Elsie Katie Maria Dido is in 1951 op Tsomo in die Transkei gebore as die oudste dogter en die derde oudste van twaalf kinders. Haar moedertaal is Afrikaans, maar as kind leer sy ook Xhosa en Engels vlot praat. Die skooltjie in Tsomo bied klas net tot standerd vier. Ná standerd vier is sy na die sendingskool op Cofimvaba vir standerds vyf tot sewe en slaag dan standerd agt aan die Rooms-Katolieke kosskool op Cradock. Hierna moet sy noodgedwonge die skool verlaat om te help met finansiële bystand vir die res van die familie. Sy kies verpleging as beroep en voltooi haar basiese drie jaar opleiding en diploma in Kimberley. Daarna gaan sy in 1972 na Kaapstad, waar sy aanvullende diplomas in verloskunde, kraamversorging en psigiatrie behaal en pe
An-Mari do Carmo grew up on a farm in North-West, South Africa. From the moment she learned to read, books were her best friends, and she started writing her own stories from the age of nine. Growing up, she was raised to be part of the KwaSizabantu (KSB) Mission, which she later realised is a legalistic cult. After attending school on the Mission, she went to study Languages and Literature with an emphasis on Creative Writing at the North-West University, Potchefstroom, and broke all ties with KSB while learning about the grace of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. After graduating she started working as a children's book editor, furthering her love for the book world. Today she is married and devotes her life to books, her family and her fait
