Argentine writer Sofía Balbuena has been awarded the 9th Ribera del Duero Prize for her book of short stories 'Personaje secundario' (Secondary Character), which delves into the female internal conflict, as announced by the jury by majority. The ruling highlighted a 'sharp prose' and a 'ruthless' look at its characters, in a collection of stories that build a complex and risky moral universe. Balbuena described the event as 'extraordinary, almost a miracle' upon hearing the news, and emphasized the value of the recognition as a confirmation of a vocation sustained over time. Regarding the book, the author explained that it addresses 'the inner hell that many women live', that flow of repressed thoughts and emotions that becomes, at times, ungovernable. 'It's like a squatter in our own head,' she summarized. Who is Sofía Balbuena Born in Salto in 1984, she is a graduate in Political Science from the UBA and has training in literary creation in Barcelona and the University of Iowa. She currently resides in Madrid. Among the finalists of this edition were 'Agua la boca' by Rodrigo Fuentes; 'El fin del mundo (y otras utopías)' by Aura García-Junco; 'La raíz firme de las cosas' by Margarita Leoz; and 'El miedo terrible de ser un animal' by Claudia Ulloa Donoso.
