Brent Runyon

Who is Brent Runyon?

Brent Runyon is a contemporary writer for young adults. He has written three books. The first is a memoir, The Burn Journals; the other two are novels, Maybe, and Surface Tension: A Novel in Four Summers. The Burn Journals has been nominated for a Georgia Peach Award for Young Readers.

Runyon was 14 years old when he attempted to kill himself. He did this by undressing, pouring gasoline on his robe, putting his robe on, and setting his robe on fire. He suffered third-degree-burns on 85% of his body. His first book, The Burn Journals, is a memoir of his suicide survival. He is a regular contributor to public radio's This American Life, and lives in Cape Cod, Massachusetts with his wife and three stepchildren.