative in a horror book.
Who are some of your favorite LatinX characters in horror?
Currently, the LatinX character Beatriz from The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas is my favorite. Without spoiling much, she is portrayed as an “accepting her circumstances” type of woman and I love that she’s a strong female lead in that aspect, especially considering the era the book takes place in. She knows what needs to be done and she tries her best despite everything she’s put through. Her character reminds me of the women in my life, having similar attitudes that I admire.
Who are some LatinX horror authors you recommend our audience check out?
LatinX horror authors that I recommend are Isabel Cañas and Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Both are amazing writers and create such compelling characters. They stand as examples for other Mexican-feminine writers in the horror genre of what we are capable of. Another author that was recommended to me recently and has been added to my TBR list (To Be Read list), is Carlos Fuentes, in particular his 1962 short novel, Aura.
What is one piece of advice you would give horror authors today?
Some advice that I would give horror writers is to write about what they know, the topic that sparks passion, and the things that bring comfort. Then to those ideas add aspects that make you feel uncomfortable; throw yourself and the readers down that abnormal spiral. I find this method a good starting point when forming ideas and topics that I want to write about.
What is one piece of craft advice you’ve gotten that has really worked for you? Alternatively, what’s one that you’ve happily rejected?
The best advice I received is to take my time and really flesh out the details in my stories. Horror is about description and a peer that I did a story swap with brought it to my attention, that I just didn’t have enough in my story. So I went back and took my time with adding enough detail to improve the story without overdoing it.
Alternatively, the advice I happily rejected was to switch over to a different genre or to altogether quit writing. The person was more of a hater and thought my work didn’t belong in the horror genre. I was still new to writing then, but I didn’t let their words discourage me from writing and improving my work.
And to the LatinX writers out there who are just getting started, what advice would you give them?
To the up-and-coming LatinX writers out there, my advice to you is to always keep writing. Whether it’s in one genre or another, write and experiment as much as you can. The best way to become a writer is to always write! That being said, share your work! I shared it with my friends in the beginning and got their constructive thoughts, which helped build confidence so I could one day share it with more people (and I did). Lastly, not everyone’s gonna like your work, but just shake it off cause there will be other readers who see your story and marvel at it.
Ericca Chavez is a writer based in Utah. She’s been featured in Spillwords Press, Cajun Mutt Press, and Timber Ghost Press. Inspired by horror, the supernatural, and the paranormal; she creates short stories, poetry, and even artwork centered around these dark topics. Though being a creative spirit, she also writes about her Mexican heritage, the environment, mental health, and the occasional romance. When she’s not writing or painting, she can be found tending to her plentiful garden, listening to great music, studying occultish/ mythological subjects, and reading an enthralling book with a cup of tea. You can follow her on Instagram.
