Born in the former Soviet Union, to a Russian/Ukrainian mother and Cuban father, Anna Lidia settled definitively in Havana, Cuba, in 1989. Originally a visual artist, it was her writing that brought her to international prominence, starting with her winning the Premio David in 1997 for her first collection of short stories, 'Bad Painting'. Since then she has become a recognised figure in the Cuban literary scene, with eight short-story collections and two novels ('Noche de Ronda' and 'Anima Fatua') to her name, participating in literary events throughout Europe and the Americas. She has also previously published three books of poetry: 'Retazos (de las hormigas) para los malos tiempos', 'Eslabones de un tiempo muerto' and 'Un jardin en miniatura' (a bilingual Spanish/English edition of which has recently also published by Amaurea Press). Through both her words and her painting, her work is noteworthy for its very personal reflection of daily life, grindingly yet magically real, as experienced in present-day Cuba.