Tale of a 21st century Don Quixote set in Benalmádena

The epic Spanish novel Don Quixote de la Mancha has been reworked by a Benalmádena author, who brings the iconic character into the 21st century in his latest book, The Boy Who Became Don Quixote: The guardian of Benalmádena.

Written by Marcos Antonio López Zaragoza, the book, which is available in Spanish and English, focuses on a young man from the Costa del Sol town who is obsessed with the central character of the book by Miguel de Cervantes, Alonso Quijano, who would become a nobleman called Don Quixote.

The suspense-filled novel, illustrated by the Sevillian artist, Javier Zaragoza, follows the youngster, his sidekick, Sancho, and his loyal dog, Cinnamon (a character based on Marcos' dog, Jolie), on a journey around the iconic sites of Benalmádena, although the method of transport chosen is not a horse, but a scooter.

"The story has been brought into the 21st century. I think it will be very interesting for local English-speaking people and also to visitors, because it includes a map of iconic sights, like the Colomares castle and the Buddhist stupa. There is also a chapter dedicated to my great-grandfather, Francisco Zaragoza García, the last miller to work in the Molino de Inca in Torremolinos, so it is full of interesting facts associated with the area," the author told SUR in English.

Known locally as the 'writer of Benalmádena', Marcos has published several children's books, the first of which was Aventuras en Cieloazul y Citymar in 2012, a collection of six children's stories that all have a connecting theme.

Along with his novels, which are all based on the customs of, or are set in, Benalmádena, Marcos has also published a bilingual collection of poetry, Benalmádena from the Heart. Published in 2019, this collection of 100 poems captures the essence of Benalmádena, and also a variety of local characters that the author has known since childhood.

Marcos is now working on part two of his Guardian of Benalmádena series.

"Everything I write has a reason. I had written poetry about Don Quixote, but I kept thinking about the possibility of making a different version of Don Quixote, less dense and more entertaining: of course, I couldn't place it anywhere other than Benalmádena, which is where I was born," he said.

However, Marcos explained that he never thought about becoming a writer, but that it was his grandfather who "ignited my interest in literature".

"As a child, I lived in a house in Arroyo de la Miel with my grandfather, and he would tell me endless stories that he himself had invented. When I became a father myself, I did the same to my children, and that was when I decided to publish my first book so that those stories would not be forgotten." he explained.

He has since collaborated in numerous poetry anthologies with several established writers, including one published by the Benalmádena independent writer's group, Recuerdos. In 2021 he participated in the Anthology series, The World's Greatest Letter, published by Writers Without Borders.

For more information about Marcos' books, see his Facebook page novelasmarcosantonio