New Tales of Fairy Godmothers
Anthologist: Kate Wolford
Open for Submissions: September 15 – November 15, 2020
Expected Publication: 2021
Story Length: 4,000 to 7,500 words
Payment: $0.01 per word (up to $75.00) + contributor copy

Wands, wishes, and wonders. That’s the fairy godmother toolkit, and it’s been catching the imaginations of fairy tale lovers for centuries.

But it’s time for some new fairy godmother tales, and that’s where you come in. Use your magic to come up with tales that illuminate, investigate or turn the fairy godmother trope on its head. Origin stories are welcome, but so are stories about fairy godfathers, fairy godparents, mundane godparents who find themselves in magical situations, the beneficiaries (or victims) of fairy godmothering—you get the idea.

You can use existing fairy tales for inspiration or create a brand new story. What if Cinderella hates everything the fairy godmother does for her? Or, think about retelling “The Goose Girl” from the horse Falada’s point of view. Can the Giant’s wife in “Jack and the Beanstalk” be seen as a fairy godmother?

I’m not just looking for old tales with a bit of retread. There’s a lot of that out there. Subvert the tales. Or just create a completely new tale of wonder and transformation.

Stories set outside of dominant, Western culture are very welcome, as are new fairy godmother tales about and by people who aren’t usually represented in “classic” fairy tales. Please understand that we have a strong preference for “own voices” when it comes to tales about non-white people, queer or disabled people, and other marginalized groups.

Absolutely none of the following: Sci-fi, dystopian, descriptions of people’s bodies through the objectifying eyes of the protagonist, erotica, high fantasy, excessive world building, time-travel, futuristic, space travel, westerns, and love triangles. I do tend to prefer happy ever after—but it’s not essential—and happily ever after can mean many things. Surprise me.

The audience for these tales is about age 13 and up.

Your last name and “fairy godmother” should be in the subject line of the email of your submission. If you are basing your story on an existing fairy tale, let me know that in the email, but don’t give me a synopsis of it in the email text. And please don’t give me a huge report of your previously published work—a very brief one will do.

Previously unpublished authors’ stories are welcome.

Do not send attachments. They will not be opened or considered. Paste your work in the body of an email.

No editorial feedback of any kind will be provided.

You submit through email only. Please use this address only: katewolford1[at]gmail.com.

Simultaneous submissions = okay. Multiple submissions = no.

I can’t wait to start reading!

Kate Wolford is a writer, editor, and blogger living in the Midwest. Fairy tales are her specialty. Previous books include Beyond the Glass Slipper: Ten Neglected Fairy Tales to Fall in Love With, Krampusnacht: Twelve Nights of Krampus, and Frozen Fairy Tales, all published by World Weaver Press. She was the founder of Enchanted Conversation: A Fairy Tale Magazine, at fairytalemagazine.com.