he Scottish writer George MacDonald (1824-1905) was a hugely prolific author of fiction, poetry, essays, and sermons. His works include the influential Fantasy novels, Phantasies: a Faerie Romance (1858), and Lilith (1895), as well as the much-loved children's classics, At the Back of the North (1871), The Princess and the Goblin (1872), and The Princess and Curdie (1883). Admired by contemporaries such as John Ruskin and Lewis Carroll, MacDonald inspired later generations of fantasy, in particular, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. In December 2024 we celebrate the 200th Anniversary of his birth. This special issue will explore the Fantasy writing of MacDonald, thematic connections with other writers, and his legacy.
The editor is inviting non-fiction contributions exploring MacDonald's oeuvre, primarily his works of Fantasy. As well as critical re-examinations of the titles listed above, contributions could explore the following or similar areas:
- Christian Mysticism in Fantasy
- Death and afterlife, eschatological and posthumous Fantasy
- The use of Fairy Tales in the works of George MacDonald
- Representations of the supernatural feminine
- Celticity and ecolectical Fantasy
- MacDonald and his connection to the writings of Arthur Machen, Charles Williams, and Fiona MacLeod
- Adaptations and creative conversations with his work and life
- Creative criticism and rebellious research about George MacDonald
Also invited are scholarly reviews of contemporary (or classic) Fantasy in novels, TV, film, graphic novels, computer games, etc.
Submissions should be clearly titled as follows: SURNAME_TITLE_BFSJOURNAL_CFP DEC 24. A 200 word abstract and 100 word author bio should be included. Work should be original, previously unpublished, and referenced using the Harvard author/date system. The editor retains the right to edit any submission, and contributors must be willing to address any editorial suggestions within good time. Publication is expected late 2024.
Deadline for submissions: 31 August 2024. Please send submissions to kmanwaring@aub.ac.uk.
For full submission guidelines please refer to checklist on BFS website.
Created 25 July 2024