recent and forthcoming titles
carabela
sailing across cultures and languages
about carabela
Carabela is an Amsterdam-based independent publishing house whose titles and literary events aim at building bridges between diverse cultures and languages of the world.
Our publishing choices are guided by the principles of artistic integrity, freedom of expression, gender equality, and social justice. At Carabela we publish books produced by people who share our activist and audacious spirit.
Our logo, a small sailing ship used by brave voyagers to traverse the seas during the wrongly called age of discovery, symbolises our commitment to sail beyond cultural, geographic, and linguistic boundaries.
​ In the 15th century, the carabelas facilitated closer interaction between distant civilizations. At the same time, they contributed to the oppression, exploitation and military conquest of millions of people, in particular
women and indigenous communities.
Now is the moment to radically change the course of the carabelas of our times. Powerful winds are blowing from the south and from the east.
submissions and FAQs
Carabela Books welcomes submissions of unpublished, full-length manuscripts of poetry, prose, and multi-genre works that challenge and expand on the potential for poetic form, language, and process. We have a policy of publishing work by new and upcoming poets as well as that of established poets. Poetry in translation and work by underrepresented and emerging writers is especially welcome.
We are open for submissions of poetry manuscripts in February and in August each year.
Include a cover note stating the titles of the manuscript, your name, your email and few sentences describing the manuscript.
Send completed manuscripts only to carabelabooks@gmail.com
We plan to select 2-3 manuscripts in each submission period.
Please read our FAQs before submitting.
Response time is 2-4 months for queries and proposals and 3-6 months for manuscripts.
Any questions, please write via email or use the Contact Form on the contact page of the website.
​
Frequently Asked Questions
​
May I submit more than one manuscript?
Yes, but a second submission should be accompanied by a payment fee of 50 Euro.
May I include poems from a previously published book?
Yes, you may.
Are there any topics you are not interested in?
We are not interested in religious poetry, reprints and/or posthumous collections.
Should at least 25% of the poems in the manuscript have been previously published?
Preferably yes. Becoming a poet, getting published, using social media and building a readership help in getting professional reviews of your books.
Do you advertise your books?
We use social media to publicize books. Our advertising budget is small, but we are always on the watch for opportunities to promote your book.
Am I expected to give readings?
Readings are one of the main opportunities for your book to sell. We expect our poets to actively seek out readings.
What should I take into consideration while submitting to Carabela Books?
Please do read and follow the guidelines. A common mistake is the poor organization of the poems.
Why do you ask for a short description of my manuscript?
We want to know if you know what your collection is about. If the statement is disorganized, your manuscript may lack focus and it is possible that your collection is not yet ready for submission.
Do you provide feedback?
Sometimes, but not always. If a manuscript is close to be selected for publication, it is likely we will contact you with feedback. It is not possible for us to offer at length critique. If you are unwilling to accept editorial feedback, this is probably not the publishing house for you.
Follow us: