Cholla Needles is a nonprofit supported by private donations that publishes a monthly literary magazine and books by desert-inspired writers. Cholla Needles hosts literary events, offers mentoring and workshops for writers of all ages, provides free access to its poetry, prose, and art library by appointment, and partners with community organizations to promote the arts.

Their monthly print publication focuses on the work of ten poets as well as accompanying photography and/or artwork. Contributors to the newest issue (111) include James Marvelle, Bonnie Bostrom, Rick Adang, Sarah Marie, Duane Anderson, Arvilla Fee, Patty Prewitt, Francene Kaplan, Barry Kritzberg, and J. Malcolm Garcia, with cover and inside photos by Kim Martin.

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Founded in 2016 in Joshua Tree, Cholla Needles publishes monthly issues showcasing ten writers in depth, including international voices and translations. The magazine focuses on established and emerging writers who have a distinctive voice and communicate well with readers. The January 2026 issue features works by Jason Jones, Arvilla Fee, Marlene M. Tartaglione, Bonnie Bostrom, Duane Anderson, Joseph Hutchison, Christien Gholson, Zita Murányi, Royal Rhodes, Justin Hollis, J. Malcolm Garcia, David Larsen, and Jonathan Ferrini. Cholla Needles is open year-round to submissions of poetry, short stories, creative essays, art and photographs.

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Discover loads more great lit mags with our Guide to Literary Magazines, Big List of Literary Magazines, and Big List of Alternative Magazines. If you are a publication looking to be listed in our monthly roundup or featured on our blog and social media, please contact us.

Established in 2016 in Joshua Tree, CA by r soos, Cholla Needles celebrates its 100th Issue Anniversary this March 2025. Cholla Needles selects ten to twelve writers for each monthly issue to give the reader a full taste of each writer. In addition to these monthly issues, Cholla Needles publishes two youth (K-12) issues per year. Contributors come from around the globe and regularly include works in translations.

Opening this celebratory issue, Editor r soos comments, “I am often asked how I keep the pace up. The people you read in this issue supply several answers. First, of course, is because I love poets and poetry. But that alone does not answer the question. So, the very same writers you are reading in this issue supply the answer. I cannot, all by my lonesome, keep up the pace. The ten writers in this issue have all edited issues of Cholla Needles on a voluntary basis, and some of them two and three times. They offer me the break I need to take a breath and find time away from the desk. I thank them all for the opportunity AND I thank them all for their professionalism in keeping our literary standards high.”

The editors/writers featured in this issue include Cynthia Anderson, David Chorlton, Tobi Alfier, Juan Delgado, Miriam Sagan, Michael Dwayne Smith, Romaine Washington, John Brantingham, Cati Porter, and Bonnie Bostrom.

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Discover loads more great lit mags with our Guide to Literary Magazines, Big List of Literary Magazines, and Big List of Alternative Magazines. If you are a publication looking to be listed in our monthly roundup or featured on our blog and social media, please contact us.

Hailing from Cholla Needles Arts & Literary Library in Joshua Tree, California, Cholla Needles is a monthly print literary magazine publishing both established and emerging writers and artists whose distinctive voices and perspectives draw readers in to enjoy experiencing art, photography, and poetry. The newest issue (80) features beautifully mesmerizing cover artwork by Douglas A. Blanc welcoming readers into the issue filled with contributions from Douglas A. Blanc, Rose Baldwin, Brian Harman, Bruno Talerico, Yuan Changming, Duane Anderson, James Marvelle, Roger G. Singer, Terry Firkins, Todd Shimoda, and Jonathan Ferrini.

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Issue 79 of Cholla Needles from Joshua Tree, California, features an exciting cover by young artist Lily M. Capra. The magical words within are by Bonnie Bostrom, Ron Riekki, Joy Gaines-Friedler, Christien Gholson, Miriam Sagan, David Chorlton, lalo kikiriki, J. David Rawn, James Marvelle, Johnny Kovatch, and Bobby Norman. Cholla Needles publishes monthly and therefore has rolling submission deadlines with editors who favor established and emerging writers with distinctive voices that communicate well with readers.

