Dissecting Dragons: Recent Episodes
J.A. Ironside & M.E. Vaughan
Authors J.A. Ironside and M.E. Vaughan talk about books, films and all aspects of speculative fiction, from the nuts and bolts of writing it, to its (occasionally) obscure origins.
2025 has felt like a bit of a slog for many people - including, at points, the dragons. But despite that, and despite some longstanding terrible events in the News, lost of amazing things have happened this year. As has become tradition, Jules and Madeleine take a look a selection of 'good news' items from 2025 - including developments in science, technology and medicine, wins in conservation and environmental preservation and even a bit of culture. Join us for an upbeat discussion of the best bits of the year.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
On the surface, you probably wouldn't immediately think of time travel when you think of Christmas stories, and yet there is a distinct connection which is hard to deny. Nor does it date to when Dr Who regularly began to deliver Christmas special episodes - it goes far further back than that. For the final episode in this year's festive selection, the dragons dive into why Christmas is the perfect setting for a time travel story. From liminal spaces where impossible deliveries take place in a single night to the chance to go back a right a wrong, learn from a mistake or take a missed opportunity, Christmas magic and temporal mechanics go hand in hand.
Under the mistletoe this week - The Chronicles of St Mary's, A Christmas Carol, Torchwood and many more.
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Every enduring Christmas story has a villain woven in somewhere - whether that's King Herod in the nativity or Ebenezer Scrooge, the Grinch of Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Whether the audience is rooting for huge redemption arc or waiting for the bad guy to take a nosedive off the Nakatomi Plaza, there's something about a festive story that uniquely lends itself to a good villain. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into what makes a good Christmas villain; where do they come from? (The answer is surprisingly far back!) And how do you create your own?
On the slab this week - A Christmas Carol, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Winter Smith and many more.
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Sliding towards the festive season, Jules and Madeleine take a look at gifts. Everyone loves a present, right? But what does a present actually signify? Are they always good things or can they be sinister or manipulative? From fae gifts to mystical burdens, the dragons take a deep dive into the sort of present you can't exchange for something else on your xmas list.
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'Ugly' is a subjective term, of course. Tastes vary and opinions are heavily influenced by how we perceive someone or how much we like them. However, there are plenty of characters in speculative fiction who even on the page do not fit the parameters of being conventionally physically attractive. When those books are translated to the screen, often the 'it' actors of the moment are cast in these roles because they are often great characters. And this is where the cognitive dissonance sets in. Social media and the drive towards a physical ideal which can only be attained through wealth and extreme intervention adds another, somewhat more troubling dimension as platforms like Instagram directly influence beauty standards and celebrity popularity. Have we lost the ability to see a normal human as attractive? Find out in this week's episode. On the slab this week - Bridget Jones' Diary, Harker & Blackthorn, Game of Thrones, Howl's Moving Castle and many more.
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Moving slightly away from spooky season and weird folklore, the dragons are clocking in with a writing episode. At the moment, Romantasy is the biggest whale splashing around in the sea of fantasy, partially drowning out other subgenres (at least temporarily). While romantasy is a lot of fun, it's caused further changes in the 'strong female character' trope which are less fun. This week, Jules and Madeleine revisit the subject, looking at what really defines 'strength' in character terms and how to best write your own female character, even with Romantasy putting a thumb on the scales. Under the microscope this week - Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables, The Hunger Games and many more.
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How many jobs and professions have existed over the centuries which we now no longer know anything about? Who thinks about warreners and coopers? Fowlers and knocker-ups? And yet this now unnecessary work lingers in surname origins and in the strange tales that grow up around these jobs. This week, still feeling semi spooky and continuing their recent folklore deep dive, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the urban myths which sprang up and are still springing up, around jobs made obsolete by time and new technology. Why do with mythologise the mundane? What are the origins of folklore arising from old trades? And how can you use this in your writing? Find out in this week's episode.
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Still in the spooky zone, this week Jules and Madeleine take a look at the fascinating phenomenon of folklore being created in real time. There have always been parallels between technology and superstition, magic and science. As technology moves further into the non tangible realm of digital space, ghosts and other entities have begun to echo this shift. So what exactly is the part that folklore plays in this? Are all our ghosts going digital? And why do such disparate subjects actually go hand in hand? Find out in this week's episode.
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As far as the dragons are concerned it's still spooky season and this week, they are featuring one of the most beloved 'universal monsters' - the Mummy. From Ancient Egypt to Victorian obsession to post war film era, the Mummy has been a symbol for secrets and forbidden knowledge, often reflecting discomforting truths back at us. Jules and Madeleine take a look at why this is a universal monster - what are its origins? When did it first start appearing in fiction? And what does the creature mean to us today?
On the slab this week - Lok No 249 - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Beetle - Richard Marsh, Ramses the Damned - Anne Rice and many more.
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Sleep - something so mundane we do it around eight hours out of every twenty-four - makes a great vehicle for horror. Judging by folkloric record and cross cultural points of similarity, it's been part of horror for millennia. From old hag syndrome to nightmares to the simple but essential necessity of being unaware and vulnerable for blocks of time, sleep is it's own carnival of terror. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into why, tracking through folklore into modern horror and looking at how you can use sleep effectively in your own writing. (Aside from aiming for eight hours a night, that is!)
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This week's spooky season offering dives past the whole haunted house experience to go deeper. What if the haunting was more specific? An attic or cellar is well known trope, but what about a playground? A nursery? A clock or a mirror? What do those things say about the state of the main character's mind in storytelling? And what exactly is the quiet terror of the mundane more effective than dripping gore and howling monsters? Jules and Madeleine tackle these questions and more.
On the slab this week: Rebekah - Daphne du Maurier, The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Scald Crow - Grace Daly and many more
It's time for episode three of the dragons' spooky season extravaganza and don't be deceived by the title. Folk Magic can go to some pretty dark places... This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at a magic system that relies on mundane objects and folk knowledge. In fact this type of magic is, on the surface, so mundane that many people would argue that it's more superstition than a magic system. It forms a backbone in many folk horror and dark fantasy stories and even creeps into sci-fi and urban fantasy. So where does the magic of the mundane originate from? What is its logic? And how do you incorporate it in your own world building?
On the slab this week - October Daye - Seanan McGuire, Terry Pratchett's Discworld, Practical Magic and many more.
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Continuing their spooky season, this week the dragons pose a question: what's more frightening? The object of terror can see or the entity you can't?
A fear of non tangible threats is baked into the essential human make up - we would hardly have survived to evolve as we have if our ancestors had not had the capability to 'what if' about predators concealed in shadows or long grass. This is reflected in fairy tales, folklore, gothic fiction all the way up to modern horror. Jules and Madeleine delve into how this trope hits the fear centres in the brain and how you as a writer can use it. On the slab this week - The Invisible Man - H G Wells, The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters, It Follows and many more.
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The dragons are back just in time for spooky season. They are naturally kicking off their favourite season with a new slant on and old favourite subject - the Gothic. But what exactly do 'outsiders' have to do with Gothic literature? As it turns out, quite a lot. Jules and Madeleine take a joyful autumn romp through this little mentioned but essential ingredient of the genre from it's literary inception up to its quirky, spooky modern day equivalent.
On the slab this week classics such as Dracula, Frankenstein & Jane Eyre, as well as Penny Dreadful, the Addams Family and Wednesday.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic.
Approximately ten years ago, both dragons signed their first publishing contracts. Since then it's been a riotous series of highs and lows and new adventures - including the creation of this podcast. This week, Jules and Madeleine look back over the last decade. Would they have written their first books the same way if they'd been writing them now? What is the relationship between writing and creativity and where does creative inspiration come from? Where do they see themselves going in their writing from here? And just what is good etiquette around reviews? Join them for a semi- biographical episode about the ups and downs of being a writer.
(Please note this is the last episode of this season - the Dragons will be back in October for spooky season)
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Part Two of a Two Part Episode
Continuing on from last week's examination of how depictions of the work place in fiction have transitioned over the decades from daily grinds where hard work will reward the worthy to places where you can find fun and family (if you're a team player) to recent depictions of bleak office hellscapes where baffled, exploited employees are required to perform a series of increasingly bizarre and senseless tasks (Severence - we're looking at you), this week Jules and Madeleine delve into the archetypes of this genre. Why might you want to write an anarchist or a saboteur? Why is sci-fi such good fit for telling workplace stories and why might you want to write one? And just what can we learn from these stories?
Under the microscope this week: Severence, Fight Club, Squid Game and many more.
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Part one of a two part episode
Sci-fi and fantasy have portrayed many workplace settings over the decades - engineers and pilots on space craft, for example, or fairy smiths and kitchen witches in fantasy. However while fantasy has been leaning into the idea of leaving unfulfilling work and finding a perfect cosy profession, sci-fi has been delving into the nightmare of the bad workplace. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the common criticisms and fallacies of the workplace highlighted by fiction, and just why this is finding an avid audience now.
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Disney, purveyors and creators of magical family friendly (mostly) entertainment have existed through an interesting and checquered 9 decades. The company is responsible for some of the most beloved fairytale retellings and pioneered the animated feature film. However, it's not all magic kingdoms and pixiedust. As with all multi billion dollar corporations, there's a dark side.
The company has shapeshifted several times over the decades and interestingly, it seems to be undergoing a change again right now. Whether that will be for good or ill remains to be seen. This week the dragons look at why Disney might have a creativity problem and why the family friendly image is more of a facade than ever.
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Have you ever picked up a book, full of anticipation, only to quit 100 pages in? Or maybe you read the whole thing and were left annoyed and baffled when you reached the end? Welcome to the baked in cognitive dissonance of the bookish community. Uber hyped books can turn out to be...bad. Not just bad in your opinion but objectively bad when employing the metrics of writing skill, storytelling and production values. So why exactly are they selling millions of copies? This week, Jules and Madeleine delve into the roots of this question. Is it really a matter of opinion? Can you measure the fitness of a book based entirely on measurable considerations? Is it ever fair to call any book bad? Join the dragons as they interrogate their own beliefs on the subject.
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If you've noticed all the celebrations, new editions of Austen's work, new adaptations and not a few arguments over issues which seem to amount to 'who's the biggest fan?' then you may have an inkling that it is a major Jane Austen landmark this year.
Celebrating the 250th year since Jane Austen's birth, the dragons have decided to do their own thing and judge a pageant of Jane Austen adaptations in film, TV, theatre and book form, in an effort to find their own favourite adaptation of Austen's work.
Under the magnifying glass this week - 1995 Pride & Prejudice, Ang Lee's Sense & Sensibility, Bridget Jones' Diary and many more.
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Making a living from writing comes with practical considerations which the actual creative process doesn't prepare you for (probably). This week Jules and Madeleine delve into how to be a healthy creative ( spoiler alert: sleep is really important), what you need to consider when planning your finances, what legal considerations you need to bear in mind and a variety of other issues which writers often blithely ignore. We know. We did.
Join the dragons as they talk candidly about the less glamorous side of being a writer.
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Part 2 of a 2 part episode.
This week, Jules and Madeleine return to the 'nice guy' trope. A trope that probably started with good intentions but soured quickly. Can this trope affect perceptions in real life? If so, how far does that go? Can you write a genuinely nice guy? And what is the 'nice guy renaissance'?On the slab this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harker & Blackthorn and many morTitle music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
The dragons are back! Join us for an exciting season delving into new writing topics and speculative fiction takes.
This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the 'nice guy' trope. While the term is relatively new, the character type is not, cropping up in Shakespeare, Austen and even in folklore. While this was a character archetype introduced originally to balance the over-muscled, over-sexed and under-brained macho male lead of the seventies and eighties, writers took their collective eye off the ball and things went south pretty quickly. So what is a 'nice guy' and why does something so innocuous sounding carry so much collective dirt? Find out in part one of a two part episode.
On the slab this week: Friends, Little Women - L M Montgomery, Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing and many more.
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As we bid adieu to 2024, the dragons are once again looking back on a year of news. There have been some definite low points, however there has also been a lot of good news this year which may have gone unremarked. Jules and Madeleine are redressing that balance with a selection of good news stories, scientific discoveries and reminiscences on their favourite books and films of the year. Join us for a hopeful episode as we gear up for taking 2025 by the horns.
(This is the last episode of 2024 but we will be back in February after a short break)
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It's that time of year again: frantic last minute shopping, swearing at rolls of Sellotape, covering fir trees with bling....and the dragons emerge with a festive folkloric offering that adds a bit of shadow to the season.
This year Jules and Madeleine take a look at the strange relationship between Christmas and witchcraft. If that sounds implausible, stick around - there is a bizarre logic behind it. As with many folkloric traditions, the Christmas witch goes back centuries but some of the modern iterations bring a new level of horror to the tradition. We remember Father Christmas but forget Perchta. We tell stories about St Nicholas but forget St Lucy and her alter Ego, Bloody Lucy. And just who led the wild hunts during Saturnalia and later the twelve days of Christmas? Find out in a special festive episode.
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There are few phrases as bedight with dubious associations as 'for a modern audience'. In terms of storytelling, are we saying that the original story was flawed? That tends not to go down well with fans of the original. Or, conversely, does the phrase mean that a modern audience is somehow incapable of engaging with the original and needs to have the material dumbed down? Despite the trickiness of the situation, there has been an upsurge in reboots and remakes lately with even more scheduled for release in 2025. This week the dragons delve into why that is and whether it's a good use of storytelling muscles or not?
On the slab this week: Fright Night, Road House, Disney Live action and many more.
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Music has a peculiar relationship with the supernatural, and no branch more so than the occult. Certain musical genres have a long association with the devil, both in folklore and urban legend. But why is that? Where did those stories originate? And how has this shaped modern horror and SFF? This week the dragons dive into Rock'n'Roll to unravel the devil's music.On the slab this week - The Infernal - Kim Wilkins, We Sold Our Souls - Grady Hendrix, Evil in Me - Brom and many more. Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
From devices of comedy to alien antagonists to symbols of deep seated corruption, mushrooms and fungi make strangely appropriate side characters. They are used as set dressing, as indicators of other realms and as terrible weapons. Appropriately, they have woven tendrils so firmly through fiction that it's pretty much impossible to work out when they first entered storytelling cannon - potentially it was when storytelling pre-dated written language. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at these strange beings, examining how they have been used in a variety of genres and how you might want to use them in your own writing.
Under the microscope this week - The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson, What Moves the Dead - T Kingfisher, The Last of Us, The Girl with All the Gifts - M R Carey and many more.
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On a lighter note this week, the dragons delve into a well loved trope which has its origins in folk and fairy tales, shifting and adapting for audiences over the centuries to reflect the socio economics of the time. The clever servant-foolish master dynamic is one which is still enjoyed today, balancing inequalities of social position, wealth and status with intellect, cunning and personability. The trope is a shapeshifter - played for laughs, delivered straight and used as supporting story. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at why.
On the slab this week - The King's Knight, Blackadder the 3rd, Jeeves and Worcester and many more.
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It's no secret that the dragons are fans of musicals, so they should be delighted by all the film adaptations of popular stage shows, right? Well, that's not entirely the case. There are a variety of reasons why a stage production may not work as a film and vice versa, not withstanding any internet drama that blows up in the wake of an adaptation. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at why these adaptations can fall flat.
Under the spotlight this week: Into the Woods, Beauty and the Beast, Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables and many more.
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It's pretty well established that truth is stranger than fiction, but what do you do when the facts are literally too unlikely for a reader to swallow? When historical accuracy or authenticity is likely to bounce your reader out of your story for being unrealistic? Welcome to The Tiffany Problem. This week Jules and Madeleine examine this phenomenon, follow a trail through some examples and finally, offer suggestions for how to counter it while still being accurate in your storytelling.
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Possession is a regular trope in horror and sci-fi. The idea that a physical body could be taken over by an external entity is as disturbing as it is enticing. However, there are many sub categories of this kind of bodysnatching, from parasites that physically puppeteer to Freaky Friday-esque body swaps. This week, Jules and Madeleine delve into the humour and horror of the trope, drawing on a wide range of speculative fiction and there own work where appropriate.
On the slab this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, V, the Bodysnatchers and many more.
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Generations of a family punished for the ill-advised actions or an ancestor? Crossed paths with the sidhe and worded an answer impolitely? Fallen foul of someone's desire for revenge? Chances are, in speculative fiction, the problem will turn out to be a curse. It may not really be the oldest speculative fiction trope but it's definitely got history.
In this episode of the Dragons' spooky season, Jules and Madeleine drill down on the well used SFF and Horror trope of 'the curse'. How can you use the trope in a way that reads as fresh and novel? What are the main types of this trope? And what historical precedent is there for this occurrence in fiction?
On the slab this week: Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynn Jones, Unveiled, The Ring and many more.
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Continuing with the spooky season, this week the dragons delve into the popular sub genre of survival horror. While you could argue that the point of every horror story is survival, this sub genre takes it to the next level with characters pitted against nature, the wild and even space - sometimes with a twist of the supernatural thrown in.
But how do you go about writing survival horror that lands? What attributes should you be looking for in a main character? Why is setting so important? Join Jules and Madeleine for a discussion on all this and more.
On the slab this week: Devolution - Max Brooks, Alien, The Luminous Dead - Caitlin Starling and many more.
