Mason Ball lives in Wellington with his wife Kuniko and their three children. Mason grew up in Gisborne before completing a Bachelor of Social Science degree at Waikato University. He trained as a journalist at Auckland Technical Institute and went on to work as a reporter and audio sub-editor for Radio New Zealand. He is now an English language teacher and in his spare time enjoys painting, collage and listening to jazz. He is a keen gardener and enjoys playing basketball, frisbee, backgammon and snooker with his children.