F.T. Lukens
4 titles banned
About F.T. Lukens
F.T. Lukens is an American author best known for queer young adult fantasy fiction with strong romantic elements and complex worldbuilding. Their work consistently centers LGBTQ+ characters—particularly bisexual and queer protagonists—not as a deviation from the norm but as the natural heroes of adventures involving magic, myth, and monsters.
Debut and Early Work
Lukens debuted in 2017 with The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic, published by Duet Books (an imprint of Interlude Press). The novel follows Bridger Whitt, a teenager charged with keeping peace between the human world and a secret community of mythological beings. The book won the 2017 INDIES Award for Young Adult Fiction (Foreword Reviews), the 2018 Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction, and the 2018 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Teen Fiction. It was also a Cybils Award finalist and a 2017 Gaylactic Spectrum Award nominee. The ALA included it on the 2019 Rainbow List.
Its sequel, Monster of the Week (2019), continues Bridger's story as he navigates both his relationships and an escalating supernatural threat. Kirkus praised the novel's layered treatment of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Later Novels
Lukens moved to Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster) for their subsequent work. In Deeper Waters (2021) is a maritime fantasy in which a young prince discovers he has forbidden magical abilities and falls for the mysterious sailor who saves him. So This Is Ever After (2022) is a comedic fantasy romance that begins where most quest stories end—with the hero trying to appoint a king from among his reluctant companions, while falling for his best friend. Otherworldly (2023) is a contemporary queer romance featuring a teen who can see ghosts.
Why Their Books Are Challenged
Every Lukens title that has been challenged or removed from school libraries features queer protagonists or openly LGBTQ+ romance. The objections reflect a broader pattern of targeting books that depict queer characters as protagonists in ordinary coming-of-age stories—rather than as sideline figures or cautionary tales.