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The dragons kick off spooky season with a look at one of the staples of horror - the haunted house. It's so ubiquitous now that haunted house stories are really a sub genre in their own right with their own tropes and conventions. So why do some haunted house stories work while others fall flat? This week Jules and Madeleine present a blueprint on how to build your own haunted house story complete with flickering lights, sordid history and reappearing blood stain. Rattling chains in the attic optional.
On the slab: The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Little Stranger and many more.
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Part two of a two part episode Most speculative fiction will involve traumatising your main character at some point but how do you make it clear to a reader or viewer that this is what is happening without ponderously 'telling' it? What narrative techniques can be employed to show this instead? How do you deliver the message with emotion without tilting over into melodrama? How do you make trauma believable? This week Jules and Madeleine delve into this tricky part of storytelling. On the slab - The Stand - Stephen King, The Mask Falling - Samantha Shannon, The Blood of the Delphi and many more. Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Part one of a two part episode
Most speculative fiction will involve traumatising your main character at some point but how do you make it clear to a reader or viewer that this is what is happening without ponderously 'telling' it? What narrative techniques can be employed to show this instead? How do you deliver the message with emotion without tilting over into melodrama? How do you make trauma believable? This week Jules and Madeleine delve into this tricky part of storytelling.
On the slab - Daredevil, Twilight, I Belong to the Earth and many more.
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Part 2 of a 2 part episode
Following on from last week's over view episode, this week Jules and Madeleine get, appropriately, into the details of what to include or exclude when writing and worldbuilding. Speculative fiction can, by it's very nature, require extensive world building which in turn requires plenty of detail. But how do you know what to include or exclude? How much detail should you go for? Is there such a thing as too much detail?
On the slab this week - Harker & Blackthorn, The Sons of Thestian, Strange the Dreamer - Laini Taylor, Immortal Pleasures - V Castro and many more
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Part 1 of a 2 part episode
The dragons are back and gearing up for spooky season. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the thorny issue of 'details'. Speculative fiction can, by it's very nature, require extensive world building which in turn requires plenty of detail. But how do you know what to include or exclude? How much detail should you go for? Is there such a thing as too much detail?
On the slab this week - The Book of Strange New Things - Michel Faber, Fire & Hemlock and Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones, Lorna Doone - R D Blackmoore and many more.
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Please note this episode contains spoilers for all the shows and books mentioned!
It's the human in superhuman which is the interesting aspect of the superhero genre, which is why the genre is so good at holding up a dark mirror to the worst aspects of humanity as well as being aspiration. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into the murky waters of dark superheroes looking at parallels between fame, money, consumerism and politics. How are superheroes the new pantheon of gods? Isn't a dark superhero just a villain? And why are writers drawn to telling these stories?
On the slab this week - The Boys, The Umbrella Academy, Velveteen vs by Seanan McGuire and many more.
This is the season finale but the dragons will be back in September.
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Not every story can be or needs to be high octane intensity. In fact some of the best books are objectively quiet affairs. Low stakes does not mean low story or lack of compelling reading or viewing experience however. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at why low stakes can be just as enthralling as high stakes, and in many ways can provide deeper connections between the reader and the characters. How do you make a low stakes story compelling? What are the dos and don'ts of writing low stakes? And how do you keep a reader's attention focused on your MC when the world isn't ending?
On the slab this week - Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness, Swordheart by T Kingfisher and many more.
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Myths and stories from the classical world have always been popular inspiring works of art, poetry, books and plays across centuries. Lately, Greek mythology has enjoyed an even bigger revival powered by the era of the 'feminist retelling'. However, while many of these books may be enjoyable stories in their own right, they are almost always bad retellings of the original source material - although 'original' is a relative term. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a frank look at why this happens, why overlaying a modern lens over literature that is several thousand years old is often doomed to failure and how you can find a balance between anachronistically modern and incomprehensively contemporaneous with the original. On the slab this week - A Thousand Ships - Natalie Haynes, The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller, The Silence of the Girls - Pat Barker and many more.
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Every profession has at some point suffered from misrepresentation in fiction, however the inaccurate way writers are often depicted in screenplays is especially ironic. However, the dragons do acknowledge that exaggeration and outright fabrication often make for better storytelling so with that in mind, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the main writer character types used in fiction. From tormented geniuses to hardbitten hacks, this tongue in cheek episode is full of characterisation ideas if you ever want to include a writer character in your own writing.
On the slab this week - Argylle, Limitless, The Help and many more.
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If you're a long term listener, you'll already be aware that the concept of 'genre' is mostly just a tool to aid categorisation, especially when it comes to selling books. That said, there are points on the timeline that are considered recognised emergence points for specific major genres. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the evolution of fantasy: where did the idea come from? When did it diverge from fairy tales and folklore? And how did it become the speculative fiction power house genre it is today? Part 2 of a 2 part episode. Title music - Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
If you're a long term listener, you'll already be aware that the concept of 'genre' is mostly just a tool to aid categorisation, especially when it comes to selling books. That said, there are points on the timeline that are considered recognised emergence points for specific major genres. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the evolution of fantasy: where did the idea come from? When did it diverge from fairy tales and folklore? And how did it become the speculative fiction power house genre it is today?
Part 1 of a 2 part episode.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Dinosaurs and prehistoric megafauna have been capturing human imagination for centuries. Certain myths may well have been partially shaped by the discovery of dinosaur bones, whilst our progressing understanding of the dinosaurs 180 million year reign and how it ended, has coloured our understanding of our own place in the natural order.
No surprise then that dinosaurs should appear in so much fiction - both written and staged or filmed. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at why these creatures hold such fascination for us, and why they have bled into fantasy and science fiction in a way that cannot be erased.
Under the microscope this week: Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton, The Palaeontologist - Luke Dumas, Dinotopia and many more.
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Storytelling is a powerful tool for exploring difficult issues - both in terms of catharsis and also at a distance. This is especially true for death and bereavement. While the dragons have discussed grief in speculative fiction before, this week they are examining bereavement as a storytelling mode in its own right.
How do you write bereavement in a way that isn't overwhelming, off-putting or just false? What are the popular tropes which explore this issue? And just why might you include it in sff anyway? On the slab this week - Fruits Basket, Star Trek: Discovery, A Symphony of Echoes - Jodi Taylor and many more.
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It's time for another episode in the fairytales in focus series and this week the dragons are delving into one of the best known and (inexplicably?) best beloved. The tale of the Sleeping Beauty has gone through many permutations over the centuries and most likely has an oral tradition that was even older. It has been co-opted by Medieval Romantic poetry, pops up in Norse sagas, and was even used as code for aspects of Gnostic Christian movements. So what is it about this story which is so enduring? Is it the cursed child theme? The political coding in some versions? Or does it resonate with something even deeper? Find out in this weeks extended episode.
On the slab this week - The Witchwood Knot - Olivia Atwater, A Long Long Sleep - Anna Sheehan, Tchaikovsky's ballet and many more.
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The villain who redeems themself is a highly popular trope, but so is it's mirror and sister trope - the hero who becomes the villain. Operating on the assumption that no one is born 'bad', this trope is an engaging look at how someone might gradually descend into villainy and not even realise until after they have arrived. This week, the dragons discuss how to tackle this storyline in a way that is believable and leaves your reader feeling satisfied by the story rather than cheated. On the slab this week - Star Wars, Breaking Bad, Dune - part II and many more.
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Nineteenth century novels remain rich fodder both for adaptation and complete reimagining. However, it is rarely as easy as writers and screenwriters believe to strike the balance between respect for the source material, alteration to provide accessibility for a modern audience and presenting the themes which made the book a classic in the first place. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at what can go right and what can go horribly wrong when using classics as the basis for your story.
Under the microscope this week - Ill Will - Michael Stewart, Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding, Persuasion and many more.
(This is part two of a two part episode)
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Nineteenth century novels remain rich fodder both for adaptation and complete reimagining. However, it is rarely as easy as writers and screenwriters believe to strike the balance between respect for the source material, alteration to provide accessibility for a modern audience and presenting the themes which made the book a classic in the first place. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at what can go right and what can go horribly wrong when using classics as the basis for your story.
Under the microscope this week - Iron Mask - Tina Connelly, Jane Steele - Lyndsey Faye, Wide Sargasso Sea and many more.
(This is part one of a two part episode)
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From unlikely and surprisingly hardy explorers to accidental time travellers, adventure fiction combines the best of wonder and thrilling pace. Understandably seen as popcorn fiction by some due to its focus on pacey events and in-the-nick-of-time rescues, adventure fiction has a surprisingly long and distinguished pedigree. This week Jules and Madeleine travel back through the adventure fiction family tree, tracing it's origins forward to the slick Hollywood blockbusters and fast paced modern reads. Above all, the dragons focus on why this type of content is fun and engaging - something which various genres are capitalising on. On the slab this week - The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas, The Lost City, Indiana Jones and many more.
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After a brief sabbatical, the dragons are back with an all new set of episodes!
This week, Jules and Madeleine delve into the folkloric symbolism and the physical reality of the seasons. Many writers overlook the importance of the seasons, and the various levels on which we interact with them, which means they miss an easy opportunity for world building, character development, atmosphere and symbolism. How do seasons work in your fantasy world? Does your protagonist follow an agricultural, astrological, or personal calendar? How does the season reflect the mood? Can the changing of the seasons be symbolic of the character’s journey? These are all worth considering!
On the slab this week - George R R Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire, Tamora Pearce - Circle of Magic, The Hamartia Cycle and many more.
An interesting slant on both the animal companion and the soul mate tropes, is the 'soul bonded animal' trope. It's been popular in sci-fi and fantasy for many decades but is reaching new levels of popularity with the recent wave of new fantasy.
But what is it about being emotionally and psychically connected to an animal - especially a fantastical animal - which captures the imagination? Why is it so much easier to swallow than the equally intense (in a different direction) fated mates trope? And just how can the soul-bound animal companion help move on the story and shape the main characters arc? Follow the dragons down the rabbit hole this week as they delve in to all these questions and more.
On the slab: Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros, The Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, Hid Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Faebound - Saari El-Arifi and many more.
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Heroic fantasy better know as Sword & Sorcery, is one of the oldest forms of modern fantasy. It's arguably the progenitor or at least co-parent of both Noblebright and Grimdark, as well as influencing several other subgenres of sci fi and fantasy. And yet despite this, despite its greater accessibility than Epic fantasy, Sword & Sorcery does not enjoy an unblemished reputation. This week the dragons take a look at why and whether that grimy reputation is deserved. In addition, what is is about Sword & Sorcery that so easily captures the imagination? How has it evolved over the decades? And is it pure esca[ism, or are there deeper themes? On the slab this week: Robert E Howard's Conan the Barbarian, Xena Warrior Princess, Ladyhawk, Silverglass by J F Rivkin and many more.
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Have you ever noticed how often a lynchpin character is not, in fact, 'the chosen one'? Or how many times a simple, mundane skill or a knack for being friendly and straight forward saves the day while high powered, flashy characters flounder? This week Jules and Madeleine look at why a 'kitchen hero' - someone who thinks about things like seeing to the horses' hooves or foraging for edible plants or sewing or organising - is an essential character in sci-fi and fantasy. These characters usually don't possess cool powers or above average ability with a sword. Often they're the ones every is surprised made it as far as they did. And yet, when you really pick apart their story arc, you discover that the entire mission would have failed without them. On the slab this week: Lord of the Rings, Heart's Blood - Juliet Marillier, Swordheart - T. Kingfisher and many more.
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Aesthetic movements becoming literary genres is not a new thing; nor is the waxing and waning in fashion of those aesthetics. One such example which is enjoying something of a renaissance is 'cottagecore'. The celebration of a back to basics simple, rural life with emphasis on low conflict and high crafting has reached a huge level of popularity. Not surprising considering the recent slew of socio-economic and geo-political events over the last half a dozen or so years. But how do you add an aesthetic to your writing? What makes cottagecore so versatile and able to overlay a variety of genres? And is it technically a genre in it's own right yet? Find out in this week's episode.
Under the microscope this week: Practical Magic, Bloom - Delilah S Dawson, Kiki's Delivery Service and many more.
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The dragons are starting the year with the controversial take that sometimes the film adaptation of a story is better than the book. Obviously this is a bold take as any book worm will tell you, but is there any truth in it? How much is down to personal preference or accessibility of story? How much is a result of what media you engage with first? And are there stories where the adaptation goes in a completely different direction and does better with the original material than the book? Find out in this week's episode. On the slab - The Witches of Eastwick - John Updike, Wicked - Gregory McGuire, Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine and many more.
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For the final episode of 2023, the dragons are once again suggesting that the last year wasn't as bad as you might think. Certainly, it wasn't as bad as the 24hr news cycle would have you believe. This week, in a light and hopeful episode, Jules and Madeleine take a look at some of the good things that have happened in 2023 - from advances in medicine and science to conservational wins - before rounding up with some of their favourite speculative fiction moments of the last year.
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Tis the season and this week the dragons bring you a festive episode that looks at how songs can tell surprisingly complicated and nuanced stories. Since it's almost Christmas, Jules and Madeleine have chosen well known Christmas songs for those experiment. Join them for a light hearted, sort-of writing based episode - perfect for listening to as you do some last minute present wrapping.
The Dragons send Seasons Greetings to all their listeners. Wishing you joy no matter how you celebrate.
The creation of graphic novels is not only a form of illustration but a type of story telling in its own right, and one with a far older history than you might guess. Despite an undeserved reputation for being a soft form of reading (something they share with audio books) graphic novels are nuanced and multi layered, often able to communicate several things at once in a way that other books just don't. This week, Jules and Madeleine delve into the startling origins of this type of storytelling, looking at what makes a graphic novel work and drawing on examples from their favourites. Under the microscope this week: Punderland by Linda Sejic, Mouseguard by David Peterson, The Boys by Garth Innis and many more.
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There are many physical characteristics which, when used in storytelling, have ingrained concordances with less tangible traits. It's a code we imbibe through fiction starting with folktales and continuing through ever possible genre and storytelling mode. Beauty is one of these characteristics and as real life push back spills over into how fiction is written, descriptions of physical beauty are being scorned. At least by a small very vocal contingent. So just what are you saying when you incorporate physical beauty in your character make up? The dragons are willing to bet you're saying more than you perhaps realise. This week Jules and Madeleine explore what associations come package with this characteristic, why you might want to use it (despite the naysayers) and how to do it in a way that enriches your character, rather than detracts from them.
On the slab this week: The Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde, Rouge - Mona Awad, Fairest - Gail Carson Levine and many more.
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Writing a book is hard. Ending a book in way that satisfies most of your readers is unbelievably hard - even before you factor in that you will never please everyone. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at why this is true. Examining books and films they enjoyed but which didn't stick the ending, the dragons list the ways an ending can fail its fans and how to avoid this.
On the slab this week: Avengers Endgame, The Mist - Stephen King, The Witcher Season 3 and many more.
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A SFF trope currently rising in popularity is that of the magical crime family. This is especially prevalent in conjunction with magic wielders and witches. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at why mixing the popular 'gangster' trope with magic is such a winning combination, before comparing it with another staple of the genre - the legacy monster hunter. Technically both have a wobbly relationship with the law, but each are approaching (generally) from opposite directions, so why are both equally popular? On the slab this week: Supernatural, One for my Lover - Olivie Blake, The Mayfair Witches series - Anne Rice and many more.
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This week, the dragons bring you another fairy tales in focus episode. Rumpelstiltskin is a mixed bag when you really look at it, but this macabre and often funny tale of deception and trickery has always resonated with children. However, this story dates back far further than the Brothers Grimm. In fact there's good evidence that it may be one of the oldest fairy tales in existence. Join Jules and Madeleine as they take a look at what's hidden in the story, from it's probable bloody origins as a tale of bargaining and sacrifice to its more modern retellings as a horror story or an upbeat fantasy. On the slab this week: Gilded - Marissa Meyer, Spinning Silver - Naomi Novak, A Curse as Dark as Gold - Elizabeth C Bunce and many more.
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Regular listeners of the show will already know that very few tropes and writing trends are actually new. All of them have come from somewhere and often those origins are surprising. The fridging trope is one that bears a justifiable amount of scorn but it's also one that exists for a reason and has a shockingly long pedigree. This week, Jules and Madeleine travel back to the earliest recorded origins of this trope, before looking at why it exists and how to take the necessary elements of it and use it in your own work in a way that isn't problematic. From Ancient Greece to World War II, from Early Medieval Wales to the Arthurian Cycle, the dragons take a tour through time and storytelling.
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Gothic fiction may have started out as a sophisticated joke, but like so many initially unlikely genres, it picked up a following, developed rules and tropes and then continued to surprise and delight readers for the next two hundred and fifty years. Gothic fiction - like traditional ghost stories - holds up a mirror to the human soul often with unflattering results. Considering its roots in desolate, crumbling castles and stormy nights, its a surprisingly versatile and slippery genre which probably explains why it takes some interesting turns when it travels across the pond. American gothic or southern gothic followed a similar evolutionary path from being a ghastly joke to taking on a life and power of its own. This week, Jules and Madeleine look at the key differences between the parent and child genres as they delve in to what makes the Southern Gothic tick like the Tell Tale Heart. Under the microscope this week - Edgar Allen Poe, Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches, Rosemary Clement Moore's The Splendour Falls and many more.
