Carmen Callil was born in Australia but has spent most of her career in the United Kingdom. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a BA, and left Australia the week after graduation, eventually settling in London. Before founding Virago Press, she works for Ink, an offshoot of Oz magazine, and feminist periodical Spare Rib.

She founded Virago Press in 1973 and in 1982 became managing director of Chatto & Windus. Her first book, Bad Faith: A Forgotten History of Family and Fatherland, was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Award. She is also of Oh Happy Day, which charted her family history, including convict ancestors.

She was made DBE in 2017 for services to literature.

(https://www.penguin.com.au/authors/carmen-callil; https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/18/carmen-callil-pioneering-champion-of-female-writers-dies-aged-84)