Kate Noakes was born in Guildford but has a longstanding relationship to Hay-on-Wye and the surrounding area. She has lived in Australia, California, and Paris, experiences which provide some contrasting contexts to the border country. Noakes has degrees in geography and English from Reading University and an MPhil in Creative Writing from the University of Glamorgan. She is the author of two collections of poetry, and has read at numerous literary and musical festivals, including Hay.