Congratulations on launching Dulcet Literary Magazine a little over a month ago. My apologies for such a vague question to start, but—how’s it all going?

The movie, Field of Dreams comes to mind and the quote: “If you build it, they will come.” (Actually, I think the correct quote is he will come, but for this comparison to land correctly here, it needs to be they.) We’ve had over 1,800 submissions in four short weeks. I’m grateful for writers’/artists’ early trust in Dulcet as a new literary magazine and I want everyone reading this to know, your words and your art are in good hands. And I say this without a single doubt in my mind: we’re building something special.

You kept your identity, as the EIC, a little under wraps when you first launched the site. Was that intentional and if so, what was the reasoning behind it?

Ha, you noticed! Yes. I had a writer email and say that, even though Dulcet was “shrouded in mystery” (no masthead mentioned) he really liked the look and feel and still felt the pull to submit his work. And that’s exactly what I wanted — the magazine to stand alone setting the right tone and creating an authentic pull through its branding (mock cover designs, website images, social channels) and words (mission statement, call for specific submissions, theme). I really didn’t want the magazine to launch and be all about me as the EIC. I wanted the writing and art submitted to represent the writer/artist completely, not something tailored for me based on preconceived notions. And then, at the intersection of authentic art and Dulcet’s curated tone— that’s where the magic could happen. And it has.

It seems like the call for “hopeful” or “uplifting” pieces has struck a chord with writers and artists, resulting in—you mentioned—over 1,800 submissions for Dulcet’s inaugural issue. Why do you think that is?

I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the quantity and quality of the submissions. I also think our first theme, “moonglades: a reflective issue” can be taken pretty broadly. We’ve received a lot of stories and poems that mention the moon and then others that focus on reflections about the past, people, or situations. It’s been fun to see the range of interpretations of this theme.

Also, I believe there’s a real, important space for uplifting literature and art. And I want to be really clear here, “uplifting” doesn’t mean that pieces can’t be nuanced or complicated. I’m actually drawn to the complex pieces that tip-toe the line between darkness and light before ultimately leaning into the light. It’s nice when those layered pieces leave readers with a glimmer of hope— something good to think about or hold onto for a while. I don’t know, the world is so hostile and dark these days, I think “silver lining stories” are a necessity now more than ever to cut through the abundance of harsh noise and sing tunefully.

Speaking of tuneful, tone and music seem to be themes in the foundation of Dulcet. Can you speak to that? 

Yes, very much so. As a literary brand, we’ve been setting the tone with the right images on our website and mock covers, the right words and calls for submissions to attract the right stories and poems, and even music (on our social channels) to express the vibe of what we’re building. Dulcet issues are going to have a specific tone that is unique and a nod to our “uplifting” and “hopeful” branding. It’s been really fun to pull all these creative pieces — art, words, music, intention — and create the foundation for Dulcet Literary Magazine.

I like how you said literary brand. Dulcet does feel like a brand in some ways. Perhaps this is a good time to discuss your background. I know you’re an author with two published books, but you also have a marketing background? 

Yes, before I focused solely on my writing, I did marketing and branding for a long time. I think that’s why I wanted to create Dulcet Literary Magazine — a place where I could marry my business/marketing side and literary side. A magazine with beautiful aesthetics, thick with words of substance — my happy place.

It does seem like you have a history of marrying art mediums. Grace + Oak - your poetry and photography book for example. And I think the tag line for Dulcet says it best: Words + Art. What draws you to combining words and art? 

Absolutely. There’s a unique power when two art forms come together to create something new and exciting. If you have a dynamic short story or a powerful poem published next to a striking photograph or complex painting—that combination creates a big moment for the reader. Something that hopefully sticks to their bones and keeps them coming back to read the next issue.

What big-picture ideas do you have for Dulcet’s future?

I tend to dream big, so my mind is running *wild* with all the possibilities. But, if I had to just name a few things swirling around in my mind, I’d say…growing Dulcet to a point where we can pay contributors and staff, creating a passionate readership, pitching a Dulcet anthology (I think my agent might already know this pitch is coming- ha!), a TV series based on our top stories (why not), in-person events and readings, a book club, writing groups and classes. All these goals start with fostering a strong and supportive community, so that’s my number one goal right now. Good vibes only as we lay this foundation.

Dulcet is off to a powerful start. What changes, if any, will you make for the next round of submissions?

Our backend systems will be more streamlined. As much as I loved receiving over a thousand emails in just a few weeks (read: I did not), we’ll be transferring our submission process to Submittable.

Also, we are playing with the idea of accepting CNF pieces in the next issue. More to come on that soon. (And if you feel strongly that we should accept CNF, please email me and let me know). 

And I’m so happy to share that I’ve added four wonderful Associate Editors to the team: Anna Brunner, Sofia Mosqueda, Teatree Taylor, and Tyler Martinez. A strong team of talented volunteers dedicated to amplifying good writing and art – is there anything better than that?

So much more to come!