Unsettling Wonder

We have a new online journal with a fairy tale inspiration. You can read about Unsettling Wonder on its site, but I enjoyed the genesis story at the general editor's blog which you might not have as readily seen elsewhere. (I'm a few days late with the announcement.) Good luck to the publication and thank you to everyone making it happen. We can always enjoy an extra place to share fairy tale love.

From John Patrick Pazdziora's blog, The Paradoxes of Mr Pond:

Remember how I was doing a read-through of the Grimm’s Kinder- und Hausmarchen? Well, the new iteration of Unsettling Wonder is almost completely not at all like that. Except that I got the idea while I was doing the Grimm read through. There were all these strange and funny little tales that no one ever talks about, all these weird little folktale variants.

So I wanted to make a place where the more offbeat, less exploited tales could be re-discovered. And, as other friends and editors came on board, including my long-time blogalectic sparring partner, Jenna St. Hilaire, I thought—making this could be a lot of fun.

The new Unsettling Wonder is a publishing imprint of Papaveria Press that includes both an online journal and various print publications. It lives at www.unsettlingwonder.com, and the website will have not only the journal, but regular posts from the editors and guest writers about folklore and fairy tales—including artist and author interviews, book reviews, and so on.

As the marvellous Katherine Langrish, UW’s folktale editor I’m happy to say, wrote at her blog:

Unsettling Wonder has only just been born, and in the way of fairytale parents we, its founders, are still looking it proudly, scratching our heads and wondering what it will make of life. Has it been born in a caul, or under a lucky star? Will its godmother be the Fairy of Good Fortune, or the sinister black-cowled figure of La Muerte? Is it even a child, or just a bristly half-hedgehog? Anyway, do come to the christening!

And Unsettling Wonder is accepting submissions. Our first issue is themed on Wonder Voyages; you can find the formal call for papers here.

Summer 2011 Issue of Goblin Fruit

The latest issue of Goblin Fruit (Summer 2011) is now online for your reading pleasure. Of particular interest to readers here will be Post-Modern Cinderella by Seanan McGuire, who has become quite popular as the author of the October Daye series.

Also, for Little Mermaid enthusiasts, don't miss The Sea Witch Talks Show Business by Elizabeth R. McClellan.

Then there's A Shining Spindle Can Still Be Poisoned by Amanda C. Davis for those who like Sleeping Beauty.


And just to entice you even more, here is the table of contents for the issue:

Note from the Editors

A Silver Splendour, a Flame: Act I by Catherynne M. Valente

Where Is Apollo? by Liz Bourke

Said the Satyr to the Wood Nymph by Shawna Lenore Kastin

Coyote's Blues by Tala Eirsdottir

Cleaving by Brock Marie Moore

Eurydice Variations (2) by Kathryn Hinds

A Shining Spindle Can Still Be Poisoned by Amanda C. Davis

The Domestic Sundial by Nin Harris

Post-Modern Cinderella by Seanan McGuire

The Sea Witch Talks Show Business by Elizabeth R. McClellan

Pandora: An Afterthought by Kayleigh Ayn Bohémier

Eurydice Variations (4) by Kathryn Hinds

Love Song by Rosalind Casey

Freyja by Nina Pelaez

World's End by Becca de la Rosa

Scheherezade’s Bequest Issue 13

Scheherezade’s Bequest Issue 13 is now online for your reading convenience:

This issue of Scheherezade’s Bequest, with its companion updates from Cabinet des Fées, is being brought to you live from Deux-​​Sevrés, a place saturated in folklore and fairy tales. Situated in the Poitou-​​Charentes region of France, where the landscape alternates between agricultural patchworks and forested hills, Deux-​​Sevrés is home to the the 16th-​​century château d’Oiron (pictured below), where Charles Perrault based his story “Le Chat Botte” (Puss in Boots). Mêlusine, a European spirit of springs and rivers, created the city of Parthenay (located in the center of Deux-​​Sèvres) with a wave of her fairy wand. From the looks of this place, I’d say there are quite a lot of spirits still hard at work around here. The region also hosts the Angoulême Folklore Festival, where performers from all over the world gather to celebrate the traditions of their homelands amidst a bounty of wine and cheese.

It is with a celebratory spirit that we bring you this issue of Scheherezade’s Bequest — it is our 13th issue after all, and thirteen is a number of some import to fairy tales. In the Grimm’s version of Sleeping Beauty, it is the thirteenth fairy who curses the child Beauty after failing to receive an invitation to her christening. In another of the Grimm’s tales, The Twelve Brothers, it is the thirteenth child, the princess, who both seals her brothers’ fates and saves them from it. In the thirteenth issue of Scheherezade’s Bequest, trickster fairies come out in force. Mêlusine herself could be considered a trickster of sorts — you just know that when you tell someone not to do something, that’s the first thing they’re going to do. That’s trickery at its finest. The cover art we’ve chosen for this issue is called “Fighting Fairies II”, and we think it perfectly exemplifies the tricksy-​​ness of number 13, which contains 13 poems and stories we know will delight you.

And here is the Table of Contents:

Song Before a Quest by Megan Arkenberg

The Fear of Apples by Marta Pelrine-Bacon

In the Fey City by S. Brackett Robertson

Matryoshka by Robert E. Stutts

Fairy Tale Cursed by Alexandra Seidel

A Water Sine by Bruce Woods

Instructions for the Successful Maintenance of Foxglove Bakery by Caroline C. Duda

How to Flirt in Faerieland by C.S.E. Cooney

Apple Cake & Princess Charming by Julia August

A Fairy Tale Princess by Shweta Narayan

The Tall House of Mr. Fox By Caitlyn Paxson

The Robber King's Wife by Caspian Gray

Ribbon, bell by Helen Ogden

Exploring Tatterhood: Issue One of Demeter’s Spicebox

Issue One of Demeter’s Spicebox was published in April and it focuses on a lesser known fairy tale, Tatterhood, ATU 711. This is all part of the wonderful work taking place at Cabinet des Fées online. There's so much going on, I haven't kept up, but I am impressed whenever I remember to stop by. You should soon, like now!

Here's a little bit more about it:

For the inaugural issue of Demeter’s Spicebox, we wanted to revisit a tale that stands poised in between the active or passive heroine. Tatterhood, or the Aarne-Thompson folktale type 711, is a tale about both motherhood and what it means to be either the beautiful or ugly twin. The original folktale, as collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, was a favourite of mine as a teenager. How could it not be? It was a tale that was refreshing in that the active and not attractive heroine prevails, but it also captures that insecurity that lies at the heart of every person who has felt marginalised, Othered or has been considered unattractive.

While Hans Christian Anderson’s Ugly Duckling and some other stories which speak of that transformation between ugliness and beauty espouse waiting, self-discovery, and to a certain extent, passivity, the heroine of Tatterhood seems to know a secret, and is active in furthering not just her destiny, but that of her loved ones. This is not just an empowering message in a folktale; it is a delectably subversive one, as well. So, would writers be able to subvert this even further? It appears as if they could, and would.

Both Shveta Thakrar and Mari Ness have given us beautiful versions of Aarne-Thompson type 711, presented with a twist. These are tales that will stir your imagination and evoke emotional reactions. Mari Ness’s lyrical and moving Sister and Bones takes us to the Far East in a story of sisterhood, loss and triumph. Shveta Thakrar’s Lavanya and Deepika brings us back in time to Ancient India, in a story which is lush and lyrical, with imagery that transports. Both tales share a harmony in thematic concerns, and both writers have woven in different fairytales within the Aarne-Thompson type 711 tale they reworked. They have defied our expectations of both activity and passivity by writing stories which are a powerful testimony not just to wonder and magic, but to the strength of human relationships and filial ties. Both writers are therefore exactly what the inaugural issue of Demeter’s Spicebox needed and we are delighted to feature them.

Rumpelstiltskin at Enchanted Conversation

The newest issue of Enchanted Conversation at FairyTaleMagazine.com is up. Here is the direct link to the table of contents. The theme for the issue is Rumpelstiltskin.

This is old news since it went up last Friday actually, but I've been head down in translating tales for upcoming SurLaLune collections which makes my brain go splat when I read other things remotely fairy tale related right now.

My good intentions were to preread and comment, but it just won't be happening for several more days as I deal with heavy, heavy editing and some final translating. But new books will be coming soon. Bluebeard, my friends, is huge at well over 700 pages. More about that later... (And my punchiness has probably shown through on the blog recently, too. It's subtle, but I see it at least, after all I'm experiencing it firsthand.)

Here's a glance at that Table of Contents:

1) Welcome!


