Eugenia Ladra: ‘Walking along the paths of Collserola has been a kind of practical rehearsal of my own writing’

The Uruguayan author Eugenia Ladra has lived the experience of a literary residency at Vil·la Joana, in the heart of the Collserola Park. She carried it out between the end of August and the beginning of September, and Ladra describes the residency as ‘a break, a break from work, the city and obligations’.

This break has given her the opportunity to develop her literary project, a novel about a ‘twisted, strange, rigid’ motherhood. According to the author, contact with the natural environment of Collserola was essential: ‘Walking along the paths has been a kind of practical rehearsal in my own writing, where I follow my character and see, feel and smell what she sees, feels and smells’.

The author highlights the atmosphere of concentration that is breathed in Vil·la Joana, as well as the enrichment that comes from the exchange with other writers, which she considers ‘stimulating’ and an opportunity to share literary recommendations and perspectives. Moreover, during her stay she took the opportunity to visit museums, exhibitions and book presentations, getting to know the cultural life of Barcelona, a city that for her is ‘a second home’.

After this time in Vil·la Joana, Ladra leaves with the satisfaction of having made progress in her project: ‘I arrived with an idea and a few pages; I left with a strong narrative vision, a structure, several chapters and a great desire to continue’. Now, her immediate plans are to present her first novel, Carnada, in Madrid.

Eugenia Ladra encourages all writers who have doubts about doing a literary residency to live the experience: ‘You can bring your doubts and live with them while you enjoy writing, which is, in short, what we want to do’.

More information about the literary residencies in Vil·la Joana, in this link.