Interview with Author Holden Arquilevich

Holden Arquilevich's story "Milkgold" ticks a lot of boxes for us at Weird Lit: it's got unique, speculative characterization, thoughtful metaphysical commentary, a healthy dose of humor, intrigue, and ambiguity. Read on to hear a bit more about the author below.

What’s the weirdest sound you can make?

I can do a spot-on impression of a Minecraft spider. Like, eerily good. 

What's your favorite obscure novel or short story (a work you never hear anyone else talking about)?

“Time and the Gods” by Lord Dunsany. It’s public domain so I highly recommend everyone go to Project Gutenberg’s official website and read it for free. You can download it or even read it in your browser. It’s fantasy and super metal, and it inspired a lot of great speculative fiction writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, H.P. Lovecraft, and Ursula K. Le Guin. 

What's your editing process? Do you have a first or beta reader, or a workshop group? 

I have my mom. Thank you mom. 

Do you have a favorite book on writing or creating that's been a helpful resource?

Yes, I haven’t read it cover to cover, but “Wonderbook” by Jeff Vandermeer is amazing for anyone trying to write speculative fiction, and just fiction in general. The list of contributors is insane too—lots of successful authors have segments with tips on writing.

Where do you go when you need to work out a writing block? 

I have this one particular video of Anne Rice (may her memory be for blessing) giving writing advice from 2012 (Anne gives writing advice 09.18.12 - YouTube). She gives the sage advice I follow when I write: “Go where the pain is,” and, “go where the pleasure is.” She’s also a firm voice just telling me to keep going and not to give up. We don’t have the same writing style at all, but I look up to her in many ways, and I love the Vampire Chronicles.

What are your long-term writing goals? 

I want to be traditionally published at least once, like with an agent and everything. And my big dream is to win a Bram Stoker Award one day. 

Pigs or chickens?

A pig might eat a man. 

If you were a cryptid, what would your name be and what strange habits would people whisper about?

My name would be Frolp Spoons and the townsfolk would whisper about how I lay eggs in their chicken coops. 

Unpopular opinion, go: 

Book clubs suck. You’d have to pay me to join a book club. I just feel like book clubs turn reading into homework, and when reading is homework, it sucks. Even books I’ve absolutely loved I don’t finish when they are assigned to me because I run out of time, or it just feels like homework compared to pleasure reading. I’d love to be proven wrong, though. A weird fiction book club or a comic book club would slap.

Holden Arquilevich is an aspiring writer and an aspiring librarian. His work has been featured in Mobius Blvd, Dark Horses: The Magazine of Weird Fiction, and Cosmic Horror Monthly. He is from Ojai, California. He loves karaoke, and don’t even get him started on Char Man. For updates on his publications follow his Instagram: @harquilevich.