Wai was born in New York City. Although her parents didn't speak much English, Wai harboured a passion for books from a very young age, sneaking stories into bed to read well into the night.Wai graduated from Duke University with majors in Economics and English. After graduation Wai moved to Japan, where she spent over a year teaching English.She has lived in Australia for ten years, enjoying the sun and pursuing her passion for writing.Wai Chim is also the author of a junior fiction series called Chook Chook.