We all have fears, and the hobgoblin is a mythical representation of those fears. many of the creatures that people may have once believed in, to one degree or another, are easily explained away. The hobgoblin and his kin were the creatures of the night that whisked us away— and were used to warn children…
Otherworldly Words: Golem
Sometimes called a fetish or a voodoo doll, objects like a Golem are a sign of our wishes for supernatural interference in the natural world. Often, these moments are revenge for an act of injustice. We feel to weak or frightened to fill our own vendetta, or know that the authorities will not see to justice….
Otherworldly Words: Gall
Saying someone has a lot of gall is like literally saying they are filled with a bitter, disgusting fluid. Think about that. Many phrases are rooted in our physical reactions: ‘it gives me shivers’ or ‘I’m tingling all over.’ Such phases try to make concrete our feelings. But sometimes, like with gall, when you think a bit…
What scares you?
Fear is a powerful motivator …and inhibitor. But one person’s nightmare is another’s thrill ride. I’m not a fan of rats. But, I have friends who have pet rats. How do our fears—and their more extreme counterparts, phobias—define us and the characters we write about? How do we make some fears universal—or at least show how…
Otherworldly Words: Divination
Wishing to see the future, or divination, is a long sought-after talent. Whether that talent is a gift or a curse is still up to debate. Certainly, many of us would love the ability to see lottery numbers or stop the death of a beloved. Yet, in most tales of foresight, the moral often lies in…
Otherworldly Words: Deleterious
Deleterious is one of those words seldom used. When it is used, I think its context is often with health: “Smoking is deleterious to health.” It derives from the Greek, meaning to destroy. I mentioned in an earlier post that we have more words in our language to discuss negative emotions and aspects of life,…
Otherworldly Words: Charnel House
What to do with the dead? A charnel house is one answer to that question. We place the remains inside stone walls and sarcophagi to rest. But the real charnel house is in our memories, where the dead live on. Our minds keep the dead alive every time we think of them, speak their name, and conjure up…
Behind the hedgerow
For #WerewolfWednesday, we’re treated a full moon, a lunar eclipse, and a meteor shower. Oh, and this werewolf poem! What lurks behind the hedgerow? Crackling branches under feet As I sit upon the stone bench in the silver glow of the full moon, where my lover I did come to meet. Whose labored breaths…
Otherworldly Words: Cloven
Why is the cloven hoof of such adorable animals as the deer associated with the devil? If I had to guess, I’d say it has something to do with Pan, the mischievous God of the woods. We also associate ram’s horns with the devil. We often look for symbols in nature, like the dove for…
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