Poppy Z. Brite was born in 1967 in New Orleans. She has since lived all over the American South, but in 1993 she returned to her hometown for good. She has worked as a gourmet candymaker, mouse caretaker, artist's model and exotic dancer.

Her first two novels, Lost Souls and Drawing Blood, were both nominated for the Lambda Literary Award, while her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. She has been accalimed by fans of horror fiction and the mainstream alike, gaining accolades and awards for her first two novels, including the Bram Stoker Award for Best First novel in 1992. She has also compiled an anthology of erotic horror stories, Love in Vein and a collection of her own short fiction, Swamp Foetus.

Among her interests are Asian culture, food and travel, the Church of the Subgenius, the music of Tom Waits and numerous subcultures including Goth and cyber. She also appears in the erotic art film John Five, directed by Jim Herbert, the video director for the band REM. Poppy Z. Brite lives in the French Quarter of New Orleans with two cats and two boyfriends.