In June 2026, I was announced as one of five short listed poets for the position of Isle of Wight Poet Laureate. I'm utterly delighted and deeply honoured to be short listed, and I'm looking forward to the next stage of the selection process, which involves each poet writing a poem about an Isle of Wight town. Those poems will then be published on social media and in the local newspaper, and the public can then vote for their favourite. In October 2026, at Quay Arts in Newport, there will be a ceremony in which the poet selected for the role will be revealed.
In 2025, I was commissioned by the Isle of Wight National Landscape to produce a piece of writing for their Nature Calling: Absorb and Respond project. You can find the poetry collection I produced, titled 'Exploring Bouldnor Forest' here: https://isleofwight-nl.org.uk/2025/11/25/exploring-bouldnor-forest-a-poetic-journey-by-kathryn-rossati/
Additionally, I also wrote an essay in three poems for the project, titled 'Reflections on Accessing Nature from a Neurodivergent and Disabled Perspective', which you can find here: https://isleofwight-nl.org.uk/2025/12/01/reflections-on-accessing-nature-from-a-neurodivergent-and-disabled-perspective/
Additionally, I also wrote an essay in three poems for the project, titled 'Reflections on Accessing Nature from a Neurodivergent and Disabled Perspective', which you can find here: https://isleofwight-nl.org.uk/2025/12/01/reflections-on-accessing-nature-from-a-neurodivergent-and-disabled-perspective/
Naturally Nic/k was recently shortlisted in the 2025 Rubery Book Award's Children's and YA category. Here's a article from a local news outlet with the full story: www.islandecho.co.uk/isle-of-wight-author-kathryn-rossati-shortlisted-for-rubery-book-award/