About the author
I.K.
The true story behind Y.O.A.
Some names were changed. Some wounds were not. I.K. lived those rules firsthand. As a young offender, he spent more than two years in custody across multiple institutions, witnessing the loyalties, consequences, dangers, and unwritten codes that shaped life inside. Those years did not define the rest of his life. After leaving youth custody, I.K. never returned to jail. He refused to become another statistic, rebuilt his life, and went on to graduate from a prestigious Ontario university. Y.O.A. gives a voice to boys too often reduced to their worst decisions. I.K.’s journey is proof that a sentence does not have to define a person—and that, with the right direction, opportunity, and support, people can change their lives for the better. The author prefers to remain behind the work and is currently working on his second book.
The true story behind the book
"I didn't write this to confess. I wrote it so the next kid in that situation knows he's not alone."
Canada’s Young Offenders Act governed the youth justice system from 1984 to 2003. Although rehabilitation was its stated purpose, life inside youth custody followed its own unwritten rules. I.K. lived those rules firsthand, spending more than two years in custody across multiple institutions.
Y.O.A. is a novel rooted in lived experience. Its characters and narrative have been shaped for fiction, but the loyalties, consequences, dangers, institutional power, and moments of grace come from a world the author knew from the inside.
Press, schools & speaking
I.K. is available for school visits, panel discussions, and media interviews. For inquiries, use the contact page.
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