I miss Jim Henson. I miss his brand of creativity and I miss what he brought to the world of entertainment. I – who never knew the man himself – see Jim Henson’s work as singularly inspired and gentle. I felt that there was in it always an attempt to celebrate imagination, uphold quality entertainment […]
Every writer will tell you that every story needs conflict. The best stories have a strong villain and the most dramatic stories all need moments of levity. More experienced writers, though, will talk to you about the importance of friendship. Friendship is an opportunity for a writer to explore loyalty, love, and loss. Friendship unites […]
I often give workshops at public and private schools. I emphasize that everything is about telling a story and every story needs a good villain. When I ask if anyone can name a good villain, nine times out of ten I hear, “Darth Vader” or “The Wicked Witch.” Why? Because these are two clear examples […]
While I am well aware that not every childhood is full of happy thoughts, there is a lens that all children look through where even the smallest things, like going for ice cream or playing outside on the sidewalk during the summer, bring them a type of magnified joy we so often lose in adulthood. […]
I often get asked how I construct a character. I begin by basing my character on someone I know or have known. When I say this at public presentations, some people quickly respond by letting me know they feel left out of that umbrella, “But I write fantasy, and my characters are badgers and dragons”. […]