Benito Pastoriza Iyodo, born in Puerto Rico, writes poetry, fiction, essays, interviews and book reviews. He has been recognized by innumerable awards, including the Ateneo Puertorriqueño Prize, the Chicano Latino Literary Prize, the Julio Cortázar Prize (Uruguay) and the Hispanic Culture Review Poetry Award. Pastoriza Iyodo´s most recent books include the poetry collections Cartas a la sombra de tu piel, Elegías de septiembre, and Prostíbulo de la palabra, two collections of short stories, Cuestión de hombres and Nena, nena de mi corazón, and a novel, El agua del paraíso. His writing also appears in literary magazines and anthologies in the United States, Spain, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Australia, Puerto Rico and Uruguay.