The Apex Book of World SF 4 edited by Mahvesh Murad is coming in late August. Between now and then, we would like to feature some of the contributors in the anthology.
Rocío Rincón is a writer and reviewer who lives in Barcelona. Her work has been published in Timey Wimeys, The Best of Spanish Steampunk, Brujas: IV Antología de Relatos Fantásticos, and elsewhere.
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Tell us a little about your story in The Apex Book of World SF 4.
My story is set in a Catalan textile colony during the Industrial Revolution. The colonies were towns in everything but name and I have always been fascinated by how family, class, and workplace intersect. In my alternate history, there is a little more gender equality, Russia leads the scientific community, and colonies have established a bit of their own folklore.
Why do you feel it is important to read stories from around the globe?
Most genre fiction readers grow up with English literature and we adopt some tropes with the dangerous idea that some themes are universal. It seems as if any intent of producing fiction from a non-English POV is a copy of/a reaction against English lit instead of a means of self-expression. Our own mythology, classics, and fantastic referents are sometimes regarded with a bit of shame and self-deprecation. This, combined with the comparatively lack of translation in the English publishing world, puts genre to an impasse. In reading authors from different countries, we challenge the feelings of inadequacy and broaden our perception of genre. It is a way to keep fiction fresh and nuanced. Also, as a translator, I am a bit biased when it comes to the publishing world and its impact on language. I think it is a bit of a global cultural responsibility to aid other publishing markets so they can also flourish and survive. Luckily, we can do so by reading, so it makes for a very fun responsibility to have.
If you could tell people to read one author from your home country, who would it be and why?
We have very interesting and celebrated authors like Francisco Jota-Pérez, Ismael Biurrún, Pilar Pedraza, José Cotrina, or Aixa de la Cruz, to name a few. Unfortunately, many of them are not yet translated or not translated enough.
An author that is becoming more and more translated and whose career is interesting to follow is Sofía Rhei. She is a very talented writer and has tackled many formats (poetry, novels and short stories) and has a vast readership (she writes for children, YA, and for adults alike). In the last category, I really enjoy the stories in which she mixes sci-fi and linguistics in a poignant and critical manner.
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