John Paul Brammer. Photo by Eliel Cruz.
The Publishing Triangle is thrilled to announce that John Paul Brammer is the winner of the Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award. This prize, named in honor of the L.A.-based psychologist, author, and activist Betty Berzon (1928–2006), is presented to a promising LGBTQ writer who has published at least one book but not more than two.
John Paul Brammer is a writer and artist who grew up in rural Oklahoma. Since 2017 he has run the popular LGBTQ and Latino advice column “¡Hola Papi!,” which is available on Substack. The column formed the foundation for his first book, the 2021 memoir Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons.
Brammer is a contributing editor to The Washington Post, where his illustrations have also appeared. His nonfiction work has been featured in The New York Times, Guernica, Food & Wine, and many more, and he’s published short fiction on Catapult. He lives in Brooklyn.
The judges for the Berzon Prize said, “John Paul Brammer’s insight is outstanding, and his humor is especially needed and welcome at this time. As a gay Latino ‘Dear Abby,’ Brammer uses his talent to reach a wide and diverse audience.” Brammer will receive a prize of $1500 with this award.