Carmella de Keyser
News, Reviews, Events
News
Competition Winner
Carmella wins Hedgehog Poetry Press international pamphlet competition.
A Hog Blogs: AND THE WINNER IS: “Little Black Book 03” – A Poetry Pamphlet Competition – The Hedgehog Poetry Press
Live Performance
Poems Not Bombs - 24/04/2025
On the 28th of August 2024, Carmella was announced as a winner of an international Poetry Competition run by the 'Hedgehog Poetry Press'. The Editor is Mark Davidson. She won alongside Karen Pierce Gonzalez and Marcelle Newbold. Her winning pamphlet 'The Liminal Light of the Night' is currently available and was fully released on February the 14th 2025!
Carmella read three poems in London, together with Harlow Stanza at 'Poems Not bombs', a beautiful and inspiring event hosted by the excellent poet and Forest Poets stanza lead Paul McGrane.
Competition Judge
Harlow Poetry Open Official Judge
Carmella was honoured to have been asked to be an official judge for the inaugural Harlow Poetry Competition 2025. She was thrilled to realise her dream of having more poetry community events in Harlow.
Longlisting for the Emma Press
Carmella's book 'The Amygdala Safari' was longlisted for the top 30 out of 467 manuscripts on the 27th August 2025.
Carmella was delighted to have her book longlisted by the prestigious Emma Press among the top 30 out of all 467 proposals.
Press Mention
Your Harlow newspaper feature on Carmella's debut pamphlet, which is released on Valentine's Day 2025.
Harlow poet has book published on Valentine’s Day
Review from Poet
Carmella's book 'The Liminal Light of the Night' is reviewed by brilliant poet Victoria Spires.
Award-winning poet and contributing editor to the Winged Moon, Victoria Spires reviewed Carmella's micro-chapbook in the Spring of 2025.
Press Mention
Carmella was interviewed by award winning writer Sam Szanto for her poet's interview series.
Twice pushcart nominated poet Sam Szanto, PHD, interviews Carmella about her Hedgehog Press pamphlet, 'The Liminal Light of the Night'.
Click on the link below to read the full interview.
Carmella de Keyser: 'I let the words go and they belong with the reader'
Press Mention
Liminal Light of the Night Review
Carmella was delighted and honoured to have had her Hedgehog Press chapbook reviewed on the Oloriel Moonshadow website.
'Carmella's poems come as a salve to our aching wounds and seek to answer our questions with both the harsh truths of reality and hope...The writing offered is deep and metaphorical, personal and not aching to strangeness, and most importantly, in a bleak world of everyday despair, it offers kind and experienced words on how to keep living and dreaming the good dreams.' Mirjana M.
Oloriel Moonshadow Review
‘Liminal Light of the Night’, poetry by Carmella De Keyser – a review – Color me in Cyanide and Cherry
Live Performance
The Harlow Circle of Poetry to perform a live acoustic set on 18th October.
Carmella founded the Harlow Circle of Poetry with an aim to provide a safe space for local poets to share their work, and engage with their community.
The Harlow Circle of Poetry is now a registered poetry society stanza for the National Poetry Society. Harlow Stanza are proud to support Harlow Pride for the second year running.
Live Reading
Last Saturday Poets -Hosted by Louise Longson.
Carmella was invited to read three poems exploring heritage, and inter-generational relationships, live at 'Last Saturday Poets', This poetry event is hosted monthly by the wonderful poet Louise Longson, who has created a vibrant new poetic space for contemporary voices.
Live Performance
Harlow Pride Live Outdoor Set 18th October, 2025
The Harlow Circle of Poetry were invited to read at Harlow Pride Festival 2025. Each poet performed two poems. Carmella read two poems inspired by the 1960's counterculture movement.
Competition Winner
Carmella wins the Hedgehog Poetry Press, Crimson Spine Competition
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On October the 21st 2025, Carmella was announced as the winner of the Crimson Spine Pamphlet Competition, by the editor of Hedgehog Poetry Press, Mark Davidson, for her poetry collection Heart Muscle. This collection is a journey into selfhood, the family memories that shape us, love in all its forms, aloneness, nature, death, and the cyclicity of time.
Review from Paul Short in 'The Book Bag'
Wonderful poet and reviewer Paul Short reviews 'The Liminal Light of the Night' within his regular poetry feature 'The Book Bag'.
