Words for an Epic Quest

Part II

Chthonian

From the Ancient Greek word meaning “earth,” chthonian or chthonic refers to what dwells below the ground. This word suggests the otherworldly: mythical deities like Hades and Persephone and storybook demons like Cthulhu. If a portal to the underworld opened before you, would you descend to battle evil? Or cut the story short and run the other way?

Lacuna

A blank space. A missing part. A pit. A hole you might drop into and enter a underworld of stalactites, stalagmites, and creeping many-eyed creatures. If there’s more than one hole, the word is lacunae—it’s Latin. Watch your step.

Thaumaturge

Literally, thaumaturge means “wonderworker.” It’s an ancient word from when the fields of science, magic, and religion were blurred. This blurring of real and magical worlds also occurs fairy tale and fantasy novels. Saints, alchemists, wizards, and writers: all practice their own form of thaumaturgy.

Incunabulum

An incunabulum or incunable is the earliest form of printed book, published up to the year 1500 in Europe. A technological leap beyond handwritten text but before the printing press made books widespread, incunabula were printed in block type and moveable type. This painstaking process resulted in beautiful works that bridged the gap between illuminated manuscripts and mass-produced texts. Literature is truly magic. The more people who can experience its magic, the better.

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I love to see my new book POETRY COMICS inspiring the next generation of artists. Thanks, Rob, for the photos and kind words!

POETRY COMICS is published worldwide by Chronicle Books and available from your favorite independent bookstore or online wherever books are sold. I’m excited to announce there will be two more books in the series! More details to come.