William Kostakis is a young adult writing for young adults. Inspired to write in the back of English classrooms when teachers force-fed him novels he couldn’t relate to, he circulated short stories around the room when The Grapes of Wrath should have had his full attention. One of those stories went on to win him Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year 2005.

William was only 19 when his first novel for young adults, Loathing Lola (Pan Macmillan, 2008), was released. Funny, smart, silly and sweet, Loathing Lola is all about the ups and downs of being Australia’s newest teenage reality TV star, as sixteen-year-old Courtney Marlow struggles with fame, love, loss and Lola. It deals humorously with bias in the media, concerns of image, identity and perception, and modern teen life. It is aimed at readers of both genders in Year 9 and above.

William is currently putting the finishing touches on his second novel.

Since Loathing Lola's publication, William has visited several Sydney schools, co-ed and single-sex, public and private. There, he conducted readings, workshops specialising in short story writing (for students with ranging abilities and interest in creative writing), Q&As and school assembly addresses. These visits proved to be incredibly successful.