The Associates of the Boston Public Library is delighted to announce that Yssis Cano-Santiago, of Boston, Massachusetts, has been chosen as the 2024-25 Writer-in-Residence. Yssis is a Puerto Rican and Mexican writer from Orlando, Florida. She holds a B.A. in Global Public Health and a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. Currently working as a paralegal for the Boston Public Health Commission, Yssis is an advocate for increased healthcare access, a theme central to her writing. Her proposed book, A Hypochondriac’s Guide to Love, is a Young Adult contemporary novel about two Latinx teens coming of age in 1990s Miami, grappling with mental illness, racism, gentrification, and loss. Upon learning the news, Yssis said, "I was in complete shock. It was uncharacteristic of me to answer an unknown phone number, but I’m so glad I did! I am incredibly honored and grateful that my writing resonated with the Associates.” 

In the blind judging process, a panel of authors, publishers, and literary agents found Yssis' submission to be an exceptional standout among the record-breaking 240 applications received. Autumn Allen, author, 2020-21 Writer-in-Residence, and judge, effuses, "A Hypochondriac's Guide to Love stuck out as a meaty story that would take readers on an important journey, keep us thinking, and possibly transform us. The serious topics including mental health in communities of color, are delivered with sensitivity and skill; the writer's craft and sensitivity are apparent in how she deals with these subjects. I was surprised and delighted to learn after our discussion that Yssis doesn't have an extensive background in creative writing. I hope the program will help her develop this ambitious project into a strong, layered manuscript; I can't wait to see it on shelves and read more.”

About the Writer-in-Residence Program
Thanks to a generous anonymous donor, the Associates' Writer-in-Residence program has supported emerging writers for the past twenty years, with alumni publishing over 70 books. Yssis will receive a stipend and funds for coaching and editorial guidance. Additionally, Yssis will have access to a private office within the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, where she will spend 19 hours a week working on her manuscript during her year-long tenure.

Join the Journey 
Hear from Yssis at the Writer-in-Residence Welcome Reception and 20th Anniversary Celebration on October 1st at the Boston Public Library’s Central Library in Copley Square! Stay tuned to www.Writer-in-Residence.org or our social media for more details.