Last night the seasoned Spanish writer Alvaro Pombo was awarded the Premio Planeta, a $755,000 award, for his book, "La fortuna de Matilda Turpin" ("Matilda Turpin's Fortune"). Grupo Planeta, one of Spain's top publishing companies, has administered the award for over fifty years. Pombo described his book to the AP as "the drama of a contemporary couple, which endure the dilemma of a changing society, in which the woman is no longer hobbled at home." Spanish authors interested in applying for next year should visit the Grupo Planeta website.