Rachel Dawson is a lesbian, working-class Welsh writer. In 2020, she was awarded a bursary by Literature Wales, which enabled her to write her debut novel, Neon Roses. She was born in Swansea and has done a variety of jobs, including selling sausage rolls and vibrators (not at the same time), and volunteering for an MP. She now works in the third sector and lives with her wife in Cardiff.