SPIRIT GUIDES

Animals, Ancestors & the Voices Between 

Priority Reading Period: December 15 – January 15
General Submission Window: April 1 – June 30, 2026
Genres: Spiritual fiction, magical realism, ancestral narratives

Priority Submissions (Jan–March)

Writers who submit during the Priority Reading Period receive:

• Priority consideration

• A brief editorial note (75–150 words)
  offering insight into strengths and areas of potential

• A guaranteed response time of 3 weeks
  (from the date of submission)
  These notes are not full critiques, but reflect our genuine engagement with your work.

Prizes

Grand Prize — $100

Awarded to one piece from any category. The winner receives:

• $100 cash prize

• Lead placement in the anthology

• Featured author spotlight in the introduction

• Automatic nominations for Best Small Fictions, the Pushcart Prize, and other annual anthologies (where eligible)

Category Winners — $25 each

One winner selected from each category (Omens, Visitations, Ritual Stories, Triptych) will receive:

• $25 prize

• Highlighted placement in their section

• Mention in the anthology introduction

Honorable Mentions

Publication + listing in contributor notes.

Categories

Omens (5–7–5 Haiku)

Small but potent spiritual signs or encounters. Haiku rooted in land, animal presence, intuition, or sudden spiritual awareness. Up to three haiku per submission.

Visitations (<750 words)

Moments where the veil thins and something crosses — ancestors, animals, spirits, dreams, visions, or uncanny instincts. Brief but resonant spiritual encounters.

Ritual Stories (750–3,000 words)

Fully shaped narratives grounded in spiritual presence, ancestral memory, transformation, or land-based meaning. Stories with voice, arc, and mythic depth.

Triptych (Optional)

Three interconnected spiritual movements or perspectives, up to 5,000 total words. Ideal for layered visions, mirrored encounters, or multi-angle ancestral threads.

What We Want

Stories where the natural and supernatural meet — animal guides, ancestral voices, dreams, omens, visions, shapeshifting, intuition, and land-based wisdom.
We’re drawn to work that feels guided, visited, accompanied, or transformed.
Pieces rooted in cultural memory, mythic imagination, and the long echo of ancestry are especially welcome.

Cultural Integrity

Indigenous stories must come from Indigenous authors writing from their own lived culture and experience. This includes all cultural teachings, cosmologies, and practices tied to specific communities.

How to Submit

Click the Submit button below to reach our Duosoma portal.
Upload your work as a Word document or PDF.
All submissions must be sent through the Duosoma form linked below.