Of Beauties and Beasts

My obsession with the Tale as Old as Time in all its iterations, and why I believe it resonates with us so deeply.

Talena Winters January 17, 2025 Talena Winters January 17, 2025

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The Good, the Bad, and the Wicked

In which I explore the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (both the book, the Wicked musical, and the history of this story), and what Elphaba and Batman have in common.

Talena Winters July 23, 2018 Talena Winters July 23, 2018

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The Benefits of "Escapist Fiction"

Humans are made of stories. And, no matter the "world" that a story may be set in, at the heart of every good story is a character who is overcoming difficult situations that must be relatable to the reader in some way, or the story would not resonate with us. In this post, I talk about some ways that fantasy and other genres of fiction have benefited me, and why I think everyone should read or watch it.

Talena Winters August 24, 2017 Talena Winters August 24, 2017

Could Your Story Change the World?

You might think your story isn't that special, that you have nothing to give. But if you think about it, you'll probably realize that you have already learned some life lessons that others would benefit from. Have you ever wondered how your story might be a powerful blessing to others?

Talena Winters June 24, 2015 Talena Winters June 24, 2015

Moving On and Holding On

I can see why some people would choose to make a shrine out of their child's room when they lose one, leaving everything exactly the way it was. It is tempting to not get rid of a single thing, to leave it all just how they left it. Parting with the things seems like choosing to forget.

And truthfully? I'm terrified of the things about him that I am forgetting. My memory is so full of holes, punched there from this tremendous grief, that I already know that I have forgotten things that I wish I could hold on to tightly forever. Every day that passes feels like it is taking me one day farther away from my boy.