My Work

Publications

“A Grumble of Goddesses,” short story published in December 2025 in issue 51 of Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet.

“Snake goddesses aren’t the only entities active in the modern world. It’s conceivable, I suppose, that there’s also something lurking with an appetite for fake goddesses.”

“What Lies and Threats: History and Nationalist Myth-Making in The Lord of the Rings,” essay published April 5, 2025, in Speculative Insight.

• Described as an “absolute banger” by historian and blogger Bret Devereaux.
• Longlisted for the British Science Fiction Association’s best short nonfiction award for 2025.

“[T]he histories Tolkien created for the fictional kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan, presented in the main text and appendices of The Lord of the Rings, resemble mythopoeic narratives created by ancient, medieval, and modern states. Tolkien did not create these histories for the purpose of indulging himself, generating trivia for fans, or providing a rulebook for his setting. These narratives not only provide insights into the beliefs, motivations, and self-conceptions of Tolkien’s characters but also comment on the role of myth in real-world societies.”

“A Hoard of Infinite Meanings,” short story published Oct. 29. 2024 in issue 153 of Swords & Sorcery Magazine.

“A master chose a student. They continued their teacher’s studies and, one day, they trained a student to succeed them in turn. So the House of Learning ensured that generations of scholars built on each other’s work. How disappointing it would be, Seshet thought, if an entire lineage of master linguists dead-ended at her.”

Speaking

I spoke at Holy Moot 2025 about doubt, choice, and free will in Tolkien’s work.