1--What is the title of your latest release?
THE DEVIL’S PROMISE
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Erasmo Cruz is a paranormal investigator in San Antonio, TX. He takes on a client, Bradly Erickson, who is convinced that he made a deal with the devil. When Bradley’s child is stolen, Erasmo must uncover the secrets behind a cult and the blood demon they worship. But if he’s not careful, Erasmo might be tempted to make his own deal with the devil.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I was born and raised in San Antonio, and still live here now. I’ve always felt that San Antonio has been underrepresented in books and movies as a setting, so it was important to me that The Devil’s Promise takes place here. My first book, The Ghost Tracks, also takes place in San Antonio.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Absolutely! Erasmo Cruz is an expert in the paranormal, so it would be fun to chat with him about ghosts and urban legends and the cases he’s worked on.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Lonely, earnest, and determined.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
During the research phase, I learned a lot about demons in different religions. Reading about their similarities and differences was eye-opening. I also learned quite a bit about curanderismo, Mexican folk healing.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I try not to stop and edit, but this usually proves impossible for me. Inevitably, I’ll notice something that can be worded or described better and stop to fix it.
8--What’s your favorite snack to have on hand while writing?
Sea salt and vinegar potato chips.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I do have a room in the house designated for writing. However, our dog Layla usually comes in and barks at me to go downstairs and sit on the sofa with her. So most of my writing is done on the sofa, with her paws pressing on the side of my laptop while she sleeps.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Gillian Flynn. She’s knocked it out of the park on every one of her books. Suspense, mystery, unforgettable characters, fascinating observations…she does it all.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty. I read it at an impressionable age. Could not believe that such a broad and distinct cast of characters sprung from one person’s mind. Honorable mention to Misery, by Stephen King. Both of these books made me wonder if writing something of my own was possible.
12--What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?
I read an interview in which Josh Malerman said that his only metric of success for a book was finishing it. I’ve tried to take that to heart. Finishing is everything. Then the work of improving it can begin.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Horror, which is fairly broad. I definitely prefer horror with elements of mystery and suspense weaved in. For my money, Catriona Ward is the gold standard in horror right now.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
That’s a hard question! I almost skipped this one because I didn’t want to have to choose. But that would have been shameful and cowardly, so I made myself pick one. It could’ve easily been 50 other movies, but based on my mood today, let’s go with ALIENS.
15--What is your favorite season?
The fall. San Antonio finally cools down for a bit, football season starts, and Halloween arrives in all of its monstrous glory.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
By trying to reassure myself that I’m not really that old. And eating terribly!
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
FROM on MGM+. It’s about a group of people trapped in a small town. Creatures come out of the woods every night and try to kill everybody. A ton of mystery and surprises around every corner. If you’re a fan of LOST, you’ll love FROM.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I’d have to go with Italian. The pizza/pasta combo is hard to beat.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
Usually catch up on TV shows that I’m behind on or catch up on my woefully long to be read list.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I’m working on a haunted house book, tentatively titled, Something Fierce.
The Ghost Tracks #2
San Antonio is full of secrets, and seventeen-year-old Erasmo Cruz investigates the strangest of them. After gaining renown for surviving the city's legendary Ghost Tracks, he has set up shop as a paranormal investigator. But helping exorcize other people’s demons doesn’t seem to relieve his own; his best friend Rat has abandoned him, his grandmother is nearing death, and his own health has taken a sudden decline.
None of these hardships can prepare Erasmo for the story his newest client brings him. Two decades after a strange ritual at a rural ranch, Bradley Erickson is being hunted by the Devil. In exchange for the life of his dreams, Bradley must surrender the blood of his child. The case hurls Erasmo into a dark web of cults, bargains, and broken pasts. Only one thing is certain: the Devil keeps his promises.
Young Adult | Horror [Inkshares, On Sale: October 3, 2023, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781950301638 / eISBN: 9781950301645]
Celso Hurtado was born and raised in San Antonio, TX. He has been a punk guitarist, worked in the political arena, and has played entirely too many hours of The Legend of Zelda. In his writing, he strives to surprise his readers, and make them think twice before investigating that creak in the hallway. The Ghost Tracks is his first novel.
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