Every enduring Christmas story has a villain woven in somewhere - whether that's King Herod in the nativity or Ebenezer Scrooge, the Grinch of Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Whether the audience is rooting for huge redemption arc or waiting for the bad guy to take a nosedive off the Nakatomi Plaza, there's something about a festive story that uniquely lends itself to a good villain. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into what makes a good Christmas villain; where do they come from? (The answer is surprisingly far back!) And how do you create your own?

On the slab this week - A Christmas Carol, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Winter Smith and many more.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Sliding towards the festive season, Jules and Madeleine take a look at gifts. Everyone loves a present, right? But what does a present actually signify? Are they always good things or can they be sinister or manipulative? From fae gifts to mystical burdens, the dragons take a deep dive into the sort of present you can't exchange for something else on your xmas list.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

'Ugly' is a subjective term, of course. Tastes vary and opinions are heavily influenced by how we perceive someone or how much we like them. However, there are plenty of characters in speculative fiction who even on the page do not fit the parameters of being conventionally physically attractive. When those books are translated to the screen, often the 'it' actors of the moment are cast in these roles because they are often great characters. And this is where the cognitive dissonance sets in. Social media and the drive towards a physical ideal which can only be attained through wealth and extreme intervention adds another, somewhat more troubling dimension as platforms like Instagram directly influence beauty standards and celebrity popularity. Have we lost the ability to see a normal human as attractive? Find out in this week's episode. On the slab this week - Bridget Jones' Diary, Harker & Blackthorn, Game of Thrones, Howl's Moving Castle and many more.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Moving slightly away from spooky season and weird folklore, the dragons are clocking in with a writing episode. At the moment, Romantasy is the biggest whale splashing around in the sea of fantasy, partially drowning out other subgenres (at least temporarily). While romantasy is a lot of fun, it's caused further changes in the 'strong female character' trope which are less fun. This week, Jules and Madeleine revisit the subject, looking at what really defines 'strength' in character terms and how to best write your own female character, even with Romantasy putting a thumb on the scales. Under the microscope this week - Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables, The Hunger Games and many more.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

How many jobs and professions have existed over the centuries which we now no longer know anything about? Who thinks about warreners and coopers? Fowlers and knocker-ups? And yet this now unnecessary work lingers in surname origins and in the strange tales that grow up around these jobs. This week, still feeling semi spooky and continuing their recent folklore deep dive, Jules and Madeleine take a look at the urban myths which sprang up and are still springing up, around jobs made obsolete by time and new technology. Why do with mythologise the mundane? What are the origins of folklore arising from old trades? And how can you use this in your writing? Find out in this week's episode.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Still in the spooky zone, this week Jules and Madeleine take a look at the fascinating phenomenon of folklore being created in real time. There have always been parallels between technology and superstition, magic and science. As technology moves further into the non tangible realm of digital space, ghosts and other entities have begun to echo this shift. So what exactly is the part that folklore plays in this? Are all our ghosts going digital? And why do such disparate subjects actually go hand in hand? Find out in this week's episode.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

As far as the dragons are concerned it's still spooky season and this week, they are featuring one of the most beloved 'universal monsters' - the Mummy. From Ancient Egypt to Victorian obsession to post war film era, the Mummy has been a symbol for secrets and forbidden knowledge, often reflecting discomforting truths back at us. Jules and Madeleine take a look at why this is a universal monster - what are its origins? When did it first start appearing in fiction? And what does the creature mean to us today?

On the slab this week - Lok No 249 - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Beetle - Richard Marsh, Ramses the Damned - Anne Rice and many more.

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Sleep - something so mundane we do it around eight hours out of every twenty-four - makes a great vehicle for horror. Judging by folkloric record and cross cultural points of similarity, it's been part of horror for millennia. From old hag syndrome to nightmares to the simple but essential necessity of being unaware and vulnerable for blocks of time, sleep is it's own carnival of terror. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into why, tracking through folklore into modern horror and looking at how you can use sleep effectively in your own writing. (Aside from aiming for eight hours a night, that is!)

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic