Maria Carme Roca i Costa (Barcelona, 1955) is a novelist.

With an Arts degree in History and another degree in Catalan Philology (specialising in Literature) she worked as a teacher for twelve years. In 1997 she published her first novel, after which she proceeded to publish a great number of titles for children and young people and also for adult readers. Her books in the former category include such titles as Qui és, el penjat? (1997), Sis contes revoltats (1998), Foc al cor (2000), Amb ulls de guácharo (2001), Ermengol el salat (2002), On s'amaga la por (2004 – winner of the 2002 Lola Anglada Prize), Ada i Valeri, una nena i un bacteri (2003), La temuda petjada de Kali (2004), Qui és el de la foto? (2010 – winner of the 2009 Bancaixa Award for Children’s Fiction), Katalépsis (2013 – winner of the 2012 Joaquim Ruyra Prize for Children’s Literature), Dedica'm un poema encara que sigui teu (2013), La merla blava (2015) and Selfies al cementiri (2017, winner of the Barcelona Prize for Young People’s Literature).

Her work for adults includes the historical novels El pont de fusta (2004), Intrigues de palau (2006 – winner of the Néstor Luján Prize for the Historical Novel), El monestir proscrit (2008), Barcino (2009), Escollida pels déus (2010) and L'enigma Colom (2014), and also the essays Les dones de Jaume I (2008) and Abadesses i priores a la Catalunya medieval (2014). Also notable are her novels A punt d’estrena (2016 – winner of the Sixth Illa dels Llibres Award) and La noia del club (2017).

Roca conducts the book club of Joan Coromines Library in Masnou, and she is a member of the jury of awards such as the Nèstor Luján or the Carlemany Prizes. She is a member of the professional association of writers ESCRIVIM and she was a member of the Catalan Council for Children’s and Young People’s Literature.

Roca is a member of Associació d'Escriptors en Llengua Catalana (Association of Catalan Language Writers – AELC).



Web page: Carme Ros and Toni Terrades: for AELC.
Photograph: Author’s personal files.
Translated by Julie Wark.