Alan Cumyn

Alan Cumyn (born January 8, 1960) is an exceptionally versatile, award-winning Canadian novelist whose acclaimed body of work seamlessly spans complex fiction for adults, young adults, and children. Born in Ottawa and educated at Queen's University and the University of Windsor where he earned his MA in Creative Writing, he built a diverse career as a human rights researcher and international development officer before turning fully to literature. Cumyn first captured national literary prominence with his gripping, psychologically intense adult "human rights" novels Man of Bone and Burridge Unbound—the latter of which was named a finalist for the prestigious Scotiabank Giller Prize. He subsequently showcased his vast artistic range by pivoting to children's literature with his hilariously whimsical Owen Skye series (which swept top honours like the Mr. Christie's Book Award), his boundary-pushing Young Adult novel Hot Pterodactyl Boyfriend, and his stunning Yukon-set middle-grade adventure North to Benjamin. A past chair of The Writers' Union of Canada and an emeritus faculty member at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, Cumyn was honoured with the Writers' Trust of Canada's Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People in recognition of his extraordinary multi-genre mastery.