Short stories according to Fernández Cubas: What we see and what we don’t
Writing short stories is an art, and Cristina Fernández Cubas is one of this field’s finest artists. For four decades, the Catalan author has invited readers to dive into a fantastical world with short stories influenced by icons such as Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe and Cortázar. From her début with Mi hermana Elba to the highly successful La habitación de Nona and Cosas que ya no existen, Fernández Cubas has used the tools of this genre to create dreamlike, unsettling, disturbing settings that always leave their mark, without fail. She has recently published a new collection: the much-applauded Lo que no se ve (Tusquets). But being the master of the short story has not stopped her from writing novels such as El año de gracia, El columpio and La puerta entreabierta, earning her awards that include the Ciutat de Barcelona, Salambó, Setenil, National Critics’ Prize and National Fiction Prize. Fernández Cubas is also an excellent public speaker, and the reflections from this opening conversation with her fellow writer – and the festival curator – Ricard Ruiz Garzón are sure to resonate with audience members in more ways than one.
