Michelle Taylor was born in Brisbane in 1968, and grew up in Darwin and Brisbane. More recently she has lived in Suffolk, Glasgow and London, and she is presently living on the island of Madeira in Portugal with her husband and two young daughters. She particularly enjoys taking poetry to young audiences and hearing what young people make of poetry in their lives today. She is a popular choice as a performer and workshop leader in schools and at literary festivals, and is also an occupational therapist with many years experience working with those with mental and emotional health problems.