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This week's episode in the October spookathon takes a look at horror films. Now, obviously creepy and strange things happen on the sets of horror films - that's sort of the point. But what about all those accounts of rum goings-on that aren't in the script? Is there a logical explanation? Are they urban legends or promotional stunts? Or could there possibly be something truly inexplicable going on? Find out as Jules and Madeleine pull back the curtain on the darker areas of the silver screen. On the slab this week - Nightmare on Elm Street, The Twilight Zone, The Possession and many more.
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Part two of a two part episode
Continuing both the spooky season and their examination of how vampires in fiction challenge all standards of norm, the dragons delve further into our favourite fanged monsters. This week Jules and Madeleine tackle vampires in conjunction with coming of age, identity and the parallels between sex and death. Under the microscope this time: The Lost Boys, Let the Right One In, The Vampire Diaries by L J Smith and more.
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Part 1 of a two part episode
Continuing their month long spookathon, this week the dragons tackle aspects of the vampire genre. In narrative terms vampires have provided an excellent vessel for examining aspects of humanity, whether that's trauma causing monstrousness, or non-conformity. The vampire also has a fairly long queer history and it's no surprise that LGBTQ folks have flocked to films and literature featuring our favourite fanged monsters. How do vampires in speculative fiction challenge rigid norms regarding sex and sexuality? Why do they make such good vehicles for exploring family and the other? And what exactly was Bram Stoker driving at with some of his very un-Victorian story choices? Drink deep listeners - it's not merely wine. On the slab this week: Carmilla - Sheridan le Farnu, Christabel - Samuel Taylor Coleredge, What we do in the Shadows, Castlevania and more.
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It's October which means two things: Hallowe'en and the Dragons' traditional month long extravaganza of spooky episodes. Heading up the spookathon, Jules and Madeleine take a look at why so many horror films contain queer subtext or are fictional pieces which are easy for LGBTQ people to identify with. Some of this connection is positive and some is less so, but the fascination is real. The dragons look at why that is and what exactly a queer filter can add to an understanding of the horror genre. On the slab this week - Halloween, Jennifer's Body, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and many more.
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There's a lot to be learned about serving your target audience exactly what they want from children's books, especially those which have become children's classics. This week the dragons delve into exactly what raises a children's book above its peers and gives it enduring appeal. Drawing on well known children's classics, modern children's classics and those junior books which they believe will become classics, Jules and Madeleine look at what makes a book last generations. On the slab this week - The Weirdstone of Brisingamen - Alan Garner, The Whitby Witches - Robin Jarvis, Howl's Moving Castle - Diana Wynne Jones and many more.
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There's still a lot of discourse around what makes a strong female character - an annoying qualifier which many writers feel we can do without - and much of this discussion is contradictory. One reader's good female character is another reader's worst character ever. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at several examples, discussing which if either school of thought is right, before adding their own opinions. On the slab this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, The Walking Dead and many more.
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There's something very appealing about a moral outlaw character, Whether it's Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor or a barely leashed Jack Reacher doing what's right rather than what the law defines as appropriate. Our fiction is full of those who exist outside the law, crossing the line into the dark without ever losing audience sympathy. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at why this trope is so popular, how you can incorporate it in your own work and just why exactly it pops up in some very surprising genres. On the slab this week: Legally Blonde, the Hunger Games, Twilight and many more.
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If there is one skill that's essential for getting readers to keep reading and yet gets thought of last amongst writing advice, it's that of pacing. Nor is it an easy skill to master since it varies depending on genre, style, voice and reader taste. This week the dragons take a look at some tips and tricks that can help you crack the art of pacing, with a look at a few examples along the way.
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This week the dragons present another 'fairy tales in focus' episode and they certainly couldn't have picked one with grimmer origins. Hansel and Gretel, though comparatively a young story in fairy tale terms, has its origins in some very real and very dark historical events. While the well known tale is beloved by children - not least for the house made of sweets - its themes are multi-layered and complex. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at what lies behind the gingerbread cottage from Medieval famine to infanticide. On the slab this week: The Witch of Duva - Leigh Bardugo, Indexing - Seanan McGuire, The Great Hunger - Martin Gilbert and many more.
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It's hardwired into humans (and pretty much every other organism) to compete, which is why it should come as no surprise that 'competition' is one of the most 'buttery' tropes you can write into a book. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at exactly why and how you can utilise this in your own work. Whether it's as escapism, tickling the problem solving brain cells or to add stakes, competition adds a uniquely engaging element to fiction. On the slab this week The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, The Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros, the Karate Kid and many more.
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Fiction featuring the 'afflicted woman' trope is not a new subgenre but it's enjoying somewhat of a renaissance lately. The 'sad girl' of literary fiction has recently spent a lot more time hanging out in genre fiction which give the dragons the opportunity to dissect the trope. So what is it about the 'afflicted or messy woman' that's so appealing? Is it entirely about catharsis or is there a more sinister element? How has she been depicted in other forms of art? Find out in this week's episode. On the slab - Fleabag, Penny Dreadful, Woman Eating - Claire Kohda and many more.
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Advancements in Artificial Intelligence are now creeping into how art is shaped and produced. It's no exaggeration to say that this will change the face of the book industry. Understandably, many creatives are very concerned about what this means for them and their livelihoods as the genie is well out of the bottle and unlikely to ever be put back. While the dragons are not experts on the subject, they are here to have an open discussion about matters as they stand. It isn't the end of the creative process and there are ways to use the technology in an ethical manner. So don't panic - the dragons may not have all the answers but they can probably point you in the right direction.
This week the dragons are delighted to welcome Olivia Atwater - author of Half a Soul and Small Miracles - to the show. Olivia's fantasy novels cross several genre lines and magic systems play a strong role in the stories, which makes her the perfect person to join this episode's discussion.
Magic systems in fantasy have evolved a long way since the advent of recording traditional folk tales in writing and the dawn of modern epic fantasy. There are now a variety of different types of systems which broadly fall within the hard (defined) and soft (nebulous) categories. In fact many fantasy novels employ a combination or even both at once, so does it matter which you use? What does the magic system add to the story and how do you shape it for best effect?
Under the microscope this week: The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien, The Old Kingdom series - Garth Nix, Small Miracles - Olivia Atwater and many more.
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The topic of the 'not like the other girls' trope is a potentially fraught one. For starters, it's not always clear where a piece of fiction falls into this trope with opinions varying greatly. This week Jules and Madeleine revisit this thorny issue, taking a look at how things have progressed over the last few years and whether it might not be time to examine whether the calling out of the trope is not in fact as potentially harmful as the trope itself. And what exactly does all that have to do with underwear?
On the slab this week: Anne with an E, Little Women, The Hunger Games and many more.
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It will come as no surprise to regular listeners that the dragons are passionate about good diverse representation in speculative fiction, and they've certainly discussed segments of that huge topic before. This time, Jules and Madeleine are focusing on how bisexuality is depicted in SFF, both for good and ill, and in ways that are frankly misunderstood. So just how important are labels? Can you have good representation without them? And what are some of the real bugbears about how bisexuality is displayed and how people misinterpret it that really annoy both dragons?
On the slab this week: The Witcher, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Boys and many more.
Despite discussing folktales and fairy stories regularly and at length, the dragons haven't really touched on 'modern' original fairy tales. That is books or stories written using fairy tale story modes but often set in contemporary or even futuristic settings. Contrasting the contemporary with the traditional fairy tale really highlights how steeped the both are in the politics and morality of the time, whilst still capturing that timelessness of themes. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at a selection of case studies including Elizabeth von Arnem's The Enchanted April, Elizabeth Goudge's The Little White Horse and George Orwell's Animal Farm.
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Special Guest Episode!
This week the dragons are thrilled to welcome C. N. Rowan to the show. As the author of the imPerfect Cathar urban fantasy series, which follows Paul, an 800 yr old immortal who was once a 'perfect' of the group we came to call the Cathars, but is now a magic wielding, monster hunting emotional train wreck with a smart mouth and a nose for trouble. The series is darkly comedic and a lot of fun, which make Chris the perfect person to join the episode's discussion.
Urban fantasy is spawning sub genres at speed and there are target audiences who are just ravenous for these new twists on a well established genre. But how do you make your UF books stand out? Well, one way is to add a strong historical component. How? Tune into to find out.
On the slab this week: Indiana Jones, imPerfect Cathar, The Parasol Protectorate and many more.
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It's been a while since the dragons have done a 'fairy tales in focus' episode so this week Jules and Madeleine take a dive into the origins, inspiration and socio-political interpretations of 'The Little Mermaid'. Written in the early nineteenth century by Danish author Hans Christian Anderson, the story cannot boast the long history of other popular fairy stories. It's also devoid of the usual happy ending and the substitute for happily ever after is oddly unsatisfying and eerie. However, it still became one of the most beloved fairy tales of all time. Why is that and what was Anderson really saying? What folktales influenced his work? And are any of the literary interpretations close to the mark? Find out in this week's episode.
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Hard science fiction has been a recognised term since the 1950s. Hard fantasy is comparatively more recent as a definition but is certainly something which is being applied now to fantasy with a highly logical world, heavy political threads or more challenging storylines. However, there are cons as well as pros to narrowing the field genre wise, and a certain amount of intellectual or literary snobbery creeps in. So what does the qualifier 'hard' mean in reference to sff? What qualities qualify a book for the term? And what are the drawbacks? This week Jules and Madeleine dive into the subject with examples such as The Masquerade series by Seth Dickenson, Dune by Frank Herbert and many more.
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There are few things more annoying to a reader than being cheated by the author - whether intentionally or not. One of the most annoying forms of this is the cliffhanger. Originally a device which accidentally emerged from serialised Victorian fiction, it turned into a way of manipulating the audience into buying the next book or watching the next episode. This week, Jules and Madeleine discuss the various types of cliffhangers used in speculative fiction and address why most of the time, using any sort of cliffhanger is a bad choice. On the slab this week: The Eternals, Crescent City - S.J.Maas, The Empire Strikes Back and many more.
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Creating an actual villain, rather than just an antagonist, is a tricky business. It's easy to go too far and fall into the realms of cartoonish unbelievability. On the other hand, your villain needs to feel like a clear and present danger otherwise what are they doing in your MC's story? This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the main pitfalls on the road to making your villain genuinely menacing, as well as offering tips for how to make them villainous and still believable. Under the microscope this week: Lord of the Rings, The Terminator, Harker & Blackthorn and many more.
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Special guest episode!
The dragons are delighted to welcome urban fantasy author, Heather G Harris, to the show this week. Heather is the author of the wildly popular Other Realm and Other Wolf series, and her British set UF is packed with humour, unusual creatures and great characters, which makes her the perfect person to join this week's discussion. (As well as a chat about her books and hints about forthcoming projects.)
Urban fantasy is something of an umbrella term and can include different micro genres depending on who's doing the categorising. For the purposes of this episode, UF is fantasy set against the backdrop of the mundane modern world as we know it. One of the interesting aspects of the genre is the slightly different flavour UK and Irish UF has in comparison to US UF. Considering the similarities between the UK and her cousins across the pond, what's at the root of this? Is there a real difference? And if so, what differences have we noticed? (Hint: yes there is the tea aspect. But it's not just the tea...) Join Jules, Madeleine and their guest as they tackle this topic and discuss some of their favourite Indie UF writers.
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There are many ways to end a story but one of the most popular is triumph against a seemingly insurmountable foe. While there is something very satisfying about bringing your heroes to a point where it seems all is lost before they snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, there are definitely ways to do it wrong. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look a different ways of achieving this kind of ending in a believable way. On the slab this week: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Stranger Things and Many more.
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Most writers at some point become familiar with the idea of the monomyth and the work of Joseph Campbell. However, despite the misleading name, the monomyth is not the only blueprint for all storytelling. While it's very prevalent in almost ever story in the Western world, there are several other storytelling modes which privilege different aspects of a story for a variety of different reasons. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at other kinds of story templates, travelling through the monomyth to the Heroine's Journey and then onto modes used in other parts of the world.
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Every so often the dragons like to break away from writing technique and storytelling analysis and do something light and fun. This week they have a list of contenders for the hand of an imaginary batchelorette. Our would be suitors are drawn from the most highly sought after romantic male leads of fiction - from Mr Darcy to Edward Cullen. But just what is it that makes any of our romantic hopefuls appealing? Find out as Jules and Madeleine gently poke fun at them and weigh their finer qualities.
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Welcome to another 'fairytales in focus' episode. This week the dragons are tackling one of the most gruesome popular folk stories. The story of well known wife murderer 'Bluebeard' has inspired a lot of Gothic and horror fiction, but its own origins - while comparatively recent - are somewhat unusual. In addition, while it's often slammed for being a truly sexist story, digging into the folklore suggests that its 'moral' was probably lost in translation. Jules and Madeleine track the story's grisly journey through history and folk tradition in this episode.
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Retelling a well known myth, fairytale or historical event from a marginalised, often voiceless character's perspective is not a new idea, however it has gained a lot of traction and popularity over the last few years. This is especially true of 'feminist retellings'. Whether the term 'feminist retelling' is more of a marketing term or a true reflection of the contents is up for debate however, and is further complicated by the fact that the word feminism means different things to different people at different time periods. However, the dragons feel that the recent slew of feminist retellings come with their own set of problems. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into the good, the bad and the ugly of reimagining myths from a female perspective. On the slab this week: Circe - Madeleine Miller, Morgan is my Name - Sophie Keetch, The Silence of the Girls - Pat Barker and many more.
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Sometimes the lives of authors are stranger or more fraught than the books they write in true truth is stranger than fiction style. Following on from a past episode which tracked the strange deaths and mysteries of four well known authors, the dragons present to you four more authors who lived unconventional lives which were at odds with the time they lived in or even their own storytelling. Tune in this week for a discussion on V.C. Andrews, Thomas Hardy, Wilkie Collins and Emily Dickinson.
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Every so often the dragons like to catch up on some of the more bizarre or annoying happenings of the writing world. A certain recent article tipped the scales this time so in this episode Jules and Madeleine are looking at attitudes and trends which have been in the spotlight recently. Is there any benefit to 'scrubbing' beloved but somewhat dated children's fiction? Is there such a thing as a writer who writes too much? What constitutes boring in terms of real life people and fictional characters? And is there any merit to adopting a 'with me or against me' viewpoint? (As always this is an opinion piece and the dragons welcome other viewpoints and comments.)
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In last week's episode, Jules and Madeleine examined the werewolf in folklore, it's transformation from noble guardian to monstrous predator, and why everything you think you know about werewolves is in fact wrong, This week, the dragons take a look at the werewolf in film and literature. From desirable outlet of wildness to expression of uncontrollable rage, the werewolf has been a favourite monster for decades. This episode considers why. On the slab this week: In the Company of Wolves, An American Werewolf in London, Blood and Chocolate and many more.
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In a previous episode, the dragons discussed shapeshifters in folklore and fiction, however they did not devote much time to the European, UK and Irish cryptid - the werewolf. In part one of a two part episode, Jules and Madeleine follow the changes this creature undergoes from early Medieval times to the modern day. Like many aspects of folklore, the werewolf has been shaped by historical events and changing mindsets, and is in many ways more representative of the broad sweeps of European history than its contemporary monsters. Join us for an episode which explains why everything you thought you knew about werewolves is wrong.
Considering that writing and publishing are completely so closely linked, they couldn't be more different in terms of execution for the author. Assuming you manage to be one of the small number of people who actually finish writing a book, you may well find yourself bewildered as to what to do next. Drawing on their decade of experience in the industry, Jules and Madeleine use this episode to give you an overview of your options including why one path might be more suitable for you than another. The dragons also include tips on negotiating contracts, creative control and realistic representations of royalty rates. You've written a book? Great. Here's what you do next.
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A strangely contentious issue when it comes to writing is whether or not your main character needs to be likeable. The vast majority of readers would probably argue in one direction while many subsections of the writing community would argue the opposite. For a subject where it's clear everyone's mileage varies, it's interesting that the question causes such a division and even anger. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at what a 'likeable character' is in writing terms, as well as how you can make your character likeable. How can you give your main character broader audience appeal? How do you make readers identify with your MC? And how can you avoid making them unintentionally unlikeable? Find out in this week's episode.
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SFF has traditionally always been a form of literature where difficult topics are deconstructed and examined. The best examples are those science fiction and fantasy novels which focus on story first, weaving socio-economic or political themes in afterwards. However, it's really easy to include things in your writing which you didn't intend to include. Classism is one of those insidious flavours that can creep in without you noticing it. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at how to avoid this as well as examining a few examples of speculative fiction which deliberately engage with the subject. On the slab this week: Battlestar Galactica, The Black Magician - Trudi Canavan, Ironman 3 and many more.
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Fun, escapism and entertainment may not be the only reason readers pick up books, but they're fairly high up the list of considerations. Something you might want to keep in mind when you're writing! Jules and Madeleine have talked in a previous episode (or several) about how to keep your readers engaged with your book. This week, the dragons take a look at a specific aspect of that process. Wish fulfilment gets a bad rap in literature terms but delving into what it actually entails, shows that this is an undeserved reputation. How can you add wish fulfilment without derailing your plot? How can it be used to make your book appeal to a broader audience? What should you avoid doing if you don't want to lose a reader?
