There are two full moons this month.
October 1 brought us the harvest moon, a haunted orange beauty peering down at us through the wildfire smoke that shrouds The Fabulist’s hometown of San Francisco.
Halloween, October 31, will bring us a hunter’s moon, the second of the month, and therefore a blue moon — a harbinger of most unusual circumstances.
One can only imagine the October surprises that are surely lurking in the days between — the culmination of an apocalyptic summer of plague, fire, smoke, epic storms, economic collapse, and a momentous presidential election that gyres ever deeper into chaos and uncertainty.
At The Fabulist, we’re celebrating the season with a full serving of myth, mystery, magic and a flavor of darkness befitting this most unusual time of year. Thanks for reading with us this month.
The Fabulist Words & Art: Once in a Blue Moon
October 2020 • Vol. 14, No. 7
Oakland writer Laur A. Freymiller returns to our pages with “On a Thursday,” a contemporary spin on a timeless tale of the sea’s gifts given and taken away. (October 4)
After a boy’s mother “disappears into the sky,” a visitation of crows heralds a new presence in his life, in “A Dark Sage,” by Alpheus Williams. (October 10)
What would October be without a ghost story? “Nobody Ever Has Before,” by Jesse Sensibar, is a strangely satisfying tale of lonesome highways and the gratitude of the dead. (October 17)
Crossing from ordinary life into its distorted dreamtime reflection, Sandeep Shete’s vivid black-and-white illustrations invoke underground comix, or concert posters for imaginary psychedelic garage bands. (October 24)
“Non Ego te Absolvo,” by Paul Negri, could easily serve as the storyline to an epic black metal song cycle. Suffice it to say, just desserts are served to the piously deserving. Happy Halloween. (October 30)
DEADLINE EXTENDED: OPEN CALL FOR SHORT FICTION
We’ve pushed the deadline for our Fall 2020 open call for short fantastical and genre fiction out to Oct. 24. Check out our submissions guidelines for full details.
THE WEEKLY MISSIVE RETURNS
We’re happy to report that our our weekly email newsletter, which had been out of commission for most of August and all of September, has been un-farked. Here’s a little roundup of what all you email subscribers missed over the past two months.
