Marie-Louise was born in 1962 in Dublin where she studied design and still lives. Her first three books were published in Ireland where they gained considerable recognition winning two Bisto Merit Awards (for best children's book) and Bisto Book of the Decade, two Reading Association of Ireland Awards and an IBBY Honour.

Although having lived in Dublin all her life Marie-Louise is a compulsive traveller having spent seven weeks of 2003 roughing it in Australia meeting bandicoots, dingos, cassoweries and tadimelons. Her last trip was tamer, writer in residence in the States.