Excellence in 2026
Our Commitment
At Kelsay Books and its imprints, Alabaster Leaves Publishing, White Violet Press, Daffydowndilly, and Aldrich Press, we uphold the principles of a traditional publisher, ensuring our authors are not burdened with publication costs and are rewarded with an excellent book.
Authors at Kelsay Books are not required to pay us up front or to presell their books. Authors receive 12% royalties on the retail price of their book, provided they meet our modest requirement of ten online book sales per title per year.
At Kelsay Books, we believe in transparency. Our operations are funded from a portion of our online book sales and author wholesale orders. This model ensures our financial stability, allowing us to continue supporting our authors, regardless of their economic background.
Our commitment to quality is unwavering. As a team of editorial professionals and an award-winning cover designer, we carefully create the layout, make minor edits, and request the author’s approval at each step of publication. We ensure that every book, whether or not the author purchases copies, is refined and polished.
As a trusted company accepting debut and published authors, we strive for excellence in every aspect of the process.
Celebrating Emerging Poets
This April, Kelsay Books is celebrating National Poetry Month by waiving our Alabaster Leaves reading fee for select submissions. Please see this page for details.
Events
MILWAUKEE, WI: Sunday, February 15, DeWitt Clinton reads When & IF at County Clare Irish Pub
NAPLES, FL: Monday, February 23, 11:00 – 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Harriet Shenkman reads Re- Coupling at Second Chances, Jewish Federation of Greater Naples
Awards
Congratulations, Linda Neal Reising! Stone Roses was an Oklahoma Book Award finalist.
Navigation (2025) is an American Writing Awards Finalist in Poetry-General.
Reviews & Interviews
Milwaukee's Shepherd Express interviewed DeWitt Clinton on When & If here! Wisconsin Public Radio reviewed the collection here.
Featured Release
These poems are lovingly crafted, heartbreakingly authentic, and, most important, emotionally honest. Honest about family relations, sexuality, and self. Westlie writes in the voice of “A solitary man converted into a goddess.” With its lyricism, grace, and soul, Run From Your Now is a gift for readers seeking their own truest futures.
—Sue William Silverman, author, If the Girl Never Learns
Beware of Scams!
Reminder: Scammers may use information-stealing links and fake email addresses in phishing schemes. Always scrutinize communications and offers from companies, especially when you are querying for publication or selling your book. If it is not in our newsletter or from a member of our staff, we will never send you links or "special offers." Kelsay Books protects your privacy; we do not share personal information. Please report any false emails posing as us, and beware of sales and invoicing scams.
Opportunities
The 2026 Rattle Chapbook Prize deadline is Thursday, January 15th — which means you only have one week left to polish up your manuscript and get it in. All you need for a chapbook is 15–30 pages of poetry. That can mean one very long poem, a sequence of them, 100 haiku, or anything in between.
February 2, 2026, is the official submission deadline for the Nautilus Book Awards' 2026 season — and this is the last call to submit your book for consideration.
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