By Melanie Cordova

They write about politics, humor, and tragedy. They write about their heroes, their dreams and their community. But most of all, they write about life.

For nine years, Books of Hope, a creative writing program of the Somerville Arts Council and the Mystic Learning Center, has helped young people put their thoughts into published paper. On Monday night, Books of Hope celebrated the release of seven authors’ work with a Barbecue and Book Party at the Mystic Activity Center.

“I’m very pleased with the work that the young people produced this past year,” program director Soul Brown said, “I think they showed a lot of imagination and creativity in terms of poetry, short story writing and essays.”

Although not all of the writers were able to make it to the event, six of the published authors were scheduled to read excerpts from their new books. Beginning with food and music, the teen authors socialized, ate, and listened to the DJ’s songs before taking center stage. Yet one of authors was also working up the courage to read.

“I get jittery,” 18-year-old Reynalee Miranda Santana said about her initial decline to read her new poetry book, “Changes.” A seasoned Books of Hope author with six published works under her belt, Santana has been with the program for four years. “My friends got me involved with [Books of Hope]. I didn’t even know I was going to get involved yet and they just brought me, but I like what they did here so I started writing.”

Other authors in the program were inspired by their siblings to begin working with the program. “My older sister, Tanisha, published two books, so I’ve always been into it and I wanted to be published too,” new author Maishka Antoine said. “To finally accomplish this goal has been great.” Antoine said she writes poetry about the world around her. At 13, she is the youngest writer in the program, although according to some, one of the most outgoing.

“A lot of times many young authors are shy, but not Mieshka, she loves the spotlight,” said writer-in-residence Askia Toure. “I remember being so surprised when we performed in a bookstore in Cambridge and she went right up there, emoting to the audience and I was like, ‘she’s only 13!’”

A highly regarded published author and poet, Toure was used to working with college-aged students but has appreciated his time with these teens, “they still have a lot of the spontaneity of childhood and I really enjoyed that about them.”

“These are highly motivated kids who see themselves going onto college and to a profession,” Toure said. “But we want to make sure that they at least consider writing as one of those professions.”

Although 17-year-old Jessica Jean-Louis, a first time published author, wants to become a surgeon when she’s older, she said, “I would like to continue writing, maybe on the side.”

Jean-Lois said, “I found [the program] really helpful, you find yourself and what you can do at Books of Hope.”