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It’s Halloween! It is only fitting that we feature Aurelio again on the site. For our new followers, Aurelio Rico Lopez III was our first featured author. He is a horror writer with more than 20 published books. He is based in Iloilo City and is a medical doctor.
Let’s get to know Aurelio a bit deeper through this very special interview.
We’re curious, how exactly did you start writing?
My mom used to tell us stories before bed when we were kids. She made me fall in love with storytelling. Then when I was in fourth grade, my English teacher saw that I had a knack for writing stories. Turns out, writing was something I enjoyed doing during my spare time, not just for assignments.
At which point did you fall for the horror genre? Was it something that you were already interested in as a kid? Was there a definitive book, movie, or character that you liked?
The first book I read – aside from the Hardy Boys series which every kid my age read – was a horror novel entitled The Vision by Dean Koontz. Had I read a different book, say, a romance novel, I think my writing style would have turned out differently.
As for movies, I must have seen dozens of horror films growing up. Salem’s Lot, Critters, Poltergeist, Psycho, Nightmare on Elm Street, Child’s Play, Maximum Overdrive… This was long before people were so concerned about what kids should and shouldn’t watch. Maybe folks were less sensitive then, or maybe they didn’t care. And Jaws! That great white shark was the reason I had my eyes open the entire time I went swimming in the community pool. Ha, ha!
As for characters I liked, I wanted to be a Ghostbuster because who the heck wouldn’t want to, right?
Can you tell us more about your experience when you started writing? Were there any challenges?
When I was starting submitting work for publication, the biggest challenge was convincing publishers to invest time and money on someone nobody knew.
Then there was my name. Aurelio Rico Lopez III. Not really an exotic name when you’re Filipino, but I once had three poems accepted for a horror magazine in the UK and for each poem, they misspelled my name. That’s three different ways of spelling my name wrong in one magazine issue.
The truth is you need thick skin to be a writer. Not everyone will like what you write. My first book Food for the Crows – first published in the UK by Crowded Quarantine Press, and later reprinted in the US by Stitched Smile Publications – was rejected 13 times before it was finally accepted.
Before Food for the Crows, were there any attempts to publish locally? Is it something that you might consider at all?
I had a few feature articles and short stories published in local magazines and newspapers, but that was about it. After some frustrating attempts at getting some of my horror material published locally, I submitted my work to publishers outside the country.
I would love to work with a local publisher if the right opportunity presents itself.
What were you doing before getting published in 2013? Are there any previously unpublished manuscripts that we’ll see someday?
2013 was the year Food for the Crows was first released. Prior to that – and after – I wrote short stories and poems. I even did a short stint as a feature writer for a city-based newspaper.
I wish I had an unpublished manuscript hidden somewhere – a literary gem of great value – but that isn’t the case. I only have the ones I am currently working on.
Are you willing to collaborate with other local writers, artists, and publishers?
I am certainly open to collaborating with local writers. I think the trick is to work with one whose style synchs well with your own. Years ago, I worked with Kristine Ong Muslim, a very talented poet, on a poetry collection called Oddities.
I enjoy working with local artists whenever I can, but sometimes, that decision is the publisher’s, not mine. Still, I’ve had the privilege to work with Filipino artists whose art amaze me. Dennis Hubag, Lette Lazaro, Cycy Berlin, Chipe, Ark Jardeleza, Daniel Tinagan, and Dr. Arik Dela Cruz have graced my work with cover art. Recently, when Wild Hunt Press assigned Elden Ardiente to create covers for Night of the Kaiju and Kaiju Double Barrel, I was extremely happy to learn he was Filipino.
Not a lot of people know this, but you are also a doctor. You must have excellent time management.
I wouldn’t call my time management “excellent,” but I think people owe it to themselves to find time to do things they love. I will always have time for writing. Sometimes, between seeing patients, I’ll jot an idea or a scene on a piece of paper and save it for later.
We’ve seen some of your books pop online, more specifically on Shopee. Are you interested in distributing on more local platforms?
Really? Have they been popping on Shopee? That’s news to me. (laughs)
I’d love to have my books more accessible locally, and your online shop sounds perfect. I’ll have my people contact your people. You know, I’ve always wanted to say that.
