“I write books primarily to entertain readers. I like to imagine them gasping in a thrilling moment, or cracking up at the funny parts. My books are the kind that anybody can enjoy. But, while anybody can enjoy them, they're not about generic avatars; my books are about Black kids. They may be in strange situations, or have talents you don't expect, but they are Black. They're the characters I was advised not to write. The characters I was told no one would read. The characters I always wanted to read. So the most interesting thing about me might be how stubborn I am because while I'm here to entertain I'm also here to prove wrong the people who said it couldn't--or worse, shouldn't--be done.“ - Lamar Giles
Lamar Giles is an author, speaker, and founding member of We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit dedicated to changing the face of publishing. His love of stories and storytelling began at an early age in his hometown of Hopewell, Virginia. After graduating from Hopewell High School in 1997, he attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he decided to pursue writing as a career, making his first professional short-story sale at age 21.
His debut Young Adult novel, FAKE ID, sold to HarperCollins in 2011 and, since its publication in 2014, has gained national acclaim. Among its many accolades are a 2015 Edgar® Award nomination (the first of three nominations) from the Mystery Writers of America and the Virginia State Reading Association’s 2015–2016 Readers Choice Award. Since then, Lamar has continued to captivate readers with acclaimed works across multiple genres, including the celebrated The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, which launched his popular Legendary Alston Boys Adventures series; the chilling YA thriller The Getaway, praised for its timely social commentary; and his latest horror novel, Ruin Road, which delivers a gripping, edge-of-your-seat mystery.
In addition to his novels, he has spoken and taught at numerous schools and prestigious conferences, including the College of William & Mary, Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Virginia Children’s Book Festival, and BookExpo America. His work has been featured on NPR, The New York Times Book Review, CNN, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Time Magazine and more.
Lamar’s books are represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. He lives in Virginia with his family.
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