My debut poetry collection, “The Places We Empty,” was published by Kelsay Books in August 2021, and I couldn’t be happier with the whole experience. When Delisa sent me the letter of acceptance, just a week after submitting my manuscript, I was ecstatic, if a little surprised, as Kelsay Books was the first publication I tried, on the recommendation of a fellow Kelsay author. Throughout the entire process, from the first contact to the impressive end result, Karen and Delisa were friendly, enthusiastic, professional, and quick to answer any questions I had. His schedule and contract were straightforward, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I would earn a generous percentage of royalties from book sales. although karen guided me as she shaped my manuscript, she allowed me a lot of freedom regarding the editing of poems and the cover. As we approached the release date, when I suddenly decided I wanted to add a trigger warning, she said, without hesitation, “Write it down and I’ll find a place for it.” I still can’t believe that my beautiful book is out in the world, in people’s hands and homes. I am eternally grateful to Karen, Delisa and the entire team for making my childhood dream come true in such a spectacular way, and I look forward to future posts from Kelsay.
julie weiss
You are reading: Is kelsay books a vanity press
~~~~~
my third book of poetry was published by kelsay books in august 2021. when i received your acceptance email followed by a contract i was absolutely thrilled! I knew Kelsay as one of the top media presses and therefore couldn’t believe his acceptance! What a privilege to be published by them. the entire time from contract to publication took less than six months! how cool is that! throughout the posting process, which was extremely professional and on time, i really enjoyed interacting with delisa and karen. everything was communicated with clarity, speed and warmth. the editing journey and actual publishing, including design and artwork for the cover, was a breeze! they made me feel special, and that’s exactly what authors want from their publishers. Poets are very lucky to have publishers like Kelsay that invest their time, effort, and money into publishing such amazing collections of poetry. I wish the best to Karen and her team at Kelsay. Thank you for being my editor, believing in my poetry, and giving it space in your thoughtful and eclectic editorial!
anita nahal, doctor, cdp
~~~~
In my quest to find a good home for my poems, I looked at the company they would keep by perusing small press bookstores. Kelsay Books had an impressive, diverse and vibrant selection of poets one would consider an honor to be among. turnaround time for manuscript approval was surprisingly fast. Karen and his staff were professional to work with, expressing opinions as needed, but allowing an appropriate amount of autonomy.
kelsay books presented me with three cover options, and the end result is stellar: a beautiful piece of art that wraps around the back of the book. its design has received much praise. this is my second collection with kelsay books; I am completely satisfied with the contract and the process.
nancy austin
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
kelsay books just released my new book of poems, windthrow & salvage, and wanted to post some impressions for other poets looking for a quality publisher. Bottom line: As a small, independent publisher, Kelsay Books is top notch. If Karen Kelsay accepts your book for publication, she provides a very detailed contract that is clear, fairly fair, and generous in terms of royalties. it also establishes a detailed production process and schedule. Before returning my signed contract, I purchased copies of several of his press books to get an idea of the kind of quality he could provide and was very impressed. I also compared your contract with those of my previous book publishers and found it to be, in almost every respect, comparable or better. Finally, before signing, I submitted a series of questions, which Karen answered quickly and directly, thus avoiding any further confusion. I am immensely satisfied with my new book of poems. its cover, its paper, its interior design: they are all magnificent. in my case, the press even managed to get me the finished book ahead of schedule. Karen and his staff worked meticulously with me every step of the way and did a beautiful job of editing, designing, and producing. Karen is exactly what I would expect from an editor/publisher: someone who is a perfectionist, who is trustworthy, and who is fully committed to doing work that he clearly loves. his contributions to American poetry, in my opinion, are immense. it was a real pleasure partnering with her and her staff to bring out this new book. I want to publicly express my gratitude. Kelsay Books offers an extremely valuable literary platform for many accomplished poets in mid-career. In these highly competitive times, we are fortunate to have quality independent publishers like Kelsay Books as outlets for our work. I wish continued success for this fine literary publisher.
