Ali Smith CBE FRSL is a renowned Scottish author, playwright, academic, and journalist, born on 24 August 1962 in Inverness, Scotland. Smith is recognized for her significant contributions to contemporary literature and has been described as "Scotland's Nobel laureate-in-waiting" by Sebastian Barry in 2016. Raised in a working-class family in a council house in Inverness, she pursued her higher education at Aberdeen and Cambridge, although she did not complete her Ph.D.

Smith's career as a writer truly began after she was forced to leave her position as a lecturer at the University of Strathclyde due to chronic fatigue syndrome. This pivotal life event allowed her to focus entirely on her passion for writing. Her literary works are widely acclaimed, and she holds the honor of being a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Ali Smith currently resides in Cambridge with her partner, Sarah Wood, to whom she dedicates all her books. She continues to influence and shape the literary world with her unique voice and perspective.