Pamela N. Harris was born and somewhat raised in Newport News, VA—also affectionately known as “Bad News.” A former school counselor by day, she received her BA in English and a Master’s in school counseling at Old Dominion University, her MFA in creative writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and a PhD in counselor education and supervision at William and Mary. When she isn’t writing, Pam is re-watching Leonardo DiCaprio movies, playing with her two kiddos, and pretending to enjoy exercising. When You Look Like Us, an Odyssey Award winner for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Young Adults, as well as the winner of SCBWI’s Golden Kite Award for Young Adult Fiction (2022), an NAACP Image Award nominee (2022) for Outstanding Literary Work: Youth/Teens, and a 2022 Edgar Award nominee for Best Young Adult novel, is Pamela’s debut novel. Pamela’s second young adult novel, This Town is on Fire,  was an Honor book for SCBWI's Golden Kite Award for Young Adult Fiction (2024). Her third book, Through Our Teeth was nominated for a NAACP Image Award. She lives in Williamsburg, Virginia.