Porto Book Fair

When I decided to leave Brazil, one of the reasons I chose Portugal was because of my book. Since the language was the same, I could still give presentations and share my work with new people. And that’s exactly what happened.

I went to Porto with nothing but courage—no job and only 80 euros in my account. That was all I had. I was also staying as a guest in the home of people I didn’t even know. I arrived on a Sunday night, and by Monday morning, I was already in the city center looking for bookstores where I could leave my book on consignment.

That same day, I walked past a bar with a “Help Wanted” sign. I got a job right then and there, starting the very next day. After getting that job was I able to stay in the city and keep looking for bookstores willing to partner with me.

One day, I walked past the Exclamação Bookstore. João, the manager, wasn’t there at the time, but I spoke with Sofia. After chatting with me and learning what the book was about, she told me to leave a copy there. A few days later, not only did I get a reply, but I received an email that truly warmed my heart. It was exactly what I needed at that moment.

It wasn’t just praise for the book—it was also an invitation to join the bookstore’s stand at the Porto Book Fair, the biggest literary event in the city.

At that point, I had only been in Portugal for a few months. I had just graduated, coming out of a chaotic time and a job where I faced real vulnerability as an immigrant. This was an incredible coincidence that kept me going down this path.

With that I discovered that promoting book presentations was a powerful way to sell the book and share its story with more people. And from the very beginning—from the first person I spoke to, to the professor who wrote the preface, to João who invited me to that first event—every single one of them has been part of my journey.

It’s thanks to people like them, who support and believe in me, that I can keep going further.