Fairy Tale Review's Charcoal Issue To Focus on Fairy Tales as Forms of Resistance & Protest (Submissions Open)

Artwork by Erika Rier

We feel this is possibly the only way to return to reporting regular fairy tale news at this time: standing with those who refuse to sit down. 

Thank you Fairy Tale Review. 

"Wands up!"

In a time when the shifting political and cultural landscapes of our world are becoming increasingly authoritarian, restrictive, intolerant, and frightening, we have decided to dedicate The Charcoal Issue to fairy tales as forms of resistance and protest. 

A remnant material left behind after a fire, charcoal is also a source with which new fires are created. So, too, is the way of resistance—born from the heat of difficulty and tragedy, but also the fuel we use to light the way forward. 

For the coming issue, we are most interested in fairy tales that challenge the current political climate, fairy tales that resist outdated norms or binaries, fairy tales that reconfigure the faults of older stories, and fairy tales that expose abuses of power. Fairy tales with, as Kate Bernheimer has suggested, “radical strategies of survival. Ways to get out alive.”  (Emphasis by FTNH)

Fairy tales that resist domination. Fairy tales that protest annihilation. 

Submissions will be open from January 1, 2017 to March 31, 2017. The Charcoal Issue will be published in early 2018.

Also, a comment from Fairy Tale Review's Instagram feed, posted with the image at the head of the post:

Sometimes, we feel as though we lack the words to explain what "fairy tales as forms of resistance and protest" mean to us. Sometimes, we need others to help us find the words. 

To that end, we feel very honored to have published "Suddenly," a short piece of nonfiction from Carmen Giménez Smith, earlier this week. 

If you are wondering how fairy tales or folklore could possible be resistance, we recommend reading Suddenly. It will also be very helpful to anyone wishing to submit to the Charcoal Issue.

We wish all those writers and artists looking to contribute, much inspiration, hope, bravery and the knowledge that you are not alone.

Very much looking forward to this issue, Fairy Tale Review!