Lisa Ko is an American writer from New York City. Her debut novel, The Leavers, became a national bestseller and received significant recognition in the literary world, winning the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and earning a finalist position for the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction. Beyond her novels, Ko has established herself as a versatile writer across multiple formats. Her short fiction has appeared in prestigious publications including Best American Short Stories and McSweeney's, while her essays have been published in The New York Times and The Believer. Ko published her second novel, Memory Piece, in 2024, continuing her literary career following the success of her debut.