On Inheriting Myth and Magic

by Kerry C. Byrne & Toria Liao

This is a time of new and old for Augur Society.

For the first time since 2019, I, Kerry, return to lead editing. Simultaneously, my co-editor (and co-writer of this letter), Toria Liao has taken on the title of COO and her first-ever issue lead role, after many years contributing to the organization.

This year, we’re running four issues rather than two; each issue has its own editor, rather than each magazine having an EiC; we’re saying goodbye to Avi Silver, Anna Bendiy, and Yilin Wang, our former EiCs; we’re welcoming former EiC Terese Mason Pierre as Chief Programs Officer; and we’re transforming from Augur Magazine into the Augur Literary Society.

Some things will stay the same: our commitment to representation across intersections; our love of work that straddles liminal genre; our unrepentant support of Canadian and Indigenous creators.

Some things we’ll explore: running more types of programs; publishing longer works; a shifting, metamorphosing tone as more people help shape what work we publish. These are all good things, achieved by a passionate volunteer team dedicated to enriching this space.

This issue is a beautiful product of this tumultuous time of metamorphosis. In crafting it, we found ourselves taken by curiosity about the stories we tell, inherit, and have told about us—through everyday connections, shared mythologies, and sparks of magic. Our creators lead us through starbound dreams, introduce us to wondrous creatures, and ground us in the power of transforming the stories future generations may tell.

Join us, as we journey through:

Familiar tales, based in family and culture, that we inherit, co-create…and sometimes leave behind.

Heavy histories, imposed by political systems and colonial narratives, that we can fight and resist.

Gorgeous mythology, leading us through realms that heal and hold us throughout our lives.

Private tales, told just for ourselves, when the world feels too far away.

If the only thing we can be certain of is change, then there will always be more worlds to meet. We invite you to explore them with us.

Sincerely,

Kerry C. Byrne, Publisher
Toria Liao, COO