Monthly Archives: January 2012

Tale as Old as Time: The Art and Making of Beauty and the Beast

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

If you’re interested in fairy tales, you’ll likely want to read Tale as Old as Time, a non-fiction exploration of the creative process that transformed the familiar story of Beauty and the Beast to the Disney film that many of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Book review, Fairy Tales | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Greatest Adventure

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

My childhood years were a feast for the imagination, and for that I’ll always be thankful. Books were in abundant supply–stories of the best sorts that encouraged thought and creativity–and plenty of time for play and exploration also provided fodder … Continue reading →

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Posted in Christian Fantasy | Tagged , | 6 Comments

The Tolkien Professor

Fantasy Resources

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

Would you be interested in listening to a PhD in medieval literature lecture on Tolkien? Most of us don’t have time (or perhaps finances) to take college classes at will, but The Tolkien Professor website makes it possible to listen … Continue reading →

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Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged | 5 Comments

American Folklore and Fantasy

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

If I trace my lineage back, it goes to Wales, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany, and an assortment of other European countries. No small wonder then, that I identify with the folklore from those regions, which provides the roots for much … Continue reading →

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Posted in Myth and Legend | 5 Comments

Upcoming Fairy Tale Films

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

Over the last few years, a record number of filmmakers have turned toward fairy tales for inspiration, and in 2012 alone, an intriguing assortment of fairy tale films will release, not to mention the continued airing of fairy tale television … Continue reading →

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Posted in Fairy Tales | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Mythic Creature: The Yale

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

Name: Yale or eale or centicore Appearance: Roughly the size of a hippopotamus or a large horse, the yale borrowed features from beasts as diverse as a lion and a wild boar. Depending on the legend, its body predominantly resembled … Continue reading →

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Posted in Mythic Creatures | Tagged | 10 Comments

Mere Morality in Fiction

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

Christianity means more than adhering to a certain set of principles, more than observance of the law, as Jesus made quite clear in his dealings with the Pharisees. Though most of us see this as a very basic truth, one … Continue reading →

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Posted in God, Writing | Tagged | 4 Comments

The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

“Glances of true beauty can be seen in the faces of those who live in true meekness.” Henry David Thoreau Lately I’ve been spending time reading and studying the Beatitudes, and as a result I’ve been contemplating the character quality … Continue reading →

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Posted in God | Tagged | 6 Comments

Imagination and Our Views of God

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

Yesterday, I browsed the online sample pages of a book entitled The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing, and the thought provoking nature of the contents intrigued me, particularly this passage on the subject of imagination: … Continue reading →

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Fantasy and Lapses of Logic

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Sarah Sawyer

As a genre, fantasy requires a certain degree of creativity. It relies on freedom of imagination, which results in the construction of wondrous realms, full of terrors and delights. And yet the application of reason and logic plays a vital … Continue reading →

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Posted in Christian Fantasy, Writing | Tagged , | 7 Comments