Fantasy Magazine, Issue 87 (January 2023): Fantasy Magazine, #87

By Arley Sorg and Christie Yant

FANTASY MAGAZINE is a digital magazine focusing exclusively on the fantasy genre. In its pages, you will find all types of fantasy-dark fantasy, contemporary urban tales, surrealism, magical realism, science fantasy, high fantasy, folktales_and anything and everything in between. FANTASY is entertainment for the intelligent genre reader-we publish stories of the fantastic that make us think, and tell us what it is to be human.

 

In this issue's short fiction, Erin Brown grows a little hope in "Skyscrapers That Twist to the Sun," and "Broodmare" by Flossie Arend gives us a dark glimpse into the future; in flash fiction, Ruth Joffre turns the lens on us in "A Brief Catalog of Humans, as Observed by the Cryptids of Encante," and in "Monsters" Liz Colter peels away some uncomfortable layers; for poetry, we have "As the Witch Burns" by Marisca Pichette and "I Should Have Been A Pair of Ragged Claws" by Alice Towey. Plus an interview with Infomocracy,  . . . And Other Disasters, and The Mimicking of Known Successes author Malka Older. Enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adamant Press
• Release date: Jan 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215408124

Book preview

Fantasy MagazineFantasy Magazine

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Issue 87, January 2023

FROM THE EDITORS

Editorial: January 2023

Arley Sorg and Christie Yant

FICTION

Monsters

L.D. Colter

Broodmare

Flossie Arend

A Brief Catalog of Humans, as Observed by the Cryptids of Encante

Ruth Joffre

Skyscrapers That Twist to the Sun

Erin Brown

POETRY

I Should Have Been a Pair of Ragged Claws

Alice Towey

As the Witch Burns

Marisca Pichette

NONFICTION

Interview: Malka Older

Arley Sorg

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHTS

Author Spotlight: Flossie Arend

Author Spotlight: Erin Brown

MISCELLANY

Coming Attractions: February 2023

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About the Fantasy Team

© 2022 Fantasy Magazine

Cover by Solomandra / Adobe Stock Image

www.fantasy-magazine.com

Published by Adamant Press

From the Editors

Editorial: January 2023

Arley Sorg and Christie Yant | 597 words

CY: It’s a New Year! There are a lot of great books, shows, and movies to look forward to in 2023, but what did you enjoy in 2022?

AS: I read a bunch of really cool anthologies last year, which means I read a lot of wonderful short fiction! If I had to pick three anthos published in 2022 that I’d want people to look at, I might say: Trouble the Waters by Sheree Renée Thomas, Pan Morigan, and Troy L. Wiggins (Third Man Books); Unlimited Futures by Rafeif Ismail & Ellen van Neerven (Fremantle); and Dreams for a Broken World by Ellen Meeropol and Julie C. Day (Reckoning). But there were other great books, too, and to be honest, it’s very hard to pick a few over others.

CY: Apart from the Cascade Writers Workshop, I didn’t participate in any events, virtual or otherwise. You, however, seemed to be everywhere at once!

AS: A lot of events were virtual, but some were in person. I was glad to attend a number of conventions, including World Fantasy (where we were up for an award for our editorial work) and being a special guest at Can*Con was a definite pleasure. I also got to teach a class for Augurcon, a lovely little virtual event put on by our friends at Augur Magazine, which I was very happy to see happen again. Oh, and everybody needs to watch Everything Everywhere All at Once. I mean . . . this movie is fantastic! It should get all the awards.

CY: I’ve heard it’s amazing. I’m way behind on movie-viewing, but the video media I enjoyed most this year was Neil Gaiman’s adaptation of his own Sandman comics from the 90’s. I started watching it again from the beginning as soon as I’d finished it! I’ll admit it’s been hard to keep up with what’s happening in genre overall this past year, but I’m loving the uptick in dark fantasy television lately. Sandman, What We Do In the Shadows, Wednesday, and Interview With the Vampire have all warmed my gothy little heart.

AS: I mean, I think for both of us, in our personal lives, 2022 was consistently very challenging. But I think in terms of Fantasy Magazine it was a truly wonderful year, filled with great fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. We have some seriously talented, brilliant contributors. In terms of genre as a whole – well, genre has its issues. But it also gets generous helpings of awesome. I’m looking forward to more cool stuff in 2023!

• • • •

In this issue’s short fiction, Erin Brown grows a little hope in Skyscrapers That Twist to the Sun, and Broodmare by Flossie Arend gives us a dark glimpse into the future; in flash fiction, Ruth Joffre turns the lens on us in A Brief Catalog of Humans, as Observed by the Cryptids of Encante, and in Monsters Liz Colter peels away some uncomfortable layers; for poetry, we have As the Witch Burns by Marisca Pichette and I Should Have Been A Pair of Ragged Claws by Alice Towey. Plus an interview with Infomocracy,  . . . And Other Disasters, and The Mimicking of Known Successes author Malka Older. Enjoy!

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Arley Sorg is a 2021 and a 2022 World Fantasy Award Finalist as well as a 2022 Locus Award Finalist for his work as co-Editor-in-Chief at Fantasy Magazine. Arley is a 2022 recipient of SFWA’s Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award. He is also a finalist for two 2022 Ignyte Awards: for his work as a critic as well as for his creative nonfiction. Arley is a senior editor at Locus Magazine, associate editor at both Lightspeed & Nightmare, and a columnist for The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He takes on multiple roles, including slush reader, movie reviewer, and book reviewer, and conducts interviews for multiple venues, including Clarkesworld Magazine and his own site: arleysorg.com. He has taught classes, run workshops, and been a guest for Clarion West, the Odyssey Writing Workshop, Cascade Writers, Augur Magazine, and more. Arley grew up in England, Hawaii, and Colorado, and studied Asian Religions at Pitzer College. He lives in the SF Bay Area and writes in local coffee shops when he can. Find him on Twitter @arleysorg. Arley is a 2014 Odyssey Writing Workshop graduate.

Christie Yant writes and edits science fiction and fantasy in the American mid-west. She is a World Fantasy