Journey to the Sea

an online magazine devoted to the study of myth

Randy Hoyt

Randy Hoyt

Randy works as a freelance web developer in Dallas, Texas. He spends his free time reading and writing about myth. Find out more about Randy at his personal site randyhoyt.com.


Imagination in Where The Wild Things Are

Oct 15th, 2009 • Issue 14

Randy examines some subtle details in the illustrations of one of his childhood favorites to see what Maurice Sendak's classic picture book has to say about the transforming power of imagination. Article »

Native America & Speculative Fiction: Interview with Amy H. Sturgis

Aug 15th, 2009 • Issue 13

Randy spoke with author, speaker, and professor Amy H. Sturgis about Native America, fantasy, and her recent book discussing their intersection. Article »

Orpheus’s Descent to Hades

Jul 1st, 2009 • Issue 12

Randy looks at a sculpture of Orpheus and different versions of his story from antiquity, considering the connection between a work of art and its narrative when viewers might know a different version of the story then the artist. Article »

Considering the Lilies of the Field

May 15th, 2009 • Issue 11

Not all products of mythical thinking are narratives. Randy explores one such example from the first century CE, a teaching from the Sermon on the Mount about the lilies of the field, worrying, and trusting in God. Article »

Fictional Worlds, Invisible Reality

Apr 1st, 2009 • Issue 10

Authors often describe their fictional worlds and characters as something they discover rather than something they invent. Randy looks at a number of quotations, connecting this phenomenon with mythical thinking. Article »

Science Fiction Primer: Interview with Amy H. Sturgis

Apr 1st, 2009 • Issue 10

Amy H. Sturgis is an author, speaker, and professor at Belmont University. Randy spoke with her about science fiction and its relationship to mythology. Article »

Biblical Narratives in Doris Lessing’s Shikasta

Mar 1st, 2009 • Issue 9

Randy examines Doris Lessing's use of material from Genesis in her science-fiction novel Shikasta, arguing that Lessing is a strong advocate for the potential for the products of mythical thinking to address problems in the modern world. Article »

Mythos & Logos: Two Ways of Explaining the World

Mar 1st, 2009 • Issue 9

We humans beings have used both mythical thinking and logical thinking to explain the world around us. Distinguishing between these can help us understand mythic narratives, both ancient and modern. Article »

Illustrating Tolkien: Ted Nasmith Interview

Jan 1st, 2009 • Issue 7

Ted Nasmith is an artist best known for his illustrations depicting scenes from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Randy spoke with him about his artwork and some of the challenges of illustrating fantasy literature. Article »

Totem Poles: Myths Carved In Cedar

Dec 1st, 2008 • Issue 6

Randy explores the connection between the magnificent vertical columns carved in cedar by the Native Americans of the northwest Pacific coast and the mythical narratives they depict. Article »