# October Just Got Even Spookier
Just in time for Halloween: Bram Stoker Award-winning author Gabino Iglesias makes a special stop at West Branch Library to talk with horror fans and aspiring local authors.
His latest book, House of Bone and Rain, has been hailed as "Stand By Me with a haunted, obsidian-dark heart." by the New York Times Book Review.
Synopsis: "For childhood friends Gabe, Xavier, Tavo, Paul, and Bimbo, death has always been close. Hurricanes. Car accidents. Gang violence. Suicide. Estamos rodeados de fantasmas was Gabe’s grandmother’s refrain. We are surrounded by ghosts. But this time is different. Bimbo’s mom has been shot dead. We’re gonna kill the guys who killed her Bimbo swears. And they all agree."
# Meet Gabino Iglesias
Writer's Lab: Writing Violence During Violent Times
Attend a free workshop with award-winning novelist, Gabino Iglesias from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at West Branch Library. Participants will explore the most popular types of violence in fiction and learn how to use it as a tool to improve storytelling. He will share his dos, don'ts, and grey areas in between while paying attention and taking into consideration real violence on a local, national, and international level. Participants will also analyze the role of empathy in violent narratives, "Otherness," physicality, and other core elements of great character development.
After tackling the explosive, messy nature of violence and the role of language in violent narratives, he'll discuss the "formula" and how to pace it (and subvert it) to serve your writing.
Lit Chat Author Interview* with Gabino Iglesias
Are you a horror fan? Join us from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at West Branch Library for a special Lit Chat Interview and book signing.
Gabino Iglesias is the author of the Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker award-winning novel, The Devil Takes You Home, as well as author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning novels Zero Saints and Coyote Songs. This writer, journalist, professor, and literary critic hails from Austin, Texas. He is known for combining horror, noir, and supernatural elements with stories inspired by his Puerto Rican heritage.
His work has been translated into five languages, optioned for film, nominated to the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award and won the Wonderland Book Award for Best Novel in 2019. You may also know him as the horror columnist for the New York Times Book Review or as an NPR contributor. He's been a juror for the Shirley Jackson Awards twice, the Newfound Prose Prize, the Splatterpunk Awards, and PANK Magazine's Big Book Contest.
*Interviewer Amy S. Baskin is a professor at FSCJ whose interdisciplinary work bridges composition, game-based learning, film, and creativity. With a background in creative writing, Professor Baskin designs immersive learning environments that invite students to become co-authors of their educational journeys. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the idea that storytelling and play are frameworks for critical inquiry and self-expression.
More Books for Fans of Gabino Iglesias
- Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- In the Dream House, by Carmen Maria Machado
- Tender is the Flesh, by Agustina Bazterrica
- Piñata, by Leopoldo Gout
- Monstrilio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova
- The Haunting of Alejandra, by V Castro
- Our Share of the Night, by Mariana Enriquez
- Pink Slime, by Fernanda Trìas
- The Hacienda, by Isabel Cañas
- Jawbone, by Mónica Ojeda
Did you know? Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, joined us in Jax last year for Hispanic Heritage Month. You can watch the Lit Chat Interview on our YouTube channel. Or, listen to the episode on our Completely Booked podcast.
For more great reads by Hispanic and Latine/Latinx authors, check out our blog.
Be the first to know about Lit Chat author events, writing workshops, and more!
