Welcome to The Miami Book HubTM
Hello, and welcome to the inaugural edition of The Miami Book HubTM Newsletter — Miami’s Home for Readers, Writers & Resources.
I’m J. Adrian Betancourt, the Newsletter’s Publisher, and I’m so glad you’re here.
The Newsletter is the newest addition to The Miami Book HubTM (MBH) Platform, building on the established MBH Podcast and Column, created to celebrate and support the vibrant literary life of our community. My goal is simple: to help connect readers, writers, book lovers, and literary organizations across Greater Miami through thoughtful conversation, useful resources, and a shared love of stories.
Each edition will bring you a curated mix of literary happenings, featured authors, podcast highlights, book recommendations, upcoming events, and news from the people and places that make Greater Miami’s book culture so special. I’ll also share occasional reflections from my own journey as a new author navigating the literary world — the lessons learned, surprises encountered, and milestones along the way. Whether you’re an avid reader, an aspiring writer, an established author, a bookseller, or simply someone who believes in the power of books and ideas, I hope you’ll find something here that informs, inspires, and encourages you.
Greater Miami is a region of many voices, many cultures, and many stories worth telling. This newsletter is meant to be a welcoming space where those stories can be discovered, shared, and celebrated. Look for it to drop in your inbox on the 1st day of every month at 3:05 pm (because of course it would drop at “305”).
Thank you for being part of this new venture from the very beginning. I’m excited to build this community with you — and even more excited for what lies ahead. Onward & Upward!
With gratitude,
J. Adrian Betancourt
Publisher + Producer + Host, The Miami Book HubTM
Publisher, Three Treasures Press
Author, Maya Lin & the Ancient Order of Seshat series
J. Adrian Betancourt
CONVERSATIONS
Featured Conversation
I call him the godfather of Miami’s literary scene. You may know him simply as Mitch Kaplan, Founder and owner of Books & Books, one of the world’s greatest independent bookstores. He is also one of the co-founders of the venerable Miami Book Fair to boot.
I had the honor of hosting him on an earlier episode of The Miami Book HubTM Podcast, alongside another one of Miami’s literary treasures—and Mitch’s friend—Jonathan Plutzik of The Betsy Hotel… itself one of the world’s great literary hotels.
The conversation between the two of them was natural, thoughtful, and inspirational. Not sure that I even needed to be there, but how lucky was I to have been?!? Don’t miss this one!
🎥 Watch it on YouTube
🎧 Listen to it on Spotify
📖 Read about it further below
Learn more about our host & guests:
J. Adrian Betancourt,
Three Treasures Press
By J. Adrian Betancourt, Host, The Miami Book HubTM- April 24, 2026
In the most recent episode of The Miami Book HubTM Podcast, I had the distinct honor of sitting down with two of our community’s literary and entrepreneurial giants—Mitch Kaplan of Books & Books and Jonathan Plutzik of The Betsy Hotel—who have helped show that Miami is much more layered, thoughtful, and culturally rich than outsiders often give it credit for. Together, they offered something more than a conversation about books and hotels. They offered a reminder that Miami’s cultural life is not accidental. It has been built, nurtured, and defended by people who believe that ideas, stories, and gathering places matter.
Mitch, whom I described on the show as “the godfather of Miami’s literary ecosystem,” reflected on the deeper purpose behind independent bookstores. For him, a bookstore was never meant to be merely a retail operation. It was, as he put it, “a third place” where people gather, hear writers, exchange ideas, and feel part of a larger community.
That idea helps explain why Books & Books has meant so much to Miami for more than four decades. Mitch spoke movingly about returning to Miami in a difficult era and wanting to help build something meaningful here. “We were always underestimated,” he said. In response, he built a space that quietly but persistently challenged the old caricature that “nothing serious happened” in Miami.
Jonathan has done something strikingly similar at The Betsy. His hotel, located on Ocean Drive, has become one of the city’s most distinctive literary and cultural spaces; not through branding alone, but through genuine conviction and intentionality. “People want to be stimulated,” he said, describing the experiential, intellectually rich environment he believes today’s guests increasingly seek. At The Betsy, that means books in every room, a true library, live music, writing residencies, poetry programming, and space for thoughtful gathering. As with Books & Books, walking into this magical hotel is like walking into a warm hug.
