Where awesome book readers meet awesome writers. Today, we introduce Sergio Lourenço, a rising voice in dark fantasy and folk horror whose debut novella Blood for Quiet Hollow is already capturing the imagination of readers drawn to eerie landscapes, ancient secrets, and haunted souls.
About Sergio Lourenço
Sergio Lourenço is a writer who thrives in the shadowed corners of imagination where folklore, horror, and the uncanny intersect. Before publishing his first book, he spent years honing his craft through short stories and worldbuilding challenges on World Anvil, an online hub for storytellers.
“Those early experiments helped me find my voice,” he shares. “I learned how to build worlds that feel alive, filled with mystery and consequence.”
His debut work marks the beginning of a much larger vision: a cycle of novellas and eventually full-length novels set in the world of Erydon, a place where curses, bargains, and legends never truly die.
The Latest Book: Blood for Quiet Hollow
Lourenço’s debut, Blood for Quiet Hollow, was born from his love of folk horror stories where rural landscapes and old traditions hide dark truths. The tale follows Arenicos, a rogue mage who ventures into places where old gods whisper and forgotten pacts still hold power.
“The idea came from the feeling that small villages and forests have memories,” Sergio explains. “They carry the weight of what came before every myth, every mistake.”
Set in a world where superstition meets survival, Blood for Quiet Hollow captures the unsettling beauty of the unknown. It is both a horror story and a meditation on the cost of knowledge, written in the lyrical, atmospheric style that defines the best dark fantasy.
Writing Habits and Creative Process
Sergio’s creative process begins with an image rather than a plot. “Sometimes it’s just one scene,” he says. “A child born without breath. A bell ringing on its own. From that single haunting moment, the story begins to grow.”
He prefers to write in cycles, returning to familiar characters and settings across multiple stories until their mysteries are fully revealed. “Each book is like a window into the same world, but seen from a different angle.”
Literary Influences
Lourenço’s writing draws inspiration from some of the most evocative voices in horror and fantasy. He cites Thomas Ligotti, Caitlín R. Kiernan, H. P. Lovecraft, and Nathan Ballingrud as key influences in shaping his vision of the uncanny.
From the fantasy realm, he admires Michael Moorcock, Robert E. Howard, Brandon Sanderson, and George R. R. Martin, writers known for building vast mythologies grounded in human emotion.
“Folk tales and mythology have always been my foundation,” he says. “Their rhythm, repetition, and sense of inevitability shape everything I write.”
What He’s Working on Now
Sergio is currently outlining the next novella in Arenicos’s arc, exploring a new side of his enigmatic protagonist. “If Blood for Quiet Hollow was about curses and debts,” he explains, “the next story will deal with ambition and power how even good intentions can twist into something monstrous.”
Promoting His Work
For now, World Anvil remains his main creative community, where he connects with fellow worldbuilders and readers who love detailed, immersive storytelling. He also uses Amazon’s promotional tools to reach new audiences and has begun collaborating with dark fantasy and horror groups to expand his readership.
Advice for New Authors
Sergio’s message for aspiring writers is simple but powerful: start now.
“Don’t wait for the perfect moment it doesn’t exist. Write the story that won’t leave your mind. Finish it, even if it’s rough. You can fix words on a page, but you can’t fix a blank one.”
He encourages writers to draft freely, without fear of imperfection. “The first version is just discovery. The second draft is where the story finds its true form.”
The Best Advice He Ever Heard
“The first draft doesn’t have to be good it just has to exist.” Sergio says this wisdom freed him from the paralysis of perfectionism. “Once you accept that, writing becomes creation instead of pressure.”
What He’s Reading Now
He is currently rereading Songs of a Dead Dreamer by Thomas Ligotti, while also exploring modern folk horror anthologies. “I like keeping a mix of classic weird fiction and new indie voices,” he says. “It reminds me how many different ways there are to tell a haunting story.”
What’s Next for Sergio Lourenço
His long-term goal is to build a complete mythos around Erydon. Each novella deepens the lore, revealing new aspects of its magic, history, and darkness. Once the cycle is complete, he plans to expand the universe into full-length novels.
“My hope is that readers will see how all the stories connect,” he says. “Each one is a fragment of something larger a mosaic of the strange and the sacred.”
Books He Would Take to a Desert Island
If stranded with only a few books, Sergio’s choices reveal his love for layered, thought-provoking storytelling:
- The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
- Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti
- The Witcher: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
- The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales, a collection he calls “an endless source of dark wonder.”
Connect with Sergio Lourenço
- Amazon Author Page: Sergio Lourenço Amazon Profile
Sergio Lourenço’s Blood for Quiet Hollow is a haunting debut that redefines folk horror for a new generation. His stories linger long after the final page, inviting readers into a world where every whisper, shadow, and silence holds a secret waiting to be uncovered.
