Kelsi Vanada
@kelsivanada.bsky.social
Author of Optional Saint and Rare Earth. Translator of Basket of Braids, United Left, The Visible Unseen, The Eligible Age, and others. Iowa Writers' Workshop '16, Iowa Translation Workshop '17, NEA Translation Fellow '24.
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Kelsi Vanada
@kelsivanada.bsky.social
· Mar 19
Happy pub day to Optional Saint, my first book of poems! I can’t wait to share it with you. Endless gratitude to the wonderful Bench Editions 🙏🏼 Order at www.bencheditions.com/optional-saint
Reposted by Kelsi Vanada
If you're going to be at the upcoming ALTA48 conference from November 5-8 in Tucson, consider coming to the BIPOC Literary Translators Caucus Reading Series at 8:30pm on November 6 in The Royal Room! The reading is free and open to all.
Interested in reading? Sign up from here!
Interested in reading? Sign up from here!
ALTA
A L T A
literarytranslators.org
October 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM
If you're going to be at the upcoming ALTA48 conference from November 5-8 in Tucson, consider coming to the BIPOC Literary Translators Caucus Reading Series at 8:30pm on November 6 in The Royal Room! The reading is free and open to all.
Interested in reading? Sign up from here!
Interested in reading? Sign up from here!
Reading tour continues—with a virtual reading this Thurs for Veliz Books’ 10th anniversary!
August 5, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Reading tour continues—with a virtual reading this Thurs for Veliz Books’ 10th anniversary!
Reading from my book Optional Saint in a few places! Hope to see you!
July 9, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Reading from my book Optional Saint in a few places! Hope to see you!
Reposted by Kelsi Vanada
Today’s Featured Poem:
“Leaderboard” by @kelsivanada.bsky.social from Optional Saint published by BENCH Editions.
Read here:
poems.com/poem/leaderb...
“Leaderboard” by @kelsivanada.bsky.social from Optional Saint published by BENCH Editions.
Read here:
poems.com/poem/leaderb...
Leaderboard
Brenda told me finding your voice is bullshit. She said God
didn't put you on earth to be consistent,
poems.com
June 18, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Today’s Featured Poem:
“Leaderboard” by @kelsivanada.bsky.social from Optional Saint published by BENCH Editions.
Read here:
poems.com/poem/leaderb...
“Leaderboard” by @kelsivanada.bsky.social from Optional Saint published by BENCH Editions.
Read here:
poems.com/poem/leaderb...
Deadline extended to June 9! Tell your theater translator friends!!
Today is the LAST DAY to submit to the 5th annual Plays in Translation Contest! ALTA and the Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre in Tucson seek plays in translation for an in-person staged reading performed by local actors during the ALTA conference, held November 5-8. Find out more here!
ALTA
A L T A
literarytranslators.org
June 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Deadline extended to June 9! Tell your theater translator friends!!
Reposted by Kelsi Vanada
We're excited to shout out Trace Press, sponsor of our upcoming event Write The World (happening online on May 27)!
Check out their title ARABIC, BETWEEN LOVE AND WAR edited by Yasmine Haj & Norah Alkharashi. (Order directly thru the site, as US distribution is paused due to tariffs): rb.gy/mqm8kp
Check out their title ARABIC, BETWEEN LOVE AND WAR edited by Yasmine Haj & Norah Alkharashi. (Order directly thru the site, as US distribution is paused due to tariffs): rb.gy/mqm8kp
May 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM
We're excited to shout out Trace Press, sponsor of our upcoming event Write The World (happening online on May 27)!
Check out their title ARABIC, BETWEEN LOVE AND WAR edited by Yasmine Haj & Norah Alkharashi. (Order directly thru the site, as US distribution is paused due to tariffs): rb.gy/mqm8kp
Check out their title ARABIC, BETWEEN LOVE AND WAR edited by Yasmine Haj & Norah Alkharashi. (Order directly thru the site, as US distribution is paused due to tariffs): rb.gy/mqm8kp
Happy pub day to Optional Saint, my first book of poems! I can’t wait to share it with you. Endless gratitude to the wonderful Bench Editions 🙏🏼 Order at www.bencheditions.com/optional-saint
March 19, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Happy pub day to Optional Saint, my first book of poems! I can’t wait to share it with you. Endless gratitude to the wonderful Bench Editions 🙏🏼 Order at www.bencheditions.com/optional-saint
Reposted by Kelsi Vanada
How much it means to be able to say that my first collection of poetry, "You're Called By The Same Sound," will be published in August by @thirdhandbooks.bsky.social. It's been a long road to this future, and I wouldn't have any other way—I believe in the work of small presses, now and forever.
March 3, 2025 at 12:26 AM
How much it means to be able to say that my first collection of poetry, "You're Called By The Same Sound," will be published in August by @thirdhandbooks.bsky.social. It's been a long road to this future, and I wouldn't have any other way—I believe in the work of small presses, now and forever.
Reposted by Kelsi Vanada
Poetry translators, don't miss your chance! There are just 5 slots left for our Spring Multilingual Translation Workshops, your chance to get individualized feedback on a translation.
Check them out here and register before they're all gone!
Check them out here and register before they're all gone!
2025 Spring Multilingual Translation Workshops
Multilingual Translation Workshops pair 6 literary translators with an established translator leader for a 105-minute workshop via Zoom.
buff.ly
February 20, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Poetry translators, don't miss your chance! There are just 5 slots left for our Spring Multilingual Translation Workshops, your chance to get individualized feedback on a translation.
Check them out here and register before they're all gone!
Check them out here and register before they're all gone!
Reposted by Kelsi Vanada
We've teamed up w/ Vermont Studio Center to offer 2 fully funded 2-week residencies in 2026 to ALTA members!
1: For a BIPOC translator who identifies as queer, woman, non-binary and/or LGBTQ+
2: For a mid-career translator (3+ full-length translations)
Apply by 3/31: https://buff.ly/3D8kRh4
1: For a BIPOC translator who identifies as queer, woman, non-binary and/or LGBTQ+
2: For a mid-career translator (3+ full-length translations)
Apply by 3/31: https://buff.ly/3D8kRh4
February 18, 2025 at 3:01 PM
We've teamed up w/ Vermont Studio Center to offer 2 fully funded 2-week residencies in 2026 to ALTA members!
1: For a BIPOC translator who identifies as queer, woman, non-binary and/or LGBTQ+
2: For a mid-career translator (3+ full-length translations)
Apply by 3/31: https://buff.ly/3D8kRh4
1: For a BIPOC translator who identifies as queer, woman, non-binary and/or LGBTQ+
2: For a mid-career translator (3+ full-length translations)
Apply by 3/31: https://buff.ly/3D8kRh4
Optional Saint, my first book of poems, is available for pre-order from Bench Editions! Thank you to everyone who has asked about it ❤️ www.bencheditions.com/optional-saint
Optional Saint — BENCH
www.bencheditions.com
February 18, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Optional Saint, my first book of poems, is available for pre-order from Bench Editions! Thank you to everyone who has asked about it ❤️ www.bencheditions.com/optional-saint
“I highlight this list that thematically supports everything Evil Orange & his cronies oppose.” 💪🏼 thanks for including United Left!! @eulaliabooks.bsky.social
Wrote a blog post for @asterismbooks.bsky.social - featuring books from @whiskeytit.com, @arleenpare.bsky.social, @kelsivanada.bsky.social, @counterpath.bsky.social, @boredwolves.bsky.social, & @stevenalvarez.bsky.social -- asterismbooks.com/blog/post/re...
Reading Against Trump 2.0 | Asterism Books
Jesi Bender,’s Presidents' Day picks.
asterismbooks.com
February 18, 2025 at 1:06 AM
“I highlight this list that thematically supports everything Evil Orange & his cronies oppose.” 💪🏼 thanks for including United Left!! @eulaliabooks.bsky.social
Reposted by Kelsi Vanada
🎉 ALTA is very excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program!
There are 19 mentees in 2025. Learn more about them here, and join us in celebrating these promising emerging translators! https://buff.ly/3QbC2Bg
There are 19 mentees in 2025. Learn more about them here, and join us in celebrating these promising emerging translators! https://buff.ly/3QbC2Bg
February 11, 2025 at 3:00 PM
🎉 ALTA is very excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program!
There are 19 mentees in 2025. Learn more about them here, and join us in celebrating these promising emerging translators! https://buff.ly/3QbC2Bg
There are 19 mentees in 2025. Learn more about them here, and join us in celebrating these promising emerging translators! https://buff.ly/3QbC2Bg
Connie 💔
A funeral service for Connie Brothers, program associate of the Writers' Workshop from 1974-2019, will be held this Friday, Feb. 7, 10:00 a.m. ET at Levine Chapels, 470 Harvard St., Brookline, MA. It will be viewable via livestream [link on the memorial page] www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/b...
February 7, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Connie 💔
Congrats to the 2025 NEA Translation fellows! www.arts.gov/impact/liter...
Meet the Translation Fellows
www.arts.gov
January 14, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Congrats to the 2025 NEA Translation fellows! www.arts.gov/impact/liter...