Mexican
First Language(s): Spanish
Second Language(s):
English, French, Italian
Originally from Mexico, Selene Lacayo is a writer and translator living with her husband and children in the Greater Philadelphia Area. She holds a master's degree in English from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she focused on creative writing. Her work has appeared in The Best Short Stories of Philadelphia of 2021, Somos en Escrito, Acentos Review, and elsewhere.
What was your favorite book as a child?
Charcos en el Camino by Alan Parker. It was the first book that completely transported me to a different place and time.
What was the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?
Writing is where I have always gone to figure things out. I started writing journals as a child and have moved on to essays, short fiction, interviews, and poetry. There is something I find between written words that I can't almost anywhere else, and that is a sense of belonging and exploration.
What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?
Moving to a different country. I first moved with my family from Mexico to Costa Rica for my last two years of high school. Then I moved to the USA from Costa Rica. I thought I was getting a college degree and going back to Mexico, but I've been here for 21 years already.
Do you listen to music while reading or writing?
I listen to instrumental music when I write because it helps me find that "ready-to-work" mental space.
Essay
Lebanon
Issue Fall '23
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