Concha Espina (Santander, 1869-1955 Madrid), published her first novel, La Nina de Luzmela (The Girl from Luzmela0 in 1909. The novel was welcomed by critics and readers alike.

Her husband, Ramón de Serra, was jealous of her success and once, in a fit of rage, tore up one of her drafts.  It mattered little to him that the money his wife made contributed to make their miserable lives a little better.  This situation was the straw that broke the camel’s back, for Ramón left for Mexico soon after that to work in a position secured by his wife.  Concha, accompained by her four children moved from Santander to Madrid.  She would make a living by writing.

Espina wrote for several newspapers, being a very versatile writer; she dipped her pen in all genres, including literary gatherings, which in my opinión,  should qualify as a literary genre, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Since she did not frequent cafes or lounges, (although she was a writer, she was also a housewife) she organized a social gathering every week in her home on Goya Street.  It was a gathering attended by men and women of high society, critics, poets, novelists, artists, journalists, and famous intelectuals from Madrid, like Rafael Cansinos Assens, who would go on to publish in 1942 “Literaturas del Norte” (Literature from the North), a commentary on Concha Espina’s work, which at the time was having great success.

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