RAVEN Chapbooks

10/03/2025

We launched Jacqueline Bell's winning RAVEN Chapbooks poetry book, "Summoning" tonight at the Salt Spring Island Public Library. Such a beautiful setting for the celebration. The evening opened with a lively open mic set with Nedjo Rogers as our MC. Jacqueline read beautifully and themes from her book opened up to an engaging Q&A session where we talked about the power of poetic elegy. There were many poets and writers in the room which always brings stimulating conversation. The audience shared cake and more conversation, a RAVEN Chapbooks tradition. Congratulations Jacqueline! I hope to attend your reading next week at PEP, if not in person I will be there by Zoom.
Many thanks to the staff at the Salt Spring library, and to Nedjo for being our MC for the evening.
This event was funded by a grant made in memory of Derek Lundy - a writer who supported writers.

10/01/2025

Tomorrow night at the Salt Spring Island Public Library! We are launching Jacqueline Bell's chapbook, "Summoning". Come out to the celebration. Oct.2, 7pm.

The 2025 winner of the Raven Chapbooks Contest - Jacqueline Bell, will launch her book "Summoning" here on Salt Spring, October 2nd, 7pm at the Salt Spring Island Public Library. Come out to join our celebration!

09/23/2025

The 2025 winner of the Raven Chapbooks Contest - Jacqueline Bell, will launch her book "Summoning" here on Salt Spring, October 2nd, 7pm at the Salt Spring Island Public Library. Come out to join our celebration!

09/16/2025

NOTE: Our next chapbook contest will be in 2027. Stay tuned! Visit our website for inspiration and to order chapbooks by our previous contest winners and our Indigo Series. We look forward to reading your poetry manuscripts next year!

Raven Chapbooks is an independent publisher of beautifully designed small edition poetry books owned by Diana Hayes on Salt Spring Island.

08/28/2025

POETRY IN TRANSIT! The press release has just gone out and I'm excited to say that RAVEN Chapbooks poet, Susan Alexander, is featured this year with nine other B.C. poets. Her book, "Berberitzen" was launched by Raven Chapbooks, November 2024. Congratulations Susan!

Find out more about the Poetry in Transit program and celebration planned at the Word Vancouver Festival, September 20th: https://books.bc.ca/

The 2025-26 Poetry in Transit selected poets and featured books:
Calvin Wharton, North Vancouver, BC - This Here Paradise (Anvil Press)
Christine Lowther, Tla-o-qui-aht territory (Tofino), BC - Hazard, Home (Caitlin Press)
Jen Currin, New Westminster, BC - Trinity Street (House of Anansi Press)
Joseph Kidney, Vancouver, BC - Devotional Forensics (Goose Lane Editions)
Junie Désil, Lasqueti Island, BC - allostatic load (Talonbooks)
Lauren Peat, Vancouver, BC - Future Tense (Baseline Press)
Natalie Lim, Vancouver, BC - Elegy for Opportunity (Wolsak and Wynn Publishers)
Renée Harper, Nelson, BC - Boundary Territory (Now or Never Publishing)
Susan Alexander, Bowen Island, BC - Berberitzen (Raven Chapbooks & Rainbow Publishers)
Tom Wayman, Winlaw, BC - Out of the Ordinary (Harbour Publishing)

08/12/2025

You can order any of these books online through the RavenChapbooks(dot)ca website. Get in touch, order books. We are offering a discount for anyone purchasing books in August/September! We can send out the full catalogue too for anyone wanting to read more about our titles. Congratulations to all Raven authors!

08/11/2025

Rebecca Hendry’s beautiful chapbook is now available at Talewind, Sechelt. Copies can also be ordered directly on the RavenChapbooks(dot)ca website. This is a very special limited edition collection of poems. Let us know if you’s like to order a copy while it is still available.

08/07/2025

Circle ceremony, sharing memories of poet David Haggart at a Celebration of Life, July 31st. Chris playing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes on the deck. We passed the talking stick, read poems, recalled stories, memories, songs.

THAT YEAR
it froze hard and deep
in November
not a whisper of snow
you stand on your skaes
all sixty pounds of you
open your coat
and the wind moves you upriver
toward the rest of your life
from "A Curious Happiness in Small Things"

07/31/2025

Hot off the press with the latest Raven Indigo Series chapbook: Rebecca Hendry signing copies of "The Lightning Tree." Her book is now available for order on the RavenChapbooks.ca website. Rebecca will be reading at Planet Earth Poetry in Victoria on October 10th and in Gibsons (date/venue t.b.a.) Congratulations Rebecca! ⭐️

07/30/2025

On Thursday, July 31st, here on Salt Spring Island at All Saints-by-the-Sea, we will join in a Celebration of Life for long time Salt Spring resident and poet, David Haggart. Please join us, 2-4pm. Bring a poem, a story, a memory.

David was the first poet published by Raven Chapbooks with his book, "A Curious Happiness in Small Things." 🪻💜 We will read poems from his book.