Hello and Welcome!
Who are we here for?
We are here for writers, artists, poets, astrologers, fellow queers and they/thems, witches, tarot readers, herbalists, librarians. People who hope. People who believe in equity and freedom; people who experience this world as an enspirited place and see humanity as inseparable from nature. Also, readers. Readers of fiction, poetry, occult books, queer books, fantasy, sci-fi, literature, creative essays, and sociology.
About The Heartsong Reivew
The Heartsong Review is an online literary space entwining poetry with prose in a weave of art, society, and occult themes. We are an inclusive group primarily here for new and emerging writers as well as creative folk who value being in community.
We offer a supportive point of entry to meet fellow creatives and to gather confidence and grow in skill and wisdom alongside a community of peers similarly navigating the literary and publishing worlds. The Heartsong Review includes an online writing group and optional writing practice exercises for subscribers.
Open for submissions and available to our free subscribers and all our visitors, there are currently four literary sections that feature works of creative nonfiction, poetry, book reviews, and short stories, each with a unique focus in the foreground, yet integrating elements of the other three in the background to give thematic cohesion across the whole. Think melodies and harmonies and you’ve got the idea.
❏ The Chorus
Online writing group
❏ Field Rhapsodies
Lyric essays and creative nonfiction
❏ Swaying Lightning
Poetry and literature reviews
❏ Bewitcheries
Writings on tarot, occult books, and the Mighty Dead
❏ Starling Murmurations
Sociological themes such as culture, power, race, gender, ethnicity, class, and agency
Paywall Policy and Why You Want to Subscribe
All articles posted on this site will have a generous preview window that fully allows free subscribers to view the published piece.
Behind the paywall there will be an additional section of thought provoking questions, suggested readings, writing exercises, and writing prompts to inspire and support participating paid subscribers in the development of their own writing practice.
Paid subscribers will also have access to the group chat thread for The Chorus, our online writing group.
Additionally, the more subscribers The Heartsong Review has, the more funding it has, and the more funding it has, the more paid writer contributions it can support publishing. Eventually, funded growth leads to an expanded publishing team, a print magazine, chapbooks, and anthologies.
Having said that, if you want access to the material behind the paywall and/or you want to join The Chorus, but you cannot afford a paid subscription, email me at theheartsongreview@substack.com asking to be added to the comp list. No questions asked, no explanations needed. We are happy to have you with us.
General Submissions
Send The Heartsong Review your lyric essays, creative nonfiction, poetry reviews, literature reviews, musings on tarot and occult books, and writings of any kind with sociological themes such as culture, power, race, gender, ethnicity, class, and agency. Writers will receive $25 per piece on acceptance. The Heartsong Review will have First North American Serial Rights only, meaning the right to publish your piece once with your name and a short bio. Thank you for your interest.
We do not accept work created by AI.
Where can we find you on social media?
We are currently in an exploratory phase with social media having decided not to maintain a Twitter profile or a Facebook page at this time. We have set up a Post profile out of curiosity. We do not anticipate using these sites often, but may on occasion update them. If you are there, we’d love for you to find us.
We post regularly at BookWyrm, a genuinely warm and friendly place to be for lovers of books.
You will find me posting as myself, Grace Greggory Hughes, at Threads and in the Fediverse.
About the Founder and Managing Editor
Grace Greggory Hughes is an emerging writer and poet. Their work has previously appeared in The Bayou Review. Their occupations have been varied and numerous and include things like library clerk, paralegal, museum host and guide, tarot consultant, archivist, translator, technical editor, technical writer, and ghost writer. They are currently thriving as a non-traditional student in full time education.
They are mother to two adult sons and one teenage son.
They have never known a time when they were not reading.
