The launch of the above book, written by Beatriz Marques Moura, just 18 years old, took place on February 14, 2026, at the António Lobo Antunes Municipal Library in Nelas, at 4pm. The Mayor of Nelas, Joaquim Amaral, opened by saying: "We are in a special moment for art, literature and culture. She is a young, local author, and the emotion rises beyond mere affection into a level of excellence. It's in young people that we find relevance, and it's a joy for me to find this room packed with people." Portuguese teacher Clotilde Santos, who wrote the book's foreword, said she was very grateful to the author and highlighted "Beatriz's outer and inner beauty, with an intelligent mind and an emotional heart, cared for with unconditional love." It was noted that Beatriz has a close relationship with her family and remembers all her teachers and friends, having achieved several accomplishments such as being part of the school's General Council by merit and the drama club, showing her know-how and sense of duty. For the author, "writing a book is always a challenge", as it raises various insecurities, such as whether others write better than us, or whether we're unbalanced. "So writing is exposing yourself and retreating, walking a tightrope." Teacher Clotilde Santos added that this book is proof of "gentleness, erudition and art, and above all that we can learn from each other so that everyone's life can be better." Beatriz revealed that she wrote the book during a period of personal difficulties, of ups and downs, but that she discovered herself to be adaptable, capable of feeling deeply, but also of searching deeply. Next to take the stage was teacher Aurora Morais, who taught Beatriz from age 6 to 10 and describes her as a very diligent, organised student, with an aversion to red pens. One thing Beatriz is certain of: whether the future brings more books or expression in other formats — on stage or on paper — it has to be done with soul.  

Critical review of "Photograph my soul through my writing" by Beatriz Marques Moura

  The idea of our inner self as something that can be translated into images, into some kind of vision, is possibly an ancient concept, and a wonderful title for a debut literary work. For someone who spent years exposing herself as an actress in a school drama club, revealing herself now as a poet adds yet another enriching layer of identity. In this book, the poetic subject is in the eye of the storm, which could be an allusion to the transition from adolescence into a more mature age. The author makes several literary references that guide the reading of the poems, from Clarice Lispector, Chico Buarque and Fernando Pessoa, which also seem to serve as a rudder for the poems themselves. Divided into three sections — "Saudade" (Longing), "Oppression", "Self-sabotage" — the book touches on, among other themes, childhood nostalgia, pain that imprisons, and also the moments when we don't like who we are. But ultimately it's the unknown and the mystery that stand out as the driving force. "Photograph my soul through my writing" is a book that deserves to be read more than once, as its meanings never run dry — the poems are powerful and vibrant, and amount to a gift to all readers.

Paula Cristina Gouveia