Roberta Buchannan was born in South Africa, educated in England, and immigrated to Canada in 1964. She lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and teaches women’s studies and English literature at Memorial University. She is actively involved in the local feminist community and in various writers’ groups, including the Writer’s Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Newfoundland Writer’s Guild.

She co-wrote and performed in The Meeting (feminist satire and performance poetry) produced by east coast women and words: performed “Kali Poems” in Actordanz (Neighborhood Dance Works) and made a guest appearance with “Tomato Poem” in Live Soap, directed by Janice Spence: all at the L.S.P.U. Hall in St. John’s.