Josh Silver

Josh Silver is a British author, former actor, and mental health nurse whose work explores themes of mental health, LGBTQ+ identity, and dystopian futures. Born on September 15, 1989, in the Lake District, Silver trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and performed in both the West End and on Broadway. After transitioning to a career in nursing, he worked with teenagers in the UK mental health system, experiences that inspired his debut novel, HappyHead, a dystopian thriller that critiques contemporary mental health practices.

Silver's debut novel, HappyHead, was shortlisted for the 2024 YA Book Prize, nominated for the Carnegie Medal, and named an Amazon Best YA Book of 2023. Its sequel, Dead Happy, was published in May 2024, continuing the story with darker and more complex themes. In May 2025, Silver released TraumaLand, a standalone psychological thriller, under the title Erase Me in the U.S. and Canada. The screen rights for the HappyHead duology were acquired by actor Taron Egerton and Range Media Partners in a highly competitive pre-publication auction.

One of Josh Silver's notable quotes is, "I saw a generation of young people struggling against the world and systems that they found themselves within and controlled by." This reflects his deep concern for the pressures faced by today's youth. Another memorable saying is, "You have a point of view that no one else has, which means your book is already unique and special." This emphasizes his belief in the value of individual perspective in storytelling.