Simon Kitchener was born near Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1962. He lived in England until he was 12, when his parents emigrated to Vancouver, BC. He attended the University of Western Ontario, graduating with a degree in history. During his eight years in the Canadian Armed Forces, he worked extensively in Europe, learned to speak French and Russian, and attended Carleton University where he did graduate work in Russian History. Upon leaving the army he moved back to England to attend the City University Business School earning a MSc in Shipping, Trade & Finance. He writes for a living.