David Joy (born December 11, 1983) is an American fiction writer widely known for his short stories and novels exploring themes of nature, addiction, and the human condition — inspired by North Carolina, his home-state. Plateau Magazine described Joy as a master at "creating a sense of place."

His writing has been featured in periodicals including Garden & Gun, Time, and The New York Times Magazine.

Raised in Moore’s Chapel, North Carolina, near Charlotte, Joy graduated from Western Carolina University where he studied with poet and fiction writer, Ron Rash. He lives in the Little Canada community of Jackson County, North Carolina.

David Joy authored the Edgar Award–nominated novel Where All Light Tends to Go (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2015), as well as the novels The Weight of This World (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2017), The Line That Held Us (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2018), and When These Mountains Burn (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2020).

He is also the author of the memoir Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman's Journey (Bright Mountain Books, 2011), which was a finalist for the Reed Environmental Writing Award and the Ragan Old North State Award. Joy received an artist fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council.

His novel Where All Light Tends to Go has been optioned for a film directed by Ben Young and starring Billy Bob Thornton and Robin Wright. The film was released to streaming in 2023, as Devil's Peak.

Interviews with the author.