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Alabaster Leaves Publishing

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Independent publishing3 open opportunities listed

About the press

Alabaster Leaves Publishing, an imprint of Kelsay Books, was founded to provide a discerning platform for poetry that values clarity, craft, and emotional resonance over passing trends. Operating with a small-press ethos, it has built a reputation for championing both emerging and established voices whose work demonstrates a commitment to the lyric tradition and formal attentiveness. The press’s catalogue reflects a curatorial bias toward accessible yet layered verse, often exploring memory, place, and the quiet complexities of daily life. Its mission is to sustain a readership for poetry that is neither hermetic nor merely confessional, but rather carefully wrought and deeply felt.

Publishing focus

Alabaster Leaves Publishing is for emerging poets. There are no style requirements. Manuscripts are accepted year-round.

PoetryChapbookPoetry Collections

Selected authors
Richard Nester, Annie Bien, Vida Chu, Davie Pring-Mill, Felice Aull

Calls & opportunities

3 listed

Manuscript submissions

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31
Reading feeYes
Response timeLess than 3 months
Simultaneous submissionsNo
Unsolicited submissionsYes

Poets should submit a complete manuscript of 48–80 pages, previously unpublished as a collection, with a clear table of contents and acknowledgments page. Alabaster Leaves favors work that demonstrates a coherent thematic or emotional arc, not just a gathering of individual poems. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify immediately upon acceptance elsewhere. Include a brief cover letter with publication history and a concise artist statement. Reading periods are typically announced on the website; do not query outside those windows. Expect a response time of 3–6 months. The press values professionalism: proofread thoroughly, follow formatting guidelines precisely, and avoid excessive follow-up. If rejected, wait at least one full reading cycle before resubmitting a revised manuscript.

Read official guidelines