Theme Announcement for Issue Six: Solstice

An issue about cycles and change, light and darkness, tradition and folklore

Hello all,

In one week, our planet will reach a milestone in its orbit: its axial tilt towards our life-giving star will hit its extreme. Here in the northern hemisphere, we will experience the longest night of the year next week, as the north pole pitches dramatically away from the sun and off into cold, dark space. Meanwhile, the southern hemisphere will experience its longest stretch of daylight, bathed in golden light with the sun at its southernmost-possible position in the sky. This moment feels monumental, yet it’s profoundly mundane. It happens twice every year.

So, as that auspicious date approaches, I am excited to announce the theme for Issue Six of Soft Star Magazine: Solstice.

The solstice — in spite or perhaps because of its regularity — is a cardinal date in countless cultures spanning geography and human history, from the Nordic celebration of Midsummer or the summer solstice sunrise at Stonehenge, to the Persian festival of Yalda or the Chinese winter solstice observance of Dong Zhi. The solstice has been a cornerstone of countless cultural and calendar systems — a signal of changing seasons, a liminal space between light and darkness, a reminder of celestial movements and patterns beyond our control.

Issue Six will explore themes of these celestial movements and patterns, cycles of change, liminal spaces, and the passage of time. Submissions may explore dualities between light/darkness and balance/extremes. Stories and art about rituals and tradition are welcome, especially those inspired by folklore!

You can use this collage as inspiration, both visual and thematic, for your submissions:

The submission window for Issue Six will open on Saturday, December 21, 2024 to align with the solstice. Mark your calendars and visit our Submissions page to submit!

As usual, submissions will remain open for about two months (official deadline TBA), and our hope is to publish the print edition of the issue on June 20, 2025, just in time for the next solstice.

See you all on the longest night,

Miranda