Under the microscope this week: Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, The Martian - Andy Weir and many more.
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While most books focus on one, two or three main characters and have secondary characters filling in as needed, sff lends itself well to an 'ensemble cast'. Not to be confused with a large cast which may incorporate many characters but still has only a few POV characters which directly affect the story, an ensemble cast has four or more main characters, each on their own arc, each affecting the plot and resolution equally. This week Jules and Madeleine look at the advantages and pitfalls of using an ensemble cast in your book, including why you might want to create one, how it makes for richer world building and when not to do it.
On the slab this week: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R R Martin, Spinning Silver - Naomi Novak, Deep Space Nine and many more
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Fan theories are one unexpected but gratifying indicator that someone has really connected with your work. And the bigger the fan base, the wackier and more oddly compelling the theories grow. This week, Jules and Madeleine use Disney films to examine this phenomenon, taking a light hearted look at several fan theories of popular films and delving into how the theories may have come about as well as how likely they are to fit.
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The dragons are back with another 'fairytales in focus' episode. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at the origins of folk favourite, Rapunzel. While the story everyone is most familiar with is that collected by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, there are earlier incarnations of the story which cast the events in a somewhat different light. Added to which inspiration for the story comes from some diverse and unusual places from the Greek myth of Danaae to St Barbara of Nicodemia to Persian epic poetry. Tune into this weeks discussion of where the story of 'Little Parsley' came from.
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Most of us have a soft spot for mysteries and even if we don't, everyone knows the basic premise of a who-dunnit. Starting with Wilkie Collins and the first detective novel, following through Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and finally taking a fixed shape in Agatha Christie's mystery novels, the who-dunnit appeals to us on multiple levels. Interestingly, it has also influenced other genres lending aspects of mystery, well known tropes and elements of suspense and tension to fantasy, sci-fi and even romance. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at why we're wired to find a who-dunnit compelling; why the story form has very much become it's own thing and how you can leverage that for your own writing.
On the slab this week: Knives Out, Death on the Nile, See How they Run and many more.
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Fantasy and romance both have their origins in the High Romance tradition. It's comparatively recently that the two have become separate, specific genres with their own tropes and expectations. Which makes the current fantasy-romance trend especially interesting. A romantasy is one of those storytelling recipes where the quantities of ingredients are going to vary according to taste from fantasy elements used as mere window dressing for the romance, to well-built complex worlds where the focus is nevertheless on the romance. This week the dragons take a look at what makes a good romantasy and why they are increasing in popularity. Under the microscope this week: The Bridge Kingdom - Danielle L Jensen, That Time I got Drunk and Saved a Demon - Kimberley Lemming, Half a Soul - Olivia Atwater and many more.
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Tropes often go hand in hand. A preordained destiny often goes with the 'chosen one' trope: the 'sins of the father' often goes with the 'magical bloodline trope'. And in general, no trope is bad in and of itself, although the latter has certainly drawn a lot of flak over recent years - largely due to poor examples of the trope. This week, the dragons take a look at characters born to magical or enhanced bloodlines. What causes this trope to fall into elitism? Can it ever work? Does it deserve the bad reputation it seems to have earned? And what do Jules and Madeleine think about using it themselves?
On the slab this week: The Once and Future King, Unveiled, Dune, House of the Dragon and many more.
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Another year has passed and the dragons are once again looking back before moving forward. As usual, Jules and Madeleine are drawing your attention to some of the great things that happened in 2022 which you may not be aware of. While this past year may have felt at times like a worthy successor to the previous two years in terms of 'irritations' - and the dragons certainly mention a few - it was also a year of great strides forward in medicine, science, art, conservation and many other areas. Tune in for a light hearted and positive recap of some of the best bits of 2022.
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The Dragons would like to wish all their listeners a very Merry Christmas/ Seasons Greetings/ Happy Yule
Following in their tradition of providing festive folklore for Christmas, this year the dragons take a look at some of the common misconceptions regarding certain traditions and practices for this time of year. Do evergreens symbolise eternal life? Why were crackers invented? And what are the origins of this winter festival? Find out in this light hearted episode.
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Heading into the festive season, the dragons take a look at a staple trope of childhood films and books: toys, teddy bears and dolls which 'come to life', exhibit sentience or are generally anthropomorphic. Simple on the surface, this surprisingly old and versatile trope lends itself to everything from tales of childhood wonder to featuring in adult horror stories. Focusing more on using the trope as an exploration of childhood, Jules and Madeleine look at the nuances of this eerie and wonderful trope. On the slab this week: Pinocchio, The Nutcracker, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Mouse and his Child, Toy Story and many more.
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Most folkloric devices, tropes and common characters have strong ties to the times and cultures they exist in, reflecting various mindsets and shapeshifting to stay relevant - just as fairy tales do. However, few creatures have such mysterious origins or such a chequered past as the 'Ogre' and its various other incarnations. In this second part of a two part episode, the dragons delve into how ogres have been used in fairy tales and fantasy, even in sci-fi, both to represent specific undesirable human characteristics and as a sly form of xenophobia. Join Jules and Madeleine as they look at how the ogre-villain narrative is gradually being shifted and what this means for the evolution of SFF. Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Most folkloric devices, tropes and common characters have strong ties to the times and cultures they exist in, reflecting various mindsets and shapeshifting to stay relevant - just as fairy tales do. However, few creatures have such mysterious origins or such a chequered past as the 'Ogre' and its various other incarnations. In this first part of a two part episode, the dragons trace the origins of the catch-all villain, trekking across continents and centuries and examining what and why such a creature would evolve in folklore. Join Jules and Madeleine into a deep dive into the human psyche, where they examine why we need to create supernatural villains as well as looking at historical possibilities they derived from.
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The advent of streaming television services has meant that more video content has been required and with that demand, has come a more specific requirement for less mainstream, more niche material. This has been great for SFF fans who now face an embarrassment of riches which cater to their very specific trope preferences. However, the half empty side of this is that beloved speculative fiction which has previously only been available in book form, is now being adapted for TV series...and not all series are created equal. This week the dragons tackle the big question this raises: do adaptations have a duty to be accurate? And moving on from SFF and why you might chose to not partake or an adaptation of your favourite book, is there a responsibility to not take liberties with historical adaptations? Under the microscope this week: Interview with a Vampire, The Woman King, Braveheart, His Dark Materials and many more.
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Everyone has their own trope bugbears which have more to do with personal taste than anything else, and that's fine. The dragons are no different. However there are some tropes which just fundamentally don't work - at least not if you're going to cut corners. Either they result in shoddy worldbuilding or poor story structure or they're just so ick that they knock the reader out of the story. That's not to say that they can never work but you do have to be careful how you handle them. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at some of the worst offenders and best examples of the same trope done right, in sci-fi and fantasy. On the slab this week - Star Trek Discovery, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Virtual Sexuality and many more.
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Not to be confused with 'framing devices' such as a narrative within a secondary story, 'Framing' is a type of narrative enhancer which can be used to add tone or flavour to a scene. This week, Jules and Madeleine look at how specific scenes and even whole plots can be gently adjusted using this technique, especially when it comes to movies and TV. Why might you wish to use framing? How can it be used to as a subtler form of political or social messaging? And what happens when it goes wrong? Find out in this week's episode. On the slab this week - The Witcher, She-Ra Princesses of Power, Dead End: Paranormal Park and many more.
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This week the dragons are delighted to welcome back Laura Laakso, author of the paranormal crime/ urban fantasy series Wilde Investigations. The main character of the series - Yannia Wilde - suffers from a chronic illness, which means that her exploits in magical London, solving mysteries, are always a bit more challenging. It also makes Laura the ideal person to join Jules and Madeleine for this discussion. Like many aspects of representation, chronic illness is sometimes conflated with being the entirety of a character which does more harm than good, as does some ill researched or thoughtless inclusion of chronic illness or disability. This episode is a lively discussion of exactly what you can do to create more realistic chronically ill characters and why you might want to include one in your work. Aside from which, SFF can be the perfect place to explore the subject. Under the microscope this week: The Fault in Our Stars, the Goonies, Wilde Investigations and many more.
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Finishing up their spooky season specials and taking inspiration from previous years 'cursed objects' episodes, this week the dragons take a look at 'cursed' places. A handful of tame hauntings will not qualify a place as 'cursed' under this definition. Oh no. A single lonely ghost sighting won't fit. The places Jules and Madeleine discuss in this episode have an ongoing pattern of centuries of hauntings, strange happenings, UFO sightings, as well as a long a bloody history of violence and atrocity. Join the dragons for a curated (though by no means exhaustive) selection of the most afflicted places in the UK.
At around the 75% mark, we briefly discuss 'murder tourism' and a certain serial killer's house. While we do not go into graphic detail, we also don't dance around the topic. If you're not in a good place to listen to that discussion, maybe put this one on the backburner and enjoy one of our back catalogue of episodes instead.
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Continuing their spooky season, this week the dragons tackle one of the best known monsters of all: the vampire. Generally regarded as more of an Eastern European creature, rather than a UK monster, it might surprise the listener to discover that there are many accounts of vampires in UK and Irish folklore. They appear in Medieval chronicles and Irish sagas. And there are still stories and reports being made in the UK up to the present day. Grab a your drink of choice and settle in for a deep dive in to the blood drinking fiends of Britain and Ireland.
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Continuing with their spooky theme for October, this week the dragons take a look at another six UK and Irish cryptids. From the origins of werewolves in Ossary leading to the Tipperary wolf-man, to the bizarre Bat-beast of Kent, to a genuine cryptid which may have fed legends of the Scottish Cait Sith, this episode is a wild ride through folkloric imagination with a few creepy tales thrown in.
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It's October and you know what that means! Tis the season to be spooky! In line with their usual policy of providing Hallowe'en themed episodes during October, the dragons are delighted to start with a look at some of the UK and Irelands least known and strange cryptids. This week discover one of Nessie's other loch dwelling 'cousins', discuss the likelihood of 'Owlman', and explore two possible candidates for the title of UK Bigfoot, as well as many more.
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The dragons are once again delighted to welcome Hamish Steele, author of popular comics/ graphic novels Deadendia and Pantheon, and creator of hit Netflix series Deadend: Paranormal Park, to the show. (And with some exciting news too!) This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at that peculiar but appealing phenomenon in long running TV shows - the musical episode. As a long time lover of musicals and a creator of just such a musical episode, Hamish is ideally situated to wade in on the discussion. Tracing the 'lineage' of the trend from cult classics like 'Fame' (1980) through a few very dicey attempts in the 80s and early 90s, before the sub-genre was cemented by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this dissection looks at why a musical episode might be appealing, why it can make or break a show with your audience, and why sometimes it doesn't work. Under the microscope this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Deadend: Paranormal Park, Ally McBeal, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and many more.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic.
The dragons are once again delighted to welcome Hamish Steele, author of popular comics/ graphic novels Deadendia and Pantheon, and creator of hit Netflix series Deadend: Paranormal Park, to the show. (And with some exciting news too!) This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at that peculiar but appealing phenomenon in long running TV shows - the musical episode. As a long time lover of musicals and a creator of just such a musical episode, Hamish is ideally situated to wade in on the discussion. Tracing the 'lineage' of the trend from cult classics like 'Fame' (1980) through a few very dicey attempts in the 80s and early 90s, before the sub-genre was cemented by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this dissection looks at why a musical episode might be appealing, why it can make or break a show with your audience, and why sometimes it doesn't work. Under the microscope this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Deadend: Paranormal Park, Ally McBeal, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and many more.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic.
This week the dragons bring you another episode in their 'fairy tales in focus' series. Puss in Boots is incredibly popular, especially with children, and unlike many fairy tales, it contains no real moral. So just where did this story originate and what do its characters symbolise? The Perrault version is by far the best known, but even he struggled to paste a 'lesson' onto the story, so in what ways did he misunderstand the subversive nature of the story? Find out as Jules and Madeleine trace the tale's origins back to Italy and from there across Europe, Asia and Africa. On the slab this week: Pixar's Puss in Boots, A Tale of Two Castles - Gail Carson Levine and many more.
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This week the dragons bring you another episode in their 'fairy tales in focus' series. Puss in Boots is incredibly popular, especially with children, and unlike many fairy tales, it contains no real moral. So just where did this story originate and what do its characters symbolise? The Perrault version is by far the best known, but even he struggled to paste a 'lesson' onto the story, so in what ways did he misunderstand the subversive nature of the story? Find out as Jules and Madeleine trace the tale's origins back to Italy and from there across Europe, Asia and Africa. On the slab this week: Pixar's Puss in Boots, A Tale of Two Castles - Gail Carson Levine and many more.
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The base setting for the human species is sociability to some degree. Even the most misanthropic or introverted of us are not meant to be completely cut off from all other people. In narrative terms, however, isolation can be a great way to test your character. It can also provide interesting back story or provide a setting or frame for a survival story. So what sort of tests can you set for your MC? How can you use isolation to explore characterisation or setting? Find out in this week's episode. Under the microscope this week: Castaway, The Martian, The Clan of the Cave Bear and many more.
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The base setting for the human species is sociability to some degree. Even the most misanthropic or introverted of us are not meant to be completely cut off from all other people. In narrative terms, however, isolation can be a great way to test your character. It can also provide interesting back story or provide a setting or frame for a survival story. So what sort of tests can you set for your MC? How can you use isolation to explore characterisation or setting? Find out in this week's episode. Under the microscope this week: Castaway, The Martian, The Clan of the Cave Bear and many more.
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Regular listeners of the podcast will be quite well versed in the dragons opinions on sexist tropes against women, however there are certainly tropes which are sexist against men too, which they haven't covered in quite as much detail. This week the dragons take a look at some of these tropes as well as discussing the insidious growing trend of punishing male characters for their biological sex in speculative fiction. From fathers always being distant to male villains always being sex offenders, here are the tropes Jules and Madeleine think could do with being retired.
On the slab this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mrs Doubtfire, Leon and many more
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Regular listeners of the podcast will be quite well versed in the dragons opinions on sexist tropes against women, however there are certainly tropes which are sexist against men too, which they haven't covered in quite as much detail. This week the dragons take a look at some of these tropes as well as discussing the insidious growing trend of punishing male characters for their biological sex in speculative fiction. From fathers always being distant to male villains always being sex offenders, here are the tropes Jules and Madeleine think could do with being retired.
On the slab this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mrs Doubtfire, Leon and many more
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The dragons return this week with another 'fairy tales in focus' episode. Beauty and the Beast is one of the most beloved fairy tales of all time - quite an achievement when the story as we now know it, the most popular iteration, is a mere two hundred and sixty years old! While many of the themes and motifs can be found in earlier folk tales and myths, the current version is incredibly young by fairy tale standards and is probably partially inspired by historical events at the court of the French king, Henry II. Jules and Madeleine trace it's journey and permutations from myth to history to folk tale and beyond. On the slab this week - Heart's Blood - Juliet Marillier, Disney's Beauty & the Beast, Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte, Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen and many more.
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Characters who are more extroverted and more obviously dynamic are generally easier to shape a story around. However, stories featuring gentler, more introverted characters can be very rewarding to both write and read too. In fact, many beloved, favourite characters across genres fall into this category. So what's the problem? Well, unless you get a screenwriter who understands how to portray these characters in film, often gentler characters get butchered during adaptation. But there are good reasons for keeping the characters as they are and excellent reasons for including gentler characters in your work. This week the dragons dive into why and how to write and include quieter characters. Under the microscope this week: Persuasion - Jane Austen, The Lord of the Rings, I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith and many more.
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The dragons are always happy to consider requests and this episode is a response to one such request. Weird Western is an odd genre in many ways, being a mixture of the western sub-genre of general or saga style historical fiction with 'weird' elements. These may include dark fantasy, sci-fi, horror, paranormal or even romance. And yet despite being a complete hotch podge, Weird Western is very definitely its own genre and is growing in popularity. So this week Jules and Madeleine take a look at what goes into one, the common archetypes and tropes and a peek at their favourite examples. On the slab this week: Firefly, Cowboy Bee-bop, Stephen King's The Dark Tower and many more.
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This week the dragons are delighted to welcome Lorraine Wilson back to the show. Lorraine is the author of This is our Undoing and the recently released folkloric mystery/ family suspense The Way the Light Bends. The latter is an exceptional example of this week's discussion which makes Lorraine the perfect person to join the episode.
Anyone who has paid any attention at all will have noticed that Jules and Madeleine are enthusiastic about folklore. But what actually defines a folk tale as opposed to a fairy tale or a myth? What are the basic structural tenets of a folk tale and how can writers tap in to them for storytelling purposes? Why is it an advantage to do so? Find out in this week's episode.
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We've all read them; books with great setting, promising story, engaging prose...and a damp squib for a main character. Sometimes this is because the author has been pushed into supplying what industry representatives think readers want in a main character and sometimes it's just that the author has failed to listen to their own story, perhaps missing that a secondary character is both more engaging and has a better story to tell. This week the dragons look at what makes a MC engaging and what you should avoid doing when you create a character. On the slab this week: Deep Space Nine, Stranger Things, A Court of Silver Fire and many more.
