The steeping lasts an hour long but when she’s through, cups quicken, rattle, shake. From each she pulls a baby chicken.

(And while she waits, her puppy guards the table, chairs, and cases from monsters, mice, the shades and shards, and all the unknown faces).

Deep down into the woods Miss Kendall’s tucked some chairs, a table, cloth and teacups, spoons, and bags for her affairs. She always leads her old hen out and borrows little feathers. She adds tea kettle heat to them in cups like bottled weather.

When Roman goes in for his nap Miss Kendall finds her trail of bows so big and brighter straps, of glittered grass and snails, of upturned high-heeled shoes entrapped in paintings hung with nails reading, “This aways! That aways! Follow invisible paths!”

The thought was simple: a series that caters fairy stories to the personality of your child. We’d tell each stories using words and photographs, just like we did with Cold Brewed . This isn’t something I’ve seen done before… and I’m all about trying new things. The idea of tying a customized story to a set of special photographs all about your child… so. much. fun!

Have you tried one of our free resources?

251 Fantasy Agents: a list of 251 literary agents who represent fantasy literature. The Lost Tools of Learning: If you’ve ever been in a class and asked, “When am I going to use this in real life?” You’re not alone and you’re not have a problem with subject X. You’re having a problem with learning how to learn. Dorothy Sayer’s piece is more relevant than ever as our education system collapses. 12 Creative Disciplines: Based on the 12 Spiritual Disciplines of various traditions, the 12 Creative Disciplines will help you integrate more creativity and artistry into your everyday life. Last Will + Testament and CREATIVE TRUST for Anyone Who Ever Made Anything Creative: It’s really, really simple to make a creative trust in your last will and testament. I’m going to give you a two page document. You’re going to download it and fill it out with your own info and seal it. Detailed instructions here. Worldbuilding Checklist 101: If you’re working on fantasy or science fiction (really any fiction, since all fiction is fantasizing) you should download a copy of this worldbuilding checklist that will help you consider the various aspects of your fully-realized world.

In an age of chaos and confusion…

…The Showbear Family Circus aims to offer art, research, and thought that reshapes the West by injecting moral law into the liberal arts and by humanizing your sector of society through the humanities. Each week, more and more people read, submit to, subscribe to, and donate to The Circus’s independent, rational, and creative work. And unlike every other literary and academic journal, we choose to be accessible to everyone without playing favorites. But we can’t keep it up without your steadfast support.

The independence of our editors, contributors, and researchers will allow us to set the pace, set the tone, and speak boldly on issues: we will NEVER succumb to political or commercial or shareholder-based influence through advertising, hidden or overt. That’ll allow us to commission the art, the research, and the debate we believe the marketplace of ideas most desperately needs.