Brent Runyon is a contemporary writer for young adults. He has written two books. One is a memoir, The Burn Journals (2004); the other, a novel, Maybe (2006). The Burn Journals has been nominated for a Georgia Peach Award for Young Readers.

Runyon was 14 years old when he set himself on fire. 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 two kids.