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,…
The popularity of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki character amuses me. Not for the acting (he does a fine job!), but for the attention it’s brought Loki. You probably knew this, but Loki didn’t start out as a Marvel villain. He’s an actual god from Norse/Viking mythology. Of what is he the…
Let’s take a brief excursion into the Wrong Writer’s inner workings. Don’t worry, you won’t need a drink (or a lobotomy) after this. It’s relatively tame for me. I want to share a little about my motivations. While I appreciate the readers, the feedback, and the nice reviews on my…
What is the horror genre known for? Tropes like: Good guys don’t always win. In fact they rarely do more than survive. Survival/Escape is enough. Someone dies, or goes mad. The monster is still out there. A truth discovered is too dark/horrible to accept. In fictional terms, what are all…
While reviewing my current work – “The Renaissance Compact,” Book 2 in the Stymph Sequence – I came to one of those famous “Author’s Dilemmas.” See, I had a character in the story. Let’s call him Frank. Frank’s a tertiary character. He has lines and does things that help the…
It’s time for a few thoughts on Krampus. You probably heard the name in December, if not before. Krampus is what I’d call an ‘evolved deity’ – a combination of several folk legends, melded into one stronger, more cohesive whole. An amalgam of ideas given immortal flesh. In case you…
Stay in a hospital long enough and you’ll see it. Death. The Grim Reaper. Stalking the hallways. Inexorably advancing toward its next victim. Long wicked scythe poised overhead, ready to claim another soul. But enough about my cosplay excursions every other Sunday. I have an important question to ask: why…
“Product X is resoundingly average! We guarantee it will work most of the time. The rest of the time we’ll blame it on the manufacturer and only give you a 50% refund. “Constructed of the cheapest steel we could find, Product X will help you clean your kitchen in almost…
