[2] Mason grew up in Pennsylvania, but her family moved to Virginia when she was a child.
[3] Mason received her BA in mass media arts from the Hampton Institute in 1984[3] and her MA from Ohio State University.
[2] Before becoming a writer, she was a staff developmental editor for the Daily Press in Newport News.
[2] She was selected by readers as one of top 10 romance authors, 2002, for Body and Soul.
[2][4] She was named best romance writer turned mainstream by Black Issues Book Review in 2002, for Testimony.