Mimoza Hysa is an Albanian writer, translator, and researcher. She graduated from the University of Tirana with a degree in Italian Language and Literature and furthered her studies in Italian Culture at the University of Pisa, Italy. She holds a PhD in Literary Sciences. As a literary translator, she has translated over 30 works of major Italian authors into Albanian, including: Dino Buzzati, Antonio Tabucchi, Giacomo Leopardi, Margaret Mazzantini, Alessandro Baricci, Eugenio Montale, Claudio Magris, Melania Mazzucco, Domenico Starnone ecc. She has been recognized with several national and international awards, including: The Prize for Translator (2014) – Awarded by the Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities of Italy. Translator of the Year (2018) – Awarded by the Kult Academy, Albania. As a writer, she has published four volumes of prose, including: Koha e Erës (2004) – Winner of the “Europe, Our Common Homeland” award, granted by the Ministry of Culture. Histori pa emra (2006); Vend/imi (2008) Bijat e Gjeneralit (2019) – Finalist for the “Kadare Prize” and the “Kult Prize”; translated into Italian, German, Greek and Romanian language. …

Valbona Banka is a graduate of the Polytechnic University of Tirana, Faculty of Civil Engineering. Although an engineer by profession, her greatest passion lies in literature, particularly children’s literature. For Valbona, writing is a calling–something that stems from the heart and is fueled by genuine passion. Her background as an Environmental Engineer enriches her storytelling, allowing her to weave inspiration and motivation into her works while addressing current and sensitive societal issues in a natural and relatable way for readers. As a mother of two, she draws daily inspiration from her children, immersing herself in their vibrant world of imagination, dreams, and love for nature and humanity. Valbona has authored several novels for children and teenagers, including “Aria – Thrown to the wind. (2022), which was awarded Best Children’s Book of 2022 by the Bukinist platform; “Aria – As in the blink of an eye.” (2nd book of Aria) ; “Wake Up Curiosity” ; “Mystery Ash – Oasis of secrets”; “Techno-Broni”. …

Alion Çaçi was born in Vlora on November 2, 1992. He has been focused on writing for television, sitcoms and stand up comedies. This is his first book. …

Darien Levani (1982) is an Albanian writer, music critic and lawyer living in Italy. Collaborator of Albania News, Nazione Indiana, Prospettive, Città Metticcia, Gazeta and The Albanian of Italy. Darieni is also the founder of the collective blog Tirana Calling. Darien Levani writes in Albanian and Italian. His works are published in Italy and Albania. He debuted in Italy with the novel Solo andata, grazie (2010). The Famous Magic Woodpecker, his second novel, was published in 2011, also in Italy. Darien has won the prizes “Scrivere Altrove”and “Pietro Conti” in Italy and the “Silver Pen” Award in Albania for the debut novel “Poets make love differently”, published by Botime Pegi in 2012. …

Tom Kuka (pen name of Enkel Demi) Enkel Demi is an Albanian writer and journalist. In November of 2016, he published his first novel under the pseudonym Tom Kuka: Hide mbi kalldrëm (Jujube on Cobblestone), a crime novel that takes place in Tirana, Albania, during the 1930’s. Two years later, in November 2018, Kuka returned with another novel, Gurët e vetmisë (Stones of Solitude), a family saga that narrates the ordeal of escaping the land of the ancients, of a population that migrates and leaves its former life far behind. For this novel, he won the National Prize for Literature in 2019. In November 2019, he published his third novel, Ora e ligë (Evil Hour), in which a man picking up a sword is punished with an impossible love, and an old man has to challenge his fate and that of an entire village while travelling to the legendary land of the ancients. Kuka won the prize for Artistic Book of the Year in the Cult Academy’s cultural awards in 2020. His fourth novel Flama (Calamity) was published in March 2021 and was awarded The European Union Prize for Literature 2021. …

Enit Karafili Steiner, born in Tirana, has been living in Switzerland for more than 20 years. She holds a PhD in English from UCLA and the University of Zurich. She is an assistant professor at the University of Lausanne and the author of several books and academic articles in English literature. Her first novel Soil of Honey (“Tokëmjalta”) (Botime Pegi, 2015), was welcomed by the Albanian reader. She is a Senior Lecturer in 18th-century and 19th-Century Literature at the English Department at Unil in 2018. From 2013-2018 she was a lecturer there. Her second novel, Of Gifts and Violence (Dhunë e Dhunti) was published in 2017. And her third novel intimate epic (epope intime) was published in 2024. …

Ndriçim Ademaj, born in 1991 in Prizren, Kosovo, is the author of four literary works in Albanian, including three poetry collections and one novel. Considered one of the representatives of the new generation of authors from Kosovo, he has participated in various literary festivals and events in France, Switzerland, Germany, North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo. In 2022, he won the Francophonie Prize at the International Poetry Contest of Sorbonne University in Paris, and in 2023, the translation in French of his book Këngë nga Rruga e Farkëtarëve/Chants de la Rue des Forgerons received a special mention for translation awarded by the French PEN Club. Currently based in Paris, he continues his writing and self-translation projects and teaches creative writing at CY Cergy Paris University. …