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There are many ways to create tension and suspense in fiction. One popular device is to give your main character a moral dilemma - a difficult choice which challenges their personal beliefs, morality or even their own view of themselves. However, this is one of those things that's really easy to do wrong, leaving your readers unsatisfied. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at what defines a moral dilemma in speculative fiction and how it differs from impossible choices, as well as how to set it up so it will land with your audience. Under the microscope this week - Firefly, Deep Space Nine, The Next Generation and many more.
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On a lighter note this week, Jules and Madeleine look at the growing demand for cosy speculative fiction. While this term now gets applied to various subsections of genre fiction - for example cosy mysteries - it's relatively new in sci-fi and fantasy terms. Think of it as very character driven fiction which is relatively small in scale - no huge sprawling epic worlds here - which revolves around the more mundane problems of the tightly knit cast of characters. You might not find chosen ones, fights to the death or world ending events, but you probably will find an orc setting up a coffee shop, a bakery wizard making gingerbread golems or a spaceship full of loveable misfits getting into amusing hot water. The dragons delve into what makes up cosy speculative fiction and why it's becoming increasingly popular.
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The dragons tackle a slightly contentious topic this week - or at least a potentially contentious angle on this topic - and take a deep dive into how LGBTQ+ characters are depicted in the media. Specifically, in speculative fiction. There's been a decided uptick in easily accessible fiction featuring queer protagonists and side characters over the last ten years or so, and this is undoubtedly a good thing. However, there are many in the bookish community who would like to see only positive examples queerness represented, where characters are only shown in positive relationships and generally as mostly good people. Respectfully, the dragons find this viewpoint just as limiting as previous trends which would only allow queer characters to be deviants and villains. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at why only allowing a narrow set of parameters for 'acceptable' queer characters is a problem, and what they would like to see more of.
On the slab this week: Gentleman Jack, Harker & Blackthorn, Pennyblade and many more.
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A fairly recent addition to the list of historical fantasy sub genres is the regency fantasy. Despite being a comparatively small span of time, the Regency in England and comparable time period in Europe - especially France - seems to pair extremely well with elements such as schools of magical thought, dragons and faery courts. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into the subject to discover why and what the broad appeal is for readers and viewers. On the slab this week - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Suzanna Clarke, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians - H. G. Parry, Half a Soul - Olivia Atwater and many more.
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Continuing their 'Fairytales in Focus' series, this week the dragons tackle one of the best known and loved stories of all time. While Cinderella has enjoyed centuries of popularity in Europe, the tale has roots that go back millennia, and a lineage that sees versions of it emerging in almost every culture worldwide. From Egypt to India, Russia to Scotland, France to Finland, Jules and Madeleine follow the trail of 'girls who lost their slippers and sandals', emerging from ignominy and oppression to a life where their true value is seen. It's a far wilder ride than you might expect if you're only familiar with the Disney version.
On the slab this week: Cinder - Marissa Meyer, The Slipper & the Rose (1976), Ever After (1998), Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine and many more.
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No, that is not a typo! If you're not familiar with the term 'filk' it refers to the multi-genre music produced by fans of science fiction, fantasy and horror. The dragons have said before that a mark of great art is that it inspires others, both amateur and professional, to create art of their own. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the witty, acerbic, poignant and humorous fan music inspired by speculative fiction. Where does the boundary between filk and mainstream come in? Where did the term come from? And what is it about filk that draws us in? Find out in this fun, light hearted episode.
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The dragons have covered aspects of worldbuilding in previous episodes, but not much attention has ever been given to the aspect of sport in writing SFF. Not just by this podcast but in general, so this week Jules and Madeleine take a look at sport in speculative fiction. Sport is an important part of cultural history and national identity. It can form a major if indirect part of diplomacy between neighbouring countries or nations at odds. The added benefit in speculative fiction is that you are not bound by the mundane - you can have magical sports and spaceship races. So why don't more authors incorporate it? And who has done so and done it well? On the slab this week: The Hunger Games, The Lies of Locke Lamora, The Queen's Gambit, Fence (S.C, Pacat) and many more.
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This week the dragons are delighted to welcome back special guest Hamish Steele to talk about his forthcoming Netflix series Dead End: Paranormal Park. Based on the DeadEndia graphic novels, the setting of the series makes Hamish the perfect person to join this week's discussion.
Carnivals, circuses and fair grounds are niche but popular settings for speculative fiction. As liminal spaces where the usual rules are suspended, they are ideal places to look at the world in a different way or challenge mundane boundaries. Their inherent whimsy, surreality and eeriness allow them to fit into multiple different genres - mystery, fantasy, horror, even science fiction. But where does this setting and the sense of suspension of rules originate? And what exactly is out fascination with them born of? Find out in this week's episode.
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As always, the dragons resist handing down prescriptive writing advice, however, when it comes to writing for publication and the process of publishing itself, there are definitely some dos and don'ts! This week Jules and Madeleine look at practical considerations when sending a book out into the world or when sitting down with a concept to write one. What is PLR? Are titles copyright protected? Should you be trying to write to market or chasing the latest big trend? All this and more in this week's episode.
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The second episode in the dragons 'fairy tales in focus' series looks at the origins of famous favourite, Snow White. The story appears in many European and Indonesian folktales, with the components - for example a jealous older woman, or a young, beautiful woman trapped in suspended animation - being far older. Following the subtle but powerful themes, Jules and Madeleine uncover a story that was never intended for children at all - at least not in its original incarnations. From Giambattista Basile's The Young Slave, to Joseph Jacobs Gold Tree and Silver Tree, the dragons trace a path through Snow White's possible historical origins and through the dark forests of the Brothers Grimm.
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Have you ever wondered what makes some books, films and TV series take off, while others (often arguably better produced/ written) just do ok? The dragons certainly have. And they might well have an answer. Or at least a large chunk of one. In the second part of this two part episode, Jules and Madeleine will be looking focusing themes and sub themes in bestselling fiction - and why they're just delicious for readers/ viewers when done well. On the slab this week: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight and many more.
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Have you ever wondered what makes some books, films and TV series take off, while others (often arguably better produced/ written) just do ok? The dragons certainly have. And they might well have an answer. Or at least a large chunk of one. In the first part of this two part episode, Jules and Madeleine will be looking what all best selling speculative fiction has in common, focusing this time on core wounds and character arcs - and why they're just delicious for readers/ viewers when done well. On the slab this week: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight and many more.
Look out for Part two next week.
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Most writers are driven to write when they strongly feel they have something to say or a story to tell. This is a good thing - readers can always tell when a writer is phoning it in. However, if you have strong opinions on various subjects and you're tackling them in your work, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that story is king and deliver your themes with more zeal than nuance. This week, the dragons look at books and films which have unfortunately strayed into preachiness as well as those who have handled their themes in a more balanced manner, before delving into how to avoid preaching in your own work. On the slab this week: Imaginary Friend - Stephen Chbosky, The Stand - Stephen King, The Black Magician Trilogy - Trudi Canavan, Shadow and Bone and many more.
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Giving something a label can be helpful. On a book, for example, it can tell you where to shelve it in a bookstore or which audience might most appreciate being shown it. However, labels are often limiting. Outside the convenience of genre in terms of shelving and marketing, labelling a book can have a number of knock on effects. This is especially the case when the label transfers from the book to the author. Compounding this issue, is the connected problem of authors being assumed to hold the same opinions as their antagonistic characters, or even being mistaken for their main characters. This week, the dragons take a look at why these opinions form and why they are almost always wrong. Are labels more helpful or harmful on balance? Can you ever really know an author by reading their books? Join Jules and Madeleine for an opinion piece episode.
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Jules and Madeleine are delighted to introduce a new 'series within a series' on Dissecting Dragons. Fairytales in focus will be a set of occasional podcast episodes that pop up during regularly scheduled programming, which take a single folk tale or fairy story and looks at the ways in which it has evolved and is still evolving.
This week, the dragons delve into the origins and iterations of Little Red Riding Hood. Just who is the bas guy in that fairy tale? (The answer might surprise you.) Where did the story originate and what are its enduring themes? How is the story shapeshifting to fit a modern audience? Find out in this week's deep dive. Under the scalpel this week: The Girl in Red - Christina Henry, Low Red Moon - Ivy Devlin, Scarlet - Marissa Meyer and many more.
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Ever watched a film or read a book and found yourself getting annoyed with a character because they are utterly invested in an issue that has nothing to do with the plot? Or worse, that they clearly know very little about? You're not alone - both of the dragons are right there with you. Do not be deceived by the quirky (quote-y) title, this episode is a look at the 'activist character' trope in speculative fiction, and why it often doesn't work. And, of course, how to alter a few things so that you can include an 'activist' character and have it work for your own writing. Under the microscope this week: Bridgerton, Legally Blonde, The Princess Diaries and many more.
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Even though the term was coined fairly recently, Dark Academia has existed for decades, changing shape and borrowing from many sources including 19th C Gothic fiction and Romantic and Existential Nature poetry. Over the last two years or so, the sub genre's popularity has exploded. This week the dragons take a deep dive into the glass darkly looking at what makes something dark academia rather than magical academia, examining its relationship with other genres and looking at both the pros and cons of the sun genre. On the slab this week: The Secret History - Donna Tart, If We Were Villains - M. L. Rio, A Deadly Education - Naomi Novak and many more.
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There's a fine line between romance and horror, and it doesn't take much to cross over it. Not just because romances that go wrong - 'bad romances' - can easily morph into horror stories in their own write. Romance and horror often both tap into the same universal human emotions, explore similar themes from different ends of the spectrum and even hit similar beats albeit from different angles. Naturally this crossover means that there are a handful of tropes which could fit in either genre and it just depends on how you handle them. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at three main tropes which they enjoy in one genre but not so much in another. What really drives the 'love never dies' trope or the idea of 'soul mates'? Find out in this week's episode.
Under the microscope this week: Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula, Over the Moon, Outlander and many more.
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Regular listeners will not be surprised to hear that both dragons are nerds about weaponry in general and swords in particular. However, there are ways of writing and filming weapons in speculative fiction that work and other ways that don't. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look how to incorporate a signature weapon into a story (everyone loves a superhero with a cool blade or unusual axe, right?) and how to avoid common mistakes for writing use of weapons in sff. Just how much speculation is too much in a weapons scene? What do you need to be aware of? And how can you avoid a clanger that will throw a more knowledgeable reader out of the story? On the slab this week - MCU Infinity War & End Game, The Wheel of Time, Star Trek - The Next Generation and many more
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We've all read characters like this: the character who has clearly become the author's precious darling upon whom she will bestow all gifts, abilities, luck and narrative candy. In fact, a lot of readers have characters about whom they feel the same, so is it even a problem? Sadly, yes. An over-candied character will rot your story, weigh down the plot and kill tension. What constitutes candy in character terms? And how can you give your character all the cool stuff you want to give them without destroying the story? This week Jules and Madeleine look at why this happens and what to do about it. On the slab this week - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harker & Blackthorn, Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan and many more.
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Part 2 of a 2 part episode
Both dragons are big urban fantasy fans. (This will surprise no one who regularly listens or reads their work - both write UF, after all). However, they've each grown a little tired of certain iterations of UF tropes so this week, Jules and Madeleine are taking a look at UF tropes which are maybe a little tired and could do with being rested or reimagined. Please note, this is an opinion piece, not specific writing advice - they may discuss tropes that are evergreen for you, and if you love them, that's fine. We all want different things from our Urban Fantasy! On the slab this week - Scarlett Bernard series by Melissa F Olson, Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Guild Codex by Annette Marie and many more.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Part 1 of a 2 part episode
Both dragons are big urban fantasy fans. (This will surprise no one who regularly listens or reads their work - both write UF, after all). However, they've each grown a little tired of certain iterations of UF tropes so this week, Jules and Madeleine are taking a look at UF tropes which are maybe a little tired and could do with being rested or reimagined. Please note, this is an opinion piece, not specific writing advice - they may discuss tropes that are evergreen for you, and if you love them, that's fine. We all want different things from our Urban Fantasy! On the slab this week - Scarlett Bernard series by Melissa F Olson, Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Guild Codex by Annette Marie and many more.
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Believable child characters can be tricky to write. Children are not merely mini adults but tend to see the world very differently. Added to which, writing a child protagonist for a child reader is completely different to writing a child character for an adult audience. This week the dragons delve into how to create a child character for both audiences, both the perils and pitfalls, and the neat tricks you can use to make your character pitch perfect in terms of age and life experience. Under the microscope this week: Home by Amanda Berriman, To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee, Interview with a Vampire and many more.
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Economic status is a major consideration in both world building and characterisation, and that's before you consider the fact that SFF is often concerned with confronting the reader with real world problems disguised as speculative fiction. This week, the dragons take a look at wealth versus poverty when it comes to creating a world and developing characters. From Terry Pratchett's Vimes' Economy of Boots to Trudi Canavan's Black Magician - where the being able to afford access to your own magic is a sign of wealth and status - to the difference between being a Malfoy and a Weasley at wizarding school, Jules and Madeleine have got you covered.
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Have you ever read a book that included all the tropes, story and character types you love, and yet found it didn't work for you? Have you read books in genres that you typically don't like, and loved them without really understanding why? How do some authors pull off the trick of having readers follow them cross genre, and how can we as authors do the same? This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at broad reader appeal in storytelling terms and how you can make it work for you. Whether you write the bleakest of dystopian fiction, the most nihilistic horror or the fluffiest romance, you too can lead your readers Pied Piper style across all the genres you want to write. (At least some of your readers, anyway!)
Join the dragons to find out how in this week's episode
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Most readers of SFF and speculative fiction are familiar with the 'call to arms' or inciting incident. That familiarity extends to the variety of ways a protagonist or side character reacts to the event. While bravery, calculation or a sense of adventure are more common, there is also something engaging about the unabashedly cowardly character. Going a step beyond being merely a reluctant hero, cowardly characters generally start with no desire to engage with the unfolding adventure at all. So what is it about these characters - both the positive and the negative - which captures the imagination? This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at various permutations of the archetype and theorise why. On the slab this week - The Princess Bride, Howl's Moving Castle, The Lies of Locke Lamora and many more.
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Okay, hear us out: the reverse harem trope isn't necessarily anything to do with wish fulfilment, sex or erotica. And this week, we're going to delve into why and how, and exactly what makes this trope so popular. From anime to fairytales in it's origins, to its inclusion in urban fantasy and paranormal romance, this trope has far more in common with the found family trope than you might initially believe.
On the slab this week Fruits Basket, Labyrinth, Annette Marie's Guild Codex and many more.
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Who gets to tell the story is often as important as the story itself - certainly in fiction and often in real life too. While the dragons generally hold the view that stories belong to everyone, they also feel that not every story is owned equally by all storytellers and that writers have a duty to treat subjects sensitively and do due diligence. That being said, there is also a trend towards using buzzwords to categorise certain narratives, which robs them of their nuance. Stories beget other stories; art doesn't happen in a vacuum uninfluenced, so it's important to thoroughly examine something before you discard it.
This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at the 'white saviour trope' in films, books and other media. What exactly is it? Where did it come from? Is it as simple as a narrative device used to make certain readers/ viewers feel better about complicated socio-political and historical events, or is there more to it? And could it possibly be suffering from mis-application?
Find out in thus second part of a two part episode. On the slab during this discussion: A Time to Kill, The Help, Avatar, Game of Thrones and many more.
Who gets to tell the story is often as important as the story itself - certainly in fiction and often in real life too. While the dragons generally hold the view that stories belong to everyone, they also feel that not every story is owned equally by all storytellers and that writers have a duty to treat subjects sensitively and do due diligence. That being said, there is also a trend towards using buzzwords to categorise certain narratives, which robs them of their nuance. Stories beget other stories; art doesn't happen in a vacuum uninfluenced, so it's important to thoroughly examine something before you discard it.
This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at the 'white saviour trope' in films, books and other media. What exactly is it? Where did it come from? Is it as simple as a narrative device used to make certain readers/ viewers feel better about complicated socio-political and historical events, or is there more to it? And could it possibly be suffering from mis-application?
Find out in part one of a two part episode. On the slab during this discussion: A Time to Kill, The Help, Avatar, Game of Thrones and many more.
Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
A Happy New Year to all our listeners!
We have once again completed a full revolution of the sun so it's time for the dragons to take some time and look back over the last year. Despite ongoing issues with politics and pandemic, 2021 has had a lot of good bits. Jules and Madeleine are going to share some of their favourites - both news items you might have missed and art and literature they've enjoyed. Not to mention all that they themselves have managed to accomplish and what they hope to do writing wise in 2022. Join us for an uplifting episode that will hopefully set the tone for the new year.
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The dragons feel that they've talked about the bloodier origins of winter festivals enough for now so this year's Christmas episode is focusing on festive games. On a whistle stop tour through history, Jules and Madeleine take a look popular winter pastimes such as 'hot cockles', the cushion dance, buffy gruffy and up Jenkins, to name just a few. A light hearted festive episode that doesn't stray into (too much) gory detail.
The dragons also wish all their listeners a very merry yule!
