Michelle Swope was born in New Bern, N.C. and grew up in Cary, NC. She has been a film critic and journalist, with a focus on genre film, for over a decade. She writes film reviews, conducts interviews, moderates live panels, contributes essays for physical releases, and has covered film festivals like SXSW, Chattanooga Film Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival, and Fantastic Fest.

She is a contributing writer at Bloody Disgusting with bylines at Elements of Madness, Daily Dead, Dread Central, Scream Horror Magazine, Arrow Video, Second Sight, and Sight and Sound.

She is a Tomatometer-approved critic and member of SEFCA and NCFCA.