Carmelita McGrath is a poet, fiction writer, freelancer and editor, who is originally from Branch, St. Mary’s Bay, Newfoundland.

She holds a B.A. in English and a B.Ed. from the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Since then she has been involved in numerous writing workshops, projects and readings in the eastern provinces and across Canada. She has taken part, both as participant and leader, in many workshops and activities with writers of all ages.

Her books include Poems on Land and Water (1992), Walking to Shenak (fiction, 1994), To The New World (poems, 1997), Stranger Things Have Happened (fiction, 1996), The Dog Next Year (picture book, 2001), and Ghost Poems (poetry chapbook, 2001). Her books have won the Atlantic Poetry Prize, the Newfoundland Book Award for fiction and been shortlisted for the Thomas Raddall Award for Atlantic Canadian fiction.

She has edited several books and anthologies, and her work in three genres has appeared in a wide variety of journals, magazines and anthologies. As well as this, she has done extensive work in radio and television, and taught adult learners, high school and junior high students.

She now lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland.