Fountain Fellows is a project of wokelicious press.
Founded in 2026, we are offering a new opportunity for emerging poets & writers to receive mentorship for developing their chapbooks and literary careers by creating a new ecosystem. In turn, Fountain Fellows commit to peer support and providing mentorship for future cohorts.
Workshops by Fountain Fellows Mentors
We offer virtual workshops from our mentors. Register for the upcoming workshops:
October 17th: Volta As A Survival Strategy (Taught by Kelz (Kelsey L. Smoot)
October 24th: The Art of Flash Fiction (Taught by José Enrique Medina)
November 12th, 6pm PT / 7pm MT: Haiku & Tanka: Why Ancient Forms Are Perfect for These Times (Taught by Mary Oishi)
November 14th, 11am PT/2pm ET: Marketing Your Book Without Selling Your Soul (Taught by Danielle J. Hanson)
2027 Fountain Fellows Applications
Applications for the second cohort of Fountain Fellows open September 1 – November 30. Winners get their chapbook developed and published, along with invaluable support from mentors. This project develops literary citizens who have not yet published a full-length book. One of the fellowship spots is reserved for a literary citizen without an MFA. Poets, essayists, memoir writers, mixed-genre writers all eligible with a chapbook project. The application is open! We look forward to reading your writing.
FAQ info sheet here. Application fee payment here.
Chapbooks by Fountain Fellows 2026
Forthcoming from our first cohort of Fellows, pre-order links available soon!
Randal Mason
Atlas Poetics: Tales of Travel
Preorder here
José Rios
Everyone’s a Honey
Mentors
José Enrique Medina
Lambda Literary Award,
Rattle Prize Winner
Michele Karlsberg
Marketing & Publicity expert
KB Brookins
Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Nonfiction,
Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Santa Clara University
Mary Oishi
Poet Laureate Emerita of Albuquerque, Editor,
Retired Public Radio Pro
Kim Shuck
Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow, Poet Laureate Emerita of San Francisco
Kelz (Kelsey L. Smoot)
Professor of American Studies, Gender Theorist
Jen Cheng
Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow, Macondista
Danielle Hanson
Professor of the Practice of Creative Writing at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Marketing Director, Editor
Fountain Fellows win a year of mentorship and career development support through office hours with our mentors.
Fountain Lit Review
All applicants to Fountain Fellows will receive a chance to be published in Fountain Lit Review, an annual celebration of excellent poetry and writing by winners, finalists, and semi-finalists.