The Book Bag is a poetic space created by multi-talented writer Paul Short. It showcases the finest emerging and established contemporary poets. On the 9th of November, Carmella's book 'The Liminal Light of the Night' published by Hedgehog Poetry Press, was chosen as the featured work to be reviewed.
''Carmella is an incredible poet and human being. Her work always has a deep emotional value that connects with readers.'
Paul Short, Prizewinning Founder and Editor of The Book Bag.
To read Paul Short's full review, click on the below link.
The Book Bag: The Liminal Light Of The Night by Carmella de Keyser – Paul Writes Poems
'The Liminal Light of the Night' makes the cut for 'The Book Bag Christmas Gift Guide 2025'
The Book Bag Christmas List 2025
'Paul Writes Poems'
Carmella was thrilled to learn that her debut pamphlet from the Hedgehog Press has been included within the prestigious 'Book Bag Christmas Gift Guide 2025'.
Sincere thanks to the editor Paul Short for including it within his top reading recommendations for the year.
Click on the link below to see his entire list.
The Book Bag Christmas Gift List 2025 – Paul Writes Poems
The Winged Moon Biophilia Launch
Carmella's poem was chosen to be featured within 'The Winged Moon's' 'Biophilia' themed Substack, published on 31/01/26.
The launch celebration for 'Biophilia' took place on the 11th of January and included many wonderful poets including Miranda Barnes, Paul Short, Vanessa Napolitano, Miles Hovey amongst others. Carmella was a featured reader.
The Winged Moon Editor - Jai Michelle Louissen
Press Mention by Peter Thabit Jones
Peter Thabit Jones, Editor of The Seventh Quarry Press and Magazine, wonderful poet and dramatist, kindly read and mentioned Carmella's collection on social media. She was thrilled to have her work read by someone she admires so much. Carmella is very much looking forward to being a featured poet for his wonderful press in April 2026!
Press mention, 'The Ditty Bag' literary podcast
Carmella was thrilled to have her poem selected by talented radio host and podcast creator Rebecca Leek, to be featured on her popular 'The Ditty Bag' show. Carmella's poem was featured alongside poems by T.S Eliot, Gayle Brandeis and Timothy Thomas Fortune.
The episode was broadcast on the 7/01/26 for the opening show of the year.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/56gNLJ9yoH6j16d1lq6843?si=fLbPw7A9R2-URfeoG6w-cA
Chasms - A Second Book Launch
CHASMS, Carmella's second chapbook, published by The United States publisher, 'The Alien Buddha Press', launched on 02/02/2026 and is available worldwide. The launch included the following fantastic featured poets - John Kenny, Julie Stevens, Paul Connolly, Paul Ings, Peter Devonald, Peter Thabit Jones, and Sam Szanto.
'De Keyser isn't chasing trends; instead she remains attentive to lived experience and emotional truth. Her poems invite rather than overwhelm, grounded in small intensely felt moments while gesturing toward wider questions of belonging, identity and memory'.
James Hartley, Founder and Editor of The Madrid Review.
You can watch Carmella's unboxing video reveal here.
https://youtu.be/bJcN4UVXdDY?si=Ekie2tUNoFGZDIBV
Chasms Chapbook, Alien Buddha Press
Chasms is available to order on Amazon with the Alien Buddha Press and you may order it here.
Chasms
An editorial review by
The Madrid review
The Madrid Review, edited by the extremely talented writer James Hartley, is a highly respected international arts magazine based in Madrid, publishing poetry, fiction, and interviews with artists. It is bilingual and acts as a bridge between the English speaking and Spanish speaking world. Carmella was delighted to have a review of Chasms within the Madrid Review published on 18/03/26.
'Chasms is a book of edges, of those liminal spaces between past and present, home and elsewhere, self and other.' James Hartley, Editor and Founder of The Madrid Review
You may read the full commentary here.
Carmella de Keyser’s Chasms: A Quietly Compelling Second Chapbook
Harlow Circle of Poetry Anthology
Over the course of 2025, Carmella was delighted to curate and edit Harlow Stanza's first ever anthology, containing some excellent poetry gathered from local poets - it has been sent to the National Poetry Society for their archives.
New Publisher Signing!
Carmella signs with Parlyaree Press
Carmella was ecstatic to sign with United States based publisher Parlyaree Press.
She will be publishing her Young Adult collection 'The Amygdala Safari' with them soon! Watch this space for further news on this exciting new project...
Live Reading
Last Saturday Poets -Hosted by Louise Longson.
