Author Arlene Chai was born in the Philippines to Chinese parents. She was educated in Manila, completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976. She began work as a copywriter for an advertising agency, eventually becoming a creative director at the Ted Bates agency in Manila. In 1982, Chai and her family migrated to Australia. In 1985, Chai joined George Patterson Advertising in Sydney, where she remained for seven years. Encouraged to write by author and former work colleague Bryce Courteney, Chai published her first book, The last time I saw my mother, in 1995. She now teaches English as a second language and writes in her free time.
From the description of Papers of Arlene Chai, 1993-2000 [manuscript]. 1993-2000. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 222930606
