Ibiza writer Josefa Ribas Riera presents her first book, Entre la mar i l’univers, at the Centre Polivalent de Sant Mateu d’Albarca on Saturday, September 26.

The presentation begins at 19:30 and forms part of the 2026 Sant Mateu patron-saint festivities. Javier Serapio will introduce the event.

Eleven Stories Set in Ibiza

Published by Miquel Costa editor, Entre la mar i l’univers brings together 11 stories combining fantasy and historical fiction.

The book moves between different characters and settings, including sailors, mermaids, visitors from other planets, animals and corsair sultanas.

All of the stories are set in Ibiza, with some specifically taking place in Sant Mateu d’Albarca, a village closely connected to Ribas Riera’s childhood and youth.

Ibiza Through Memory and Imagination

The stories also explore Ibiza’s landscape and history.

One of the book’s stories follows the evolution of Ibiza through the relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter. The grandmother is based on Ribas Riera’s own grandmother, making the story a tribute to older generations as keepers of memory, knowledge and island history.

The combination of imagined characters and real places gives the collection a strong connection to Ibiza while allowing the author to approach the island through different fictional perspectives.

Illustrations by Celia Ramón Ribas

Each of the 11 stories is accompanied by an illustration by artist Celia Ramón Ribas, the author's daughter.

The illustrations form part of the book's visual identity and accompany the different stories throughout the collection.

From Sant Mateu to the Classroom

Josefa Ribas Riera was born in Ibiza in 1970 and spent her childhood and youth between Ibiza Town and Sant Mateu.

She studied teaching in Palma and has worked as an Early Childhood and Primary Education teacher. She currently works at a Centre for Adult Education.

Entre la mar i l’univers is her first published book.

Saturday's Presentation

The presentation takes place at the Centre Polivalent de Sant Mateu d’Albarca at 19:30 on Saturday, September 26.

The event is part of the programme for the 2026 Sant Mateu festivities, which continue through Sunday, September 27.

For Ribas Riera, the presentation brings her first published collection of stories back to a place that features directly in both her personal history and several of the book's settings.