Ma Ka-Fai has a cosmopolitan background: he grew up in Hong Kong, studied psychology at National Taiwan University, and obtained his Master and PhD in Sociology in the US (University of Chicago and University of Wisconsin). He had worked in advertising, publishing, news media and film, and currently teaches media and creative writing at City University of Hong Kong. He has published over 20 books of essays, many of them bestsellers. Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong is his debut novel.