The novelist from Cartagena reissues her first novel, ‘Sighs of Spain’, with MurciaLibro after recovering the publishing rights
‘Suspiros de España’ is probably one of the best-known pasodobles in our country. It was composed by Antonio Álvarez Alonso in 1902, and made popular by Estrellita Castro with lyrics written by José Antonio Álvarez Cantos, the composer’s nephew. What few know is that the pasodoble was composed in the main street of Cartagena and its name comes, not from a romantic longing, but from the typical sweets of the port city. And it was upon discovering this story that Lola Gutiérrez (Cartagena, 1964) was encouraged to write her first novel ten years ago. The same ones that have had to happen for her to recover the rights to her original and be able to publish it through her trusted publisher, MurciaLibro, under the command of Francisco Serrano. A play that tells the story of Ana, a girl whose mother died when she was a baby and was raised by some lovely nuns. The same ones that will serve her father – the one who abandoned her mother – to find her.
–Why this new edition of your novel ‘Suspiros de España?
–I decided to republish it when I recovered the rights because I had published it with another publisher in Madrid that had practically kidnapped it, as they say.
– How kidnapped?
-In the other publishing house they didn’t pay me, they didn’t move it, they didn’t attend to you as they have to attend to you. For this reason, when I recovered the rights, I proposed it to Fran Serrano and he said yes.
– Has it cost you a lot of work to recover the rights?
– That the term was fulfilled. Normally you sign a contract for which you have some rights for a few years but, of course, when the other person breaks the deal it is hard to deal with it because you do not have the money needed to sue the publisher or demand a series of other things. The problem, as with plagiarism, is that the writer feels helpless when these things happen, and even more so if you come across a bad publisher. He is quite tricky. I have been lucky that I have found MurciaLibro, which has all my books and is what it is about. I don’t like having multiple publishers because it’s a mess and a commitment.
“My purpose is for people to learn a little about regional history through my novels”
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Speaking of the book itself, have any details changed?
-A little. Any word. It is that being my first novel, now I see it and think: «Oh god, how did I put this word? Or this other?». But they have only been changes for the better, not in the story or the plot, or anything that is different from the other novel to this one.
What is the background of this novel?
–It’s called ‘Sighs of Spain’ because the pasodoble comes out in several chapters but the background is to know the history of the Region and, in this case, of Cartagena. All my novels tell a bit of history and, in this case, as the most important pasodoble in Spain, it was written on Calle Mayor in Cartagena. And that it is called ‘Sighs of Spain’ is not because of sighing or missing the city or the country, but because of a sigh of meringue, an almond sweet so Murcian.
–On the other hand, it tells us the story of Ana, which is still a very human story.
-Clear. I try that, while sharing the history of the Region of Murcia, human relations go ahead. My novels are of many feelings, I like that they come out to the surface, be it the dramatic part or the humorous part. In this case, we know that Antonia had a misstep and her daughter is the fruit of that misstep and that her father is looking for her.
«I do not give up my novels»
–When was it published?
–I published it in December 2021 for Christmas. There were many people waiting for her to give her Christmas and Epiphany gifts. Now, we are doing a lot of promotion because it is a very beautiful story –which the first time tiptoed through my city and the Region– that is worth knowing.
-What reception is it having on the part of the readers?
-I am very happy because people have responded very well, especially in Cartagena, which is where they know me best. I have been lucky that every time I have gone to present the book, people have responded to the call. Bookstores even call me to ask me to come and sign them when I can.
«My characters are like my voice, that’s why I will never give up my stories. I write for others»
-It’s been 10 years since it was published. How does it feel?
I am very happy with this and all the others. I’m still in my place telling my stories. My characters are like my voice, so I will never give up my novels. I write for others, so that people know the characters and are as moved by those moments as I was when I was writing them.
–How did the first idea come about?
–I wrote it because while traveling in Teruel I found out that this pasodoble had been written in Cartagena. For me it was a shame [no saberlo] and I decided that it had to be told so that the same thing that happened to me would not happen to people.