Cactus Heart: Spiny, succulent words

A guest post by Sara Rauch for the Creative Harvest series

Words. Spiny, succulent, sharp, relentless, daring, beautiful words.

I’ve been in love with words for as long as I can remember. And so I’ve built a life around them—studying writing as an undergraduate, pursuing an MFA, sending work out and getting published, working for a independent book press for six years. I believe in many things, find beauty in many places, and none more strongly than words—so many of us are writers, artists, creatives—and despite what people may say, reading is not on the decline, and writers continue on, despite so many rejections and other reasons not to.

I’m constantly inspired by others’ words: poetry, novels, songs. Creativity helps us survive and thrive—as individuals and as a culture. Without art, we are nothing. As a writer, I know how important it is to be heard, to feel a part of a community. There are plenty of literary journals out there, but there’s always a place for more—always space for more creativity, always more need to display how brilliantly talented we artists are.

And so I founded Cactus Heart, a literary magazine. Its tagline—”spiny exterior, succulent interior”—encapsulates my vision of good writing and art. It stings and it’s vulnerable. It lures and keeps at a distance. It evokes fascination and thrives in the most difficult environments. It is dramatic and unexpected and perfectly marries form and function.

The premier issue is a full-color PDF—100+ pages of amazing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, book reviews, photography and art—and there will be approximately 6 e-issues released each year. I received submissions from all over the world, words poured in, waiting to be heard. Narrowing down the choices included in Issue #1 was tough—there were many great pieces that I just didn’t have room to include. But there’s always Issue #2 and beyond! There is also a plan to expand to print in 2013.

A big part of being a writer and artist is being seen and heard. Everywhere I look I see creative people making art and looking for a place to show that work. Cactus Heart is my small way of joining the conversation about literature—and I feel blessed to live a life so saturated with words. Cactus Heart‘s exists as a showcase for literature and art, to build a new community where creativity thrives.

Issue #1 is now on sale, and you can buy a copy here. Roots of She readers get a discount of $2 using the code ROOTS at checkout. And submissions are now open for Issue #2. I hope you’ll join our new community, and bring excitement, wonder, and beauty along!

Sara Rauch believes in simplicity, fresh air, and kale, and is a writer, feminist, and coffee-lover.

Her writing has appeared in Earth’s Daughters, The Black Boot, The Q Review, Inkwell, and in the anthology Dear John, I Love Jane.

She lives in Northampton, Mass., with her partner and their four fat cats, where she is working on her MFA and her first novel.

Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter: @CactusHeartP