Sharon Poole's background is in museums as a social historian. Her first book was of local history photographs, published in 1987. In 2010 she collaborated on her first maritime book. Her interest in passenger shipping goes back to her teenage years and she has a large collection of ocean liner memorabilia. In total she has published twenty books on both local and maritime subjects, including the official publication to mark 175 years of heritage for P&O Cruises, which was nominated for a Maritime Book Award. Sharon left the museum profession to pursue other interests, among them writing and travel photography.