The Right Template for the Job
The perfect pupil for a mentor/pupil relationship, if literary tradition is any indication, fits the following template: Male Well-meaning “Ordinary” looks And it doesn’t hurt… Read More »The Right Template for the Job
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How to Recruit a Proper Pupil
I can’t, off the top of my head, think of any mentor characters who go from place to place looking for a pupil. Most mentors… Read More »How to Recruit a Proper Pupil
When Someone Has an Axe to Grind
We find one of the longest battles in English linguistic history in that simple, problematic word “ask.” You wouldn’t think that three small letters… Read More »When Someone Has an Axe to Grind
When Resistance Really Is Futile
True story: “its” as a pronoun didn’t come around until Early Modern English. Up until the late sixteenth century, the 3rd-person gender-neutral possessive pronoun… Read More »When Resistance Really Is Futile
Disobedience: A Protagonist’s One True Birthright
So. The “Oops! I did exactly what you told me not to do!” plot device. It’s a fairly common catalyst to start a story moving:… Read More »Disobedience: A Protagonist’s One True Birthright
The Three Sworn Duties of an Epic Mentor
Sometimes the Mentor-Pupil relationship comes across more as trolling than education. Don’t get me wrong: I loves me some character manipulation. There should always be a… Read More »The Three Sworn Duties of an Epic Mentor
This Wizened Old Guy Safeguards Life’s Greatest Secrets
True story: in my youth I thought “wizened” meant something along the lines of “imbued with such age-won wisdom that it shows in one’s countenance.”… Read More »This Wizened Old Guy Safeguards Life’s Greatest Secrets
Season of Gratitude
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others. ~Cicero In honor of Thanksgiving this week, I’m taking a short… Read More »Season of Gratitude
A Small Matter of Priorities
I’ll admit it. I tried the helmet on Prissy. It would have required me to alter her bangs, and that cute little barrette would have… Read More »A Small Matter of Priorities
Cheerleader vs. Psycho: A Battle of the Sexes
Cheerleaders are pretty dang strong. They have to be to accomplish all of the lifts and flips and back handsprings and whatnot. Plus there’s all… Read More »Cheerleader vs. Psycho: A Battle of the Sexes