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