Leila Motta Silva was born in August of 1946, in Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil. She is the second child, and the only girl among four other brothers.

Her parents, Orlando Motta and Leontina Hardt Motta, offered her and her brothers a genuine Christian home. Even though they were simple, poor people, they always showed love for reading and thirst for knowledge. Almost autodidactic people, they always strove to promote and support their children’s education.

Her father was particularly fond of poetry. Every afternoon, from the comfort of his bed, he read to his children literature of all sorts, for long periods of time. Many times he ventured into writing his own poems, where he liked to explore the poetry in the small things in life, teaching his only daughter to observe the subtle beauty in the simple life they lead. He was also famous for his long, elaborate stories, which he made up along the way, as his little children’s curious eyes delighted in the whimsical details of his tales. These stories always had the surprising sprinkles of humor, making Leila and her brothers experience the magic of the composing process of literary masterpieces, in which they also participated by giving their insights, followed by good laughs.

On the other hand, reverence and fear for the Word of God were always present in that humble home. Every night the family sat around to hear a chapter of the Holy Scriptures, read by their father with his unforgettable voice. Then, there was a moment of prayer, before they could all get to bed. These habits formed the solid foundation in the heart of the author, upon which she built her unshakable faith in the God of the Bible, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Leila attended kindergarten and junior high in São Paulo, always in public schools.

As soon as she learned how to read, it didn’t come as a surprise her love and dedication to reading books and writing as well. She read a lot, everything she could. It was very clear from an early age that she had the vocation for teaching. In 1964, she graduated with a degree in Education, in Belo Horizonte, from the Institute of Education of Minas Gerais. At that time, the Brazilian political scene was in great turmoil …She never missed the opportunity to formulate her own revolutionary speeches, which she shared with her friends in the corridors of her very traditional and conservative college.

In July of 1966, Leila married Ageo Silva, her very first boyfriend. From this marriage they had five children: Júlio Fernando, Raquel Luciana, Raphael Leonardo, Aglei Rebeca and Moisés Augusto. As it couldn’t be any different, all of them show they have some talent with the pen as well…