Jose Dalisay was born in Romblon, Philippines in 1954. He dropped out of college to work as a journalist after a period of imprisonment when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972. He has published eighteen books of fiction and non-fiction in both English and Filipino, five of which have received the National Book Award from the Manila Critics Circle. Dalisay has also received numerous other awards, including sixteen Palanca Awards earning him a place in the Palanca Hall of Fame. He teaches English and Creative Writing at the University of the Philippines, where he also directs the Institute of Creative Writing. Dalisay has lectured on Philippine culture and politics at universities in the US, UK, and Australia. He has been a Hawthornden Castle, David TK Wong, and Rockefeller fellow.  His novel, Soledad's Sister, was published in 2008 and was short listed for the inaugural Man Asian Literary Prize.