Congratulations to all the Grubbies who were published in literary journals across the country, won awards and prizes, secured book deals, and so much more. Let us celebrate you: submit your good news to GrubStreet’s Department of Congratulations.

Viktoria Shulevich's humor pieces "Please Clarify What You Mean By The Prayer Hands Emoji" and "Confessions of a Heated Rivalry Fan" were published on Slackjaw Humor. Additionally, her "10 Steps to Becoming the Perfect People Pleaser" was published on Belladonna Comedy. Instructor Jacqueline Sheehan’s seventh novel, The Camp Muralist, will be published by Koehler Books in November 2026 and is a historical novel based on the rise of the Nazi party in America in 1938.

Vito Gulla’s manuscript The White Rabbit is represented by Union Literary and is going on submission to publishers soon. He worked on it in “Jumpstart Your Novel” with Lynne Reeves Griffin and “Novel in Progress” with Yu-Mei Balasingamchow. Judy Bolton-Fasman recently had her essay “In the Human Library Organization, people are books to be read” published on WBUR's Cognoscenti. Diane Josefowicz's second novel, The Great Houses of Pill Hill, was released on May 5 by Soho Press and her book release will be held at Books on the Square in Providence, RI.

Emily Sun Li's debut picture book, Mr. Chow's Night Market, was published by Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House and released on April 14th. Essay Incubator instructor Ethan Gilsdorf’s essay "I gave my stepmother a hard time as a kid. Now I can’t imagine life without her" was published by WBUR's Cognoscenti. After a decade of seasonal work, Bex Johnson turned the experience into a humorous piece, “Welcome Packet for your Martha's Vineyard Summer Rental,” published by The Belladonna Comedy. She thanks her GrubStreet and Washashore writing pals for their thoughtful feedback. Award-winning short story writer Joseph Sidari recently had his story, "A Girl and Her Dragon: A Life in Four Parts," featured in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology Writers of the Future, Volume 42, which was released on April 28th.

Memoir Incubator graduate Ellen Cutler's flash nonfiction piece "Sustenance" was just accepted by Grand Dame Literary & Art Journal and will be published in the next six weeks. She thanks Fabienne Keck for her support and suggestions during her "Jumpstart Your Writing" class. Additionally, Anne's short story “Rise" was published in the May 2026 edition of The Sun Magazine. She is grateful for Alysia Abbott’s encouragement and Sophia Carroll’s multiple close reads of the story. Christine Eskilson’s short story “The Woman She Was” was published in Split Ends, a psychological thriller anthology. Jason Prokowiew's essay "Wound Care" was published by Under the Sun. He thanks his GrubStreet-formed writing group for their help on this piece, especially Kristin Amico, who knew what the essay was about before he did.

BWOC member Mariana Pereira Carvalho’s poem “Once Upon a War, Once Upon a Home” was selected by Boston Poet Laureate Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah for the Mayor’s Poetry Program 2026 in celebration of National Poetry Month. The poem is displayed on the 7th floor of Boston City Hall. She is grateful to Aimee Suzara, Tatiana Johnson-Boria, and Angela Siew for their classes and mentorship at GrubStreet. Instructor Deborah Sosin's "Escape Velocity: How One 70-Year-Old Push-Pulled Her Way Out of Her Too-Much-Not-Enough Family (70 Micro-Memoirs, 70 Words Each)" was named one of seven finalists in the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (Memoir/Other). Memoir Incubator graduate Ann MacDonald recently had her essay, "Here for You," published in Brevity. She is grateful for the feedback provided by her longstanding writing group, the Hive, on an earlier version of this essay.

Marcia Yudkin's fictional micro "Baggage" was published by Tiny Molecules in their spring issue. Val Woolley's memoir Swimming Towards Home was recently published in April 2026. She thanks her GrubStreet memoir instructors and consultants for supporting on her writing journey. Julie Swendsen Young's debut novel, Rules for Mothers, was published April 14th by Greenleaf Book Group. She's grateful for numerous GrubStreet classes over the years, notably Jackie Cangro's "Art of the Back Story" and Tina Tocco's "Story Opening Overhaul" classes. 

