Ling Ma is a renowned Chinese American novelist and professor at the University of Chicago. She is celebrated for her debut novel, Severance, which won the prestigious 2018 Kirkus Prize and was recognized as a New York Times Notable Book of 2018. It was also shortlisted for the 2019 Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award.

Her second book, Bliss Montage, garnered critical acclaim, winning the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and The Story Prize. In 2024, she was named a MacArthur Fellow, a testament to her significant contributions to the literary world.

Ling Ma's educational background includes an AB from the University of Chicago and an MFA from Cornell University. She is an influential voice in contemporary literature, with her work exploring themes of identity, culture, and society. Ling Ma resides in Chicago with her family.