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The dragons would never claim to have exhausted all types of literary device but they are aware that they have neglected this one: riddles. Where do these word puzzles originate? What do they tell us about folklore and literature? How have they been used over the centuries? And who the hell let that cadaverous white horse in? In a perfect episode pre-winter solstice, Jules and Madeleine take a look at riddling.
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What if your favourite character did choose the left hand fork of the path, they chose the right? What if a key piece of information was shared instead of hidden? What if the person who steps up and takes responsibility for the cursed object, is someone different? This week the dragons look at a variety of well known narratives and experiment with what would have happened in the story and how events would have been different if a key pivot point point in the plot had been subtly changed. Part fun thought experiment, part useful exercise for writers who want to learn to plot effectively or who need to get unstuck on a story.
On the slab this week: Game of Thrones, How to Train Your Dragon, Jane Eyre and many more.
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It isn't just the Disney Princess which has undergone a transformation over time: the Disney villain has likewise evolved. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at how Disney's villains have changed from the earliest incarnation - the Wicked Queen in Snow White - to more recent films such as Moana and Frozen. What makes a Disney villain compelling? Who (the dragons' opinion) is the best Disney Villain? And more importantly, who gets the best Villain song? Join us this week to find out.
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A trope which has seen a rise in popularity lately - whether in romance, urban fantasy, sci-fi or a number of other genres and sub genres - is that of 'enemies to lovers'. Two people start out at odds: either they hate each for a variety of reasons or they're on opposing sides in a conflict. Events conspire to throw them together and a romantic plot or sub plot happens, fuelled by its very unlikeliness it seems. This week the dragons take a look at why this trope is so popular, delving into development of conflict and character arc as well as common 'way stations' the trope needs to hit in order to work successfully. They also take a look at a few examples where it doesn't work and why.
Under the microscope this week: The Black Magician series by Trudi Canavan, Opal Cohen Series by Maria V Snyder, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and many more.
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This week's episode combines subjects that are dear to the dragons' hearts - storytelling and martial arts. Jules and Madeleine discussed fight scenes in a previous episode, however a properly choreographed martial art scene is a miniature story unto itself. From looking at the history connecting martial arts with entertainment to examining ways to incorporate this in writing to examining how martial arts scenes are used to layer nuance, characterisation and even humour onscreen, the dragons have got you covered. On the slab this week: Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Enter the Dragon, Daredevil and many more.
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IT'S THE DRAGONS' 300TH EPISODE!
To celebrate, this week Jules and Madeleine are reflecting back on their own writing journeys (so far), examining a few more weird occurrences that happened recently in the writing industry, and answering the writing questions they get asked most often. Talking about many of the things they wish they'd known when they started out, this is an episode for writers - both veterans and newbies. And there are plenty of laughs along the way.
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The dragons would never argue that discrimination in many varieties does not exist. Nor would they argue that it hasn't been an influence in publishing over previous decades. However, with the umbrella genre, YA, and various sci-fi and fantasy publishing houses leading the charge, just how bad is gatekeeping now? Is it possible that we are creating new gatekeepers who are rigorously excluding writers by accident? Is our 'BOLO' mentality when it comes to discrimination, now starting to taint ordinary if occasionally unpleasant human interaction? This week Jules and Madeleine talk about many aspects of the publishing industry, including why discrimination is not always the reason your book is not picked up by publishers. One for the writers hoping to be published soon this week. As always the dragons welcome comments and constructive criticism.
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In the fourth and final episode of their 2021 Hallowe'en specials, the dragons move from the cheerful subject of serial killers to the charming topic of cannibalism. Don't be deceived into thinking Jules and Madeleine are delving into spatter punk, however. This weeks episode moves from biological imperatives (occasionally advantages) of cannibalism to religious and social observance to real life examples, before looking at how and why this practice is such a short cut to horror. If you've ever wondered why certain individuals eat their own species, this is the episode for you. Likewise if you've ever wondered why it's such a staple of horror fiction.
CW: As usual, please use your own discretion when choosing whether or not to listen to this episode. It's not especially gory but may contain mention of upsetting topics. If you're not sure, there's probably something in the dragons' back catalogue you'd prefer.
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Continuing their spooky October theme, this weeks the dragons look at horror of the mundane rather than supernatural kind. A large segment of horror films jives off the trope of a remorseless human monster, intent on killing others for no other reason than that's what they're into. Jules and Madeleine take a walk down the darker streets of the human psyche, and examine real life serial killers and the horror films they helped to inspire. What is it about slasher films that fascinates us? And why are human monsters far more disturbing than supernatural creatures? Find out in this week's episode.
CW: vague description of some seriously upsetting real life incidents. Please proceed at your own discretion.
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Continuing on the Spook-tober theme, this week the dragons take a look at a classic trope in gothic and horror fiction: possession. Made more popular in the genre by films like The Exorcist, possession is an unsavoury subject, combining body horror with psychological terror. But where does the idea originate? What part does the human understanding of 'souls' or religion play? And what about the alleged 'true story' status some speculative fiction featuring possession is based on - is there any truth to the claim? Jules and Madeleine take a deep dive into the origins of the trope, citing several 'real life cases' and drawing parallels with popular fiction. On the slab this week: the Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Exorcist, Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins series and many more.
CW: Some of this discussion centres on familiar and religious abuse, as well as mental health issues.
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In this second episode of the dragons' spooky-a-thon, Jules and Madeleine take a look at a selection of the most haunted buildings in Britain and Ireland. Once again following a murky, sometimes sordid and often bloody path through history, they examine the ghost stories that have grown up around these buildings, compare subjective experiences from witnesses and speculate as to why some houses and inns acquire their reputation for being haunted. From the Ancient Ram to Sudeley Castle, this is an episode to listen to with the lights on ;)
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It's October! 'Tis the season - the spooky season :)
Kicking off this year's run up to Samhain/ Hallowe'en, Jules and Madeleine revisit the subject of cursed objects. Following a trail through history, folklore, mythology and urban legends, the dragons take a look (once more) at what makes an object 'cursed' and how this feeds into the realm of storytelling. On the slab this week - cursed cars, the origins of the word 'taboo', murderous sarcophagus lids and many more.
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Everyone is familiar with the expression 'be careful what you wish for' but how many people recall the folkloric figure whence such warnings originate? The 'faery cobbler' archetype is a devious and mercurial character in folklore and fairytale, often showing that the things we desire are not what we actually need, with disastrous consequences. This week, Jules and Madeleine look at some of the original 'faery cobblers' in myth and folktale, moving on to examine how the character is still making regular appearances in modern fiction. Getting exactly what you want is often not what's best for you and there's a genuine horror in it. On the slab this week: Needful Things - Stephen King, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, and many more.
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This week, the dragons are delighted to welcome special guest Elijah Menchaca. Elijah's debut novel - They Met in a Tavern - explores the complexities of returning to the friendships and relationships of your youth with the added pressure of having to perform a quest or defeat a great evil when the original gang has moved on. This makes him the perfect addition to today's discussion: reuniting an sff team in fiction. We're all familiar with the typical fantasy team's origin story, but what about after the adventures when everyone goes their own way? Maybe not parting on the best of terms? Jules and Madeleine take a look at why this is such a compelling trope. On the slab this week: The Umbrella Academy, Kings of the Wyld - Nicholas Eames, It - Stephen King and many more.
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Continuing on from last week's episode, Jules and Madeleine pick up the thread on how parents affect who a person grows to be, and how this can be utilised in character development in fiction. The dragons delve once more into creating nuanced characters by knowing who their parents are and what effect they have had on a character's life. On the slab this week - Tangled, October Daye series by Seanan McGuire, Steven Universe, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alex Harrow and many more.
Part two of a two part episode.
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Both in real life and in fiction, parental figures are the most important early relationship any of us form. Even by dint of being entirely absent, parents will affect who a character grows to be. This week, the dragons delve into creating nuanced characters by knowing who their parents are and what effect they have had on a character's life. On the slab this week - Tangled, October Daye series by Seanan McGuire, Steven Universe, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alex Harrow and many more.
Part one of a two part episode.
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The dragons have discussed how a thinly characterised 'female warrior' has become a slightly cringey trope in previous episodes. This week, Jules and Madeleine zero in on a specific aspect of the character - her backstory. Female fighter type characters are often given specifically gender-related violence as background, which is partly why when the trope is poorly done, it's really poorly done. The dragons take a look at why this often happens and how to avoid it yourself so that your own sword wielding warrior woman is a fully rounded character. On the slab this week - Black Widow, Red Sonia, Game of Thrones and many more.
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Cartoons and animated features films are often one of the first (visual) ways children encounter a full character journey. Not that animated feature films are just for children - some of the most successful studios are masters of making a story work on many layers so that adults, teens and children are all equally entertained and engaged. There is also something enlightening about coming back to an animated feature film which affected you as a child once you are an adult, and examining whether it affects you in a different way. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at how Disney, Don Bluth and Studio Ghibli all handle the same themes very differently in their films. Are some explorations of theme more suited for children or adults? Does any particular studio do it better or are they all necessary because everyone needs different stories? On the slab this week - Frozen, Princess Mononoke, Fern Gully, The Last Unicorn, When Marnie was There, An American Tale goes West and many more.
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Some of the most compelling characters in fiction are those you wouldn't actually want to meet in real life. This is certainly true of characters fitting the narcissist trope. But what is it about a fictional narcissist that we find so fascinating? Why do they provide such good story arcs? This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at why a charming, often immoral self-obsessed character keeps you reading. On the slab this week - Dr Strange, Iron Man, Good on Paper and many more.
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This week the dragons are delighted to welcome Lorraine Wilson as a guest. Lorraine is the author of multiple pieces of short fiction and the debut dystopian thriller with dark folk fantasy elements - This is Our Undoing. Her main character faces an impossible choice throughout the novel which makes Lorraine the perfect person to join this episode's discussion.
All characters must at some point make decisions - there wouldn't be much plot in a book if they didn't. But what happens when you make all a character's choices equally bad? How does this trope vary across genres and why do we find it so compelling? Join Jules and Madeleine as they dig into the many ways an impossible choice can be used to drive a story. On the slab this week: Dune - Frank Herbert, The Traitor Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson, Sophie's Choice, This is Our Undoing - Lorraine Wilson and many more.
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Never the duo to shy away from more contentious topics, this week the dragons take a look at diversity inserted into well-known and largely non-diverse properties. While Jules and Madeleine are all for good representation in SFF, they acknowledge that bad representation can detract from the story and even do harm to a franchise and its actors. Is blindcasting helpful or harmful? How does this impinge on new stories designed to have diverse protagonists being created? Is it possible that not enough attention is being paid to those whose opinions really matter?
On the slab this week: Shadow and Bone, Luthor, The Umbrella Academy, Disney's The Little Mermaid and many more.
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It's finally happened: Jules has finally persuaded Madeleine to talk about tea. Have no fear, however, because tea, coffee, tobacco, opium and many other substances have had a profound and tangled effect on history, human development and even literature. This week the dragons unravel how a seemingly innocuous substance such as a coffee bean or a tea leaf can in fact completely change the trajectory of a culture, which is reflected in poetry, prose and science. From there the dragons discuss how you can use this in your own work in terms of worldbuilding - the addition or subtraction of a single substance can change everything. Under the microscope this week - His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, Jodi Taylor's Time Police Series and many more.
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And now, as they say, time for something completely different. Most authors draw from life experiences when writing and SFF/ mystery/ horror writers are no different. But some authors have peculiar episodes in their lives which rival their fiction. This week the dragons take a look at four writers who have at least one mystery attached to them. Why was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle so taken with the Cottingley fairies? Was Branwell Bronte ever really involved in a scandalous affair? How exactly did Edgar Allen Poe die? And what happened during the missing days of Agatha Christie? Jules and Madeleine can't promise answers but they can certainly promise a thorough examination of the known facts and their own opinion on the most likely solutions.
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Most of us have heard the term 'McGuffin' applied to an aspect of a film or book, often with a tone of derision. A similar reaction is often prompted by the term 'plot device'. But are these storytelling accessories actually bad or, if used correctly, are they essential pieces of plot driving furniture? What's the differences between them? And just what is a choosey magical object? This week the dragons detangle the threads and explain the flaws and features of each. On the slab this week: The Lord of the Rings, Arthurian Myth, Infinity War and many more.
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There are plenty of less than savoury tropes that probably need to be gently retired or at least adjusted and not used wholesale. The 'not like the other girls' trope for instance, or its close cousin 'girl on girl hate'. However, that doesn't mean that all friendship depictions in fiction should be passive and free of conflict. In real life and in fiction, we learn about ourselves via our relationships with others. Friendships are an important part of that. The dragons are generally against prescriptive writing advice and sweeping generalisations in what you can and can't include in fiction. With that in mind, is there a place for the 'queen bee/ mean girl' trope? What about female characters in competition with each other? Or friendships being depicted in an unhealthy way? This week Jules and Madeleine delve into the value of using these sorts of trope in speculative fiction. Under the microscope this week: Daredevil, Mean Girls, I am the Silence and many more.
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The ranger, maverick, thief, healer and wizard are all well known, easily recognisable archetypes in a basic fantasy or sci-fi team. We're all familiar with the leader, the loner, the brains and the heart in a team-up. But there's one character who just doesn't get as much attention despite often literally holding a group together. This week, the dragons take a look at the 'tank', muscle or powerpack character. What exactly do they add to a team in sff? What storylines exploit their skill set best and how can you avoid over powering them?
On the slab this week: The Justice League, Firefly, Farscape, The Avengers and many more.
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This week Jules and Madeleine are delighted to welcome Liam Bowles, director of Enigmatic Studios, to the show. Liam has been overseeing the creation of 'Moko and the Seven Gates', a video game coming soon to Play Station and PC. Even more than books, video games tend to require a large crew to get them off the ground. In this episodes the dragons will be discussing the perils, pitfalls and joys of collaborating both writer to writer and as part of a large ensemble working on a single project.
On the slab this week: Moko and the Seven Gates, Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman, Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and many more.
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'Sins of the Father' in SFF is a trope that is very popular without many people really knowing what it is. But who doesn't love a bloodline curse? Or a hero who fears they will not be able to live up to an illustrious (potentially evil or erring) forebear? Who doesn't find narrative satisfaction in a main character being punished for something an ancestor did, rather than simply because the universe is unjust? This week the dragons dig deep on just why this trope appeals, linking it with revenge arcs, character development and just what we can all take away from the trope in real life.
On the slab this week: Lord of the Rings, The Little White Horse - Elizabeth Goudge, The Punisher and many more.
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Following on from last week's deep dive into folklore dressed as music, the dragons revisit the strange, eerie and often unsavoury themes behind folksongs. Looking at examples of French, English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Appalachian folksongs, Jules and Madeleine untangle the politics, sex, murder and seeds of historical record, before examining how folksongs have influenced there own work and act as writing inspiration for many other authors too. Part Two of a two-part episode.
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This week, the dragons revisit the strange, eerie and often unsavoury themes behind folksongs. Looking at examples of French, English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Appalachian folksongs, Jules and Madeleine untangle the politics, sex, murder and seeds of historical record, before examining how folksongs have influenced there own work and act as writing inspiration for many other authors too. Part One of a two-part episode.
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In the first part of this two-part episode, the dragons discussed how perceived norms, advertising and media affect our subconscious perceptions of ourselves. On the other hand, it's not all rainbows and kittens from the Body Positivity movement either - a movement which unfortunately attracts a lot of toxic individuals who seem to be more concerned with being heard than with what they are saying. There are definitely good, bad and indifferent aspects to both sides. This week, Jules and Madeleine delve deeper into perceived beauty 'norms' in speculative fiction. Where does positive body representation get it right? Where does the body positivity movement fall a little short? And what does it have to do with speculative fiction? Join the dragons to find out.
Part 2 of a 2-part episode.
CW: Jules and Madeleine briefly mention EDs. While the dragons don't go into detail, they realise that it's a subject that can be triggering for some people. Please approach the episode with care or check out their back catalogue instead, if the subject is likely to cause you distress.
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It's difficult to define 'normal' when it comes to human physical attributes, however, despite this, a very prevalent perceived norm exists. Propped up by advertising and media, it creeps into our entertainment. On the other side of the fence, is a movement that promotes a positive attitude towards different body types. There are definitely good, bad and indifferent aspects to both sides. This week, Jules and Madeleine look at perceived beauty 'norms' and how they influence us through fiction as well as more mainstream media. Where does positive body representation get it right? Where does the body positivity movement fall a little short? And what does it have to do with speculative fiction? Join the dragons to find out.
Part 1 of a 2-part episode.
CW: the dragons do briefly mention EDs. While Jules and Madeleine do not go into detail, they realise that it's a subject that can be triggering for some people. Please approach the episode with care or check out their back catalogue instead, if the subject is likely to cause you distress.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
The dragons aim to please where possible, so this episode was born out a question asked by a long term listener. In recent years, the story of Persephone's abduction by Hades and eventual, conditional, release from the underworld has gained a new surge of popularity. Whether you're horrified by the graphic violent kidnap and rape version or enamoured of the Olympian pantheon's power couple, there is something about the myth and about Persephone herself which captures the imaginations. Jules and Madeleine take a deep dive into the (likely) origins of the (probably) much more juicy story and theorise about how it became the myth we now know. Comparing Persephone with Inanna, Ishtar and Astarte, the dragons trace the recurring myth of the Goddess' descent into the underworld.