To find more great reading, visit the NewPages Guide to Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Alternative Magazines, and the NewPages Guide to Publications for Young Writers. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date!

Issue 78 of Cholla Needles is edited by Juan Delgado. Thomas McGovern photographed the cover and is featured throughout the issue. The twelve writers who appear in this issue are Dana Burton, Paul Marion, Craig Svonkin, Ellsworth Scott, Danny Romero, André Katkov, Micah Tasaka, Christopher Buckley, Ernesto Trejo, Shawn Levy, C. Mikal Oness, and Gina Hanson. Juan Delgado joins a distinguished group of guest editors who are helping to keep Cholla Needles vital and fresh: David Chorlton, Cynthia Anderson, John Brantingham, and Gabriel Hart. Juan Delgado and Thomas McGovern previously collaborated on the beautiful poetry/photography collection entitled Vital Signs.

To find more great reading, visit the NewPages Guide to Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Alternative Magazines, and the NewPages Guide to Publications for Young Writers. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date!

Young Writers and Artists 2023 from Cholla Needles is the eighth edition in this series. The editors write, “We deeply thank the students for taking their time to create and share the wonderful work you’ll find within these pages. And, of course, all of this would be meaningless without you, the reader. We are blessed to continue a great relationship with the Mojave Desert Land Trust to have these special youth issues appear twice a year. Mary Cook-Rhyne leads the educational arm of MDLT and has created curriculum and classroom units available to teachers of all grade levels that explain the uniqueness of the Mojave Desert with age-appropriate activities.”

To find more great reading, visit the NewPages Guide to Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Alternative Magazines, and the NewPages Guide to Publications for Young Writers. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date!

The newest issue of Cholla Needles (74) features inspiring artwork by Nancy Brizendine and life-affirming words by Dorianne Laux, Joseph Millar, Domonique, Zary Fakete, Miriam Sagan, Roger G. Singer, Ruth Ann Dandrea, Kent Wilson, Jeffrey Alfier, Peter Nash, and Jonathan Ferrini.

To find more great reading, visit the NewPages Guide to Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Literary Magazines, the NewPages Big List of Alternative Magazines, and the NewPages Guide to Publications for Young Writers. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up to date!

Based out of Joshua Tree, California, and edited by r soos, Cholla Needles is a unique celebration of poetry that highlights ten writers each month, offering readers several works by each, divided into individual “chapbooks” within the print publication. In this newest issue, readers can explore the works of Juan Delgado, Bettina T. Barrett, Bray McDonald, Cati Porter, Fernando Fidanza, Kathy French, Michale H. Brownstein, Tobi Alfier, Mark T. Evans, Marlene M. Tartaglione, and Roger G. Singer. (Okay, this month had 11 poets – bonus!) Cover image by Kathy French. Cholla Needles also provides monthly readings and other events in their area. A true literary boon!

Started in 2017, Cholla Needles is one of those quiet little lit mags that, to see it sitting on a coffee table could not even begin to speak for all it represents. A non-profit located in Joshua Tree, California, Cholla Needles publishes monthly in print using a unique format. Each issue is comprised of ten “chapbooks” divided by “covers” – an author photo as the front and an art photo as the back. They also publish books by writers featured in the journal who do not yet have a publisher. Cholla Needles publishes poetry, short stories, creative essays, art, and photography by local and visiting writers “who love the desert.” Cholla Needles also partners with local bookstores and community organizations (like the Joshua Tree Folk Center) to host monthly literary events, offers mentoring, workshops, and publishing activities for writers of all ages, and maintains a poetry, prose, and art library. They recently participated in their community’s NEA Big Read for the fourth year by handing out free copies of the journal. They also work with young writers, publishing a local-only journal twice a year. If there was a dream world for a lit mag, being part of a vibrant literary community and helping make it all happen, it would be Cholla Needles.