The ten writers in this volume rose to prominence in the last decade of the twentieth century. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba underwent a drastic economic contraction that brought about an explosion of feminine narrative writing, largely in a need to reinforce the self-esteem so critical in times of crisis and uncertainty. Although most of these stories were written with the Cuban reader in mind, they offer not only a window on Cuban women's lives but also a mirror in which we can see ourselves reflected.

The ten writers included here rose to prominence in the last decade of the twentieth century. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba underwent a drastic economic contraction that brought about an explosion of feminine narrative writing, largely in a need to reinforce the self-esteem so essential in moments of crisis and uncertainty. For the first time in Cuban literature, women focused on topics long con-sidered taboo--sexuality, eroticism, domestic violence, drug addiction, pedophilia--to bring attention to the social and moral crisis brought about by the loss of Soviet support. Writers include Ana Lidia Vega Serova, Karla Suarez, Marilyn Bobes, Adelaida Fernandez de Juan, Nancy Alonso, Aida Bahr, Ena Lucia Portela, Mirta Yanez, Mylene Fernandez Pintado, and Sonia Bravo Utrera.