For Laredo fiction writer Mario E. Martinez, small Texas towns have been a central force in his narratives, shaping the atmosphere, tensions, and strangeness that run through his work.
“I’ve always liked having a setting like that where you almost allow yourself the chance for some magical realism or for just the horror of actual realism or some weird kind of mixture in between,” he said.
Martinez graduated from St. Augustine High School, where he spent much of his free time reading books. Despite his enjoyment of literature throughout high school, he did not begin writing until college.
He later earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Language and Literature from Texas A&M International University. While studying there, a chance conversation with a professor led Martinez toward writing after he was encouraged to write about his summer vacations.
The result was not impressive. “I tried, and it was terrible,” Martinez said. “But the process of doing it, I really liked it.”
He continued writing story after story until eventually producing one he felt was good. More than twenty years later, he is still writing, and he won’t stop.
“I don’t think my writing’s ever going to make me a millionaire or anything like that, but I can’t see my life going in any other way,” he said.
Today, Martinez is the editorial manager of the Bilingual Review/Revista Bilingüe, an academic journal that focuses on translanguaging and bilingual education. Before taking on that role, he spent roughly 15 years teaching as an adjunct instructor at TAMIU.
Over the years, he has published several books and contributed stories to anthologies, podcasts, and literary magazines. Some of his books include NEO-Laredo, Cipactli & The Glowing Pigs of El Cenizo, and San Casimiro, Texas: Short Stories. His work spans multiple genres, though horror has become one of his most recognizable.
“Apparently, I write horror more than anything,” he said.
Despite that reputation, fantasy was the genre that first sparked his love for reading. He recalls reading novels by fantasy author R.A. Salvatore almost as quickly as they were released.
Several mentors helped shape his development as a writer, Martinez said, crediting former TAMIU professor Dr. Suzette Bishop with encouraging him to embrace his own creative vision rather than trying to imitate what he believed serious literature should be.
He also cites Laredo writer Randy Koch as an important influence, praising the precision and discipline in Koch’s work.
Among the authors who inspired Martinez most are Cormac McCarthy and Charles Bukowski. While he admires their writing, Martinez says Bukowski’s dedication to creating art left a particularly strong impression on him. “He [Bukowski] was very influential to me, not that much in style, but in the idea of going all in and just being fearless and shameless in the way that you approach art,” Martinez added.
Many of Martinez’s stories explore themes such as denial, mental illness, and existential dread. Small Texas towns frequently appear throughout his work, providing settings in which the natural world and human civilization exist in constant tension.
That fascination with South Texas landscapes can be seen throughout collections such as The Chickens That Are Not Her Chickens and other projects set in fictional communities inspired by the region.
Martinez values collaboration. Several of his books feature artwork by local artists, including William Ibañez and Jorge López. Working alongside fellow creatives, he said, has become one of the most rewarding aspects of creating art.
“I think it’s important that Laredo can see art created in Laredo by Laredoans,” he said.
With several projects currently in development, including a horror book called A Denial of the Inevitable and other new short stories and collections, Martinez shows no signs of slowing down. For him, the next story is always waiting.
(Born and raised in Nuevo Laredo, Enrique Fiscal is a writer and filmmaker. He has presented his work at several local festivals and events, where he has been recognized. His latest short film, Olivia, is currently on the festival circuit and has been selected as part of international film festivals.)
