Valerie Bloom MBE (born 1956) is a Jamaican-born poet and a novelist based in the UK. Born in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica, Bloom moved to England in 1979. She attended the University of Kent at Canterbury and earned an honours degree, and was later awarded an honorary Masters degree. She has been living in Kent ever since. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours. (from Wikipedia)