An early love of reading and writing led Lorraine Orman to her involvement in literary life as an adult. After achieving a post-graduate diploma in library studies, she began working with the General Assembly Library and the National Library in Wellington. When she stopped full-time work to bring up her two sons, she began writing short stories for children, seven of which were published in the School Journal.

Then came a move to Auckland, and for several years she juggled working in a library (Birkdale College Library, and Carrington Polytechnic Library) as well as doing volunteer work and writing more stories for children. Her final library position was in charge of the children’s collections at the Auckland College of Education Library. She also became actively involved in the work done by the Children’s Literature Foundation (one of Storylines’ parent organisations).

Lorraine was a judge for the New Zealand Post Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Awards in 2004. She later went on to be a judge of a number of Storylines awards, such as the StorylinesTessa Duder Award and the Stroylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award. She also judged writing competitions for local organisations.

The majority of Lorraine’s books for children were published between 2004 and 2009. Eventually Lorraine and her husband Jim retired to the Matakana Coast, and in 2019 they moved to Christchurch. They have five grandchildren. Lorraine continues to write reviews of New Zealand children’s books for Maria Gill’s blog KidsBooksNZ.