June Mood: Eric Hoffer results, July reading, and more!
Introduction
The Orchards submissions are now CLOSED and production of the Summer 2025 issue is underway! Thank you for sending us your excellent work this season. Don't worry if you haven't received a response from us yet — you will, as we are still sorting through submissions.
Our own journal may be closed, but summer is just getting started. Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 19th, at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time. We invited new and returning Kelsay Books poets to share their latest and greatest with us. Register here to attend this virtual reading, and browse on for news and deadlines you won't want to miss...
Eric Hoffer Award Winners
The Eric Hoffer Award announced all 2025 winners at the end of May. Kelsay Books sponsors submissions annually to this small press–forward award. This year, we are proud to announce one finalist and one first runner-up!
When Light Shifts by Jennifer L. Freed is the 2025 1st Runner-Up in Legacy Nonfiction. Congratulations, Jennifer!
The Most Kissed Woman In The World by Patricia Caspers was a da Vinci Eye Book Award finalist. Congratulations to our cover designer, Shay Culligan, and Patricia!
Events
Mark your calendars! Kelsay Books will host our next Zoom reading on Saturday, July 19th at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Readers TBA! It's our pleasure to invite you to attend. Register here with the same email address as your Zoom account!
Last month, we invited our New York poets for a virtual reading. Thank you Mark Belair, Wendy Sloan, Karen Neuberg, John Foy, Elizabeth Morse, Francine Witte, Judith Lee Herbert, Reagan Upshaw, Ann Wallace, Carolyn Clark, Sarah Sarai, and Judith Rosner! ICYMI the full reading is now on YouTube:
Massachusetts: Karen Warinsky to celebrate the launch of Beauty and Ashes at Booklovers Gourmet in Webster, MA on Saturday, June 28 at 1:00 p.m. Check out The Villager's article for details!
Emily Lake Hansen to read on Zoom Wednesday, June 11, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with Rachel Trousdale and Jennifer Bartell Boykin. Register here.
New York City: Elizabeth Morse will host a reading on Wednesday, June 25, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Green Pavilion Restaurant, 4307 18th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11218
Virginia: Sharon Perkins Ackerman will read selections from A Legacy of Birds on Friday, August 29, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., at New Dominion Bookshop. Learn more
Awards and Features
Up, Out & Over by Jack Mackey won first place in the 2025 Delaware Press Association awards for a book of poetry. Congratulations, Jack!
Five poems by Carol Lipszyc were featured on Lothlorien Poetry Journal's blog. Congratulations, Carol! We published her first Kelsay Books collection in 2020 (linked below) and she has another forthcoming.
The Bookfest awarded Laura Rodley's Ribbons and Moths: Poems for Children first place in Outdoors Nonfiction and second place in Book Cover Photography. Congratulations, Laura!
Charise Hoge appeared on The WildStory podcast to discuss Inheritance of Flowers! Listen here.
Lucy, Uncatalogued by John Moody is now on sale at the Wyllieum, an art gallery in Greenock, Scotland. Congratulations, John!
Opportunities
International and virtual resources, prioritizing poets and underrepresented writers — a few standouts from my own personal research!
Let us know in a comment if any of these inspired you.
Poets & Writers‘ next Mapping the Maze workshop is focused on poetry! Starting Monday, June 23rd. Learn more here.
Bellevue Literary Review is accepting poetry submissions on the themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body. Click on the image to learn more about general submissions. They also award prizes!
Room is seeking science-themed poetry for Issue 49.1. Click below to learn more!