Bethany Bruno

Poet, Fiction Writer, Creative Nonfiction Writer

FL
Florida US
Website: 
www.bethanybrunowriter.com

Author's Bio

Bethany Bruno is a Floridian author whose fiction and nonfiction often explore history, place, and the strange beauty of Florida. She holds a BA in English from Flagler College and an MA from the University of North Florida. Her work has appeared in more than a hundred literary journals and magazines, including The Threepenny Review, The Sun, McSweeney’s, River Teeth’s Beautiful Things, and The Huffington Post. She won the 2026 Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest and the 2026 Key West Art & Historical Society’s Tennessee Williams Short Story Contest. 

She's seeking representation for her two finished historical fiction novels. Learn more at www.bethanybrunowriter.com.

Publications & Prizes

Creative Nonfiction

Anthology:
Mr. Sandman, Please Bring Me a Xanax (Thirty West Publishing House, 2020)
Journals:
3Elements Literary Review
,
Across the Margin
,
American Writers Review
,
Dash Literary Journal
,
Drunk Monkeys
,
Foliate Oak
,
Literary Mama
,
Lunch Ticket
,
Mutha Magazine
,
Still Point Arts Quarterly
,
Sun Magazine

Fiction

Journals:
After Dinner Conversation
,
Bull: Men's Fiction
,
Ellipsis
,
Evening Street Review
,
Every Day Fiction
,
Louisville Review
,
MacGuffin
,
Nabu Review
,
October Hill Magazine
,
Paragon Journal
,
Ripples in Space
,
Rue Scribe

Poetry

Journals:
Adelaide Literary Magazine
,
Elevation Review
,
FLARE: The Flagler Review
,
Mason Street
,
Metafore
Prizes won: 
  • Winner, Lunch Ticket’s Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction, “The Question I Couldn’t Ask” — 2026
  • Winner, The Key West Art & Historical Society’s Tennessee Williams Short Story Contest, “Blue Tarp Season” — 2026
  • Winner, The Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest, “No Swimming at Monson’s” — 2026
  • Winner, Blue Earth Review’s Dog Daze Contest for Flash Fiction, “Alligators Don’t Blink” — 2025
  • Winner, Inscape Journal’s 2025 Flash Contest, “The Taste of Absence” — 2025
  • Finalist, CutBank’s Montana Prize in Creative Nonfiction, “She’s Always Dying” — 2026
  • Finalist, The Adroit Journal’s Anthony Veasna So Scholars in Fiction, “Buried” — 2026
  • Finalist, Flare Magazine’s Strength in Stories Contest, “Love Is the Only Language” — 2026
  • Finalist, WOW! Women On Writing Q1 2026 Essay Contest, “Half of What I Hear” — 2026
  • Shortlisted, The Masters Review Flash Challenge, “Silt” — 2026
  • Shortlisted, Coppice Prize, “Mango Season” — 2026
  • Longlisted, SmokeLong Quarterly Award for Flash Fiction / “Smokey” Contest, “Soft Places” — 2026
  • Longlisted, Gooseberry Pie Lit Magazine’s Annual Writing Competition, “Miss Hibiscus Queen” — 2026
  • Longlisted, CRAFT At Work 2026 Challenge, “Culls” — 2026
  • Honorable Mention, New Orleans Review Poetry Contest, “The Museum of Unused Hours” — 2026
  • 2nd Place, Off Topic Publishing August 2022 Contest, “Weary Willie” — 2022
  • Nominee, Best of the Net — 2021

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Cheryl Strayed, Mary Shelley, Stephen King, Mariana Zapata

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Irish American, Italian American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
American Sign Language
Born in: 
Hollywood, FL
Florida
Raised in: 
Port Saint Lucie, FL
Florida
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Jun 07, 2026