Let's face it, the last year or so has been varying shades of tough for everyone. More than ever during the pandemic, it's been necessary to work, interact, learn and even 'play' online. Living in the middle of a significant world historical event has not been fun for anyone and the ability to connect with each other remotely has been a lifesaver for many people. However, this increased necessity to interact via internet has showed up the disadvantages more strongly than before too.
This week, the dragons return to the subject of dystopia - in fiction, in perception of real life and in comparison between the two. Whether you find comfort in the bleak or catharsis in visiting a fictional worse reality, this is an episode which looks at the ideas and fears that underpin the fiction. On the slab this week - The Hunger Games, The Stand, The Walking Dead, 1984 and many more.
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Ever been reading a book or watching a film, feeling really engaged, then abruptly found yourself jolted out of the story? And you can't quite put your finger on why? Chances are the writer or producer shifted the tone of the story without giving the audience necessary, subtle clues to foreshadow what was coming. So what exactly is tone in narrative terms? How do you use it in writing, both in individual scenes and in the book as a whole? And how can tone go wrong? This week the dragons look at the dos and don'ts (guidelines not prescriptive writing rules) of using tone in your writing. On the slab this week - Lucifer, A Court of Silver Flames, Buffy teh Vampire Slayer, Blackadder and many more.
If you want your characters to pop and have layers of nuance, then you need to master the art of character interaction. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at several broad relationship categories and dig in to what makes them easy or difficult. From parent-child interactions to sibling dynamics to how these early relationships might inform your characters' behaviour and friendships later on in their lives, the dragons drill down to what aspects you (the writer) might need to consider. Under the microscope this week - My Hero Academia, It by Stephen King and many more.
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Most writers and fans of speculative (or any) fiction are aware of the 'hero's journey'. It's a narrative structure device by which the main character undergoes a period of change and growth through the medium of plot. There are various well attested tropes and archetypes used along the way. So what if the fiction you write just doesn't fit this well discussed structure? It's possible that you are actually writing the 'heroine's journey' instead. In fact you might have been all along and just not realised it. The terms 'hero' and 'heroine' are in themselves misleading because they are narrative descriptors and not indicative of gender - a hero or heroine in this context may be any gender at all! So what is the Heroine's Journey? The dragons get into the weeds on that and the ways it differs from the hero's journey in this week's episode. On the slab this week: My Hero Academia, Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce, Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and many more.
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Every reader has then own personal turns of phrase, descriptions and even tropes which they find irritating. No writer is ever going to please everyone. That said, writers can and do inadvertently learn bad habits from each other, and from reading other writers' books. There are a lot of plates to keep spinning when you write and it's easy to fall into bad or even lazy habits. The dragons don't believe in prescriptive writing advice so this episode is about raising your awareness of what you're putting on the page. Curated from internet sources, Jules and Madeleine present the most common reader peeves: those little irritations that knock readers out of the flow of your book and may even make them put it down all together. And before you become to worried, please be aware that EVERY writer has fallen afoul of at least some of these, dragons included! Join us for a light hearted look at how to tighten your prose.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic.
Writers sometimes like to take the saying 'you're your own worst enemy' to a literal extreme with their characters, by posing the question 'what if there was an uncontrollable aspect of your personality or psyche that was literally messing up your life?' This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at characters with unwanted darker side. From the classic and tragic werewolf mythos to the Incredible Hulk, the dragons ask what inspired these sorts of character arcs and how best can they be used in speculative fiction? On the slab this week: An American Werewolf in London, The Hulk, Lucifer and many more.
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While there's definitely been a shift towards rebalancing gender roles and female leads in SFF in the last couple of decades, lately there's also been an upswing in the number of books marketed as 'feminist' which are anything but. Some of the tropes and portrayals of female characters are just silly, and some are more sinister. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the problems inherent in pitching a book as feminist when it's success is predicated on recycling the same tired, sexist tropes readers and writers have been combatting since the 70s. On the slab this week: A Court of Silver Flames - S J Maas, The Cities of the Dead - Alys Arden, Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs, The Avengers (Marvel Studios) and many more. Part 2 of a two episode topic.
Please note that this episode will contain major spoilers for every book or film discussed.
While there's definitely been a shift towards rebalancing gender roles and female leads in SFF in the last couple of decades, lately there's also been an upswing in the number of books marketed as 'feminist' which are anything but. Some of the tropes and portrayals of female characters are just silly, and some are more sinister. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the problems inherent in pitching a book as feminist when it's success is predicated on recycling the same tired, sexist tropes readers and writers have been combatting since the 70s. On the slab this week: A Court of Silver Flames - S J Maas, The Cities of the Dead - Alys Arden, Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs, The Avengers (Marvel Studios) and many more. Part 1 of a two episode topic.
Please note that this episode will contain major spoilers for every book or film discussed.
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This week Jules and Madeleine are delighted to welcome special guest Nicole Glover to the show. Nicole is the author of the historical fantasy 'The Conductors', which is set in Philadelphia just after the Proclamation of Emancipation and covers many of the themes discussed in this week's episode. Every fantasy fan loves a good magic system and as aspects both of a well built fantasy world and tools to explore a variety of real life issues, magic systems can be invaluable. The dragons delve into what makes a magic system work and where writers really need to be careful that they're saying what they think they're saying. Under the microscope this week The Conductors by Nicole Glover, A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H G Parry, The X-men, The Abhorsen Series by Garth Nix and many more.
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Any SFF reader will recognise a sword as an archetypal object with a myriad types of symbolism even before you get into it's designated uses. Swords with names, swords with magical powers, swords used to perform great and terrible deeds are rife in mythology all over the world. This week the dragons take a look at this elegant and deadly weapon, following a trail through history, various martial styles, folklore and finally into how blades have been used in speculative fiction. On the slab this week The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman, Star Wars, Excalibur, The Neverending Story by Michael Ende and many more.
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One of the most difficult things for most writers is finding their target audience. Assuming you've managed the basics - finishing a book, selling/ publishing it, packaging it to appeal to your target audience - how do you hook a new reader and keep them reading? One of the key things to consider is writing compelling, narratively likeable characters. (This doesn't mean they need to be conventionally likeable of course!) In this episode Jules and Madeleine get in the weeds on what makes a character compelling, how to design a character from the ground up and how to apply these tactics to side characters. As well as the authors' own work, this week's line up includes A Court of Thorns and Roses, Wuthering Heights and many more.
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Every so often the dragons like to go off on a tangent and look at something that's slightly outside their usual podcasting terrain. This week Jules and Madeleine tackle the question: are you really reading what you think you're reading? Publishing, mindset and the context of the time something was written in can vastly change it's essential meaning, and that's before the inheritors of a writer's estate start chopping and changing things! Using Frankenstein, Dracula and the Tenant of Wildfell Hall as examples, the dragons take you on a tour of the story behind the story. It's a wild ride.
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Writing on it's most fundamental level is putting the right words in the write order with the intention of communicating your meaning, often in the form of a story. But are there words which should be off the table when it comes to storytelling? Why do authors pick the words they do? How do you shape prose to create a style that is true both to your voice and the story? And what exactly is euphonics in terms of writing? Reaching new depths of nerd-dom, this week the dragons look at words. From etymology to being authentic to story (without being a dick), Jules and Madeleine have got you covered.
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The bookish community has its fair share of people with opinions and most of the time that's a good thing. However there are times when differences of opinions on speculative fiction lead to figurative blows and even all kinds of nastiness. One of the big issues seems to be whether a reader or viewer can enjoy something which someone else considers problematic. And one of the problems is that criticism which starts off as reasonable either becomes abusive or is met with abuse. This week the dragons delve into this thorny subject with a look at why, how and what to do to avoid these situations spiraling.
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Whether you're a dedicated follower of fashion, a bit of a clothes horse or see clothing as a necessity rather than a pleasure or form of self expression, clothes feed into how we are judged since they make up part of our appearance. This is also true in speculative fiction - clothing can signal political or religious affiliations, enhance world building, describe character and a fulfil a number of other tasks as well. This week the dragons move well outside their element and look at how clothing and fashion are used in books, TV and films to support (or not!) speculative fiction. Under the microscope this week - Bridgerton, The Hunger Games, Frozen, A Court of Thorns and Roses and many more. Join Jules and Madeleine for a sartorial ramble.
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Science fiction and fantasy have often provided a testing ground for examining old idea and testing new ones. This can be especially true of potentially contentious issues such as 'who does power belong to?' This week the dragons take a look at how law enforcement organisations are portrayed in speculative fiction - from The Watch books of Terry Pratchett's Discworld franchise to the totalitarian Peacekeepers of Farscape. Why is this trope so common in various sub genres of speculative fiction and how does it reflect our real societal issues? On the slab this week - Michelle Sagara's Cast series, Tamora Pierce's Beka Cooper series, Star Trek TNG, Life on Mars and many more.
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It may sound counterintuitive, especially to newer writers, but leaving scenes out actually makes your book stronger and more engaging. So how do work out what to cut or which darlings to murder, whilst still meeting your audience's expectations? This week Jules and Madeleine take an in depth look at how to put together 'good bones' for a book - a skeleton that will hold the story you want to tell. From the throughline (both individual novel and series) to character arcs, child arcs and the anatomy of a scene, the dragons will discuss how to structure a story without losing your sense of direction. Under the microscope this week - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Game of Thrones and many more.
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Its safe to say that 2020 is one of the most tumultuous years the world has experienced for some time. The warm up act was fire, storms and floods. The main event was a global pandemic unlike anything seen for a century. And as a bit of light relief, the UK, US and many other places have also had massive political upheavals.
It could be tempting to succumb to gloom but as the dragons do their yearly wrap up, they have chosen to make this episode about hope. Lots of good things happened in 2020 too - it was just easy to miss them with everything else taking up time on the news. o join Jules and Madeleine as they look at the best bits of 2020, both macroscopically and on a personal level.
The Dragons wish all heir listeners a very Happy New Year
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It's now something of a tradition for the dragons to tackle the yearly Christmas episode by telling you something mildly horrifying about Christmas traditions. This year, Jules and Madeleine have delved further than ever before into the practices and traditions that predate the ideal of a modern winter festival. Looking at everything from Wren Hunts to Seasonal Monarchs, Krampus to Christmas Trees, this is an episode for those of you who want a little break from the saccharine slant of the season.
Wishing all our listeners a very Merry Christmas, Cool Yule or non-denominational winter celebration of your choice.
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Somehow, the dragons made through almost an entire year of podcast episodes with Madeleine talking about faeries and honestly? That's just poor showing on our part. So in the run up to Yule, we resent for your entertainment, this episode on seasonal fey. Thanks to Cecily Mary Baker, the vague notion that fairies might be connected to seasons became cemented in modern minds (Daisy Meadows is continuing in this vein with a fairy for pretty much anything!) But where did this idea originate? Was it literary heavy weights such as Chaucer and Shakespeare? Or does it go back further to Celtic gods and goddesses? What's the relationship between women and winter within the monomyth? And just what do mischievous fey do on the run up to the solstice? Join us for an episode about creatures which are concerned with anything but spreading good cheer.
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This week the dragons take a look at some of the most common questions asked of them and other writers. Where do you get your ideas? Is it possible to make a living as a writer? What's the weirdest thing about being published? How do you write dialogue? Whether you're a curious newbie writer or generally interested in the process, this is a light entertaining episode with a personal touch. And hopefully, it will answer some of your questions.
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Following recent hits such as The Haunting of Bly Manor and series finales such as the last few episodes of long running show Supernatural, the dragons decided to revisit the topic of LGBTQ+ inclusiveness in speculative fiction. While viewers and readers can now find far more examples of excellent work in this area, there are also a few retrograde instances. Jules and Madeleine look at the perils and pitfalls to avoid with including this branch of diversity, as well as examining where it has been done well.
On the slab this week Supernatural, Bly Manor, Sherlock, Schitts Creek and many more.
Please note that this episode contains spoilers for all of the above!
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In order to tell a story effectively, a writer needs the right set of characters, including the correct protagonist. But how do you find the right cast and what should you be looking for in both your protagonist and your secondary and tertiary characters? Not to mention your antagonist! This week the dragons take a look at how you can facilitate telling the best version of your story possible by casting your book correctly. They also take a look at what happens when authors mis-cast or ignore signs that a supporting character is more compulsive. Drawing on their own work and speculative fiction behemoths such as A Song of Ice and Fire, Jules and Madeleine discuss how to create a set of characters best fitted to your story and your target audience.
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The moon has had a profound effect on the development of the human psyche. When we first became conscious of ourselves as sentient creatures and began to track the passage of time, the moon and the sun became inextricably linked to the process. It's no surprise then that every pantheon and culture has its own set of moon myths, deities and superstitions - many of which resonate in the way speculative fiction is written today. This week the dragons take a look at some of the moon mythos and just what this reflects in terms of the changing perceptions humans have held of themselves and their societies.
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All fiction requires capturing a reader's interest and one of the best ways to do this is to create sympathetic and empathetic attachments between the reader and your characters. But how can writers ensure they do this effectively every time? Understanding and being able to process your own emotions effectively is a skill that transfers readily to writing. Character arcs are built in part from a character's ability to respond to an emotion in a positive or negative way, and choosing to act accordingly. This, in turn, can shift and redirect the plot. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at a more advanced lesson in character creation, drawing on their own work and that of their favourite authors.
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We're all familiar with the fairy tale prince and the various genre permutations of said character, culminating in the 'alpha male' of paranormal romance. It's not that the dragons think there's anything wrong with readers/ viewers liking these characters, it's just that they personally find them less interesting. This week's episode is dedicated to looking at the atypical romantic hero in speculative fiction - forget rippling abs and a domineering presence, Jules and Madeleine are all about the sweet, nerdy, awkward characters who often get relegated to the sidelines.
On the slab this week: The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Oaken Throne by Robin Jarvis, The Last Unicorn and many more.
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For their final Halloween Season episode, the Dragons are delighted to welcome special guest Claire Waller. Claire is the author of the dark YA thriller 'Fugly' and wearing her alter ego's hat, also authored the creature feature 'Predator X' and the Lovecraftian flavoured 'Nine Eyes'. This week the dragons take a look at exactly why horror is so effective and popular, despite its propensity to examine the darker aspects of human nature. It's a little recognised fact, but horror makes its way into almost every genre, adding dark contrast to even the cosiest story. Jules and Madeleine delve into why this works. Under the microscope this week - Fugly by Claire Waller, Alien, The Thing and many more. Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Continuing their Samhain trail in the run up to 31st October, the dragons are pleased to welcome Phil Breach as a guest on this week's episode. Phil is the author of various pieces of weird fiction, dark fantasy and folk horror, both in prose and verse, which makes him the perfect addition for this week's topic.
Folk Horror has existed as a genre far longer than the phrase used to describe it. It's a nebulous sub-genre without firm boundaries but done correctly, it holds a dark mirror up to society and to our connection, or lack thereof, with the natural world. What are the key components of folk horror? How does it reflect and distort our expectations of community? Why is landscape such a huge influencer? Join the dragons for a lively discussion and stay to hear two of Phil Breach's beautifully atmospheric poems. On the slab this week: The Wicker Man (1973), Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins series, In the Company of Wolves, Alan Garner's The Owl Service and many more.
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Continuing their Hallowe'en Season themed selection of episodes, this week Jules and Madeleine discuss how ghost stories work. While simple on the surface, ghost stories are fiendishly difficult to write effectively, despite being one of our oldest story forms. The dragons delve into why and how to plan and structure a ghost story, as well as looking at the difference between ghost stories and more main stream horror, before considering some of their favourite tales. On the slab this week - The Woman in Black, The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters and many more. Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
At nineteen years of age, Mary Shelley (then Mary Godwin since she had not yet married her poet) invented a new genre of literature. Not that anyone was aware of it at the time of course but then hindsight is a wonderful thing. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus went through several reprints during Shelley's own life time and its intense, disquieting and all too relatable themes have influenced many hundreds of subsequent writers in SciFi, Horror and the Gothic. What many may not be aware of is how Mary's own unconventional and often tragic life influenced her work. From an unusual, rather macabre childhood to a scandalous affair with a married man; from the events of the summer of 1816 at Villa Diodati on the shores of Lake Geneva to the tangled threads of her family life, Mary Shelley lived a life that ran contradictory to the socially acceptable mores of the time. Like many outsiders, this meant she saw more clearly than most. This week the dragons take a look at one of the Gothic genres heavyweight champions and how her strange and remarkable book shaped an entire genre.
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After much merriment, followed by more mysterious random tech failures than the dragons have ever experienced before, Jules and Madeleine are pleased to present for your entertainment, this episode on Cursed Objects. Perhaps you've heard of the Hope Diamond? We are certain you'll find the true history even more interesting, not least the works of literature it inspired. Or maybe you didn't realise that a famous story about a cursed ring, originated from a young professor of Old English assisting with translations at Dwarf Hill near Lydney Camp in Gloucestershire. The real object's history is an interesting tale. And anything can be cursed, apparently, mundane or fabulous, old or new, innocuous or sinister. Stones, dolls, chairs, jewellery...you name it. Join the dragons on a trip through the histories of a selection of cursed objects and the speculative fiction inspired by them.
