A genre for young people: fantasy literature in Asturian

Biography

Born in Bimenes (Asturias) in 1994, she graduated in Classical and Romance Studies with a specialization in Asturian at the University of Oviedo, and currently works as an Asturian language teacher in a secondary school. She combines her teaching job with that of being a writer and Asturian activist.

In 2021, she published her first novel: “L’home les caparines“. In the same year, she won the first edition of the Enriqueta González Rubín Award for youth fiction with her work “No que cinca los seres de lleenda” and the first edition of the Radagast Award for novels of fantasy, science fiction, and horror in Asturian with “Trovadoresca“. In 2022, she won the XV María Josefa Canellada Award for children’s and young adult literature with “El cartafueyu d’alquimia“.

She has been writing since she was young and has also won several short story awards, including the Second Prize at the international Fernando Belmonte contest in 2018, and the Special Mention at the Fifth Edition of the “Atrévete” Contest of the Asturian Cultural Foundation in 2012.

Almost all of her work’s set within the realm of fantasy and science fiction. It’s characterized by inclusivity and strong female characters, as well as the importance of oral tradition and literature.

Since 2012, she has been collaborating with the magazine Formientu, aimed at authors in Asturian under the age of 35. She’s he is one in charge of the Playpresta platform, which creates audiovisual content in Asturian, and she hosts the programs “Deprendi Asturianu” and “Cosplaypresta”.

Motivation for the Young Prize

Blanca Fernández Quintana receives the 2023 Ostana Young Prize for her commitment and perseverance in spreading and promoting Asturian language within her community, creating and establishing her own voice in Asturian literature for young people.

Passionate about the female perspective in Asturian literature, her fresh mind and her ability to use the language across all dimensions of her life, both as a teacher and as a writer and activist, counteract the decline of the language and the negative self-esteem of many of its speakers. Her value lies in her ability to inspire younger generations, filling a historical gap in bringing science fiction and horror genres for adolescents into Asturian literature. The cosmo-vision of Asturian mythology is collected, integrated, and renewed in her novels, serving as a connection and source of imagination between past and future.