randall freisinger
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
karen kelsay not only cares about craftsmanship but also has high standards of integrity. it was a pleasure to have my third complete collection of poetry brought to life through it. is a publisher you can trust with your jewelry.
andrena zawinski
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
karen kelsay has published three of my poetry books. I am satisfied with the design and especially with the impressive covers. It has always been a polite and professional experience working with Aldrich Press.
nancy scott
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
I have been fortunate to have several collections of poetry published by Kelsay Books. The whole process was very pleasant from start to finish. Karen was completely involved in everything. she is a patient and helpful editor when it comes to questions or concerns about the aesthetics of the final product. i think karen looks at each project as if it were her own work and takes the time to review every little detail. she is a perfectionist when it comes to producing a beautiful book. She’s an award-winning poet herself, so I think she takes her time with each project treating it as her own, something she would be proud of as an author. I have nothing but praise for Karen and hers personally and I am honored to have been published by Kelsay Books and look forward to working with her on a new book very soon.
carol lynn stevenson grellas
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
perfect and professional: those are the first two words that come to mind when I think of my experience working with kelsay books. From start to finish, I was completely confident that my mothershell poem manuscript was in very good hands. From the prompt response to my query, to finding the right cover, to the final editing and printing process, I really don’t think I could have been more satisfied. much gratitude to karen kelsay and her excellent staff; The world of poetry is so lucky to have them!!
andrea potos
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
karen kelsay published my fourth book of poetry, which was a particularly personal one for me as its fifty-one sonnets, taken as a whole, detailed my father’s life and his descent into age-related dementia. Karen was absolutely delightful to work with. Her personal and incredibly quick responses to my questions and concerns was something I hadn’t experienced before, and even though she was also working on other books simultaneously, I always had the impression that my book was as important to her as it was. me. she allowed me to use a series of black and white photographs within the book, as well as enthusiastically signing a personal photo of my father and myself for the cover. On her website, Karen promises to respond to manuscripts within seven days and, if she accepts her manuscript, to publish her book in less than five months. I sent her my manuscript on December 10, 2012, she sent me an acceptance and a copy of the contract on December 15, and my book was printed and available for sale on March 25, 2013! And it’s not just any book. is a beautifully produced and thoughtfully designed book that I am proud to sell at readings. i hope to meet karen one day because she seems like someone i’ve already sat down with to talk about things that matter. she is remarkable, not least because she is also an award-winning poet who understands the frustrations and impediments that come along with the life of writing and publishing.
myrna stone
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
working with karen kelsay at white violet press was a pleasure. she was meticulous, passionate, quick and optimistic – all qualities I greatly admire. she knows what she likes to read people and she knows the business. Because of her experience as an online magazine editor, she knew the communities beforehand and brought them with her to book publishing. Plus, given Lifetime numbers, it’s important to have strong editors of both genders shaping the course of future publishing, and Karen Kelsay is certainly the future.
kim bridgford
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
working with karen kelsay on my book, hobble creek almanac, was a wonderful and refreshing experience. Karen is direct and open about her expectations and processes. there were no surprises, other than being delighted with the pace and results of the final product. I have worked with many publishers throughout my writing career, and I have to say that Karen is at the top of my list for providing me with an enjoyable experience. from a quick response after my initial introduction, to karen’s amazing work ethic and receipt of my product, everything went as advertised and agreed upon. Karen cares about the work and goes to great lengths to meet the writer’s expectations. she sees the production of a book as a collaboration, which makes the process of birth from manuscript to book quite pleasant. I can’t say what the future holds for me or my writing, but I hope it will include working with Karen again.
