2026 Author-in-Residence
Cleyvis Natera is a novelist, short story writer, essayist, and critic. She is the author of the debut novel Neruda on the Park, which was a New York Times Editor’s Choice and was awarded a Silver Medal by the International Latino Book Awards for Best First Book of Fiction. The recipient of awards and fellowships from PEN America, the Vermont Studio Center, Hermitage Artist Retreat, and Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Natera studied literature and creative writing at Skidmore College and holds a M.F.A. in Fiction from New York University. Her fiction, essays and criticisms have appeared in Kirkus, The New York Times Book Review, URSA, TIME, Gagosian Quarterly, The Brooklyn Rail, The Rumpus, The Washington Post, Pleiades, The Kenyon Review, Aster(ix) and Kweli Journal, among others. Her second novel, The Grand Paloma Resort, was published in August 2025 from Ballantine Books. Natera currently teaches creative writing at Barnard College of Columbia University and Montclair State University. At Montclair State University, Natera leads the development of a new Bilingual M.F.A. Creative Writing Program.
Natera’s debut, Neruda on the Park, was a most anticipated book of the year by TIME, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly and Goodreads, among other publications. Neruda on the Park was selected by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai for her Literati Book Club. Natera was awarded the 2024 Toni Morrison Fiction Fellowship at Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and the 2024 Voices Rising Fellowship at the Vermont Studio Center. Natera has been admitted to the Fulbright Associate’s Program through April 2027. This program will enable Natera to participate as a creative writing teacher and guest writer abroad. Additionally, Natera’s writing has been supported through awards, fellowships and artist residencies by PEN America, Rowland Writers Retreat, Hermitage Artist Retreat, Vermont Studio Center, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Disquiet International Literary Program, Voices of our Nation Arts Foundation, and Juniper Summer Writing Institute.
Author photo: © Beowulf Sheehan.