What emerged most clearly in our conversation was the kinship between their institutions. A great bookstore and an incredible literary hotel, it turns out, are both in the hospitality business. Both create places where people feel welcomed, curious, and enriched by the company of others.
Mitch said that when people walk into Books & Books, he likes to think “they almost feel a sense of relief.” Jonathan expressed a similar idea in a different way, describing the importance of giving people “places to convene” in a world that often feels fragmented and distracted.
That shared philosophy is now taking visible form in a growing, exciting collaboration between Books & Books and The Betsy on Miami Beach. Their joint author series is already drawing strong interest, which should surprise no one. Miami Beach has long had an appetite for culture; what it has sometimes lacked—due in some part to the high cost of doing business there—is the right kind of spaces for it to survive and flourish.
The conversation also turned, importantly, to mission. Both Mitch and Jonathan spoke from the heart about developing future readers and writers. Mitch described Books & Books’ efforts to connect young people with books, saying, “I don’t want any of these kids getting out of school without saying that they haven’t been given a book.” It was one of the most touching moments of the episode: a simple statement that captures the moral case for literary culture better than any policy paper ever could.
Jonathan made a related point about the broader ecosystem that makes arts and culture possible. “Support of the arts is not supporting a group of dilettantes,” he said. “Supporting the arts is supporting society.” That line deserves to be repeated, especially at a time when cultural funding so often feels vulnerable or expendable.
If there was a through-line to the entire conversation, it was this: books are not a luxury add-on to civic life. They are part of its foundation. Reading helps us imagine other lives, understand other stories, and become more thoughtful participants in our own communities.
Miami is incredibly fortunate to have institutions like Books & Books and The Betsy. More importantly, it is blessed to have people like Mitch and Jonathan, who continue to remind us that culture belongs here and that literature stands at the very foundation of a vibrant civic life.
I encourage you to learn more about Mitch Kaplan and Jonathan Plutzik, their incredible institutions, and their exciting partnership at BooksAndBooks.com and TheBetsyHotel.com, respectively.
Learn more about The Miami Book HubTM at www.ThreeTreasuresPress.com.
Past Podcast Episodes
Enjoy all past episodes below:
🎥 Watch them on YouTube
🎧 Listen to them on Spotify
📖 Read about them in Miami’s Community Newspapers
E.14 - Tim Schmand, Author
E.13 - John David, Author
E.12 - Pedro Medina Leon, Author + Reading with Rochelle [Weinstein]
E.11 - Forrest Jones, Author
E.10 - C.V. Shaw, Author
E.9 - Nicole Tallman, Poet Laureate
E.8 - Rolando Ochoa, Author
E.7 - Rochelle Weinstein, Author
E.6 - Jasmine Nguyen-Sandoval, Author
E.5 - Mitch Kaplan, Books & Books + Jonathan Plutzik, The Betsy
E.4 - Amy Nicole Naim, South Florida Writers Association (SFWA)
E.3 - J.J. Colagrande, The Jitney
E.2 - Lissette Mendez, Miami Book Fair
E.1 - Adolfo Ovies, Author
Future Podcast Episodes
Stay tuned for these fantastic conversations on the horizon:
JULY
🎙️South Florida Writers Roundtable with Amy Naim and C.V. Shaw, SFWA
🎙️Asha Elias, Author + Reading with Rochelle [Weinstein]
🎙️Ana Veciana-Suarez, Author
🎙️Lisa Rosenberg, Author
AUGUST
🎙️South Florida Writers Roundtable with Amy Naim and C.V. Shaw, SFWA
🎙️Aileen Sabanal, The Miami Book Club
🎙️Romina Garber, Author
🎙️Jose Pinon, Author
🎙️Nelson Hincapie, Author
SEPTEMBER
🎙️Lydia Lopez, Miami-Dade Public Libraries + Reading with Rochelle [Weinstein]
🎙️South Florida Writers Roundtable with Amy Naim and C.V. Shaw, SFWA
🎙️J. Adrian Betancourt, Author
Interested in being a guest on The Miami Book HubTM Podcast? Email me at: [email protected]
Special thanks…
… to Miami’s Community Newspapers for their partnership in co-producing the podcast! 👏
… to bestselling author Rochelle Weinstein for her monthly Reading with Rochelle book pics segment 👏
… to the South Florida Writers Association for their monthly South Florida Writers Roundtable segment 👏
MY JOURNEY
Welcome to My Journey, a recurring section where I’ll give you a front-row seat to my own adventure as a new author — the exciting parts, the nerve-wracking parts, the lessons learned, and the occasional “what have I gotten myself into?” moments along the way.
