John Carroll was born in Buffalo, New York. He immigrated to Canada in 1972. He has received degrees from Wesleyan University, Western Washington University, and The University of British Columbia. He has worked as a house painter, stevedore, busboy, speech writer, stage actor and director, movie extra, composer, free lance writer, and English professor. He is currently chair of the English Department at The University of the Fraser Valley. The Plastic Heart is his second collection.