Where Magic Still Lives: Choosing My Fictional Christmas

Welcome back to Blogmas 2025, my annual series of holiday-themed blog posts that runs every day through Christmas. This year, I've enlisted the help of AI to generate daily writing prompts, which has led to some interesting creative challenges and unexpected topics. Today's prompt for December 19th asks a deeply personal question: If you could … Continue reading Where Magic Still Lives: Choosing My Fictional Christmas

Beyond the Fellowship: Women in The Lord of the Rings

When J.R.R. Tolkien penned The Lord of the Rings in the 1940s and 50s, he probably didn't anticipate that decades later, scholars would be dissecting his female characters with the intensity of Gandalf examining the One Ring. Yet here we are in 2025, still debating whether Galadriel is a Mary figure or a fallen angel, … Continue reading Beyond the Fellowship: Women in The Lord of the Rings

AFI #50 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2001 Directed by Peter Jackson Netflix says... From the idyllic shire of the Hobbits to the smoking chasms of Mordor, director Peter Jackson has created a world that surpasses the expectations of J.R.R. Tolkien purists as Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) embarks on his epic quest … Continue reading AFI #50 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring