Born in Toronto and educated at the University of Toronto Schools, she attended Yale University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature.

Her debut novel, Minus Time (1993), was shortlisted for the Books in Canada First Novel Award and the City of Toronto Book Award. It was also published in the U.S. and the U.K.

The Rules of Engagement (HarperCollins, 2000), a national bestseller, was published internationally, shortlisted for the City of Toronto Book Award, and chosen as a New York Times Notable Book and a Best Book of the Year by the LA Times and the Globe and Mail.

Claire’s Head (M&S, 2004) was shortlisted for the Trillium Award and chosen as a Best Book of the Year by the Globe and Mail.

Bush has taught Creative Writing at universities including Concordia, the University of Florida, and the University of Guelph. She is currently Coordinator of the Creative Writing MFA at the University of Guelph, and an adjunct professor in University of British Columbia’s on-line MFA programme.

She has been Writer-in-Residence at McMaster University, the University of New Brunswick, the University of Alberta, and the University of Guelph.

Her nonfiction has appeared in numerous publications including the Globe and Mail and The New York Times Magazine.