Marcela Serrano – författare

Josefa Ferrer, a famous Chilean singer and star, awakens one morning to read in the Santiago newspaper that her best friend, Violeta, has been involved in a brutal act of violence. Overwhelmed with regret and plagued with guilt for not having foreseen the tragedy, Josefa feels compelled to tell Violeta''s life story--one marked by lost ideals, disillusionment, and grief--which is ultimately Josefa''s story, too. Through the interwoven lives of these two women, Marcela Serrano explores how the demands of a woman''s role as mother, wife, lover, and friend are frequently at odds with her own dreams and aspirations, and how easily the fragile bonds of friendship and family can be strained to the breaking point. For Josefa and Violeta, it is only in Antigua, under the watchful eyes of "the others"--a chorus of female ancestral spirits who testify to the women''s defining moments of strength and courage--that Josefa and Violeta will discover that even in the aftermath of violence and betrayal they have control over their destinies and their redemption. Exquisitely crafted and written in beautiful, lyrical prose, Marcela Serrano''s unforgettable novel about friendship, forgiveness, and second chances speaks to every woman who has experienced the wrenching divide between professional ambition and family responsibility, who has been torn between the excitement of illicit passion and the security of marriage, who has craved the thrill of success while yearning for solitude in an often chaotic, invasive world.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Hay emociones que no gritan. Se acomodan adentro, ocupan un lugar, aprenden nuestros gestos y nos acompanan durante anos sin que sepamos nombrarlas. El miedo, la duda, la ira, los celos, la culpa y el ego parecen fuerzas distintas, pero todas tienen algo en comun: hablan en voz baja, hasta que un dia ya no se las puede seguir ignorando. En voz baja reune seis cuentos de ficcion literaria atravesados por esos gigantes intimos. En Lo que guardamos, Matias carga una mochila que se vuelve mas pesada con cada paso, como si el miedo hubiera encontrado una forma concreta de adherirse al cuerpo. En La luz que nunca duerme, Elena descubre que la duda no siempre aparece como una pregunta clara: a veces llega de noche, cuando todo esta quieto y la mente no concede descanso. En El instante antes, la ira se revela en ese punto exacto en que el control empieza a quebrarse. En No era amor, los celos se confunden con cuidado, con necesidad, con apego, hasta mostrar su verdadero rostro. En El eco del alivio, la culpa nace donde nadie se atreve a admitir un pensamiento prohibido. Y en Catedra de si mismo, el ego convierte el brillo personal en una forma silenciosa de encierro. Estos relatos no buscan ofrecer respuestas faciles. Observan el momento preciso en que una fisura interior obliga a mirar de frente aquello que se venia postergando. Con una escritura sobria, cercana y emocionalmente incisiva, Marcela Serrano construye personajes reconocibles, escenas cotidianas y conflictos que avanzan desde lo minimo hacia lo inevitable. En voz baja es un libro sobre lo que callamos para seguir funcionando, sobre las emociones que educamos mal y sobre la posibilidad dificil, imperfecta, necesaria de escucharlas antes de que decidan hablar por nosotros. Una obra para lectores que buscan cuentos breves, intensos y humanos; historias donde la vida cotidiana se vuelve espejo, y donde cada personaje enfrenta, a su manera, esa voz interior que ya no puede seguir siendo silenciada.

Text in Arabic. Nine disparate women, unknown to each other, are brought together by a tenth, a therapist, to share their stories. Regardless of their social standing, age, or profession, each woman is burdened by fear, insecurity, and loneliness. Some face a past they cannot leave behind; others, a present that is untenable, or a future that looms ominously. They find peace in one another and discover that courage overcomes all.

Award-winning Chilean author Marcela Serrano weaves a beautiful story about the universal connections between women.For nine Chilean women, life couldn’t be more different. There is the teenage computer whiz confronting her sexual identity. A middle-aged recluse who prefers the company of her dog over that of most humans. A housekeeper. A celebrity television personality. A woman confronting the loneliness of old age.Of disparate ages and races, these women represent the variety of cultural and social groups that Chile comprises. On the surface, they seem to have nothing in common…except for their beloved therapist, who brings them together. Yet as different as they all are, each woman has a story to share.As the women tell their stories, unlikely common threads are discovered, bonds are formed, and lives are transformed. Their stories form an intricate tale of triumph, heartache, and healing that will resonate with women from all walks of life.An International DUBLIN Literary Award Nominee.