Lis Cowey grew up in Otautahi Christchurch, and is of Scots/Northern English descent. Trained as a language teacher, with an MA in comparative politics, she has spent much of her adult life juggling parenthood and pen-wielding within the Government public-policy machine. She has two adult sons, Fred and Carlo, with her partner, Ben Schrader. Lis calls Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington home, dividing her time between the inner city and Otaki Beach.