Marcelo Morales Cintero, born in Cuba in 1977, is a member of a generation of writers who came of age in Havana during the island’s “Special Period” of severe post-Soviet economic crisis.  His influences range from international literature to readings in history and philosophy.  Dedicated to the slow development of his book projects, Morales has earned many of his literary awards for segments of larger works in progress.  For example, excerpts that would come together to form his 2006 poetry collection El mundo como objeto won the 2004 poetry prize presented by La Gaceta de Cuba, as well as an honorable mention in the national Julián del Casal prize competition and a coveted finalist position in the international Casa de las Américas competition.  Morales is also the author of the poetry collections Cinema (1997, Pinos Nuevos prize) and Materia (winner of the 2008 Julián del Casal prize), among others.  His novel La espiral appeared in 2006.  Morales edited and introduced Como un huésped de la noche, an anthology of poetry by Roberto Branly, published in 2010.  His current manuscript is El mundo como ser.