ABOUT THE BOOK
Shelter
‘Shelter lights up moments in a woman’s life. The moments are from childhood, from Scotland, from now, from yesterday, from Japan, from India, from Kāpiti and always from the heart. Kirsten’s poems are open, undefended, lyrical, grounded in nature, sensual, sexy, sweet, wry and occasionally bitter. And just by the way, Shelter contains the best poem about sex that I have ever read.’
Lynn Jenner, author of Peat, Lost and Gone Away and Dear Sweet Harry.
Recent Reviews
One of the top ten poetry collections of 2021, the New Zealand Listener
“poems represent the huts where we go for respite…”
Tim Saunders, Landfall Review Online
“A very impressive debut.”
Nicholas Reid, The New Zealand Listener
“…a quiet master of the prose poem.”
Sophie van Waardenberg, Academy of New Zealand Literature
“it was the poems about sex and love that really stood out for me…”
Tim Jones, Tim Jones Books
About Kirsten
Kirsten Le Harivel is a poet and fiction writer based on the Kāpiti Coast of Aotearoa.
Her debut poetry collection Shelter came out in 2021 with The Cuba Press. She has published work in journals such as Sport, Turbine: Kapohau, Snorkel and The 4th Floor.
She works in the creative writing sector, curating and programming creative writing courses, workshops and retreats in-person and online.
She is the founder of Writers Practice, set up to provide craft, community and conversation for writers across Aotearoa through a range of retreats, workshops, journal and other learning opportunities.
She also programs professional development events for the NZSA Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa including live web workshops, online learning and in-person conferences.
She grew up in Scotland to English, French and Scottish parents and moved to Aotearoa as a teenager.
Appearances
Famdamily: Meowing Part 2 launch, 7 Sep 2023.
The Cuba Press Poets come to Charles Fleming, 21 Mar 2023.
Feature Poet at Poetry on the Coast, Open Mic, 7 Mar 2023.
Writers Round Table on Japan, ANZL, 2 Mar 2023.
Pukapuka Talks digital performance, Nelson Arts Festival, Oct 2022.
Hear Me Roar, Featherston Booktown, 11 Jun, 2022.
Writing Home, Friends of the Kāpiti Coast Libraries, 3 Apr, 2022.
Recent Published Work
‘Washing the Dishes’ in ‘Found In Translation‘ in At the Bay | Te Kokoru, August 2023.
Several poems translated as part of Taste of Clouds: NZ Writers Encounter Japan, Sept 2022.
‘From one migrant to another’ selected for Best Small Fictions 2022, Sept 2022.
‘Silver darlings circle’ in Love in the Time of Covid: A Chronicle of a Pandemic, Mar 2022.
Get in touch
About anything to do with creative writing! I’m available to present, teach or programme creative writing events in-person and online and always open to new collaborations and opportunities. Connect with me on Instagram @kleharivel.
Kirsten Le Harivel 
