This story is part of Fix’s Climate Fiction Issue, which explores how fiction can create a better reality. Check out the full issue here, including the short stories in Fix’s first-ever climate-fiction contest, Imagine 2200.
Spoiler alert: This interview discusses Ailbhe Pascal’s short story Canvas – Wax – Moon. If you haven’t read it yet, go do that now.
It’s not immediately obvious that Ailbhe Pascal is a witch. They don’t wear a pointy hat or scoot around on a broomstick. If you catch them around West Philadelphia, you’re far more likely to see them on a bench in Malcolm X Park, dutifully masked, draped in a paisley shawl and scribbling in their notebook.
To Pascal, magic comes in many forms, very few of which resemble Hollywood’s tropes. And as a trained cook, herbalist, and writer, Pascal is almost always making magic. Growing up, relatives of various cultural backgrounds taught them to write poetry, read tarot cards, and practice rituals that honored nature and the seasons. But Pascal’s brand of witchcraft is more of a philosophy than a set of actions. “The practice I was ra... Read more
