Born in England in 1941, Jill MacLean moved to Nova Scotia with her family in 1950. After receiving her Bachelor of Science with honours from Dalhousie University, she worked at the Fisheries Research Board in Halifax, in Sydney City Hospital, and in the biology department of Mount Allison University. During the four years she lived in Prince Edward Island, she researched an early French settlement on the island; her monograph was published by the PEI Heritage Foundation. Later, she completed a Masters in Theological Studies at the Atlantic School of Theology, and began writing poetry. She has made her home in all three maritime provinces.

Jill's poems have appeared in The Antigonish Review, CV2, Event, The Fiddlehead, Grain, The Malahat Review, Pottersfield Portfolio, Prairie Fire, Prism International, and Tickle Ace. The Brevity of Red is her first collection.