Scott Heim is an American novelist born on September 26, 1966, in Hutchinson, Kansas. He grew up in a small farming community and pursued higher education at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where he earned a B.A. in English and Art History in 1989, followed by an M.A. in English Literature in 1991. Heim furthered his studies in Writing at Columbia University, where he penned his first novel, Mysterious Skin.

Mysterious Skin was published by HarperCollins in 1995, marking the beginning of his acclaimed literary career. He followed this success with another novel, In Awe, in 1997. In addition to his novels, Heim is the author of a book of poetry titled Saved From Drowning (1993).

Throughout his career, Scott Heim has been honored with fellowships from prestigious organizations, including the London Arts Board as their International Writer-in-Residence and the Sundance Screenwriters Lab for his adaptation of Mysterious Skin. After living in New York for eleven years, he currently resides in Massachusetts.