The monster is coming. You hear its shuffles down the hall. The door won’t budge. No way out! We’re all familiar with this trope. Seen it a hundred times in movies, books, TV. On some level we know what will happen. Yet somehow, whenever this moment arrives, it sends a…
The first real “Traitor” character I remember reading as a kid, was Cephelo from “The Elfstones of Shannara.” Smarmy slimeball, completely amoral, ego the size of a small planet…this guy could make used car salesmen uncomfortable. His actions messed up a lot of things in the storyline. Fortunately for everyone…
Where Did “The Warrior” Come From? Nobody needs help picturing this archetype. It’s one of the biggest the world over. At some point in every great story, characters must fight. Whenever they pick up a weapon, prepare a spell, or steel the mind, the Warrior is there. To fight is…
Years ago I learned the surprising history behind a certain English word. (It’s in the list below…can you guess?) The curious story of its evolution stuck with me. Almost without looking I came across more such words, each with strange origins. Since you too enjoy a bit of the curious,…
It’s the beginning of a new year. We’re all trying out new things, looking to improve life a little more. Yes, even me. I know it seems odd for such a perfect specimen to ‘improve’…but one can try. To such an end, let’s finish January with some pithy sayings for…
How’s this for a name? Yes, we’re talking about “Zwarte Piet” today. That is an actual name for an actual legend. He’s a companion for St. Nicholas, like Krampus, but in different countries than where you’d find Krampus. Zwarte Piet shows up in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and surprisingly, Indonesia. (Old…
Well, I said last month that plenty of material existed for a discussion on “The Witch,” didn’t I? Might as well hop straight to it! The concept of the Witch is, arguably, more modern than that of the Wizard. It has endured the ages a little better, and I think…
It’s time for another archetype discussion! Last time we discussed the Fool. This time, we’re talking about the Wizard. When you read that term, an image popped into your head right away, didn’t it? I could even guess what it was. An old man with a long beard, wearing a…
Writers sometimes struggle with sayings. By ‘sayings’ I refer to proverbs, quotes, pithy comments, and the like. Do we use them in a story? Not use them? Use a bastardized or hilariously-twisted version of them instead? In some cases a good saying can draw the reader in. Other times, a…
The Ancient Traditions that Somehow Combined (Voltron-Style) into Modern-Day Christmas Few things are more hilarious than misinterpretation. And you know one thing we love to misinterpret? The holidays! Christmas wasn’t always a giant commercial-fest loaded with toys, high-powered lights, and furious sale-hunting. It’s only the latest incarnation of a long,…
