Biography

I was born in Granada on the 21st of November 1967 – as you see, I don’t mind revealing my age!  I’m the eldest of six brothers and sisters whom I adore.  My mother is a primary school teacher and my father is basically a builder, although he’s so multifaceted that he’s done almost everything during his life.  For me they have always been an example to follow.

I first came in contact with written texts through comics, which I was already devouring at the age of four.  One of my first memories of that period is of my father coming home one day with what seemed to me a marvellous treasure: a huge bundle of maybe 50 or 60 comics which almost made my eyes jump out of their sockets.  By six my favourite reading was the Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving, a gift from my grandfather – although I must confess that I cheated and skipped the travelogues and anecdotes so as to read just the stories.  So vividly did I envision those tales that my first visit to the Alhambra at the age of 11 or 12 came as a big disappointment – the place was empty!  No carpets nor curtains nor princes nor warriors.   Fortunately I learned to appreciate the Alhambra much more in later years.

My first publications began to appear from 16 onwards due to literary prizes, such as, amongst others, first place in the Young Authors’ National Poetry Award, a contest organised by Ideal newspaper, and first place in a short story contest organised by the Granada City Council.  As a student of the Unified Multipurpose Baccalaureate and the University Orientation Course at the Pedro Antonio de Alarcón secondary school in Guadix, I received advice and support from two wonderful literature teachers, Victor and Bonifacio Valdivia.   Inquisitive and active by nature, I took part in most of the school activities: a theatre group, a literature group, a popular dance group… During that period I was part of the “Sustari” Guadix Writers Collective, with whom I took part in many recitals as a poet and as a singer, an activity which also brought various local prizes.  I felt, and I still feel, at ease in front of an audience.

After secondary school I headed for the University of Granada to do courses in English Philology, at the end of which I passed my exams as secondary education teacher.  Following a school year teaching in Almuñecar, and another in Guadix, I was finally assigned to the “Andarax Valley” secondary school in Canjáyar located in the Almerian Alpujarra.  Here I live and work today.  My husband, Francisco Alonso, is a piano teacher in the Royal Conservatory in Almería.  We have two sons, Paco and José Luis, born in YEAR? and YEAR?  During the first ten years in Canjáyar I devoted myself to my job and to my family – the first and foremost priority in my life – and I backpedaled my creative activity, which reduced itself to winning a Prize for Poetic Translation from the University of Cáceres and a guest appearance there.

As time went by, and with the little ones no longer babies, arose the chance to work for the publisher Equipo Sirius thanks to an acquaintance in common, my school colleague José Luis.  Equipo Sirius invited me to translate The Fire Worm by Ian Watson, and I accepted without further thought.  At the Madrid Book Fair in May 2003, where the translation was launched, I got to know Watson himself.  Indeed, in time Watson became a great friend and mentor who inspired me to write again.  Almost a year later I was invited as a translator of his to take part in the ÁtjáróCon science fiction convention in Budapest.  There I made contact with authors and editors in the genre, and got to know amongst others Peter Michaleczky and Roberto Quaglia.

Translation is a creative activity, but even so I decided to write once more, encouraged by Ian to whom I owe a big push in that direction.  Thus emerged “Raincoats in August,” a fantasy story which came out first in Hungary in November 2004 in a short story anthology, and a bit later in Spanish in the 12th issue of Galaxía magazine (which won the award for Best European SF Magazine in 2003).  I went on translating Ian Watson for Equipo Sirius, firstly his story “Lover of Statues” (Galaxía 10) and later his novel Mockymen, soon due to appear in Spain.  As for poetry, far from abandoning it, I carried on ploughing that furrow and produced “The Dulcinea Effect” which won the prize for best poem in the XVIII International Dulcinea Competition 2005, awarded in May of that year in Barcelona.  In December 2005 another short story, “Dark Angel,” appeared in issue 17 of Galaxía.  Also in the same December a new story, “Alternative Universe,” was a finalist for the First International Short Story Competition organised by El País Literario, which will result in electronic and print publication.

If anyone asks how I can fit all this in with my activities as teacher, housewife, and above all as mother of two boys who are still small, I want to stress that it would be impossible without the help and unconditional support of my husband, who has always understood the need and the challenge which any creative activity poses to me.  Thanks, my dearest.

I also want to acknowledge the support of Peter and Ian, likewise of my family and many friends who daily encourage me in my fledgeling literary career.  Thanks for being there!