about Calla Press, the Literary Journal
WHO WE ARE
We publish articles on faith, poetry, prose, essays, flash fiction, short fiction, and book excerpts. Max is 5,000 WC per literary genre.
As of August 2026, we are open for online literary submissions only. We are currently not accepting entries for a print journal at this time. Please subscribe to know when we do open for a print journal!
Please fill out our Formester form here to apply and submit your work. Entries submitted by any other means will be overlooked. Thank you for understanding. Please wait two weeks before submitting new work. Simultaneous submissions welcome. Please expect to wait one to two months before hearing back about the status of your submission.
Welcome to Calla Press
Calla Press began in 2017, when our founder first started publishing others' work on her website. In 2019, that early collection of writing evolved into an online literary journal through Issuu every year thereafter, laying the foundation for what would become Calla Press.
The journal soon expanded into an annual print publication. You can find our published journals online.
Today, Calla Press is an established literary journal publishing work submitted online on a rolling basis. We remain committed to creating a thoughtful, lasting space for writers and their work.
Articles
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Advent Candles by Claire Barham
We gather around the table with full bellies from our warm December dinner and turn off the lights so that darkness falls around us. A tiny flicker illuminates the air around a pink candle, an...
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Cultivating a Heart for Emmanuel by DM Bucher
Family traditions, expectations, and commitments overshadow the simple Christmas story. I remember many years of Christmases appearing more like a blur than an actual celebration. Each year I de...
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The irony of the close relationship between the words “hospitality” and “hospital” strikes me each time I think of it. Hospitality reminds me of peonies and duvets and sun-kissed leaves; hospita...
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Mary, Martha, and My Holiday Kitchen by Carlene Hill Byron
That Mary and Martha story can be so frustrating. Martha is busy in the kitchen. Mary is hanging out with Jesus. Martha wants her sister’s help. And Jesus says no. According to Jesus, Mary’s got...
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Press Pause by Merideth Tullous
We live in an age of fast-forwarding. When we watch a show, we can choose the one, two, or three-arrow setting of fast-forwarding. On some streaming devices, there is even a four-arrow option. W...
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Mercy; The Love Story by Anne Blanchette
Annie Spratt God loved a boy, and that boy could not comprehend. The darkness blinded him and consumed his every sense, but there would come a day, a day of amends. As that day drew ne...
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