WIHM 2026: Meet N.J. Gallegos

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you contribute to the horror genre.
Howdy! I’m N.J. Gallegos, an ER doctor by day, horror author by night. I’m a card-carrying lesbian and Hispanic (slowly learning Spanish via Duolingo). I lean a lot into medical horror given I have a lot of experience in the field and I find it fascinating. You’ve got body horror galore, psychological horror, you can apply a variety of horror tropes (zombies, werewolves, ghosts, etc), and I think it’s a very real horror since we all will succumb to illness, injury, and eventually, death. Given my background, I offer a unique perspective, especially in a field that has been historically male-dominated (both medicine and writing), and I try to champion women, the disenfranchised, and those left on the margins. 
 
What drew you to the horror genre?
I was indoctrinated in the horror genre by my mother! She introduced me to horror early on, taking me to R-rated movies when I was five-years-old, renting out every B-movie at our local video rental store, and showing me classics like Alien and The Exorcist. Being scared (and not being in any mortal peril) is very fun for me and consuming horror can act as a what-to-do manual when confronted with frightening situations. It’s also an outlet, a way to escape the true horrors of everyday life. Sure… your girlfriend might have broken up with you but at least she’s not a succubus killing all the boys at school, there’s not a literal apocalypse happening outside (your mileage may vary), and you’re not a werewolf. Things could always be worse! 
 
If you could recommend one creation of horror that everyone should consume, whether that be a book, podcast, movie, art, etc., what would you recommend?
Stephen King’s The Stand. Not only is it my favorite book of all time but it’s a master class in storytelling. The premise is truly horrifying: a super-flu with a 99.9% mortality rate, the collapse of society, and the battle between Good and Evil. The character development is off the chain, and it’s a book a person can read over and over and glean something new each time. I’ve long said it’s the book I would want with me if I were stranded on a desert island and I stand by that. 
  
What do you find scary within the horror genre?
Body horror tends to terrify me most since our body is our castle; it’s our one thing that truly belongs to us. Body horror takes many forms too: it can be feeling trapped in a body you can’t control, health failures, trauma inflicted on someone, the list goes on. I also tend to gravitate towards dystopian and post-apocalyptic landscapes as I find both endlessly interesting (and worry our world might be edging towards both). 
 
Who are some women in horror you think more people should discover?
I always need to shout out my girl, Bridgett Nelson, the Splatterpunk Queen. CJ Leede, Taylor Z. Adams, Elizabeth Broadbent, Paula D. Ashe, Sea Caummisar, Viggy Parr Hampton, Lesley A. Camphouse, Catlyn Ladd, Clare Castleberry, amongst others. 
 
What advice would you give to the next generation of women coming into the horror genre?
Tell the story you want to tell. Don’t worry what other people think because no matter what, there will always be haters and detractors. Your story and your viewpoints are important and you’re making the world a better place by sharing your perspective. And who knows? Maybe someone will resonate with your words and you’ll inspire others or, at the very least, take someone out of their worries for a little while. As for general writing advice: just get the story on paper. First drafts inherently suck. That’s what editing is for! 
 
Where can folks find you these days?
Twitter/X: @DrSpooky_ER 
Bluesky: @drspookyer.bsky.social 
Facebook: NJGallegos87
Website: njgallegos.com 

Bio:
N.J. Gallegos is an Emergency Medicine physician by day, horror author by night. Medical maladies, haunted hospitals, and the impending zombie apocalypse dominate her oh-so-delectable brain. 
When not wielding a scalpel or pen, she binges reality TV (anything Bravo and Survivor), homebrews IPAs, and co-hosts the Scream Kings Podcast. She resides in Tornado Alley with her wife and two cats, Cat Bane and Wally.
 
She has been nominated for two Pushcart Prizes. Her novella Just Desserts won an American Legacy Book Award in the Psychological Horror category (2024). In 2022 and 2025, she won first place in Alien Buddha Press’ Horror Showdown. With Winding Road Stories, she’s published two novels, The Broken Heart and The Fatal Mind. She’s taken part in multiple anthologies and projects… with more on the horizon.