For this inaugural edition, the journey has officially entered the very real stage. The cover design for Maya Lin & the Ancient Order of Seshat, in the arQitect has been approved, the final manuscript has been submitted to BookBaby — which means no more revisions… eek! — and the book is now moving into interior formatting and design. In other words, the story that has lived in my head, heart, laptop, and countless drafts is finally beginning to look and feel like an actual book.
Things are getting real!
I’ll keep sharing updates as the process unfolds, from design and production to launch planning and everything in between. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
You can learn more about me, the arQitect, my other works, and my publishing imprint at www.ThreeTreasuresPress.com.
Maya Lin &
the Ancient Order of Seshat, in
the arQitect
One of the most important parts of any book is the cover. It’s the first thing readers see, and often what determines whether they pause long enough to take a closer look. This one attempts to capture the fundamental elements of my complex story — mystery, ancient wisdom, modern technology, and the balance between opposing forces — in a single image. I hope it succeeds. Time will tell.
Learn more about the arQitect at www.ThreeTreasuresPress.com.
BOOK PICKS
Reading with Rochelle
Welcome to Book Picks, a monthly feature highlighting fresh recommendations from local USA Today bestselling author Rochelle Weinstein. Through her Reading with Rochelle segment, Rochelle will share a handful of books each month for readers to explore in the weeks ahead — from compelling new releases and page-turning favorites to stories by local and national authors that spark conversation, reflection, and connection. Whether you’re looking for your next book club selection, a weekend read, or simply something wonderful to add to your growing TBR pile, Rochelle’s picks are a great place to start.
Rochelle Weinstein
You can learn more about Rochelle at RochelleWeinstein.com.
Book Picks for July
📙 An Infinite Love Story
By Chanel Cleeton
📙 Star-Crossed Summer
By Devon Daniels
📙 Rewrite the Stars
By Lindsay Hameroff
📙 Ransom
By Daniel Silva
LITERARY EVENTS
Welcome to Literary Events, your monthly guide to the readings, author talks, workshops, festivals, book clubs, and community gatherings that keep Miami’s literary scene moving.
Each edition, I’ll highlight opportunities to connect with writers, discover new books, sharpen your craft, and spend time with fellow readers across Miami-Dade County.
Whether you’re looking for a thoughtful author conversation, a family-friendly book event, a poetry gathering, or a workshop to help bring your own story to life, this section is designed to help you find your way into the room.
Literary Event Calendars:
🗓️ Miami-Dade Public Libraries
🗓️ Broward County Library
🗓️ Miami Book Fair
🗓️ Books & Books
🗓️ O, Miami
🗓️ Eventbrite
Top 3 Literary Happenings:
An Evening w Chanel Cleeton
July 6, 7 p.m. | Books & Books
“Speak Up” Virtual Creative Writing Camp for Teens
July 13–18 | Miami Book Fair
An Afternoon w Paul Yoon
July 26, 4 p.m. | The Betsy Hotel
SPOTLIGHT
Welcome to Spotlight, a recurring feature where The Miami Book HubTM shines a little extra light on one person, place, program, or organization helping shape our local literary community.
Each month, this section will introduce readers to someone or something worth knowing about — from authors, booksellers, publishers, librarians, writing groups, and literary nonprofits to workshops, festivals, student programs, and community initiatives that help keep Miami’s book culture vibrant.
Think of it as a monthly invitation to discover a new corner of the literary ecosystem — and perhaps find a new resource, connection, or source of inspiration along the way.
As the old saying goes, it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
July Spotlight:
The South Florida Writers Roundtable
This month’s spotlight shines on the launch of The South Florida Writers Roundtable, a new monthly collaboration between The Miami Book HubTM and the South Florida Writers Association (SFWA).
Beginning early July, the Roundtable—composed of authors Amy Nicole Naim, C.V. “Ceci” Shaw, and yours truly—will feature regular conversations about the craft, business, and culture of writing. Each episode will feature updates from the South Florida Writers Association, discussion of timely topics affecting authors and aspiring writers, and practical insights for anyone working to bring stories from idea to page to audience.
