Rafael Valdivia Blánquez (Marmolejo, Jaén, 1987) is a civil engineer (Roads, Canals and Ports) from the University of Granada and holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching from the University of Jaén.
Since 2015, he has served as Councillor for Public Works, Services, Culture, and Historical Heritage at the Marmolejo City Council, a role he combines with his main passions: reading and writing.
In the literary field, he has received several poetry awards at the local, provincial, and regional levels. In 2023, he published his first historical novel, The Teacher’s Books (Samarcanda), based on real events. He is currently working on his second novel, Un muerto en el balneario, set in the late 19th century.
In October 2024, Los libros del maestro received an Honourable Mention at the 2024 International Latino Book Awards in the category of Best Mystery Novel in Spanish. He was also nominated to receive the Mayte Spínola Gold Medal in Literature.