NEWS EDITOR – ASHTON JEFFERS
As the fall season approaches and decorations of skeletons and ghouls begin to pop up on people’s porches and lawns, many look to horror novels and stories to prep themselves for getting into the spirit of Halloween. Telling ghost stories is a tradition as old as time, a thought shared by author, V. Castro.
V. Castro is a Mexican-American horror fiction writer, born and raised in San Antonio. Growing up, she was fascinated by Mexican folklore and Texan urban legends shared within her family. She noted that growing up in the 1980s had allowed her to watch many of the classic horror films of the decade that ultimately captivated her. Still, Castro said that there was always something missing in these stories and films that she loved. “I wanted more Latinas front and center because we’re very rarely ever the leads and, so this was my opportunity to make a Latina lead, to say what it’s like to be a woman of color. What are our mental health challenges? We do bleed red, and we do deserve to be in the spotlight and to have our stories told.”
On Oct. 25, Castro’s newest novel, “Aliens: Vasquez,” releases, with her being the first Latina to write for the “Aliens” franchise. The book centers on character, Private Vasquez, diving into her backstory from a Mexican American perspective. Castro views this as an opportunity to proudly show her roots by bringing a Latinx story in sci-fi front and center. Castro shared how important Vasquez is to her: “I come from a military family. My dad was in the army, my uncles are in the military. I’ve got lots of military in my family… So it was really cool to also give a nod to that.” Castro has released five other books: “Mestiza Blood,” “Goddess of Filth,” “Queen of the Cicadas,” “Latinx Screams,” and “Hairspray and Switchblades.” During the pandemic, it had been difficult for authors to hold public events to promote the release of their novels, especially for those just getting their foot in the door. Castro said that social media and online platforms like Amazon Reviews have helped immensely with ensuring her stories are shared and become points of conversation. “I greatly appreciate anyone who gets on and talks about my books…and I really have a lot of gratitude for all the reviewers who are on there,” Castro states. “Every bit helps because publishing is a tough business,”
While talking with Castro, she mentioned that during this time, she is finally able to attend in-person events such as book signings and conventions. During the pandemic, most connections she made were online, which led her to interact with readers and authors on a global scale. Her work has been all electronic. She also plans to become more involved in the writing community in the U.K., where she moved to after living in San Antonio. She comes back to the U.S. and San Antonio as often as she can, recently returning to her hometown for book signings at Barnes & Noble.
When giving advice to future authors, Castro said, “It’s okay to take up space. It’s okay to be loud. It’s okay to follow your dreams. If someone says no, do it anyway. How you react to the world is much more important… you are a story. You are the future… if you have a fire, you have a passion, you have a dream, you go after it, period-and especially you know for women of color. It is harder, but you know what, our day is coming. We are valid, you are valid, your story is valid, and there needs to be more representation so don’t give up. You got this.” If interested in picking up any of the novels listed, they can be purchased at any bookstore. To hear more about “Aliens: Vasquez” and a novel releasing in April 2023, “The Haunting of Alejandra,” you can follow V. Castro on Twitter. and Instagram (@vlatinalondon).