Joyful Imaginations

JOYFUL IMAGINATIONS

by Terese Mason Pierre & Lawrence Stewen

We’re thrilled to present you Issue 5.1 of Augur Magazine: Joyful Imaginations. In our second themed volume, you’ll read stories and poems that prioritize the joys, achievements, hopes and dreams of marginalized peoples, the joys of resistance and celebration, the joys that require no barriers, prerequisites or struggles to obtain. And joys that are complex and challenging, hard-won and worthy.

Before you feast on this spectrum of delights, we want to acknowledge that we’ve all experienced, and continue to experience, dread, protest and trauma worldwide. Our goal is to publish words that evoke the futures we need, and this issue is a chalice which our creators have poured their hopes for the future into, to envision new ways the world could become. Some of these pieces address darkness and dissatisfaction, finding hope in the shadows. Others choose to imagine a lighter, more carefree world. Food is a thick thread that weaves many of these tales together, as well as the beauty and calm of the natural world, which brings a solitude and reflection that explores the more introspective depths of joy’s spectrum. These contrasts make for a complex issue, which is why we are so excited to share it with you. 

As always, we are incredibly thankful for the efforts of our team. We’ve had a few process experiments and changes behind the scenes. Despite that, our volunteer staff never faltered from these adjustments, allowing for us to try new ways that we can work better together. 

We’d also like to share a few structural changes to our team. Sonia Urlando, a consistently adept editor and wonderful teammate, has become our Copy Manager and the stalwart, no nonsense Amy Wang has become our first Creative Director. The ever-brilliant goblin boy Avi Silver will be joining Terese Mason Pierre as a fellow Co-Editor-in-Chief. And the successful funding of our sister magazine, Tales and Feathers, means that Anna Bendiy and Yilin Wang will be working together as Co-Editors-in-Chief to bring that dream into reality. 

And last, but not least, we’d like to announce the departure of Augur’s outgoing Co-Editor-in-Chief, Lawrence Stewen, who’ll be closing this letter with a personal note.

•••

Where would I be without Augur? It’s a question I often ask myself. I first came to Canada in 2015, as a student and immigrant. It wasn’t easy establishing a life for myself here, but the people I’ve met during my studies, many of whom are now in Augur, have helped make that possible. From getting my first short story published, to landing my first full-time job in Toronto, I couldn’t have done any of that without the support of this community I deeply care for. Augur has shown me that if enough people with the passion and energy for a shared dream come together, reality changes. My reality changed. 

I’ve chosen to end my journey with Augur because I have dreams of my own that need to be realized. And, unfortunately, I no longer have the time to pour my heart into both Augur and my own writing goals. It was a difficult decision, but it was one I felt I had to make—for the sake of my own dream of becoming an established author of speculative fiction. I hope that my departure isn’t sad or morose. My wish is for it to be celebrated, which is why I wanted to end my tenure with our Joyful Imaginations issue. So, enjoy the festivities, taste the food, and savour the drinks. With luck, I’ll see you all again in AugurCon 2022. 

Goodbye, take care, and be safe.

Terese Mason Pierre and Lawrence Stewen

Co-Editors-in-Chief, Augur Magazine

Keep reading Augur Magazine Issue 5.1...