PEN America Announces 2026 Emerging Voices Fellows and Mentors

PEN America has revealed the 11 fellows and their mentors for the 2026 Emerging Voices Fellowship, spanning poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. The program aims to support emerging writers from underrepresented backgrounds. Among the mentors are Nikesha Elise Williams, Deesha Philyaw, Diana Khoi Nguyen, and Chisaraokwu Asomugha. The announcement was made in a Book Riot roundup that also covered the self-publishing success of Allen Levi's novel "Theo of Golden," which was originally self-published via Amazon in October 2023 before being picked up by Simon & Schuster and chosen by Katie Couric for her book club. Additionally, Vox published a list of five books that define America for the country's 250th anniversary, including "The Scarlet Letter," "Beloved," "The Great Gatsby," and "Moby-Dick," with a separate list by non-Vox experts featuring "There There," "Invisible Man," and "The Great Believers." The article also highlighted July's best historical fiction, curated by Rachel Brittain, covering topics from 1989 Romania to an enslaved midwife's journey to 1940s Mexico.