Dissecting Dragons

Episode 323: Judge Me Not By My Works - The Problem of Labelling Authors

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.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 322: Girls Who Stray From the Path - Tracing the Journey of Little Red Riding Hood

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.

 

Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 321: Lesbians against Drink Driving - The Problem of the Activist Character in Speculative Fiction

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.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 320: Within these Hallowed Halls - Dark Academia in Speculative Fiction

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.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 319: Love Never Dies - Romance and Obsession in Speculative Fiction

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.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 318: Mjolnir, Carnwenhau & Sting - Signature Weapons and Combat Mistakes in Speculative Fiction

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

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 317: I Want Candy! - Giving Your Characters a Balanced Diet in Speculative Fiction

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.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 316: Vampire Detectives and Snarky Female Cops - Urban Fantasy Tropes that need a Change

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

Episode 315: Vampire Detectives & Snarky Female Cops - Urban Fantasy Tropes that need a Change

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.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 314: Old Souls and Mischievous Urchins - Writing Child Characters in Speculative Fiction

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.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic