Welcome to issue fifty-three of Fantasy Magazine! Here’s what we’ve got on tap this month:

August 1

Cory Skerry paints a heart-wrenching story of a mother’s love in his tale, “The World Is Cruel, My Daughter.” After all, a mother’s job is to protect her child…

In our feature interview, Paul Goat Allen asks Seanan McGuire some fascinating questions about noir, mythology, the zombie apocalypse—and candy corn.

August 8

Nisi Shawl’s “The Pragmatical Princess” is the kind of girl who doesn’t sit around waiting for princes or mice to rescue her. Here’s a story of a dragon, a princess, and the power of thinking for oneself.

Most of our readers are familiar with the Brothers Grimm and their famous fairy tales. But in “The Messengers, Monsters, and Moral Instructors of Islamic Literature,” Saladin Ahmed introduces us to some fascinating Islamic folktales.

August 15

Most battles in the Wild West were fought with gunpowder and hot lead. But in Laura Anne Gilman’s “Crossroads,” the outlaws aren’t just gunslingers: They also sling magic.

Preparing to go head-to-head with the uncanny? Not to worry—just read Abby Goldsmith’s “How To Stock Your Magic-Fighting Toolkit,” and you’ll be ready to face any kind of magical trouble.

August 22

When three teens set out to explore the edge of the world, they find garbage, infinity, chaos … and unexpected magic. Michael Swanwick explores the wishes we make at “The Edge of the World.”

Then, Genevieve Valentine looks at the wacky side of wishes in her article, “The Weirdest Fairy-Tale Wishes Ever Made.”

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So that’s our issue this month. Thanks for reading!