For The Miami Book HubTM, this collaboration is exactly what the platform was created to do: connect readers, writers, and literary organizations; spotlight local talent and resources; and help strengthen the creative community we all share.
Whether you’re a longtime SFWA member, a working author, an aspiring writer, or simply someone interested in the stories behind the stories, The South Florida Writers Roundtable is a new conversation worth following.
WRITERS RESOURCES
Welcome to Writers Resources, a practical corner of The Miami Book HubTM Newsletter created for writers at every stage of the journey — from the first spark of an idea to the long road of drafting, revising, publishing, and promoting a finished book.
Each month, this section will highlight helpful tools, organizations, workshops, opportunities, and insights for writers looking to sharpen their craft, better understand the publishing world, connect with other authors, or keep going when the blank page feels especially blank. Whether you’re working on your first poem, polishing a manuscript, querying agents, exploring self-publishing, or trying to build your author platform, this section is designed to point you toward resources that can help.
Helpful Writers Resources:
Writers can find a host of helpful resources at these incredible institutions:
✒️ Miami Book Fair Creative Writing Workshops
✒️ Florida Int’l University MFA in Creative Writing
✒️ University of Miami Creative Writing Program / MFA
✒️ Miami Dade College Creative Writing Resources
✒️ O, Miami Poetry Workshops and Community Writing
Resource Spotlight:
The South Florida Writers Association
The South Florida Writers Association is one of the region’s longstanding literary organizations, serving independent, emerging, and established writers across South Florida. Operating since 1990, SFWA is dedicated to supporting the literary arts and helping writers connect, learn, grow, and share their work with the broader community.
The organization offers a range of programs and services designed to support writers at different stages of the creative journey, including free public monthly meetings, educational presentations, author talks, critique groups, writing contests, networking opportunities, and its annual Writers Conference. SFWA also publishes Author’s Voice, a monthly newsletter featuring members’ work, reflections, projects, and achievements.
For writers looking for community, encouragement, practical guidance, and opportunities to engage with others who understand the writing life, SFWA is an excellent local resource — and a natural partner for The Miami Book HubTM as we launch the new monthly South Florida Writers Roundtable.
Writing Contests & Awards
Looking for an opportunity to put your work, and yourself, on the literary map? Each month, this section will spotlight noteworthy writing contests, prizes, fellowships and awards open to emerging and established writers across a range of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, memoir, screenwriting and children’s literature.
We will feature both upcoming opportunities with approaching deadlines and trusted aggregator sites that help writers discover contests throughout the year.
As always, writers should review each organization’s guidelines carefully before submitting, confirm that the opportunity is legitimate and reputable, and make sure the potential benefits justify any entry fee. A thoughtful contest strategy can help build credentials, attract new readers and open doors, but the best opportunities are those that align with your voice, goals and stage of development.
Helpful Contest Resources:
Contest Spotlight:
The Masters Review
Opening July 1, the Masters Review Summer Short Story Award competition invites emerging writers to submit their best short fiction. The winning story receives $3,000 and publication, while finalists and honorable mentions gain valuable exposure to five literary agencies.
Poets, step onto the digital stage! Opening July 15, the Button Poetry Video Contest invites original poetry performances and short films, with $500 in prize money and broad social media exposure for the winner.
South Florida Writers Association members are invited to explore the theme “Light in Motion” through poetry, fiction, or nonfiction. Submit up to 1,200 words by July 4 for blind judging, local recognition, and a chance to advance your work toward a national competition.
Enormous thanks to everyone involved in supporting and celebrating Greater Miami’s literary community! Check out some of these incredible local institutions*:
* The institutions and organizations whose names or logos appear here are recognized for their contributions to South Florida’s literary community. Their inclusion is for informational and acknowledgment purposes only and does not imply sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, or affiliation with The Miami Book HubTM , its Newsletter, Podcast, or Column, its publisher, or any of its content. All names, logos, and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.
The Miami Book HubTM Newsletter is published by Three Treasures Press. All content, unless otherwise noted, is © 2026 Three Treasures Press, J. Adrian Betancourt, and/or Javier Adrian Betancourt. All rights reserved.
No part of this newsletter may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission, except for brief quotations or sharing with proper attribution. Book titles, author names, publisher names, logos, and other third-party materials remain the property of their respective owners.
Views expressed in featured interviews, recommendations, or contributed content belong to the respective speakers or authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Three Treasures Press or The Miami Book HubTM .
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