The author
Biography
Daína Chaviano (b. Havana, Cuba). In 1979 she received the David Prize for Science Fiction for Los mundos que amo (1980). After this, she published Amoroso planeta (1982), Historias de hadas para adultos (1986), Fábulas de una abuela extraterrestre (1988), and El abrevadero de los dinosaurios (1990).
She established the first science fiction literary workshop in Latin America. Later she worked as a screenwriter for television shows for children, youths, and adults. She was a TV and radio emcee, and acted in some independent films. Since 1991, she lives in Miami, Florida (USA).
Outside Cuba she has published País de dragones, a short-story collection for young adults; a poetry book, Confesiones eróticas y otros hechizos; and the series of novels «The Occult Side of Havana », consisting of El hombre, la hembra y el hambre (1998 ), Casa de juegos (2000), Gata encerrada (2001), and The Island of Eternal Love (2006), that has become the most widely translated Cuban novel of all time with editions in 27 languages.
Daína Chaviano has received several international recognitions, like the Anna Seghers Award (Berlin Academy of Arts, Germany, 1990), Azorín Prize for Best Novel (Spain, 1998), Goliardos International Award for Fantasy (Mexico, 2003), Guest of Honor at the 25th International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts (Fort Lauderdale, 2004), twice Gold Medal winner for Best Book in Spanish Language (Florida Book Awards, USA), for The Island of Eternal Love (2006) and Los hijos de la Diosa Huracán (2019), and Malinalli National Award for the Promotion of the Arts, Human Rights and Cultural Diversity (Mexico, 2014).
Recognized as the most prominent contemporary Cuban author of science fiction and fantasy, Daína Chaviano exercises equal virtuosity in the traditional (mainstream) narrative mode. She melds realistic and historical elements with aspects of science fiction, fantasy, and Gothic literature. Her themes encompass mythology, ancient history, sociology, parapsychology, eroticism, politics, and magic, all developed in a language filled with poetic, sensual imagery.
Her works have been described as "wild experiments in genre-busting. It's as if Ray Bradbury married Michael Ende and frolicked occasionally with Anaïs Nin." (Críticas Magazine, USA, Jan-Feb. 2004)
For a detailed biography, open pdf.
She established the first science fiction literary workshop in Latin America. Later she worked as a screenwriter for television shows for children, youths, and adults. She was a TV and radio emcee, and acted in some independent films. Since 1991, she lives in Miami, Florida (USA).
Outside Cuba she has published País de dragones, a short-story collection for young adults; a poetry book, Confesiones eróticas y otros hechizos; and the series of novels «The Occult Side of Havana », consisting of El hombre, la hembra y el hambre (1998 ), Casa de juegos (2000), Gata encerrada (2001), and The Island of Eternal Love (2006), that has become the most widely translated Cuban novel of all time with editions in 27 languages.
Daína Chaviano has received several international recognitions, like the Anna Seghers Award (Berlin Academy of Arts, Germany, 1990), Azorín Prize for Best Novel (Spain, 1998), Goliardos International Award for Fantasy (Mexico, 2003), Guest of Honor at the 25th International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts (Fort Lauderdale, 2004), twice Gold Medal winner for Best Book in Spanish Language (Florida Book Awards, USA), for The Island of Eternal Love (2006) and Los hijos de la Diosa Huracán (2019), and Malinalli National Award for the Promotion of the Arts, Human Rights and Cultural Diversity (Mexico, 2014).
Recognized as the most prominent contemporary Cuban author of science fiction and fantasy, Daína Chaviano exercises equal virtuosity in the traditional (mainstream) narrative mode. She melds realistic and historical elements with aspects of science fiction, fantasy, and Gothic literature. Her themes encompass mythology, ancient history, sociology, parapsychology, eroticism, politics, and magic, all developed in a language filled with poetic, sensual imagery.
Her works have been described as "wild experiments in genre-busting. It's as if Ray Bradbury married Michael Ende and frolicked occasionally with Anaïs Nin." (Críticas Magazine, USA, Jan-Feb. 2004)
For a detailed biography, open pdf.
The author
Curriculum
WORKS
2020: Los hijos de la Diosa Huracán (novel). Grijalbo, Spain.
2017: Extraños testimonios (short stories). Huso, Spain.
2006: La isla de los amores infinitos (novel, published by Riverhead/Penguin Group as The Island of Eternal Love, novel). Grijalbo, Spain/USA
2001: Gata encerrada (novel). Planeta, Spain.
