R.E. Russell was born in Brantford, Ontario. From an early age she loved to write and tell stories. In Grade 10 she entered the Thomas B. Costain writing contest and placed first in the category of Short Story (Fiction). In Grade 13, she entered the Thomas B. Costain writing contest for a second time, placing first and second in the category of Short Story (Fiction), for her short stories "Perfection" and "Hi My Name is Lennie and I am not Crazy." R.E. attended the University of Waterloo, where she majored in Conflict Resolution. R.E. studied the roots of violence, mediation, negotiation, peace movements, and other conflict-resolution courses through Conrad Grebel University College; in addition, she took courses in history, religious studies, and political science. R.E. graduated from the University of Waterloo in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies. R.E. has a love for words and books, as well as a deep appreciation for the power of the imagination.
