Maria João Lopo de Carvalho graduated in Modern Languages and Literatures from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa. She was a teacher of Portuguese and English, created the first school of English for young children, and worked as a copywriter in advertising. She also worked in the Education and Culture departments of the Lisbon City Council. She has published over seventy titles, including novels, books of chronicles, educational manuals, and children's books, most of which are part of the National Reading Plan. She regularly appears in the media and visits schools across the country every year to encourage a love of reading. She has written five historical novels: Marquesa de Alorna (2011), which is currently being adapted for television, Padeira de Aljubarrota (2013), Até que o Amor me Mate (2016), O Fado da Severa (2018), and O Bisavô (2020). Together, they have sold over one hundred thousand copies.