Mayra Santos-Febres

I was born with a particular sensitivity to words. Some people are very good with math and sports… I wasn’t but I could feel words.

— Mayra Santos-Febres

I do not see this novel as solely dealing with LGBT issues. I see Sirena as a metaphoric representation of the whole Caribbean. The fact that s/he is a transvestite is just a fact. Basically, I did what Flaubert did with Emma Bovary. He talked about his society through the character of a woman—an adulterous woman…

— Mayra Santos-Febres

I prefer novels. However, I think that the theme of the piece determines its form. Some texts work better in poetry than in essay or stories or plays. It is good though to learn as many techniques in creative writing as one can, so that, as a writer, one has the flexibility to work with the piece and its need.

— Mayra Santos-Febres