justin evans
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
karen has published two chapter books for me: zero gravitas (white violet press, 2012) and alphabetricks (daffydowndilly press, 2013), and both times she was a pleasure to work with – extraordinarily prompt, patient, helpful, and professional. . with the first cover, she designed it beautifully; with the second, at my request, she let me design it. the authors have a lot of participation in the layout and design; you will not feel “driven” to accept the first proof of design. As always, authors should be very careful about proofreading. karen helped with PR by spreading the word on facebook and assigning me a spot on the first book panel at the west chester (pa) poetry conference. she’s great!
lydecker barbarian crane
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
working with karen kelsay was an unparalleled pleasure. she is a serious poet and she instinctively knows what matters to other poets. she understands that typeface and layout can make or break a poem. her high-level work of hers to fulfill the poet’s intentions. She loves to make things and her books testify to this love of craftsmanship. I really appreciated her patience and tolerance.
janet kenny
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
my first complete book of poems, the cone of uncertainty, was published in march 2018 by aldrich press at kelsay books. I am very pleased with the book and have received many compliments on its design. Karen Kelsay was wonderful to work with. Starting with the quick turnaround time (within two weeks) after my manuscript submission, through design, editing, and proofreading, Karen was quick and helpful in responding along the way. Every step of the process is clearly explained and Karen was available to answer any questions. she was especially supportive and helpful at the end with a late shipment of books that she needed for a book launch. she jumped into action and managed to get what she needed in time for the event. For many writers, publication is a daunting prospect. Karen makes it manageable and positive.
lucile burt
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
it was an absolute pleasure working with karen kelsay and her white violet press on my book masks of steel. her meticulous attention to detail, her quick response to queries, and her overall professionalism combined with a confident sense of design produced a book that I was proud to call my own. Kelsay did everything I asked and made suggestions that were sensible and helpful. I recommend her and the white violet press without hesitation.
jose s. salemi – editor, trinacria
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
Finding a publisher for your first book of poetry can be a daunting challenge. Fortunately, there are books from Kelsay, a small publisher willing to work with mid-career poets to find a wider audience. one of the most frustrating things is the long wait time it takes for a publisher to respond. Kelsay Books has reduced this waiting time to one week. Even though my book wasn’t supposed to be out until December, I was pleasantly surprised when it came out ahead of schedule in August. From start to finish, my experience was smooth and uncomplicated, and I found Karen Kelsay professional and calm, quick to respond to any of my concerns. From a simple photograph, he produced an elegant cover that I am proud to display. the interior is clear and legible, in a format that invites readers. I couldn’t be more pleased with my first book of poetry.
twaronite gene – author, garbage collector on mars
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
When Aldrich Press accepted my chapter book for publication, I was both happy and apprehensive. It was, as they say, my first dance with a publisher. I was afraid of stepping and being stepped on. As it turned out, the process was incredibly smooth. expectations were clear, the process was outlined and followed. my first book, while driving home, arrived ahead of schedule. the quality of its cover, format and design have brought me praise and envy from my peers. Without reservation, I encourage those fortunate enough to be accepted by the Karen Kelsay Company to move forward with pride and confidence.
jim gustafson
See Also: How to Borrow eBooks from a Library on a Kindle for Free
See Also: Star Wars: Force and Destiny
~~~
When I saw the quality of some of my colleagues’ books that were produced under Kelsay Books, I decided to publish my collection of poetry, One Line Thoughts on the DMV, through them. I was elated when I got the news because I knew I was working with the best.
kelsay books represents the fourth publisher I have worked with on both my non-fiction and poetry. I can honestly say that my experience with Karen was exceptional from start to finish. she was frank, prompt, honest and accommodating. during the final editing and setup of my book, she was working on it despite being on vacation abroad. when it came to my cover design, she accepted the artwork i gave her and produced a beautiful cover. these efforts are proof of her dedication and commitment to her clients and her industry. to make things even better, the book was completed a month before its scheduled release. In my opinion, Kelsay Books sets the standard for poetry publishing.
jim landwehr
See Also: Marty Wingate – Book Series In Order