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The dark and supernatural seducer of myth and folklore tells us a lot about a culture's tendencies and viewpoint when it comes to sex, marriage and forming a society. It also explains at least partially how that group of people view and treat women. Almost every culture in every time period has or has had a 'daemon lover' myth but the moral behind these stories varies greatly. Today, it can be found reflected in the huge body of paranormal romance. In the 1920s, if found its reflection first in films such as the 1922 'Nosferatu' and then followed the progress of the film industry - the daemon lover becoming more suave, sophisticated and appealing with each incarnation. Before the daemon lover ever touched the silver screen, he (and it almost always is a 'he') starred in literature and, in particular, in the gothic novel. This week Jules and Madeleine dig into the archetype - why is the presence of such a character so prevalent? Why has his image gone through so many permutations? And what exactly does his presence in speculative fiction say about our mindset today?
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Ordinarily, the dragons would not be delving into the romance genre except as a nod to sub plots in SFF. While romance does share speculative elements - and there are whole sub genres dedicated to romantic fantasy, paranormal romance, sci-fi romance etc - it's not normally Jules and Madeleine's cup of tea. However, the dragons also maintain that you can learn important writing lessons from pretty much any genre and romance has more to teach us than most. If you're looking to improve target audience engagement, timing, structure, character engagement or a wealth of other techniques, this episode is for you. On the slab this week - Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones' Diary, Pride and Prejudice, Molly Harper's Half Moon Hollow series and many more.
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The bookish, film and TV, and fan based communities are thriving - full of passionate individuals who are not afraid to speak their minds. The dragons appreciate this as they tend to do the same. On the other hand, no fandom of bookish community agrees on everything in totality. There needs to be room for many different opinions and, more importantly, mature disagreement. So this week, Jules and Madeleine bring you part one of a two part special, looking at SFF and speculative issues where the dragons don't agree with the masses - or occasionally, with each other. Changing Lara Croft did the opposite of what the designers intended? Tick box diversity is bad for representation? There are no passe tropes? Join us for lively discussions on these and more.
The bookish, film and TV, and fan based communities are thriving - full of passionate individuals who are not afraid to speak their minds. The dragons appreciate this as they tend to do the same. On the other hand, no fandom of bookish community agrees on everything in totality. There needs to be room for many different opinions and, more importantly, mature disagreement. So this week, Jules and Madeleine bring you part one of a two part special, looking at SFF and speculative issues where the dragons don't agree with the masses - or occasionally, with each other. Nuance is important in storytelling? Is hate-reading useful? Not every character needs a 'fated mate'? Join us for lively discussions on these and more.
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We all love those amusing memes which say things like 'I'm a writer - I tell lies for a living' but as fun as those oversimplifications are, writers also have a duty to do due diligence and report accurately. This is especially true when the writer is portraying events or experiences different from their own where misinformation is already rife and their misreporting may do harm. If you're thinking 'but the dragons both write speculative fiction, what do you mean about accuracy?' - don't worry; this week Jules and Madeleine look at the problems around careless representation of sensitive issues, research and why it's actually fun, and how accuracy should play a part in whatever you right, regardless of genre.
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This week the dragons take a look at the often deceptive world of publishing, together with what kind of marketing an author will be expected to do and how to go about it. Gathered in this podcast are the main bits of advice Jules and Madeleine wish they'd had at their fingertips when they started this writing malarkey. What does 'bestseller' really mean and how do you become one? How can you make your book attractive to potential buyers? How do you build a platform and where do you find your audience? All this and more in this week's episode.
The concept of eternal life is not a new trope in Speculative Fiction. Everything from the earliest oral tradition to the myths of the classical world to today's modern SFF engages with the idea. But what drives stories of this type and what causes us to flip the script and look at the disadvantages? This week, the dragons look at these questions and many others as they examine how the tropes of immortality and eternal life are treated in speculative fiction. Under the microscope this week - vampires, The Old Guard, Full Metal Alchemist and many more.
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The dragons are delighted to welcome special guest, Somaiya Daud to this week's episode. Somaiya is the author of the 2018 hit YA sci-fi Mirage and the recently released follow up, Court of Lions. Her books look closely at those who effect change via political means but are often left out of the political narrative, which makes her the perfect guest for this week's topic. Politics and revolution are bread and butter tropes for SFF, both adult and YA, but often marginalised voices are left out, despite usually being part of the main driving force for change. This week Jules and Madeleine look at why this is and what is so alluring about a political thread in fantasy and science fiction.
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A popular component of an adventure story is the discovery of a hidden or lost civilisation. Atlantis, Muir, Lyonesse and many other mythological cities and countries are rich fodder for writers of speculative fiction. This week the dragons delve into the possible explanations behind the myths and look at interesting gaps in historical record which might have given rise to stories of lost cities and continents, before taking a stroll through SFF which has used this source as inspiration. On the slab this week - Atlantis, Dinotopia and many more.
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Murder (in fiction) is not just a staple of crime and thriller novels. Sci-fi, Fantasy and Horror all often make use of a judicious killing too. So why exactly is murder a useful tool for driving a plot or adding complications? What are the dos and don'ts of adding murder to a story? This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at how this most serious of crimes is used most effectively in speculative fiction. Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
It can be easy, if your aim is publication and especially if you are already published, to forget that not everything you write has to have a purpose other than sheer enjoyment. Sometimes getting out of your own way as a writer involves writing something you'd never show to anyone else, that you have no intention of submitting or publishing. And in 'interesting times' such as those we currently live in, writing can be a form of pure escapism, a type of therapy or an enjoyable amusement. This week the dragons talk about many of the different ways you can employ writing techniques to cope with depression, boredom, anxiety or even to problem solve. In addition, writing different formats and styles will hone your technique. Do you always overwrite? Try poetry or microfiction. Do you have difficulty evoking a sense of place? Try some exercises to engage your senses. Join Jules and Madeleine for a light and informative look at how writing can help you relax.
The 'coming of age' narrative is not restricted to literary or contemporary fiction. A surprising number of SFF authors - both of YA and adult fiction - have tapped into this transitional period of a character's life to add another dimension to a story. In some cases, to actually drive the story. This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at what makes this narrative arc so appealing no matter what genre you're writing in. From 'teenager is used to drive a revolution' to 'the supernatural is interfering with my crucial life choices', the dragons examine the most usual coming of age tropes. On the slab this week - My Hero Academia, I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith, The Karate Kid and many more.
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This week the dragons take a look at a specific genre mash-up which is increasing in popularity - Historical Fantasy. Unlike epic fantasy inspired by historical events, eg Game of Thrones, Historical Fantasy adds speculative elements to documented history and while it may feature invented characters, the unfolding of history remains fairly constant. Done well this sub-genre of both historical fiction and fantasy can provide an immersive reading experience, with a satisfyingly well built world, fascinating real historical events and speculative elements which can add to the escapism of the reading experience or even provide extra nuance or lighter moments. Under the microscope this week - Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell by Suzanna Clarke, The Diviners - Libba Bray, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers and many more.
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One quest all of will at some point take part in, is the quest for our own identities. Whether this is something consciously undertaken or subconsciously sought, the narrative of who we are as individuals is a human quest. It's not then surprising that a lot of fiction reflects this; the classic hero's journey is, at its core, the search for identity, for a place in the world. This week the dragons delve into just why this is such an appealing aspect to add to a narrative. What exactly is identity in narrative terms? How does it put pressure on a plot? And what are some of the best ways this trope is used? On the slab this week - Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pearce, The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson, The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle and many more.
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A trope which regularly crops up in speculative fiction is that of the hero or protagonist being forced to confront the temptation to use power which has been designated as 'bad'. Whether the author likes to test their main character to destruction or whether it's the reader enjoying watching a protagonist examine their own morality and how flexible or rigid their sense of ethics is, the trope appears in everything from children's fiction to sci-fi to horror to epic fantasy. This week the dragons delve into why it's so appealing to have the good guy flirt with bad magic. How does this enrich a story? Where can it go wrong? And can power ever be described as truly good or bad?
On the slab this week - Star Wars, The Whitby Witches by Robin Jarvis, The Untamed, The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner and many more.
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Those who regularly obit the SFF sphere will be familiar the phenomenon of 'retconning'. In part this is due to SFF marketplaces having space for long series and expanded universes, not to mention spin offs, reboots and reprises. It can be annoying to fans to have a piece of long established canon ignored or painted over by new story developments whether it is intentional or not. And this is before you consider multiple authors all writing in a single sprawling shared universe or a single author who has written a fifteen book series, simply not checking or misremembering facts. So how does this affect the reader experience and what can you as a writer do about it where your own work is concerned? This week the dragons take a look at several examples of retconning and misremembering, and where they feel the authors got away with it - or not! Under the microscope this week: Star Trek, Acorna the Unicorn Girl by Anne McCaffrey, Star Wars and many more.
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In a past episode, Jules and Madeleine went into detail about 'unreliable narrators'. If the effect you want to create in your reader is to make them constantly question the narrative, causing conflict between the reader and the narrator in order to create tension, then an unreliable narrator can be a great choice. However there are other kinds of narrator which can be used similarly but to create more nuanced effects in your reader. This week the dragons look at the 'inadequate narrator'. More details in the episode obviously but children, animals and non humans are all examples of inadequate narrators. What sort of narratives are these characters best for and what are the advantages of using them? On the slab this week Jojo Rabbit, Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian, The Rosie Project by Graham Simsion and many more.
(NB - Jules and Madeline both refer to 'The Mysterious Case of the Dog in the Night-time'. Obviously they mean 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time' by Mark Haddon - apologies for the error!)
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Speculative fiction is rife with magical objects - rings, crowns, swords and far stranger items - the presence of which shape the narrative as the object is lost, stolen, regained and destroyed. However, while archetype such as the bard or minstrel show up regularly, slightly less attention is paid to magic wielders in SFF whose power is expressed through creating something. This week the dragons delve into the world of the magical creative from the dwarves of Nordic mythology to the artist characters that see the future. What is it about the process of creating that so fascinates us? How can these characters be used to create an unusual magic system? On the slab this week - Heroes, L J Smiths Dark Visions series, Tamora Pearce's Circle of Magic and many more.
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One of the trickier aspects of getting a book to hang together is getting the pace of the narrative right. Not only does the required pace vary based on story, it also varies based on genre and reader expectations. This week the dragons unravel how to pace a novel, looking at pacing related to structure, genre and style; cheats and tricks for various genres; how sentence structure can help manage pacing; and when to prologue or use bridging distance. Join Jules and Madeleine for a writing focused episode, as they look at some of their favourite examples of books which got the pacing right.
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What fantasy fan doesn't love a good quest narrative, especially one which features a broad cast of unlikely heroes, thrown together by events and a common goal? In fact, such narratives are not confined to High or Epic fantasy, but can be found in everything from low, dark or urban fantasy, to space opera to military sci-fi to historical fiction. The week the dragons delve into the appeal of this kind of story and the 'band of brothers' cast which usually accompanies it. How can modern SFF writers bend and subvert tropes and archetypes to tell a more diverse and engaging story? Do you even need a fantasy team for your tale at all? And what are the origins of this type of narrative? On the slab this week; Classical mythology, Lord of the Rings, The Kings of teh Wyld by Nicholas Eames and many more.
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The concept of 'knight' has become it's own sub-category within the warrior archetype. Influenced by Medieval history, romantic poetry and British mythology, many authors find the addition of a noble warrior - who adheres to a code of conduct and courtly behaviour - to be an essential addition to High and Epic fantasy. Even authors who subvert this trope, are benefiting from a long association where knights are the good guys. It's one of the more successful pieces of Medieval propaganda! This week the dragons delve into why this archetype is so popular? Where did it really come from? How accurate is the idea of a 'knight in shining armour astride a white charger'? And what do the terms 'courtly love' and 'chivalry' really mean? Buckle on your cuiress for an episode with a sting in its tale. On the slab this week: Tamora Pearce - The Song of the Lioness, George R R Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire, The Knight's Tale - Geoffrey Chaucer, Le Morte d'Artur - Mallory, and many more.
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Acting and writing have a surprising amount in common, especially when it comes to developing techniques to create character. Both of these creative disciplines draw on similar sources such as personal experience and observation. So what can an actor teach a writer about how to use those sources? How does the ability to 'substitute' breath life into characters in action? And what exercises can the writer try to make best use of these techniques to create deep characterisation? This week the dragons delve into the topic of how to create characters, drawing on their own experience in writing as well as performances on stage and screen.
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The dragons are delighted to welcome special guest Veronica Roth to this week's episode!
Veronica is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series, as well as two short story collections and a sci-fi YA duology. Divergent and its sequels were adapted for screen. Her most recent book is an adult fantasy novel - Chosen Ones- which launched on 7th April 2020. Chosen Onestackles the question of what happens after a group of fated teen heroes fulfil the destiny laid out for them, which makes Veronica the perfect guest for this episode. Jules and Madeleine have looked at why the 'chosen one' trope is so popular and occasionally so reviled in a previous episode; this time the dragons look at how the trope is both wish fulfilment fantasy and telling reflection of some of the less savoury practises of the modern world. It's the 'human' in superhumans that forms the really interesting story after all. Under the microscope this week - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and, of course, Chosen Ones.
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There are many ways to tackle writing a book and no one way is the only right way. Successful methods vary from writer to writer and even, book to book! This week Jules and Madeleine look at some of the most common methods, including what works, or has worked, for the dragons. One book often has a habit of becoming many. Alternatively, you may start out wanting write episodes in a series of books or you may have an over reaching arc in mind that requires more than one book. From writing one book to writing a series of them, the dragons dig into the weeds on what makes a series successful and what you should be considering if you're writing one. On the slab this week - The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Incryptid and October Daye by Seanan McGuire, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle and many more.
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The dragons have often said that historical fiction fulfils the same needs as SFF for many people - intricate world building, the strange familiarity, the sense of visiting another place where the rules are completely different and doing so safely, and a rich, immersive story. For this, reason the Period or Costume Drama is amongst the most popular of genre adaptations. Following on from a previous episode on adaptation and reimaginings of speculative fiction, this week Jules and Madeleine look at the pros and cons of Period Drama; how historically accurate do they need to be? How faithful to the source material? And is it possible to breach the centuries between the audience a 19th C novel was intended for and a more modern audience? Under examination this week - Ivanhoe, Mansfield Park, Jane Eyre, Gentleman Jack and many more.
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Episode 216: Sugar & Spice - Nuance and the Nice-washing of Female Characters in Speculative Fiction
While SFF has gradually been including a broader selection of fully formed female characters - as opposed to the sexy lamps, girls in refrigerators and 2D love interests of earlier speculative fiction decades - there is still one aspect that appears to elude our grasp. The vast majority of female characters have to be mostly 'nice' (unless very obviously the villain.) This week Jules and Madeleine take a look at why this is still prevalent and why it causes problems. On the slab this week - The Witcher, The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson and many more.
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Episode 215: The Book was Better than the Film, or When it Wasn't - Adaptations, Revamps and Sequels
What's better than a beloved book or film? The same book presented as a film or a series of sequels to a childhood favourite movie? Or maybe even a revamp or reboot of a classic? More of what you already love can only be a good thing, right? Well not always. In some cases not even most of the time. This week* the dragons are looking at books and films and TV series where an adaptation was better than the original; where the adaptation really wasn't better; and when the sequels or reboots surprise you by being better than the source material. Jules and Madeleine look at why a film is sometimes better than the book, and why some books just don't adapt well. On the slab this week - Beautiful Creatures, Star Trek in all its incarnations, The Witcher, Dr Sleep and many more.
( Jules and Madeleine are well aware of the current pandemic and while they've decided to continue the podcast as entertainment and escapism, they do discuss it at the beginning of the podcast. If you would like to skip this, tune in at the 22min mark - it's a long episode!)*
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Episode 214: Something Sweet & Deadly - Easter Eggs and the Problems with Fan Service
The dragons are sorry to report that this episode does not contain chocolate of any kind. However they do tackle the other kind of 'Easter egg' - the ones that authors and film makers scatter through their work for fans; little rewards and extras for readers and viewers being fans. Jules and Madeleine are all for Easter eggs (both kinds!) but feel that giving readers what they want is a delicate balancing act. Sure, little rewards are fun and it's a foolish writer who pays zero attention to what their fans want. But can fan service actually be damaging to a book, a film, a franchise? If you try and please everyone, do you end up pleasing no one? (Including the vocal minority of fans demanding changes!) And when should you listen to criticism from your fans? Under the microscope this week: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Trek Discovery, Deep Space Nine and many more.
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Episode 213: That's Just Not Literature - the Myths of Fantasy Writing
The Dragons have looked at rivalries and snobberies between different genres in previous episodes - it's endemic and baked in to the creation of literature. But they've never fully tackled the 'mythology' that has specifically risen around writing fantasy. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into how these strange and often nonsensical pieces of 'wisdom' came about, and why they stalk the genre to the extent that some fantasy writers deny they write fantasy even now. Does fantasy engage with important themes? Does it have value beyond mere entertainment? Can it cause the reader to lose their ability to tell between reality and fantasy? The dragons tackle all this and more. On the slab this week - Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and many more.
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