Dissecting Dragons

Episode 34: The Unveiled Series Reborn - Books, Judgement, Heaven & Hell, and PTSD

This week SFF author and Dragon co-host, J.A. Ironside, takes her turn on the slab, as the pair examine her 'Unveiled' series - which is being re-published. The dragons will be looking at themes of disability, depression, anxiety and PTSD in speculative fiction - as well as talking about inspiration for the Unveiled series, personal experiences that fed into the writing and bit of a peak at up-coming new releases. Plus there is a sneaky bit of Sarah J. Maas' A court of Mist and Fury in there for comparison. It's not all shameless promotion, we promise.

Tune in for a highly personal and very funny episode.

Title Music: Ecstasy - Smiling Cynic

Episode 33: Not so Charming - Male Stereotypes in Speculative Fiction

As Equal Opportunity offenders, this week the Dragons are looking at male stereotypes, harking back as far as folk tales and Greek myth to the Disneyfied princes and diamonds in the rough, to the misunderstood bad boys of modern YA speculative fiction. Be prepared for a frank discussion of gender roles, miscommunication and Scottish werewolves. In the petri dish this week Stephen King, Sarah J. Maas, Stranger Things and many more.

Title music: 'Ecstasy' - Smiling Cynic

Episode 32: Escape to the Country - of Editing and Writing Weekends

This week the Dragons have taken a break from the huge mountains of editing they have to do and retreated to St Leonard's wood in Horsham for a writing weekend. SFF authors talk about the thrills, perils and pitfalls og editing your work in preparation for agent submission or publication; look at author rituals and crutches; discuss writing collaboratively; and just generally seek to entertain in the relaxed atmosphere of the country. On the slab this week - Stephen King - On Writing, the bad habits caught by editing, first drafts and rewriting and rather a lot of tea.

Join us for a more relaxed episode away from it all.

Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 31: The Devil in the Details - Lucifer in Modern Speculative Fiction

This week the dragons tackle the ultimate adversary himself. Despite the focus on the new portrayals of the devil in speculative fiction, SFF authors J.A.Ironsode and M.E.Vaughan start firmly in the past, looking at depictions of 'the great destroyer' from the Old Testament to Dante's Inferno to Milton's Paradise Lost. On the slab for more modern facsimiles we have Constantine, Supernatural, Lucifer, Horns by Joe Hill, a number of books by Stephen King and The Devil Rides Out by Dennis Wheatley.

Join us for a fiendishly good discussion.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Episode 30: Bucky Barnes to the Winter Soldier - the Evolution of the Side-kick

This week the dragons look at what makes secondary and tertiary characters so compelling - often to the exclusion of all else. Ever had a side kick character you identified with more than the main character? We may have a theory about that. Examining how secondary characters make the story more accessible and how they act as sub-plot whilst still being the heroes of their own stories,the dragons discuss Lucien from Sarah J Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses series, Batman and Robin, Lucien, Gandalf, Lucien, Luna Lovegood and Dumbledore, and Lucien.

Join us for an illuminating episode packed with laughs.

Episode 29: The Frankenstein Complex - why is 'Fan Fiction' such a dirty word?

Is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery? This week SFF authors J.A.Ironside and M.E.Vaughan tackle the knotty subject of Fan Fiction. The dragons delve deep and look at the problems, the trials, the ethics and the triumphs in manipulating someone else's creations as opposed to using your own. Looking at personal experiences and poking a petri dish culturing some epic examples such as E.L. James, Cassandra Clare and Trudi Canavan, this episode debates the highs and lows of that branch of fan culture where fans become so impassioned they create their own material.

Title music: 'Ecstasy' by Smiling Cynic

Episode 28: Gobblefunk and Glyphs - creating words in Children's Fantasy

This week the dragons are delighted to welcome back special guest, James Nicol, who they managed to snatch from his whirlwind tour of Britain after the highly successful release of his book - The Apprentice Witch. James shares his expertise on creating words and terms for children's fantasy fiction. On the slab this week, we also have David Eddings, Harry Potter, Roald Dahl and (strangely enough) Shakespeare. It's all about words this week and words are power. Join us for some linguistic magic.

Title music: 'Ecstasy' by Smiling Cynicfan 

Episode 27: Harnessing Demons - How Writers use their own faults and insecurities in Writing.

The best examples of all kinds of fiction have an emotional honesty that really connects the readers or viewers to the plot and characters. Where exactly does this depth come from? How can you write and fully utilise your own experiences and failings without turning it into something self-indulgent? How much writing is wish fulfilment? SFF authors M.E.Vaughan and J.A.Ironside will be delving into these questions this week, with a look at Stephen King, the Bronte sisters, and many others, together with insights into their own bodies of work both published and unpublished. Join the dragons as they discuss how to 'harness your own personal demons'.

Title music: 'Ecstasy' by Smiling Cynic

Episode 26: A Touch of Faust - Changing Goals on your Protagonist and when this works

From the 'Faust' of the title to Greek tragedy and Shakespeare to films by Pixar and Dreamworks, some of the most satisfying storylines involve the main character getting exactly what they want only to discover that the victory is empt. Either they now no longer want what they were questing for or the price they paid to acquire the object of their desire, was so high that it could hardly be called a victory at all. In the petre dish this week, SFF authors J.A.Ironside and M.E.Vaughan, will be prodding at the story lines and character arcs of Antigone, Faust, Pixar's Cars, Up, Shrek and Toy Story, Stephanie Myer's The Host and Suzanne Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Join the dragons as they look at that strangely filling morsel - the Phyrric victory.

Title music: 'Ecstasy' bu Smiling Cynic

Episode 25: Death and All His Friends - Themes of Death, Dying and Grief in Speculative Fiction

Death comes to us all but apparently it wasn't the Dragons' time since He declined a guest spot on the show,. Instead SFF authors J.A.Ironside and M.E.Vaughan take a look at death in speculative fiction. Why is there so much personification and anthropomorphism of a natural life event? Where does that and concepts like 'Death and the Maiden' date back to? How are death and grief used as motivators (or not) in speculative fiction? On the slab this week Buffy the Vampire slayer, Supernatural, pre-Babylonian and Greek myths about the descent of the goddess to the underworld, Sarah J, Maas' A Court of Mist and Fury and of course, Harry Potter.

Join us for both gallows humour and serious discussion.

Title music: 'Ecstasy' by Smiling Cynic