Laura-Blaise McDowell holds an MA in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. Her work has appeared in a number of publications, including The Irish Times, The Galway Review, HeadStuff, Honest Ulsterman and Still Worlds Turning, an anthology of new Irish writing from No Alibis Press. In 2019, she was longlisted for the Hinterland Prize for Nonfiction, and shortlisted for the Benedict Kiely Short Story Award. She was runner-up for the Dalkey Creates Short Story Prize, and had two stories longlisted for the Writing.ie Short Story of the Year Award at the An Post Irish Book Awards, with 'Balloon Animals' making the shortlist. In 2020, she received an honourable mention in the Cúirt New Irish Writing Award, and was one of ten honourable mentions in the Fish Short Memoir Prize, with her essay 'Regeneration' appearing in the Fish Anthology 2020. In 2021, 'The Lobster Waltz' came second in the Costa Short Story Award.