Publications

Works in Progress

  • The Witches of Benevento (poetry & creative non-fiction collection).
    A collection grounded in on-site familial research in Benevento, Italy, drawing on archival work tracing maternal ancestral narratives in dialogue with the goddess Isis, whose worship shaped Southern Italian folklore. Excerpts have appeared in The Georgia Review.
    Projected submission for publication: 2027.

  • The Witchcraft We Need (essay collection).
    Develops witchcraft as a critical framework, combining autotheory with archival research to illuminate silences in the historical record. Excerpts have appeared in Feminist Studies and Working Titles.
    Projected submission for publication: 2027.

Books

Chapbooks

Anthologized Work

  • “After the Crotalus atrox.” The Sonoran Desert: A Literary Field Guide, edited by Christopher Cokinos and Eric Magrane, with illustrations by Paul Mirocha. University of Arizona Press, 2018, pp. 174–176.

Creative Publications

  • “Stray Dogs.” The Georgia Review, Winter Issue, 2025.

  • “Of Zombies, Wolves, Girls, and Holes.” Entropy Magazine, February 2019.

  • “The Length of this Gap.” Macaroni Necklace Magazine, Issue #5, March 2016.

  • “from in the away time.” Bombay Gin Journal, no. 42, February 2016,

  • “Some [tiny] examples….” The Writer in the World Journal, March 2015.

  • “from in the away time.” Cutbank Journal, June 2014.

  • “from in the away time.” The Feminist Wire, April 2014.

  • “a selected catalog of my altar from left to right.” The Feminist Wire, April 2013.

  • “a selected catalog of my altar from left to right.” Jupiter 88, July 2013.

  • “An Excerpt from Write, Dad.” The Volta, October 2012.

  • “After the Crotalus atrox,” Spiral Orb Journal, April 2012.

  • "This is (not) real life." The Dictionary Project, April 2012.

  • “Red Leather.” Glitter Tongue Journal, February 2012.

  • “Home, still.” Everyday Genius, January 2012.

  • "Four Poems: ‘Song of Praise: Him One–Three’ and ‘Yvette.’" Dinosaur Bees, Summer 2011.

  • “Ghosty,” Drunken Boat Journal, Spring Edition 2010.

  • “Two Poems: ‘Princess’ and ‘Lagrimas.’” Tarpaulin Sky Journal, Winter 2008|09.

  • “Five Poems: ‘Button,’ ‘Sprite,” ‘Blanket,’ ‘Addict,’ and ‘Musician.’” Trickhouse Journal, Fall 2008.

  • “Blueprint/Cyanotype.” In Posse Review, Spring 2008.

  • “Dia de los Muertos, 2006.” Quarter After Eight Journal, vol. 14, 2007.

  • “The Bridge Above Snake Hill.” you are here journal, Summer 2007.

  • “Whoosh Whoosh.” Cranky Literary Journal, Summer 2007.

  • “Two Poems: ‘For the Fat Lady’ and ‘Beethoven.’” Quilt Journal, Summer 2000.

Peer-reviewed Articles and Book Chapters

  • “Body as Citational Source: M. Nourbese Philip, Saidiya Hartman, and the Queen of Wands.” Reclaiming Creative Critical Ancestors, Edited by Thaïs Miller, Bloomsbury, forthcoming 2028.

  • “D_FIN_NG  W_TCHCR_FT” Working Titles, Spell Check: Spiritualism, Shamanism, Sorcery & the Reincarnation of the Occult in Dark Times,Issue No. 3/2025, October 2025, pp. 7–20.

  • “Fleshing the Archive of Witches: A Creative/Critical Case Study of Somatic Synecdoche.” Feminist Studies,Special Double Issue: Autotheory/Autoethnography, Volume 49, Number 2–3, December 2023, pp. 421–441.

Reviews

  • “Review of Re– by Kristi Maxwell.” The Denver Quarterly, October 2012.

Print Interview

  • “Profiles in Poetics & Linguistics: Kristen E. Nelson (II).” Interviewed by Jillian Mukavetz. Women’s Quarterly Conversation, March 2025.

  • “Poet’s Corner: Kristen E. Nelson.” Interviewed by TC Tolbert. University of Arizona Poetry Center Series, 1508, December 2018.

  • “Feminists We Love: Kristen E. Nelson.” Interviewed by TC Tolbert. Feminist Wire, May 2013.

  • “Profiles in Poetics & Linguistics: Kristen E. Nelson.” Interviewed by Jillian Mukavetz. Women’s Quarterly Conversation, June 2012.

  • “A Free House in the Sun: Tucson’s Casa Libre en la Solana.” Interviewed by Readings & Workshops Blog Staff Writer. Poets & Writers, December 2011.

  • “TQ&A: Kristen Nelson.” Interviewed by Mari Herreras. Tucson Weekly, December 2011.

Television, Radio, and Podcast Interviews

  • “The Lives of Writers: Kristen E. Nelson.” Interviewed by Teresa Carmody. The Lives of Writers Podcast, June 2024.

  • “In Our Own Voices: Kristen E. Nelson.” Interviewed by TC Tolbert. KXCI Radio, Tucson, AZ, October 2019.

  • “Pima Community College: Community of Writers with Kristen E. Nelson.” Interviewed by Anthony Sovak. PCC TV, Tucson, AZ, September 2018.

  • “A Conversation with Tucson Poet Laureate, TC Tolbert.” KXCI Podcast, Tucson, AZ, October 2017.