Carmella was honoured to have been invited back for a second appearance at excellent poet Louise Longson's literary salon. Carmella was a featured reader, and she shared three poems alongside five other poets on the 28th of February 2026.
Chasms
'Chasms originates from the Greek word 'khasma' meaning yawning hollow or gulf. It is also, a profound divide, rift, or impassable rupture in the earth between entities, peoples, feelings or ideas. While writing Chasms, I felt hopeful in bridging all the internal intersections I was considering, into a unified whole.' Carmella de Keyser
Chasms Media Mentions
A few 'Chasms mentions' spotted across social media in February...
Since its release in February, Chasms has already received lots of positive media mentions, and has been steadily selling since its release, often within the 500 band in Amazon poetry! Carmella has felt so grateful for all the support from the writing community since Chasms began its journey...
'Carmella de Keyser is an exceptional poet who writes with such elegance, powerful imagery and visceral emotion. There is an admirable precision to everything she writes, it captures life so eloquently, intrinsically and sincerely heartfelt.'
Peter Devonald, Multi- Award Winning Writer and Poet
Live Reading at The Book Bag
The Book Bag is an excellent new safe space for poets to read and perform their work. It is the newest brainchild of the very talented poet and editor Paul Short. Carmella was delighted to read poems from 'Chasms' live on 08/03/2026, alongside some other fantastic poets and spoken word artists including Paul Short, S.Reeson, Kate Vanhinsbergh, Paul Connolly, John Adlam, Merril Smith, Jeff Cottrill, Elizabeth Fevyer, Sarah Raybould, Dorian Nightingale, Leia Butler, and Rachel Woodgate. Themes included, war, domestic violence, species extinction, social anxiety and an offbeat take on marriage.
Judging the Harlow Poetry Open 2026
It was a huge honour for Carmella to serve as a final judge for the Harlow Open 2026 together with Imogen Wade. She read each entry several times and worked collaboratively to a construct a Judges' Report containing detailed analysis of each poem.
The celebratory event took place on World Poetry Day 21/03/26 at the Harlow Playhouse and was a great success with entries increasing since last year.
You can hear her read out excerpts of the report and see the prizegiving ceremony here in this Your Harlow film.
https://youtu.be/khP2XBLxTrc?si=iqL7EckQzTQS909N
New Open Mic offering for Harlow
Carmella has created a new poetic offering for Harlow- The Sunday Slowdown, these new Open Mic afternoons, will take place in the private function room of a pub, and are held on the second Sunday of each month. Please email the Harlow Circle of Poetry if you would like to attend.
Full Collection with The Seventh Quarry in 2027
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Carmella will have a full length collection releasing in 2027 with the prestigious Seventh Quarry publisher.
A Requiem in Graffiti is an arrangement of poems heavily inspired by the themes that arise from the structural components of a musical requiem.
She is delighted at the opportunity to work with this dream publisher and its highly esteemed editor Peter Thabit Jones.
More news coming soon!
Unwhispered Legacy Launch presented and edited by Paul Short
On May the 1st, Carmella joined a wealth of UK poetry talent to launch Unwhispered Legacy. This anthology was created by the wonderful Paul Short. The proceeds raised were donated to Medecins Sans Frontieres.
The evening was inspiring and sensitively compered by Paul who is a talented and highly supportive figure in the arts.
Poet of the Month for The Seventh Quarry
Carmella was delighted to be Poet of the Month for May 2026 with the highly respected Seventh Quarry Press. Her poems were featured internationally for a month.
Carmella reads on the BBC Rob Jellie Show-Beth Linnell sits in!
Carmella was delighted to be featured on the 'BBC Rob Jellie Show - Beth Linnell sits in' on the 21/05/26 & 23/05/26.
She read a poem first published by Paul Short within his Unwhispered Legacy Anthology where he raised over £700 for Médecins Sans Frontières.
The poem was selected to be played twice for BBC Sounds.
New Review of Chasms
The Book Bag is a treasure trove of poetic features, reviews of new poetry collections, collaborations and poetry news. It is edited by Paul Short. Carmella was delighted to have had her second collection reviewed within its Sunday morning review spotlight.
'Poetics who enjoy defiance and resilience will enjoy this book. It's a diamond.'
Paul Short, Prizewinning Editor and Founder of The Book Bag.
You may read the full review here.
The Book Bag: Chasms by Carmella de Keyser – Paul Writes Poems
Carmella reads her poem about temporal dissonance on BBC Sounds
Carmella was delighted to read her new poem about temporal dissonance and unfamiliar familiarity on the BBC Sounds Rob Jellie Show.
Beth Linnell was sitting in as DJ on the 11/06/26.
You may find a link to the show below.
Upload with Rob Jelly - Beth Linnell sits in (11/06/2026) - BBC Sounds
Warmest thanks to Beth Linnell for selecting the piece.
Below is a YouTube version of the poem she read.
Chasms is selected as a Recommended Read for The Madrid Review
Carmella was delighted that her poetry collection Chasms was selected as a 'Recommended Read' for The Madrid Review Issue 8.
'With striking clarity and emotional precision, de Keyser captures fleeting moments of identity, grief and transformation, weaving 1990's subculture and personal history into something intimate yet expansive... these poems don't demand attention, they earn it, unfolding with understated intensity.'
You may read the whole review, in addition to some other great suggested reads below.
Creative Writing at Leicester
Editor - Professor Jonathan Taylor
Professor Jonathan Taylor is Lecturer in Creative Writing at The University of Leicester and he has a PHD from Loughborough University, his 2024 collection 'Scablands and Other Stories' was the winner of the 2025 Arnold Bennett book prize. As well as being a brilliant author, he also supports writers through his university blog.
'Chasms' was featured on Jonathan's excellent blog 'Creative Writing at Leicester' on the 11th of June.
Many thanks to Jonathan Taylor for the honour of inclusion within this fantastic resource.
Here below is a link to the blog, which is a treasure trove of contemporary writing voices, please do check it out.
Creative Writing at Leicester: Carmella de Keyser, "Chasms"
The Amygdala Safari - Cover Reveal and Press Release!
The Amygdala Safari s now available to pre-order from Waterstones and will officially release on September the 1st!
The Amygdala Safari is being published with the wonderful US based Parlyaree Press and the book has been raised to life with a lot of love and respect. Carmella is the first signing with Parlyaree Press for a youth market and the team have been fantastic to work with, Carmella is so thrilled to have joined their press. Carmella is a fan of the artist Alan Aldridge, and she requested a nod to this on the front cover and for poem references to be added for children to search through after they finish reading the poems.
Parlyaree Press have a sensational design team and incorporated this and interpreted the poems beautifully! 💛
A special thank you to Carmella's two brilliant blurbists Jonathan Humble, Founder and Editor of The Dirigible Balloon and James Hartley Founder and Editor of The Madrid Review.
Carmella is so thankful for their encouragement from the very beginning of her poetry journey, their full blurbs will be released soon. 🤍
Information about where to order The Amygdala Safari is enclosed below.
The Amygdala Safari by Carmella de Keyser | Waterstones
A Review of Chasms by Professor Jonathan Taylor
Professor Jonathan Taylor is Lecturer in Creative Writing at The University of Leicester and he has a PHD from Loughborough University, his 2024 collection 'Scablands and Other Stories' was the winner of the 2025 Arnold Bennett book prize. As well as being a highly gifted literary figure, author and poet, he also supports other writers tirelessly. Carmella was delighted and deeply moved to receive his praise for her collection 'Chasms'.
He described Chasms as a 'beautiful, mystical, visionary collection of poems and prose poems'.
Please do explore the link below to find out more about his own impressive work here.
A Review Mention of Chasms by Poet Mike Everley
Mike Everley is a gifted poet who has had poetry published in the Seventh Quarry Press, Anglo Welsh Review, Poetry Wales, The Poetry Society, the New Welsh Review, and Outposts among many others and he also has several poetry collections published.
Carmella was thrilled to receive a mention from him on his social media saying he had enjoyed 'Chasms' as she is an admirer of his profound writing.
He described Chasms as a 'richly evocative collection' and a 'must read'.
Carmella is interviewed on the Babs Michel Show for the BBC
Carmella was contacted by a producer from BBC Three Counties Radio who invited her to appear on their show to discuss her work and read a poem. Carmella was thrilled to learn that this was for the highly praised Babs Michel Show on BBC Sounds. Other recent poets featured on her show have included John Cooper Clarke and Hussain Manawer.
Carmella and Babs Michel sat down together on 12/07/2026 to discuss the process of poetry, Carmella enjoyed talking to Babs who was a an intuitive and empathetic host.
You may hear their conversation by clicking on the below link, or on BBC Sounds, BBC Three Counties Radio, Episode 12/07/26 from about 6.40 mins in.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gf7zkr