Meet The Next Big Names In Literature... Before Everyone Else Does!

Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the 2025 Emerging Writer Fellows as they conclude a transformative year in Miami. 

These three rising literary stars arrived as unpublished authors and leave with completed manuscripts, the guidance of acclaimed mentors, and a year’s worth of unforgettable experiences.

Experience fresh fiction, poetry, and nonfiction from Felipe Bomeny, Simone Zapata, and Flint. Enjoy an inside look at their creative journeys, and mingle with the Fellows and Miami’s literary community.

Felipe Bomeny (Fiction Fellow), mentored by Guggenheim Fellow Brandon Hobson, Ph.D., author of The Devil is a Southpaw and The Removed

Simone Zapata (Poetry Fellow), mentored by Diana Khoi Nguyen, author of Root Fractures and ghost of

Flint (Nonfiction Fellow), mentored by novelist and memoirist Esmeralda Santiago, author of When I Was Puerto Rican and Almost a Woman

Whether you’re a book lover looking for your next favorite writer or a future Fellow dreaming of the spotlight, this is your chance to experience the energy, talent, and promise of Miami’s freshest literary voices.

The Miami Book Fair Emerging Writer Fellowships program is supported by The Jorge M. Peréz Family Foundation and Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.

Miami Book Fair Presents the 2024-2025 Emerging Writer Fellows