2) Little Rattle Belly

3) The Other End of The Tale

4) Rumpelstiltskin (Burns)

5) The Queen's Child Comes In

6) Garbage-To-Gold Spindle

7) He Tore Himself In Two

8) Batul and the Rumpel

9) The Name of the Helper

10) Straw Into Gold

11) The Duchess's Boy

Congrats to KateW and company for achieving another issue...

New Issue of Goblin Fruit Available

The newest issue of Goblin Fruit, an online journal of poetry, is available online. There are several poems to be read or listened to, some of which are related to fairy tales.

Here's the table of contents:

Nightfall on Orkney: A Glosa by Neile Graham
Strong as Salt by Rose Lemberg
Callisto at the Corner Coffee Shop by Michelle Muenzler
Snowmelt by Mari Ness
Three bone masks by Rose Lemberg
Snow Bees by Jeannine Hall Gailey
Diamonds and Toads by Christopher W. Clark
Little Songs by Leah Bobet
Drawn Like Silk by Loreen Heneghan

Fairy Tales, Issue 6

Fairy Tales, Issue 6 edited by Claire Massey was released online last week and I forgot to post about it.  Fairy Tales is a collection of fantastical short stories and poems using fairy tale and mythological influences but rarely direct reinterpretations. Anyway, the artwork is also great to look at and the issue is always professionally put together, a gift as a free publication.

Here's a trailer:



And here's a link to the site or directly to the PDF version of the issue.  There is also an Adobe Flash version which will work on some computers, but will be problematic from some Mac users who should go directly to the PDF.  Enjoy!

New Fairy Tales: Issue 5

The latest issue of the free online journal, New Fairy Tales, was released at the end of May.  It has some beautiful illustrations and new fairy tales written current authors.  It is a visually lovely piece and a work of love by the editors and contributors. 

You can see a Flash version or a PDF version on its official website at NewFairyTales.co.uk.  They don't ask for contributions for themselves, but if you enjoy the work, there are links to contribute to charitable organizations as a thank you. I am embedding the Flash version here, but I know iPad users don't have Flash supported, so do follow the links to the PDF version if necessary.

Cabinet des Fées: A Journal of Fairy Tales Issue 10 Online

I'm a few weeks late on this, but the newest issue of Cabinet des Fées: A Journal of Fairy Tales is online and available for reading. 

Here's the table on contents for the issue:

The Handless Maiden (revisited) by by Olivia V. Ambrogio

Gingerbread Man by Eric Marin

A Correspondence from the Queen by Annclaire Livoti

The Drunk by Ben Loory

Now and then by Sabrina Vourvoulias

Alice's Place by Bruce Woods

Stepsister by Joshua Gage

Raven by Claire Massey

Snow White at the Automat by Alex Dally MacFarlane

Afternoon Tale by Patricia Russo

Fairyland by F.J. Bergmann

Drinking the Moon by Satyr Phil Brucato

Telegony by Sonya Taaffe

The Labyrinth and the Knight by Rachel Manija Brown

Chinese Rapunzel by Rachel Lim

The Other Road by Alexandra Seidel

And here's an excerpt from the introduction:

The tenth issue of Scheherezade’s Bequest is now live, offering stories and poems by Eric Marin, Claire Massey, Joshua Gage, Sonya Taaffe, Bruce Woods, Alex Dally MacFarlane, Patricia Russo, Rachel Manija Brown and more. In this issue we introduce you to the art of Lucy Campbell, whose work illustrates Olivia V. Ambrogio’s The Handless Maiden (revisited). Lucy captures the fearful wonder of the dark forest in vivid colours and firm strokes, using fairy tales and myth as her inspiration. We’ll be seeing more of Lucy’s art here on the site, as she has agreed to talk with us about our shared love of fairy tales.

We’d like to especially thank Nurul Huda for allowing us to publish her essay The Heroic Journey in Shirley Lim’s Princess Shawl which explores Campbell’s monomyth as it applies to the young Mei Li and why stories such as Princess Shawl serve as important tools in the preservation of Malaysian culture. Nurul Huda Binti Abdul Mutalib received her Bachelor in English Language and Literature at the International Islamic University of Malaysia and is now working on her dissertation for Masters in English Literature at University of Malaya and we hope to see more of her here on CdF. From east to west we go with From Folklore to Literature: The Märchen and the German Romantic Movement by Charles Haddox.

It's a great issue and free to all unless you decide to generously donate to help keep the journal thriving...