Wayne Grady was born in 1948 in Windsor, Ontario. He attended Carleton University where he earned a B.A. in English. He is a freelance magazine writer and author of several books. He is the former editor of Harrowsmith magazine. He has also translated several French novels into English. He has been shortlisted for the Toronto Book Award and the Governor General's Award for Translation, for Black Squirrel, by Daniel Poliquin. He received the Governor General's Award for Translation, for On the Eighth Day, by Antoine Maillet and John Glassco Prize for Literary Translation, for Christopher Cartier of Hazelnut, by Antoine Maillet. He lives in Kingston, Ontario.