Joanne Redding’s debut memoir, House of Pretend, was published by She Writes Press on May 19, 2026. She credits instructor Xujun Eberlein and the other participants in the Advanced Memoir Workshop for helping her on her writing journey. BWOC member and instructor Fabienne François Keck received a 2026 Artist Award grant from the St. Botolph Charitable Foundation. Sheila Burke’s debut play will premiere on Saturday, June 6, 1pm ET at BCYF Mildred Avenue in Mattapan. Marjee Chmiel received a funded residency at Vermont Studio Center. Additionally, Marjee's micro memoir Symptoms was published in The Literary Hatchet. She thanks Caroline Belle Stewart for her transformative summer short story workshop and for shaping her approach to short story writing. 

Memoir Incubator graduate Julie Brill’s memoir Hidden in Plain Sight: A Family Memoir and the Untold Story of the Holocaust in Serbia has been released as an audiobook. Julie workshopped her memoir in Judah Leblang’s "Memoir in Progress" workshop and Alysia Abbott’s Memoir Incubator, and she is grateful for the mentorship of instructor Linda K. Wertheimer and the ongoing support of fellow incubees Tamara MC and Robert Laubacher. BWOC member Luis E. Santos was recently selected as a recipient of the 2026 Artist Award in Poetry from the St. Botolph Charitable Foundation. The poems that contributed to this recognition were developed through Sam Cha’s "Beyond the Lyric: Writing Long Poems" workshop. Luis is deeply grateful for Sam’s mentorship and guidance, as well as for the GrubStreet community spaces that continue to support emerging writers and poets in their literary and artistic growth.

Lori Lobenstine’s second middle-grade novel, Dog Circus Block Party, is being published by Levine Querido and is due out on October 8. Her first book in the series, The Barking Puppy, is also coming out in paperback this fall. She credits instructor Tina Tocco and her fellow students for their inspiration and encouragement. Essay Incubator student Steffi Gauguet's first flash essay of 100 words was published in 5 min lit. She thanks her fellow GrubStreet Incubator classmates, her instructor Ethan Gilsdorf, and particularly Cat Parnell for help polishing this piece. Annemarie Whilton's poem "I Am Never Tired" was published in Pangyrus. Katerina Smith’s essay "The Last Snowstorm," written and workshopped in Naphisa Senanarong’s course, "6 Weeks, 6 Essays," was published in Hippocampus.

Nancy Grossman's op-ed "Why a city that dared to question Israel faces a lawsuit," aka "Litigating Israeli criticism," was published in four MA newspapers in April: The Republican, the Daily Hampshire Gazette, The Greenfield Recorder, and The Athol Daily News. She thanks Ethan Gilsdorf for helpful instruction and writing wisdom. GrubStreet's Operations Assistant River Vetter was accepted into the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference for their poetry.

BWOC member and Memoir Incubator graduate Anri Wheeler's essay "After a shooting, the weight of silence" was published in WBUR’s Cognoscenti. She is grateful to Theresa Okokon for her feedback and support. Instructor Cara Benson's memoir An Armsfull of Birds: A Personal Field Guide to Love, Loss, and Commitment has officially launched, and to celebrate, she'll be reading from it and in conversation with Leah Hager Cohen at Harvard Book Store. Ayoung Kim's flash fiction story "Five Rupee Purification" was published in Midcult*. 

Lynda Rushing's essay "Phosphorous" was published in Sonora Review. She thanks her writing buddy and former GrubStreet classmate, Jen Hallaman, for her suggestions on an early draft, and Dorian Fox, for his excellent coaching and ongoing support. Marcia Yudkin’s essay "Her Day in Court" was published in The Drift & Dribble Miscellany. This piece was written in Judith Hertog's personal essay class.