“Brooks excels in creating protagonists worthy of applause and truly foul villains, whose presences linger long after this atmospheric read ends.” ― Publishers Weekly, starred review

Nick Brooks is an award-winning author, filmmaker, and musician from Washington, DC. He’s a 2020 graduate of USC’s MFA Film/TV Production program, with his films earning him both the prestigious George Lucas Scholar Award and the James Bridges and Jack Larson Award for Writing and Directing. His films have been recognized by film festivals across the world, including International Children’s Film Festival, Forbes 30 Under 30 Film Competition and American Black Film Festival (ABFF), to name a few.

In 2022 he published his first middle grade novel, Nothing Interesting Ever Happens To Ethan Fairmont, the first book in a three-book series. and the third and final book released in 2024. His first YA novel, Promise Boys, debuted January 2023 and was the largest Young Adult debut publishing deal in history. The book received critical acclaim including winning the 2024 Odyssey Award and being a 2023 Boston Globe–Horn Book award honoree. His second YA novel, Up In Smoke, releases in May 2025. He’s currently writing an unannounced Marvel graphic novel. In TV/Film, Nick is writing and co-executive producing several projects— Promise Boys, with the Obamas producing, Manifest Atlas, a horror mystery and Redemption Prep, a sci-fi mystery with MGM. Nick is also currently writing on his first video game with Rockstar, GTA 6.

Truly a multi-hyphenate, Nick is also a rapper known by the moniker, Ben Kenobe, and has composed music for films such as NETFLIX’s, They Cloned Tyrone, and HBO’s, The Cypher. Before becoming full-time artist, Nick was an educator working primarily with at-risk youth. During that time he earned his M. Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction while holding his undergraduate degree from Howard University.

Nick's Featured Titles

Up in Smoke

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) |
Young Adult Mystery

“A dynamic and heart-pounding thriller . . . Up In Smoke has the highest of stakes and a tender love story at its core. Nick Brooks is a force.” ―Jessica Goodman, NYT-bestselling author of The Meadowbrook Murders and The Legacies

A girl determined to clear her brother’s name. A boy determined to keep his out of the line of fire. A secret smoldering between them. This edge-of-your-seat mystery from the author of Promise Boys is perfect for fans of Karen McManus and The Hate U Give.

Unmask a murderer or take the fall.

After Cooper King is pressured by big brother figure Jason to go on a looting spree during a local march, the unthinkable happens: gunshots ring in the air and someone ends up dead. After Cooper flees, the news shows four teens in ski masks near the scene of the murder―Cooper and his friends. Cooper fears the cops will come knocking at his door, and the pressure only mounts when a suspect is taken into custody: Jason.

Monique, Jason’s sister and Cooper’s longtime crush, is willing to go any length to clear her brother’s name. Even if she needs to go into the belly of the beast and confront the killer herself. When she teams up with Cooper, they fall down the investigation rabbit hole and start to fall for each other. But little does Monique know that within this web of deception, Cooper is shrouding the truth that he was there when the shots went off. If the pair fail to uncover the real murderer, Jason will get locked up for a crime he didn’t commit―and drag down Cooper with him.

Everything Interesting Keeps Happening to Ethan Fairmont

Union Square Kids |
Middle Grade

Nick Brooks, award-winning filmmaker and acclaimed author of Promise Boys, presents the thrilling conclusion to the Ethan Fairmont trilogy in which Cheese the alien returns to Earth to warn Ethan and his friends of an impending alien invasion.

Before last summer, Ethan’s life was rather uninteresting. Now, Ethan can’t stop interesting things from happening . . .

After a small, six-eyed alien crash landed into his life, Ethan made a new otherworldly best friend. Now Cheese has returned to Earth, bringing his family and a warning of the Light Thieves’ plans to invade. Ethan is already reeling from the kidnapping of his beloved guinea pig, Nugget, and a dangerous reality sets in after one bold Light Thief sheds its disguise to attack Ethan on his front lawn.

Ethan needs his friends now more than ever, but as he and RJ continue to clash, tensions continue to rise within the group. On top of all that, he still hasn’t figured out how to deal with his feelings for Di. With an alien invasion on the horizon, and The Bureau for Weird Happenings indisposed, can Ethan and his friends work together to save Earth once and for all?

Promise Boys

Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) |
Young Adult

Promise Boys is a blockbuster, dark academia mystery about three teens of color who must investigate their principal’s murder to clear their own names. This page-turning thriller is perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas, and Holly Jackson.

“Thrilling, captivating, and blade-sharp.” ―Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

The prestigious Urban Promise Prep school might look pristine on the outside, but deadly secrets lurk within. When the principal ends up murdered on school premises and the cops come sniffing around, a trio of students―J.B., Ramón, and Trey―emerge as the prime suspects. They had the means, they had the motive . . . and they may have had the murder weapon. But with all three maintaining their innocence, they must band together to track down the real killer before they are arrested. Or is the true culprit hiding among them?

Find out who killed Principal Moore in Nick Brooks’s murder mystery, Promise BoysThe Hate U Give meets One of Us Is Lying.

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My Writing Process

In this talk Nick takes students through his writing process and how he creates the most compelling story possible.

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Storytelling 101

In this talk Nick takes students through the fundamentals of storytelling, including defining a story and determining what elements should be included.

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Story of Self and Career Readiness

Typically for college students, in this session Nick walks students through exercises that help them discover who they are and plan for what career trajectory they’d like to have.

Nick’s Films

Nick’s Music

Nick’s Press

Honors, Awards & Recognition

2024 Black Caucus of the American Library Association and School Library Journal Winner – PROMISE BOYS
2024 Texas Library Association TAYSHAS Top Ten Book Selection – PROMISE BOYS
2024 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Young Adults – PROMISE BOYS
2024 Project LIT Community Book Club Pick – PROMISE BOYS
2023 Amazon Best Book of the Year So Far – PROMISE BOYS
2023 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honoree – PROMISE BOYS
New York Public Library & Kirkus Best Book of 2023 – PROMISE BOYS
2023 Waterstones Prize Shortlist – PROMISE BOYS

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

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