I, for one, am so, so happy to have Halloween behind us! I don’t know about you, but I much prefer the cozy, cheery, merry and un-scary vibes of Thanksgiving and Christmas time over the “holiday” of ghouls, goblins, and glammed-up zombies.

However…

I did just write a book about one of history’s most famous (infamous) monsters, the Gorgon Medusa, so I suppose a fair question for me might be, “If you’re anti ghosts and goblins, etc., why do you write about terrifying mythological creatures?” 

Fair question, indeed. After all, Greek mythology is teeming with the stuff of nightmares – gruesome beasts, ruthless gods, infernal curses, spilled blood and oozing guts, and no mention of the God I personally love and serve.

What’s the difference between writing about such things and embracing the hocus pocus of Halloween?

I submit to you this quote from the legend himself, J.R.R. Tolkien:

It has been my aim with all of my books to point to our Maker, the Lover of our souls, Jehovah God. Mythology, and its multitude of horrors, reveals the diabolical depths to which man and woman’s hearts so swiftly descend when they beat with the passions and pride of the prince of this world, represented in the tales by vain and capricious deities.

Though the aforementioned tales do not explicitly cry out for a messiah, they definitely point to the seemingly hopeless chasm between we, lowly mankind, and our Creator. They ask questions such as:

“How do we obtain peace with the Divine? Is such an achievement even possible?”

“Are the gods truly capable of loving us, or do they merely use us?”

“What is the purpose of life?”

“Do I have free will, or am I but a pawn on the gods’ game table?”

“Will this world forever be ruled by wickedness?”

“What hope do I have of overcoming my demons?”

The last question is the one raised in my latest book, Medusa’s Wish.  In the story of how Medusa becomes a spine-chilling murderess, I allude to Christian concepts of demonic oppression and possession and the choice we all have to be bound by them, or to claim freedom.

So, back to the question about Halloween and why I write about Halloween-type topics, I suppose my one-word answer is, “Conviction.”

I have a personal conviction about the wickedness wrapped up in the dark traditions of Halloween, and as a Christian, I don’t believe it’s God honoring to celebrate them, even in so-called “harmless” ways, like dressing up and trick-or-treating. With writing, I am convicted by a call to write about the very real pull and power of darkness in our world, and even more so, the infinitely greater power of the Light of God, His Son, Yeshua (Hebrew for salvation).

I hope that answers the question that I long ago asked myself, but if not, please feel free to email me and we can continue the discussion! (diana.tyler86@gmail.com).

If you’d like to read Medusa’s Wish, either on paperback or Kindle, you can check it out HERE or by clicking the pic below!:

Here’s a recent Goodreads review:

“The author’s style of writing is smooth and flowing, especially Medusa wishing entirely different of what her siblings thought of her. She has a long line of suitors asking for her hand in marriage but she feels like she along with her sisters will never enter into legend as the wicked villains her siblings have proven to be. I won’t go into spoilers. Read the book and know yourself.

The book is about 180 pages long and I finished reading it in three sittings. The author made the book a very pleasant, easy going read. Nothing alarmed or shocked in the telling of this unique tale, and the book was exactly what I needed to escape from the pressures of life and relax. This book is the equivalent of a hot bath, or a cozy evening by the fire, and offers an escape, for a few hours at least, from the busy existence most of us have… Overall, I found “MEDUSA’S WISH” a unique and fascinating read.”

Have a super-blessed month, my friends!