Mel Palmer studied English at Cambridge in 1997-2000. She then got a job at Jump Leads, an internet startup company initiated by some members of the College. Now Mel works in London; she was a picture-book editor in 2003 for Walker Books, the children's book producer. After she was asked to re-write the bible, her interests in literature and philosophy were kindled, and carried her on to an MA in Literature at University College London. This episode frightened poor Mel so much that she begged for another job back in childrens books.

She loves chilli and burn, and her best friend is Smirnoff Red (the 'little red V').