Writers from Matanzas participate in Antofagasta Book Fair in Chile.

Matanzas writers Maylan Álvarez Rodríguez, José Manuel Espino Ortega and Reynaldo Montalvo Vasallo are taking part in the Zicosur International Book Fair in Antofagasta, Chile, a multicultural event that is a meeting point for different expressions of art and culture, which runs until June 4th.

The Cuban delegation also includes María Julia Martínez Solenzal of the Cuban Book Institute and Rafael de Águila.

Maylan presents two books, the poetry collection A mí también me olvidarán, Premio Fundación de la Ciudad 2021, her most personal book, which as she has expressed «goes from my childhood in Unión de Reyes, my dead, my mother, to the woman trapped in the kitchen, between the loves of her children and her husband, with a voice that tries to be very clear, authentic, like a conversation with the reader».

I write about my comfort zones,» she told me in an interview recently. It is divided into several moments: the girl I was and the woman I am. I am very pleased with it and also with the design of Johann E. Trujillo, who poetised with me in Matanzas editions».

It is about raising a little piece of Cuba to Latin America and how Cuban writers express themselves in contemporary times.

The second title is for children, called Un patio para Fabio, from  Aldabón Editions. It is a gift novel for her youngest son, in the interior of the house. It has a family focus and according to her, «donates her methods for the upbringing of a child from a second marriage until harmony is achieved between all.

The second participant is the president of the UNEAC subsidiary, the well-known children’s writer and poet José Manuel Espino. At this fair he presents a personal anthology of poetry for children, entitled Rosa de los vientos.

He sends acknowledgements for the quality of this edition to J. Trujillo, Yanira Marimón and Daniel Cruz with his essential  Aldabón Editorial. This beautiful book reminds me of Williams Grillo Almea, with the photos of his children in beautiful illustrations.

These days he is also developing a workshop to promote reading, with the text El próximo circo, Oriente Editorial, a collection of poems which, in 1998, received the Loynaz Brothers Special Prize.

It is a divertimento that has travelled around Cuba. It has been to Venezuela and Bolivia and is now being offered to Chileans. Almost fifty poems, accompanied by a short story, in an expository game format.

Likewise, in homage to Vigía, they have a project to make handmade books, so that children can discover that there are things that industry does not give them, which is the beauty of objects made from natural and recyclable materials.

As for the troubadour Montalvo Vasallo, he comes with the novel Después de volver, published by Acercándonos Editions, from Argentina, which, in the author’s opinion, reflects «characters that he moulds from the human beings that inhabit this planet, who, as Arlt said, are more like monsters splashing in the darkness than angels».

In this twelfth version of the Zicosur International Book Fair in Antofagasta, returning to its international character, delegations from Cuba, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru are present.

Organised in Antofagasta since 2011 by the Filzic Cultural Platform, this fair will last until the beginning of June at Sitio Cero de Puerto and there will be literature, music, literary presentations, talks and various artistic expressions.

Written by María Elena Bayón.