Galego | English

Fiction

Ser ou non

By Xurxo Borrazás

About this book

With each book Xurxo Borrazás is capable of surprising us by showing unexpected traces in the story he tells. In this novel the line between fiction and fact is blurred. A writer, internet sex, a deserted village, an unconventional love... and those who are on the other side: the jury of an award, the readers. This may be acting, playing or pretending... or not. That is why this novel tells the story of how it was created, it tells itself. Because literature is also real.

Book fragment

Nobody pays attention to a writer. I know, I don't demand any kind of blind faith and technically I am not a writer. I hardly ask for any attention, about four hours. Real stories are told on their own. I also know that not everyone likes telling stories, what is pleasurable is to listen to them. If we could be the characters, neither literature, nor readers or writers would exist. Risking your life is what is really intense. And telling your life is not living it, that is why nobody pays attention to a writer.

My name doesn't matter, honestly. I am always honest when I speak.

I came to Pena because I was told nobody would be here, that's the truth. There are thousands of places people can go to, and most of them are more practical and interesting, I suppose that is why everyone chooses them. Places nearby, charming. They are not my cup of tea, full stop.

I am alone, the house is large and there are no cars.

This thing you are reading is not the first thing I wrote. The first paragraphs were erased under a tornado of furious ink that crossed the paper. It was difficult to destroy them because space is urgent and paper is scarce and with so much formal experiment it was suicidal. Better that I just explain how it happened as if it hadn't happened to me, with a cold head, as if a knife was pressed against my neck.