Oxbelly Announces 2025 Fiction Fellows

Jun 26, 2025

The Oxbelly Fiction Writers program has selected 10 emerging writers to attend its 10th annual retreat, taking place June 28–July 6 at Costa Navarino in Messinia, Greece. 

The 2025 Fiction Fellows are: Kosoluchi Agboanike (Nigeria), Joshua Chizoma (Nigeria), Tomás Fleck (Brazil), Vida James (USA), Toby Lloyd (UK), Katerina Malakate (Greece), Ashni Mohnot (India), Naheed Phiroze Patel (USA), Sima Qunsol (Jordan), April Yee (USA). They will be advised by literary fiction experts including Ishmael Beah, Namwali Serpell, Nicole Dennis-Benn, Katie Kitamura, Kenzie Allen, Emma Shercliff, David Ebershoff, Emily Wilson, Fiammetta Rocco, and Gaby Wood.

“The writing from this year’s cohort of fellows is steeped in humanity, authorship and creative boldness, fearlessly pursued by these storytellers, in spite of, or perhaps because of, this time in our world,” said Oxbelly executive director Caroline von Kuhn. “There is a feeling of collective power that comes through when nondominant narratives begin to transcend borders.” 

Founded in 2015 by producer Christos V. Konstantakopoulos, the Oxbelly Retreat is made possible through the support of its founding partner Faliro House, hospitality partner Costa Navarino, and the Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation. Anonymous, Grace Lay of LinLay Productions, Greg Beauchamp of Bindery Films, Ann Lewnes, and Funa Maduka provided additional support for this year’s fellows.

This marks the third year of Oxbelly's Fiction Fellows program, which brings early career writers together with seasoned authors to help them develop work they seek to bring to an international readership. The program is directed by Booker Prize finalist Chigozie Obioma. 

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