Simon Van Booy was born in London and grew up in rural Wales. He is the author of Love Begins in Winter—which won the International Frank O'Connor Prize. His nonfiction has appeared in newspapers such as the New York Times, the Daily Telegraph, and the New York Post.
He lives in New York City, where he lectures at the School of Visual Arts and is involved in the Rutgers Early College Humanities Program (REaCH) for young adults living in underserved communities.
His work has been translated into nine different languages.