From the Editors

From The Editors

“There’s no hiding something that wants to be found,” writes Melissa Darcey Hall in her story, “Leave the Bone Buried,” which begins on page twenty. Creation is like that: that which was hidden rises to the surface, manifesting in ways the artist might never have intended—or imagined. Once fashioned, a good myth takes on a life of its own, evolving over time through countless retellings. And for the writers and artists—the makers of myths—it’s so often the case that our message, our voice, finds us, and not the other way around.

For this year’s issue, our editorial team called for art and writing that explored our magazine’s 2023 theme: “Myth: Invention, Legend, and Lore.” Thousands of submissions streamed in, all shaped around the mythic—retellings of ancient myths we recognized alongside modern myths we’d never heard before. Through the lens of the fabulous, submissions touched on the nature of memory, the sting of loss, and what it means to come of age. Myths took on every shape imaginable, and our editorial team pored over each one, searching for the interpretations of legend and lore to fill the pages that you, reader, now hold in your hands.

Myths shape who we are, how we identify, and what we value. They tell us where we came from, and they instruct us how to move forward. They pass on lessons and preserve history, defining societies around the world. A myth—just a story, really—has the power to shape a culture. Myths keep traditions alive, ensuring that a memory lives forever. Through dozens of manifestations, the myth lies at this issue’s core, and with it, a celebration of every story wishing to be found.