THE LITERARY TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 06

ABOUT THIS ISSUE:

From the moment a boundary is drawn—whether by law, tradition, or the self—it becomes a question, a challenge, a whisper in the dark. A desire to break it, cross it overtakes. Forbidden things carry the weight of both warning and allure, and that tension is where the most compelling stories are born. This issue is an exploration of such stories.

This issue explores the lines we are told not to cross and the ones we dare to, knowingly or not. Some of these boundaries exist for good reason; others are arbitrary, oppressive, or unjust. Some are meant to protect, others to control. But all of them shape us—our desires, our rebellions, our secrets, and our truths. Within these pages, you’ll find works that wrestle with the forbidden in all its forms: love that defies convention, knowledge that unsettles power, art that disrupts, and truths that unsettle. Some pieces will tempt you. Some will unsettle you. Some may even feel dangerous. That is the nature of the forbidden—it lingers in the realm of what should not be, and yet, here it is.

Who decides what is forbidden? And what happens when we refuse to obey? The answers are rarely simple. Sometimes, breaking a taboo brings ruin. Other times, it brings revolution. Often, it brings both.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Neil Brosnan, Vo Thi Nhu Mai, Amide, Isabella Blu Peña, Sarah Das Gupta, Keith Melton, Mario Duarte, Sebastian Pafundo, Susan Shea, Linette Rabsatt, Ismoilova Nigora, Keli Dailey, Al Ryanne G. Gatcho , LindaAnn LoSchiavo, Melanie Hyo-In Han, Anna Maria Mickiewicz, Simon Kaeppeli, Cynthia Graae, John Whittier Treat, Jason Romain, Alistair Gaunt, Lila Grace, Aaroosh Khan, Anne-Laure Keib, Dale Nel and Dr. Sonya Alise McKinzie.