Yannis Lobaina

What was your favorite book as a child?

Since I was a child, I have read voraciously. I had a lot of favourite books. But if I have to choose, I will mention three titles that still accompany me in my adulthood, and are now a reference for my daughter Amélie. They are: “Momo” by Michael Ende, “The Little Prince” (I have it in several languages) by Antoine Saint-Exupery, and “La Noche” by Exicilia Saldaña (Cuban). I have reread them at various stages of my life, and I am still excited to read them and keep them here in Toronto.

Do you remember the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?

I imagine, like almost all of us who love to write and today, we are authors, our passion and interest arose in our childhood. At least in Cuba, from a very young age, we all instill a love of storytelling, and in schools, we are encouraged to use our imaginations as much as possible and create our own stories. In my case, I wrote from that magic stage. I remember making up stories all the time, so much so that when I talked about something real with my friends and cousins, everyone thought it wasn't real, but a product of my imagination. I took writing seriously in 2004 when I graduated from the VII Literary Training Course, "Onelio Jorge Cardoso,” and after I published my first stories in Spain and Cuba. Since then I’ve been fascinated to create more and more fiction stories. I’m also passionate about writing historical fiction like this one I published a few years ago, “Juana of Leon. That’s Me.” in the anthology “The Oval Portrait” by Wings Press.

What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?

I love adventures, but I think the most exciting one was 20 years ago, just when I was 20 years old. It was my only time doing it — bungee jumping off the Bacunayagua Bridge: the highest in Cuba, it has a total length of 313.50 meters and a height of 110 meters from the river level to the pavement. It is considered one of the seven wonders of Cuban civil engineering. The second is falling in love with a foreigner, getting married and being a mother. And the third immigrating to Canada and reinventing my new life far from my homeland and family.

Do you listen to music while reading or writing?

I listen to music ALL the time from when I wake up until I go to bed. I am fascinated by writing while listening to music, it gives me the feeling that the rhythm and tone of my story come alive. The opposite is precisely when I go out to take photographs or read, in those two moments, I like the silence, and maybe imagine the music later. I love making playlists on Spotify. Here I share the playlist that has accompanied me in these months of confinement, and with which I have written several stories: https://spoti.fi/2QMhVej