We've gathered a diverse collection of magical realist stories, poems and essays which contain within them distinct traces of spirituality:

A primer on Jewish magical realism ~ living with the spirits of loved ones ~ the immortality of some Christmas trees ~ Virgin Mary sightings ~ the spirits within lost limbs ~ marking time with the zaddikim ~ reporting on miraculous birds ~ cosmological farmland ~ Native American metamorphoses ~ prayers and favors at an Irish graveside ~ FBI agents at the pearly gates?

Allen Braden ~ Joan Crooks ~ Janice Eidus ~ Maureen Tolman Flannery ~ Stephen Gibson ~ Richard Jay Goldstein ~ Daniel Jaffe ~ Sondra Kelly-Green ~ Dr. Alan Mintz ~ Sheila Nickerson ~ Jacqueline Osherow ~ Richard Peabody ~ Shira Richman ~ Tamara Kaye Sellman ~ Ruth Knafo Setton ~ Joseph Skibell ~ artist Constantine Cionca ~ …and St. Bernard?

• Check out the crystal ball icon on our contents page. Roll your cursor over it and you will foresee into a bit of Margin's future for 2006!

• Coming in February: a special edition ~ "Isn't It Romantic?"—the marvels of love

• Our general reading period is still CLOSED. Sorry, we've got 2006 filled! Stay tuned for news about upcoming calls for submissions, and see below. There's also been a CHANGE IN PLANS regarding our "Passages to India" theme. Since we revamped the schedule, we've decided to turn that theme into an extensive article for inclusion in "A World of Magical Realism." Therefore, we're not accepting any more submissions for this special theme call for submissions; thanks, but we have everything we need for a fabulous article on MR from the subcontinent.

• ACTIVE CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS! Our Hurricane Relief project, Southern Revival: Deep South Magic for Hurricane Relief is off to a good start. We're collecting donations and manuscripts for a special edition of Periphery to be released in Spring 2006. Interested in reserving your copy, submitting a manuscript or giving a donation? We're asking for $10 minimum, 100% of each donation forwarded to First Book. Our goal? $2,500. That amount of money will enable First Book to provide 5,000 books to hurricane-devastated libraries in the South (including all communities devastated by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma).

• Because we're in the midst of a vortex of cool changes at Margin, we're inviting everyone and anyone to give us their FEEDBACK. What's worked for you? What hasn't? What would you like to see at Margin that we haven't already done? What really isn't worth our effort? Go to the survey page to download your poll and let us know how we're doing. Your responses will help shape the coming future of Margin.

I'd like to express my thanks and gratitude to all the wonderful people who helped me put together a coherent article on Jewish magical realism, including Daniel Jaffe, Dr. Alan Mintz, Richard Jay Goldstein, Ruth Knafo Setton, Janice Eidus, the American Jewish Congress, Wikipedia.com and the Jewish Virtual Library. Special thanks to educator and writer Susan Rich for giving me the impetus and inspiration to approach this subject matter.

In the meantime, we hope you'll get into the Season of Spirit. We've got some great reading for a cold winter's night. Wishing you Happy Holidays and Peace in the New Year,

Tamara Kaye Sellman, Editor and Publisher (SEE current TABLE OF CONTENTS)