Indie Presses: Beyond the Veil Press
Beyond the Veil Press is an international publisher of poetry and art for mental health awareness. They’re based in Tennessee and Colorado and are queer and ally owned. Beyond The Veil was created by two friends (Sarah Herrin and Josiah Callaway) who share a passion for mental health awareness and the supernatural. As art school graduates (majoring in Sequential Art a.k.a. comic books) their belief in the combined power of art and words is their driving force. They think the beauty and delicacy of illustration only amplify the brevity and impact of poetry. After working together on multiple projects for over a decade, Sarah and Josiah noticed the lack of cross-genre poetry publishers and decided to create their own press mid-pandemic, in 2021. Their goal is to amplify the healing power of art as well as words, and to promote mental health awareness through sharing the struggles and the hope of artists and writers alike.
What are the top three things you look for in a submission, and why?
At Beyond The Veil, we love all things spooky, blurring boundaries, and shedding light on the mysterious unknown. We seek to incorporate themes of the paranormal & supernatural in our work, both visually and emotionally. We are strong advocates of Mental Health Awareness and donate a percentage of profits to mental health non-profits. This is because we are both intimately familiar with depression and anxiety; how it affects us personally and those around us. Mental health can be a struggle. We want work that embraces that struggle, the darkness, the fear, so that we can remind others they’re not alone. We also love Halloween and all things spooky.
What is your submission process like?
We announce submissions on Instagram first and publish bi-annual anthologies (November & TBD) of poetry and art that focus on mental health awareness. We have two submissions windows per year. There is no entry fee. You can submit up to 3 poems, 3 pieces of artwork, or 2 pages of flash fiction/non-fiction. When you submit your work, please include a 50-100 word bio and short paragraph on why you are submitting it to us.
What turns you off a submission and why?
We prefer work with passion, that’s been revised and worked on, and artwork that is a little on the creepy side. Please take the time to write a short note to us about why you’re submitting and what your work is about. It’s just polite. Also, please put your name on your work.
What advice would you give writers trying to publish with you, and why?
Read, read, read. Revise and revise. Attend workshops and readings. When I first started writing poetry, I didn’t know any better. Learn from other poets' work as much as you can.
What have been some high points of running a literary magazine, and why?
The best part of working on our first anthology was reading how much it meant to people to share their work under the mental health label. Just reading through the submissions was healing for me, so I know the books are going to make a big impact. It’s a really touching collection that we all need right now.
What is your comment on the future of poetry publishing?
From what I see, everyone is going indie. Submit to big names, ask your friends to publish you. Self-publish. It doesn’t matter. Just get your work out there. We need your words and your art.
What motivates you as an Editor, and why?
We wanted to see something that didn’t exist, so we created it. Illustrated art and poetry together can be deeply cathartic and inspiring. We hope to achieve that.
What upcoming projects can we look forward to, and why?
Our first book, Anti/Muse, is a collection of poems with illustrations leading the story. It was funded by Kickstarter, but we hope to have a few extras. It’s a beautiful collection dealing with loss and grief, rage and resilience. Our first anthology THERE IS A MONSTER INSIDE THAT I AM LEARNING TO LOVE will be published on November 15th and will be full of incredibly brave poems, stories, and art on mental health. Our art editor is also putting together a monster colouring book.
What was the last book you read for fun, and why?
I’m usually studying poetry and self-help books - ha! But I really enjoy memoirs, usually of other writers. Ghost Songs is about a woman whose parents committed suicide. She keeps seeing their ghosts and trying to cope. Perfect for Halloween season.