Picture a Mexican storyteller who spun a monster-filled tale of love and loss into a literary sensation—meet Gerardo Sámano Córdova! This Mexico City-born writer and artist has taken the literary world by storm with his debut novel, Monstrilio, a haunting blend of horror, magical realism, and raw emotion that’s as unforgettable as it is unsettling.
Now living in Brooklyn and serving as Writer in Residence at Fordham University, Córdova crafts stories that dive deep into the human heart, exploring grief, identity, and the monstrous sides of love. His unique voice, shaped by his roots in visual arts and filmmaking, makes him a rising star in contemporary literature.
The Making of Gerardo Sámano Córdova
Born and raised in Mexico City, Gerardo Sámano Córdova grew up surrounded by vibrant culture and folklore, from tales of La Llorona to the magical realism of Latin American literature. His early love for storytelling led him to explore film and photography before writing became his true calling. After working in advertising, Córdova took a bold leap, leaving his job to pursue an MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program.
His time at Michigan, along with workshops at Bread Loaf and Tin House, honed his craft. Córdova’s artistic background—think quirky drawings of little creatures—infuses his writing with vivid imagery and a playful, yet dark, sensibility. This blend of disciplines shapes his genre-defying style, making his work feel both cinematic and deeply personal.
Gerardo Sámano Córdova’s Unforgettable Stories
Córdova’s debut novel, Monstrilio (2023), is a literary horror masterpiece that’s earned accolades from NPR, Goodreads, and the Los Angeles Times, where it was named a Best Book of 2023. The story follows Magos, a grieving mother who nurtures a piece of her deceased son’s lung into a carnivorous creature called Monstrilio. Told through four perspectives across Brooklyn, Mexico City, and Berlin, the novel explores love’s limits, grief’s horrors, and the nature-versus-nurture debate with humor and heart.
His short stories, published in outlets like The Common, Ninth Letter, and Chicago Quarterly Review, showcase his knack for queer, monstrous, and playful narratives. Pieces like “Forgotten” weave surreal elements with emotional depth, hinting at the bold imagination seen in Monstrilio. Currently, Córdova is working on a second novel and a short story collection, promising more genre-bending tales.
Influenced by horror classics like Stephen King’s Pet Sematary and films like The Babadook, Córdova’s style merges visceral fear with tender moments. His Mexican heritage shines through in settings and themes, grounding fantastical stories in cultural authenticity. Readers are drawn to his ability to make monsters feel human and humans feel monstrous.
Why Gerardo Sámano Córdova Matters
Gerardo Sámano Córdova is redefining horror by infusing it with Latinx and queer perspectives, joining contemporaries like Carmen Maria Machado and Stephen Graham Jones. His work resonates with readers who crave stories that are both thrilling and thought-provoking, offering fresh takes on universal themes like loss and belonging. By blending folklore with modern sensibilities, he bridges cultures and genres, making horror more inclusive and emotionally rich.
As a teacher and mentor, Córdova inspires new writers through his classes at Fordham and workshops like Tin House’s Summer Craft Intensive. His debut’s success, including the Balcones Fiction Prize, signals a bright future, with critics praising his “distinctive, exciting new voice” in fiction. For fans of genre-bending literature, Córdova is a name to watch.
- Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico
- Key Work: Monstrilio (2023)
- Awards: Balcones Fiction Prize, Finalist for VCU Cabell First Novelist Award
- Fun Fact: He draws quirky little creatures!
Snag Monstrilio and dive into Gerardo Sámano Córdova’s thrilling, heart-wrenching world of literary horror!