Rafael Gallo was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1981. He is the author of the novel Dor fantasma (Phantom pain), winner of the José Saramago Prize 2022, published by Porto Editora and Globo Livros in 2023.

His novel Rebentar (Burst), published in 2015 by Editora Record, won the São Paulo Literature Prize. He made his literary debut in 2012 with his collection of short stories Réveillon e outros dias (New Years and other days), which won the SESC Literature Prize that same year. His writings have also been included in various anthologies and other publications, both in Brazil and in other countries such as the United States, France, Mozambique, Cuba and Ecuador.