Pelayo Martínez Olay has been awarded the sixth edition of the Enriqueta González Rubín young narrative prize in Asturian for his work Pallabres d’anguaño, a collection of 19 short stories that explore various realities of society through what the jury describes as mature, original, and 'formally impeccable' writing.
The stories address pressing contemporary issues, including Alzheimer's disease, sexual abuse, suicide, adolescence, old age, work, and social relationships. These complex themes coexist within a book that the jury deems 'original and surprising, while also realistic and very natural,' successfully constructing a portrait of the present without resorting to a bleak depiction.
The jury was presided over by Antón García, the Director General of Cultural Action and Linguistic Normalisation, and included Claudia Gutiérrez Lueje, a writer and winner of the 2025 edition; Blanca Fernández Quintana, also a writer; and Llucía Menéndez Suárez, an educator. María José Ramos Viesca, head of the Linguistic Normalisation Section, served as secretary.
The Enriqueta González Rubín young narrative prize in Asturian, which carries a monetary award of €3,000, was established by the Principality of Asturias in 2021 to recognise the talent of new voices in Asturian literature and to provide a platform for young authors and new stories.
Pelayo Martínez Olay, born in Langreo in 1997, is a teacher of Asturian Language and Literature in secondary education and holds a degree in Modern Languages and their Literatures from the University of Oviedo. He has received various accolades in literary competitions and published his first collection of stories, Fuxir, with the CuatroGotes publishing house in 2024.
