Andrea Jeftanovic was born in Santiago de Chile in 1970. A critically acclaimed novelist, storyteller and essayist, Jeftanovic is considered one of the most prominent literary figures of her country and the region. She is the author of two novels and two collections of short stories. She studied Sociology at the Catholic University in Santiago and completed a PhD in Latin American Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. Jeftanovic has received several awards, including the Chilean Art Critics Circle Award and the National Book and Reading Council Award. Her work has been translated into several languages and has appeared in anthologies in Chile as well as internationally. She is a regular contributor to Quimera , Letras Libres , and El Mercurio . First published in 2000, Theatre of War was her debut novel and is her first book to appear in English.

Frances Riddle has translated numerous Spanish-language authors including Isabel Allende, Claudia Piñeiro, Leila Guerriero, and Sara Gallardo. Her translation of Theatre of War by Andrea Jeftanovic was granted an English PEN Award in 2020. Her work has appeared in journals such as Granta, Electric Literature , and The White Review , among others. She holds a BA in Spanish Language Literature from Louisiana State University and an MA in Translation Studies from the University of Buenos Aires. In 2022, Frances’ translation of Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. Originally from Houston, Texas she lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.