Latinx Heritage in Horror Month 2024: An Interview with Valentina Cano Repetto
What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve always been a voracious reader, and I dabbled a bit in high school with a creative writing class, but I never really considered tackling anything substantial until I went through a bout of major depression that left me grasping for anything that could bring a bit of relief. Writing did that for me. I began with free writing, choosing a word at random and scribbling everything that came to my mind without stopping or correcting myself for five minutes. I’d then try to transform the themes I spilled on the page into poetry. It was purely therapeutic at first, but as I started filling notebooks, I began sending some poems out to a variety of journals and e-zines. Surprisingly, editors liked them. It all kind of spiraled from there.
Tell us about your work in 25 words or less.
Historical gothic horror novels that straddle the commercial and literary markets.
What was it about the horror genre that drew you to it?
One of the things I love most about horror is that it’s honest. It’s a genuine reaction that says a lot about you as a person, about your values and worries, whether you’re the reader, viewer, or writer of horror. Although we’re all individuals, horror also provides common ground. Body horror makes us squirm, and terror steeped in grief makes us want to clutch our loved ones closer. Beneath the monsters, ghosts, and killers, there are universal fears that horror taps into.
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?
Until my latest manuscript (currently in the hands of my ace of an agent, Grace Milusich), I didn’t include Latinx characters in my stories. I’ve written novels set in a number of historical periods and there’s a significant bias in the literary world toward hearing about the European or North American view of the world in those eras. We can all picture Victorian England, but what about 1850s Uruguay or Argentina? What was happening there? Because so much of my family is Italian, it always seemed like there were more stories to tell from that viewpoint. Writing my latest novel, however, I realized just how much there was to share from the other half, the quieter half, of my identity. I say quieter because being Uruguayan and of native descent (Charrúa) has been something I’ve pushed aside. By necessity, really. Moving to the United States when I was eight meant assimilating and rearranging how I thought of myself. But now I’m waving that part of my identity forward, shining a bit of light on it. More than anything, I want people to realize the colors and depths of the stories that come from places like Uruguay. The country, small as it is, is full of magic. It’s got a rich history that, like all Latin American countries, deserves to be told and not to be shoved aside by bigger, showier European narratives.
What has writing horror taught you about the world and yourself?
As I mentioned earlier, I see horror as sort of a universal spring from which we all drink. The water may taste slightly different here or there, but we’re all sharing what’s essentially the same thing. As a horror writer, I sit to write what’s most terrifying to me, always carrying the worry that “perhaps this won’t resonate,” “maybe this is a ‘me’ thing,” and I’m always wrong. It makes you feel significantly less alone.
How have you seen the horror genre change over the years? And how do you think it will continue to evolve?
More than anything, I’ve seen women step boldly out into the bloodied fields of the horror genre. It’s exhilarating to see so many of us out there, writing cathartically violent scenes without apology. I think, I hope, that will continue.
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!)
I’d love to see historical horror that incorporates Charrúa or Guarani narratives. I’m only partly native and don’t have living connections with that community so I’m always hesitant to touch on it too much. I may build up the courage someday. There are excellent mythological creatures from Uruguay and Argentina that the English-speaking horror community hasn’t heard of. Giant serpents, wolf-men, jaguar gods.
Who are some of your favorite LatinX characters in horror?
Noemí from Mexican Gothic is a great character, a modern version of the gothic ingenue. Mario from The Devil Takes You Home is another powerful character, willing to do anything to save his daughter and meet the world’s darkness with his own.
Who are some LatinX horror authors you recommend our audience check out?
First and foremost: Horacio Quiroga. He was an Uruguayan author who died in the 1930s and wrote some of the most horrifying stories I’ve ever read. There may be some of them in translation but, unfortunately, the majority of his work remains available only in Spanish. Current Latinx authors I’ve enjoyed are Samanta Schweblin, Gabino Iglesias, Brenda Lozano, and Giovanna Rivero.
What is one piece of advice you would give horror authors today?
Keep pushing boundaries but always focus on the human element in the story. Anchor the reader with emotions they can relate to and they’ll follow the story, no matter how outlandish the plot.
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?
Write an outline. That’s something that many authors recommend, and it has become essential for my process. I need a detailed roadmap so I don’t get lost but one that allows me to take detours when necessary. Of course, outlining a novel is not something that works for everyone and that’s completely fine. This brings me to my answer to the next question: don’t accept anyone telling you that there is only one way of writing. Do what seems right to you. No one has the ultimate answers on how to write. We’re all just feeling our way through the process.
And to the LatinX writers out there who are just getting started, what advice would you give them?
Read widely. Read everything you can. If you speak other languages, read in those, too. It all helps you to build your voice. Lean into your identity and dig deep into your stories without worrying about things getting lost when “translating” between cultures. In horror, authenticity and honesty resonate.
Born in Uruguay to Latino and Italian parents and having lived in Miami, FL, for twenty-three years, Valentina Cano Repetto has now made her home in a secluded watermill in Northern Italy. She is the author of The Rose Master (REUTS Publications) and Sanctuary (CamCat Books). When not writing, you can find her cuddling with her dozen goats or sunbathing with her snake.