R. O. Kwon

R. O. Kwon is the author of the nationally bestselling novel Exhibit, a New York Times Editors’ Choice and a recipient of the Lambda Literary Duggins Prize. Kwon’s bestselling first novel, The Incendiaries, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award and the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Prize. Kwon coedited the bestselling Kink. Kwon’s books have been translated into seven languages and named a best book of the year by over forty publications. Kwon is a 2025-2026 Visiting Fellow at the American Library in Paris and a 2025-2026 Distinguished Visiting Writer at Saint Mary’s College. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, MacDowell, and Yaddo. Born in Seoul, Kwon has lived most of her life in the United States. Photo credit: Jesse Dittmar