Star Butterfly is a magical princess. You've seen it a million times. You've seen girly girls dreaming of love, and you've also seen many "spunky" princesses who "buck the rules." While I love me a spunky, sword-wielding princess, and even don't mind some of the girly girls, it's far more unlikely you've seen a princess… Continue reading Why My Daughter Will Watch Star vs. The Forces of Evil
Photo by Jake Blucker on Unsplash Ari Aster’s Hereditary is easily the best horror movie I’ve seen since Get Out, and it’s currently at the top of my favorites list. It’s an examination of mental illness, frayed family dynamics, grief, and the horrifying side of genetics. There’s a ton to unpack in this film. So much that it almost feels like… Continue reading Choices Make the Man: An interpretation of Ari Aster’s “Hereditary”
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash Looking to get your horror fix this October? In honor of Halloween, I’m breaking down my favorite works from the king of horror himself, Stephen King. There is no author who has influenced my writing style and reading tastes more, and ranking my favorites is no easy task. There’s something here for… Continue reading My Top 10 Stephen King Novels
When I jump into writing a new novel or short story, I always begin with character profiles. I typically have the vaguest sense of what the plot will entail, and then craft the characters who will drive that plot and make its trajectory more concrete in my mind. But one thing I often forget to… Continue reading Childhood Reflection: Examining Perspective in "To Kill a Mockingbird"
While zoning out on YouTube one day, I came across a video essay on Disney's Wreck-It Ralph that got me hot under the collar. The creator claimed that Wreck-It Ralph is, in fact, a dark, classist story that teaches children that you cannot overcome the situation into which you are born. He claimed that Ralph… Continue reading Cynics and Heroes: Examining Character Arc in "Wreck-It Ralph"
