Pedro Juan Gutiérrez is a Cuban novelist, journalist, painter, and poet, known as a reference of Cuban dirty realism. Born on January 27, 1950, in Matanzas, Cuba, he grew up in Pinar del Río and began working at an early age, selling ice cream and newspapers at 11. He has had a diverse career, including roles as a soldier, swimming and kayak instructor, agricultural worker, technician in construction, technical designer, radio speaker, and journalist for 26 years.

Gutiérrez moved to Centro Habana, a rundown area of the capital, at the age of 37. Despite its violence, he was captivated by the energy of the people living there. He is the author of several acclaimed works, including Dirty Havana Trilogy, King of Havana, Tropical Animal (which won Spain's Alfonso Garcia Ramos Prize in 2000), The Insatiable Spiderman, Dog Meat (winner of Italy's Narrativa Sur del Mundo Prize), Snake's Nest (winner of the Prix des Amériques Insulaires et de la Guyane in 2008), Our GG in Havana, and the short stories of Melancholy of Lions. His works have been translated into several languages.

Since 1994, he has published 10 prose books and five poetry books. In 2007, he published Corazón Mestizo, a Cuban travel book.