Laia Jufresa is a Mexican author based in Edinburgh. Her first novel, UMAMI, was translated into ten languages, was a finalist for The Best Translated Books and won the PEN Translates Award. In 2015, Laia was invited by the British Council Literature to be the first ever International Writer in Residence at Hay Festival in Wales. Her work has been featured in places like McSweeneys, Vogue and El País. She’s written for Netflix and the BBC and has been named as one of the most outstanding young writers of Latin America. In 2023 she was awarded the Open Fund for Individuals by Creative Scotland to finish her second novel, WISHBONE. Laia also works as a certified life coach for writers and creatives.