K. Ancrum

Kayla M. Ancrum (born June 15, 1991) is an American author of young adult speculative fiction. She debuted with The Wicker King. Her fourth novel Icarus (2024) won a Lambda Literary Award, while her fifth novel The Corruption of Hollis Brown (2025) won a Mythopoeic Award.

Early life Ancrum was born in Maryland and grew up in Chicago. She began writing at age 12. She initially studied Fashion Merchandising at Dominican University before switching to English and Creative Writing, graduating in 2013.

Career Upon graduating from Dominican University, Ancrum signed her first book deal with Macmillan Publishers, through which she published her debut novel The Wicker King in 2017. She originally wrote the story for a friend "who felt alone in his bi identity". School Library Journal reviewer Cary Frostick called it a "haunting and provocative read that will keep teens riveted."

This was followed in 2019 by Ancrum's second novel The Weight of the Stars, a lesbian science fiction romance. The Weight of the Stars was a 2019 Locus magazine pick. Ancrum wrote her first two novels in a "vignette" format. Ancrum's third novel, published in 2021 via Imprint (Macmillan), was a thriller retelling of J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan titled Darling, set in contemporary Chicago.

Announced in 2022, HarperTeen acquired the rights to publish Ancrum's fourth novel Icarus, a reimagining of the titular Greek myth as a modern queer coming-of-age story, in 2024. Icarus won a Lambda Literary Award in the Young Adult category, and was a finalist for a Cybils Award for Fiction.

In 2025, HarperCollins published Ancrum's fifth novel The Corruption of Hollis Brown, a queer ghost story set in small town Michigan. It was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Ancrum's sixth novel Adam, Mine., a dual-perspective retelling of Frankenstein, is forthcoming from HarperCollins in September 2026.

Personal life Ancrum is bisexual and intersex. She has ADHD. Dead End Daryl (forthcoming)

Novellas The Legend of the Golden Raven (The Wicker King #1.5) (2017)

Anthologies The Way That Madness Lies (2021) Tasting Light (2022) Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder (2022)

Accolades +YearAwardCategoryTitleResult 2024 Cybils Awards for Fiction Young adult Icarus 2025 Lambda Literary Awards LGBTQ+ Young Adult National Book Awards Young People's Literature The Corruption of Hollis Brown 2026 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Young Adult Novel Mythopoeic Awards Young Adult Literature