Welcome to the twenty-fifth issue of Baffling Magazine.
This issue is unthemed and has eight stories—seven from authors new to Baffling and one returning author. Rodrigo Culagovski, who was in our last unthemed issue, returns with the charming fable “No Wrong Turtles.”
There are an assortment of magical odds and ends amidst these stories: M. S. Dean’s eponymous “Wicker Charm,” an assortment of charmed objects including Malcolm MacDougall’s “Ticket to a New Body” (which also inspired our spooky cover by Jack Taylor), and also Joelle Killian’s “The Importance of Magical Hygiene.”
Mae Tang’s “Splinters” and “The Tides That Drink the Daughters” by Aishatu Ado both interpret longing and societal demands.
“Minor Miracles of the Pastoral Life / Minor Woes of a Project Manager” by Wren Douglas and “Ankara” by Brendan Bowles are arguably (if you squint) both about tech and dystopian programming.
Much gratitude to illustrator Erso O’Day, our former art intern, for the wonderful spot illustrations accompanying each story this issue.
Thank you so much to those supporting us at our Patreon. We couldn’t do it without you.
Enjoy the issue!
dave ring
Editor, Baffling Magazine