Krista Anne Blakeney Bell was born on 27 January 1950 at the War Memorial Hospital in Bondi Junction in Sydney's eastern suburbs. She grew up in Rose Bay, going to the local school until the end of Grade 5.
She went to St. Vincent's College, Potts Point, which meant taking the bus and walking through King's Cross twice a day going to and from school.

She said that: "I love books, music, gardening, Asian food, tennis, recycled clothing shops, holidays in Lorne & Noosa, making new friends (especially in the country towns I visit to do writing workshops with students), and Collingwood Football Club! To relax and think of more story ideas, I walk the dogs or paint with water colours, acrylics and pastels."