W.J. May, also known as Wanita J May, was born and raised in the fruit belt of Ontario, Canada. She had a happy and energetic childhood, which she spent cultivating her vivid imagination. May was the youngest of six children, having four older brothers and a sister. This large family dynamic taught her to be competitive in all aspects of life from a young age. She excelled in athletics, particularly track and field, and began competing at the age of sixteen. Before she turned seventeen, May was already representing Canada in high jump and continued to compete, eventually breaking Canada's Junior High Jump record. She went on to attend the University of Toronto and Kansas State University, where she became a six-time All-American and NCAA Indoor Runner Up.
After her athletic career, May settled down with her husband, a distance runner from Liverpool, UK, and they had three children together. The family is involved in an online business dealing with antiques and collectibles, particularly jewelry and porcelain. May's life took a turn in 2009 when her father passed away after a six-year battle with cancer. This loss inspired her to start writing again, a passion she had loved for years but had put off. She began writing Young Adult and Fantasy Fiction, and her first book, "Rae of Hope" from the Chronicles of Kerrigan, was published by kNight Romance Publishing in October 2011. May is currently represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. She continues to write and connect with her readers through her website, newsletter, and social media.