Elsie Sze grew up in Hong Kong, and currently lives in Toronto with her husband Michael. They have three sons, Benjamin, Samuel and Timothy. On March 28, 2009, she became a first-time grandmother when Michael (Misha) was born to Ben and his wife Inessa. A former teacher and librarian, she is an avid traveler, often to remote places which form the settings for her stories. Her first novel, Hui Gui: a Chinese story, was nominated for Foreword Magazine's Fiction Book of the Year Award, 2006. Her second novel, The Heart of the Buddha, was published in October, 2009.