Geraldine Mitchell lives near Louisburgh, Co. Mayo. She was born in Dublin and lived in France, Algeria and Spain for many years before returning to Ireland. Her work has been widely published in journals and in the Oxfam 2009 calendar. She won first prize for poetry in the Amergin 2007 Creative Writing Awards and was the winner of the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award in 2008. Earlier publications include two novels for young people and a biography. She has been writing poetry since her move to Mayo in 2000. This January Geraldine will launch her first collection World Without Maps.