1999: Casa de juegos (novel). Planeta, Spain.
1998: El hombre, la hembra y el hambre (novel). Planeta, Spain.
1994: País de dragones (short stories). Rondalera, Venezuela.
1994: Confesiones eróticas y otros hechizos (poetry), Betania, Spain.
1990: El abrevadero de los dinosaurios (short stories). Letras Cubanas.
1990: La anunciación, movie script (co-witten with Tomás Piard). Edic. Universidad de La Habana.
1988: Fábulas de una abuela extraterrestre (novel). Letras Cubanas.
1986: Historias de hadas para adultos (novellas). Letras Cubanas.
1983: Amoroso planeta (short stories). Letras Cubanas.
1980: Los mundos que amo (short stories). Ediciones Unión.
MAIN AWARDS
2020: Gold Medal Winner (Florida Book Awards 2019), in the category Best Spanish Language Book
2014: Malinalli National Award for the Promotion of the Arts, Human Rights and Cultural Diversity (Mexico).
2007: Gold Medal Winner (Florida Book Awards 2006) in the category Best Spanish Language Book.
2004: Guest of Honor: 25th International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts (Fort Lauderdale, USA).
2003: Goliardos International Fantasy Award (Mexico).
1998: Azor?n Award for Best Novel (Spain).
1990: Anna Seghers Award, Academy of Arts in Berlin (Germany).
1989: "La Edad de Oro" National Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature (Cuba).
1979: David National Prize for Best SF Book (Cuba).
The author
Photo Gallery
Panel "The Fantastic", Iberoamerican Congress on Young Adult and Children's Literature, Mexico (Nov. 2016)
Walking among the columns of a Roman street unearthed in Old Jerusalem, Israel (Sept. 2016).
At Capernaum or Capharnaum (Israel, September 2016)
Masada Fortress (Israel, Sep. 2016)
Encounter with International Studies Charter High School students (Miami, Feb. 2016) 
Palenque, Chiapas State, Mexico (Nov. 2014)
With scholar Madeline Cámara, in Tabasco, Mexico (Nov. 2014)
Book presentation at Tabasco University Book Fair International, Mexico (Nov. 2014).
Receiving the Malinalli Award at Villahermosa (México, Nov. 2014)
Key Speech as Guest of Honor at the Tabasco University Book Fair International (Mexico, Nov. 2014)
Glacier National Park (Montana, August 2014)
Miami (2008).
Florida Keys, 2003.
Gold Medal, Florida Book Awards, 2007 (Tallahassee, Florida).
Two Harry Potter fans: my nephew César and I, waiting for the midnight sale.
Guadalajara International Book Fair (Mexico, 2007).
A magical night at the "Hoy como ayer" bar
Celebrating the publication of La isla de los amores infinitos.
Miami Book Fair (2004).
Miami Book Fair (2006)
Dancing with Brian Aldiss.
International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts, where I was Guest of Honor (Fort Lauderdale, USA, 2004).
With my cousin, actor César Évora, and his wife, Vivian.
Universidad del Altiplano, Tlaxcala (Mexico, 2003).
Italy, 2001.
Matheson Hammock Park, Miami 1998.
On the outskirts of Madrid, 1998.
At the Monastery of Montserrat, Barcelona.
With journalist Marcia Morgado in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter.
Santa Bárbara Fort, Alicante, Spain.
Azorín Award for Best Novel.
At my Coral Gables apartment (1997).
Renaissance Fair (1995), "feeling" the energy of a shepherd's crook.
First visit to Coral Castle (1992).
My last photo taken in Cuba (1991)
The kissing scene from Adorable fantasma, with Carlos Miguel Caballero.
Scene from Adorable fantasma ("Lovely Ghost," 1989).
My first contact with snow.
At Old Havana (1988).
Scene from the short subject La Barrera.
At the gardens of the Hotel Tritón (Havana, 1985).
At Star City.
At the Malecón of my Havana.
With my sister Isora (left).
My mother and I at Grandma Eloína's house, in the Lawton neighborhood of Havana.
My parents.
My mother, Eloína.
Juana Rosa, my paternal grandmother.
My paternal grandfather, Rafael Chaviano Machado.
My paternal great-grandmother Rafaela Machado.
My maternal grandfather, Pascasio Díaz del Gallego.
My maternal grandmother, Eloína Miniet Yero, whose spirit remains with me.
My maternal great-grandparents...
Posthumous homage...
Article about my great-grandfather...
My great-grandfather...