We’re thrilled to introduce the 2026 Oregon Literary Fellowship recipients with individual profile features on our blog. Out-of-state judges spent several months evaluating the 400+ applications we received, and selected eight writers and two publishers to receive grants of $4,000 each. Literary Arts also awarded two Oregon Literary Career Fellowships of $10,000 each. The 2026 Fellowship recipients were recognized at the 2026 Oregon Book Awards Ceremony on April 20 and a public reading event on June 29 at the Literary Arts Bookstore.
Follow along as we roll out profiles of this year’s Fellows throughout the summer to learn more about some of the most exciting writers at work today in Oregon. And if you feel inspired after reading, consider applying for a 2027 Oregon Literary Fellowship yourself—applications are now open and will close on August 7, 2026.
Pooja Nukala is 2026 Oregon Literary Fellow and the winner of the Edna L. Holmes Fellowship for Young Readers. Pooja is a children’s author, a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and a recipient of the SCBWI Work in Progress Award/Anna Cross Giblin Nonfiction Award. Her works have been published in magazines such as Highlights Hello, High Five, and internationally in The School Magazine of Australia. Most of her literary works capture topics related to STEM, climate change, empowering stories of women of color, and nuggets of awe hidden in everyday life.
Q & A WITH LITERARY ARTS
What excites you the most about receiving an Oregon Literary Fellowship?
I feel deeply humbled and grateful to Literary Arts for honoring me with this fellowship. While I have been writing most of my life and writing for children for about a decade, I have only recently, in the past few years, discovered my lyrical voice. That’s the craft form I used for the manuscript that won this recognition. So, this fellowship not only gives me a sense of validation as a writer but also encourages me to continue honing my craft and to not be afraid of exploring different craft forms as well.
How would you describe your writing process or creative practice?
I’m quite a structured and methodical person when it comes to my writing routine. So, I have a set time almost every day when I sit down and write. Of course, not every day is going to be the same. Some days, the words just flow. Some days, I think for two hours about one scene or one word without putting anything on paper. To me, everything counts! During the weekends when I take time off from writing, I’m thinking about words, ideas, and stories. I feel my brain is constantly working.
What authors or books have shaped you the most as a writer?
This is a difficult question to answer because I can’t pick one or even a few because there are so many! I consider myself to be a forever student, so I’m always learning from fellow writers in our local community, or even through organizations like the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). I enjoy analyzing and dissecting craft in the books that are published, and that have gone on to become bestsellers and award winners. There’s always so much to learn!
Are there any Oregon writers you look to for motivation or inspiration?
I feel fortunate to be living in Oregon where there’s such a wonderful community of creatives who are generous and are always willing to share their knowledge. My local critique group is a wonderful group of writers and friends who always motivate me. I enjoy reading works from local authors like Rosanne Parry, Leslie Barnard Booth, Elizabeth Rusch, Deborah Hopkinson among several others.
What writing projects are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a historical fiction novel-in-verse for middle grade readers.
Do you have any advice for future applicants?
Don’t talk yourself out of applying! So many of us writers doubt ourselves if our work is ready, if it is polished, or maybe even good enough. If you put in the work, just go for it and apply!
JUDGE’S CITATION
“It’s not an easy task to create a book that is both original in tone and an exciting literary tool for change. In Pooja Nukala’s nonfiction book A Biography of a T-Shirt, she highlights how a common household object such as a shirt endures a livable and dangerous journey affecting the world. Nukala’s prose doesn’t talk down to young readers but invites them in with lyrical verses and engaging sidebar notes. An inspiring environmental justice book, A Biography of a T-Shirt instills a much-needed global viewpoint to readers while also adding fun, step-by-step ways they can repurpose their own clothes. Nukala is a thrilling new writer to watch!”
— Lilliam Rivera
