Andrej Blatnik: Photo © Mateja Jordovič Potočnik

Andrej Blatnik was born in 1963 in Ljubljana. A freelance writer and editor after finishing his studies, he is now an associate professor of book publishing at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana. He is one of the central figures of the Slovene postmodern generation. His novel Plamenice in solze (Torches and Tears, 1987) is Slovene’s key postmodern work. He has published novels, short story and essay collections, monographs, etc., has received many awards, read at festivals all over the world and has had his stories translated into over 30 languages, and included in international anthologies.

Anja Golob, Slovenia

Anja Golob: Photo © Jošt Franko

Anja Golob was born in 1976 in Slovenj Gradec. After studies, she first worked as a dramaturg and a theatre critic, now she is a freelance writer, and the co-founder and editor of the VigeVageKnjige publishing house. The last two of her three poetry collections: V roki (In the Hand, 2010), Vesa v zgibi (Bent Hang, 2013), and Didaskalije k dihanju (Stage Directions to Breathing, 2016), were awarded the annual Jenko award for the best Slovene poetry collection. In 2016, she was listed as one of the ten most promising European authors (Ten New Voices from Europe).

Alenka Jensterle Doležal, Slovenia/Czech Republic

Alenka Jensterle Doležal: Photo © Aleksander Čufar

Alenka Jensterle Doležal was born in 1959, and has been living abroad for a number of years now. In the last few years, she has settled in Prague, where she is lecturing Slovene literature at the Faculty of Arts. She writes poetry (e.g. Pesmi v snegu (Poems in the Snow, 2012), prose (e.g. Pomen hiše (The Meaning of a House, 2015), essays and scientific monographs (e.g. V krogu mitov: o ženski in smrti v slovenski književnosti (In the Circle of Myths: on Women and Death in Slovene Literature, 2008), and academic articles and papers. In Prague, she organizes the yearly festival of young female poets Mladi mesec.

Boris Jukić, Slovenia

Boris Jukić: Photo © Foto atelje Pavšič Zavadlav

Boris Jukić, a writer and a translator, was born in 1947 in Brestovica in the Karst. He graduated from English and Slovene studies, and then worked as a librarian: he was the manager of France Bevk Public Library Nova Gorica for a number of years. He was also engaged with computer science; he created a computer application for work support and services in libraries with which he equipping Slovene primary and high schools. Besides that, he has been also writing fiction, among others fairy tales Vrtec z jabolki (Kindergarden With Apples, 1989), the novel Nekdo je igral klavir (Someone Played the Piano, 1997), and has been translating from several languages.

Sameer Sayegh, Iraq/Slovenia

Sameer Sayegh: Photo © Sunčan Stone

Sameer Sayegh was born in 1949 in southern Iraq, and later lived in Mosul. A writer, poet, cultural journalist and translator who writes both in Arab and in English, he graduated from English language and literature. Sayegh fled Iraq due to the threats from the Islamic State. He found refuge in Ljubljana, under the patronage of the ICORN project. He has published two poetry collections: Virgin and the Horizon, in Arab, and The Wanderer (2013), in English. His third collection, written during his stay in Slovenia, will be published soon.