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
The Lord of the Rings
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
Tolkien’s Languages in Film
When Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy first graced screens in 2001, it accomplished something unprecedented: it made constructed languages feel real, living, and breathtakingly beautiful. While Tolkien's linguistic creations had long captivated readers, the films transformed these carefully crafted tongues from written words into spoken poetry that enchanted millions worldwide. The Foundations: … Continue reading Tolkien’s Languages in Film
The Confusing Middle 