Sebati Edward Mafate was born in Zambia and raised in Botswana and South Africa. Aside from his writings, Sebati is also an independent filmmaker. His first feature film, Black Cobra, was based on his second novel, the action-adventure tale When The Cobra Strikes, and was released by a major Hollywood distributor, Lionsgate Films. Sebati continues to write and pursue a successful filmmaking career in Southern California, where he resides with his wife, Vivian Lorena, and their four children.