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Issue 15 Is Out!

The 15th issue of Heart of Flesh is here!

Cover art: Prophet Elijah by Jésica Frustaci.

Enter Issue 15

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Note from the Editor

Prayer Warrior II (2025) by Veronica McDonald.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
– Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)

Waiting is hard. But, hard or not, when you’re a Christian, waiting on God is just a part of everyday life. In fact, it is a crucial part. Even as a God-fearing woman, there have been innumerable times when I knew what I wanted and I wanted it now, with all the patience of Veruca Salt (can I get an “Amen” from my impatient people?). But waiting reminds us of several important truths: 1) you are not in control – God is; 2) you do not know what’s best – God does; 3) God is not a cosmic genie here to grant all your wishes. He’s your Heavenly Father. He can tell you no. He can tell you it’s not the right time. And – while it pleases Him to give you your heart’s desires – His goal is to shape you to become more like Christ. And so, examine yourself and ask, will you stop loving God if your hopes have not yet become reality? If your prayers remain unanswered, if you can’t feel His presence, if longing has turned to weariness in the depths of your bones, will you stop loving Him? Stop following Him? Stop believing in who He is? These are the questions He will sometimes challenge us with. There are times when we hope and we long and we wait, and nothing seems to change. But when that happens, think of Jesus asleep in the boat while his disciples encountered the storm. Think of how they shook him, asking, “Teacher, do you not care (…)?” And remember – after He calms the storm – what He says to them in response: “Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:38-39)

In Issue 15, our writers have experienced hope deferred. Many in this issue display discouragement as they wait on God and wrestle with the purpose of the suffering and intense longing in their lives. Here you’ll find poets who yearn for lost innocence and for the Eden-like state of heaven. You’ll find storytellers who wrestle with unanswered prayers of having children or a spouse. Others long for rest, and for freedom from worry, from mental anguish, and from the consequences of sin. The writers and characters here give a sense that they are holding their breath, waiting and watching for God. But while some let their hearts grow weary, many cling desperately to the source of their hope, to the One who will sooner or later plant the tree of life in their barren soil. Through the cracks, and the doubts, and the sicknesses of heart, these writers will show you Jesus – His goodness, His love, and the abundant hope we have in Him.

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Read my Poem “Windchimes” Published on Altered Reality Magazine

Hello! Recently I was lucky enough to have my poem “Windchimes” published by Altered Reality last week.

This was one of the first horror poems I had written after a long absence from poetry. I started writing poetry again back in the beginning of 2024. The women I was dating at the time was a poet, and she often would send poems for me to read. At the time I was still thinking I could only do one thing as a writer, like self-publish fiction. That isn’t true. You can be varied. You get to practice your craft on multiple highways.

Anyways, she was curious about my poetry, or if I could even still write it. So, as it happens that sometimes men are simply motivated by women, I decided to try my hand at it, and poetry clicked again after about a decade of absence.

“Windchimes” is about a group of monsters in a haunted forest who hang windchimes in the trees to warn people travelling through that they are there, and that the woods is dangerous. It is about how evil attempts to warn you about its intentions, so you avoid it. Or at least you would try It focuses on how frustrated the evil entities are with this paradox. I love this poem, and I’m happy to see it has a home.

You can read it right here.

Also, Altered Reality is an excellent publication. Please take some time to explore its various voices. You can find it right here.

Thanks for reading!

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Read my Poems Published by Horrific Scribblings

Pretty straightforward blog post today. I was fortunate enough for Horrific Scribblings an excellent literary magazine to accept and publish three of my poems recently in one of their issues.

All three poems followed the same theme of horrific cultural folklore. The collection was titled: “Stones, Bridges, and Blades: Three Poems of Legend and Lore.”

You can read all three of them right here

Like I said above, there are three poems in all.

One poem is about Medusa, and the POV of the statues in her acropolis of terror. I love that I’ve been wanting an excuse to use the word ‘acropolis’ and I made a poem for the occasion.

The second poem is about a troll who cannot stand any sound. I’ve wanted to use a pickling mechanic in my creature design, and this poem has it. Very disturbing.

The third poem is what attracted this lit magazine to my voice initially, and its about the relationship between a warrior and his haunted sword. How a hunger for violence can spread to inanimate objects, and be mutually beneficial.

Besides my poetry, you really should just read this lit magazine in general. They have amazing content, and if you like horror or write it, this is a must of a destination. I’ve highly enjoyed what I’ve digested from Horrific Scribblings. Very honored that they took a chance on my voice.

You can find the main page right here

Thank you for the support everyone!

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