Janeen Webb grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales. She attended the University of Newcastle where she ultimately gained a Ph.D. (1983) in literature. She has been a senior lecturer in literature at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. Webb is a prominent Australian science fiction critic who has been published internationally in a variety of journals and magazines. From 1987 to 1991, Webb was co-editor of the Australian Science Fiction Review and has served as the reviews editor of Eidolon.