PW's Spring 2026 Writers to Watch Featuring PRH Authors
Penguin Random House Authors Featured in “Spring 2026 Writers to Watch”
Publishers Weekly recently named several Penguin Random House authors to its Spring 2026 Writers to Watch list, recognizing a standout group of voices whose debuts are shaping the future of literary fiction and children’s fiction. This year’s list reflects the breadth and ambition of storytelling coming from across the PRH community.
We’re proud to celebrate the authors included in this feature, along with the teams whose collaboration and talent are helping bring these books into the world. Congratulations to all on this well-deserved recognition and the exciting year ahead!
Check Out Our “Spring 2026 Writers to Watch”
Literary Fiction
© Matt Garrett
In 2022, Woody Brown became the first nonspeaking autistic graduate of UCLA, where he received the English department’s top writing honors. Brown completed his MFA in creative writing at Columbia University in 2024. He lives in Los Angeles and is working on a second novel, UPWARD BOUND (Hogarth), releasing on March 31, 2026.
© Sub/Urban Photography
Yosha Gunasekera is a Sri Lankan-American attorney who represents people who have spent decades behind bars for crimes they did not commit. She teaches a course at Princeton University focused on wrongful conviction and exoneration. Gunasekera is a former Manhattan public defender and has written and spoken extensively on the criminal legal system. She lives in New York City with her husband. Her book THE MIDNIGHT TAXI (Berkley) will be available on February 10, 2026.
© Jessica Castro
Kirsten King is a novelist and screenwriter. She lived in Boston before relocating to Los Angeles, where she currently resides with her husband and two perfect cats. King has been published in Teen Vogue, BuzzFeed, Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post, Shouts & Murmurs, and more. Her feature film Crush debuted on Hulu in 2022, and she has also written for television shows like The Second Best Hospital In The Galaxy on Amazon Prime. A GOOD PERSON (G.P. Putnam’s Sons) is her debut novel, on sale March 31, 2026.
Children’s Fiction
Cassie Miller is a former high school English teacher turned elementary librarian. She has a teaching degree from Radford University and a library endorsement from the University of Virginia. Miller wears many hats but finds her favorites are “stage and lighting director,” “eccentric storyteller,” and “boy-mom.” She currently resides in southwest Virginia with her family and an ever-growing number of cardigans and nerdy bookish shirts. Her title MEET ME UNDER THE LIGHTS (Viking Books for Young Readers) debuts on March 3, 2026.
We’d also like to give an honorable mention to Emeline Atwood and her debut novel, A REAL ANIMAL (Catapult, a PRHPS client), featured in the Literary Fiction category.
If you’d like to learn more, read Publishers Weekly‘s full article here.