User:Dweren

Dweren. . . is a literature "Pile it Higher and Deeper", college adjunct instructor, reader, fencer, and sometime writer who recently got the urge to learn aikido and has been dabbling in jodo. Mostly I write non-fiction on the professional level with some dabbling in fiction. Currently I have one published short story (fantasy), three academic essays/articles (two on J.K. Rowling, one on Harry Turtledove), several academic book reviews, and a few articles for Pyramid Magazine (SJGames). In the future, I hope to revise my recently completed dissertation for publication as a book (on a historical analysis of Jungian archetypes, specifically that of the shape-shifter, in J.K. Rowling and Terry Pratchett. And I'm working on a series of novellas that generously mix fantasy (races, magic) and sci-fi (interstellar travel, energy weapons, starships), numbers 5-8 are in progress at the moment.

As far as general views, the user currently known as Dweren is pro-choice, decidedly liberal in outlook, pro-death penalty (in certain cases, such as rape; although the legal system needs to be fixed), pro-global society, pro-UN (although it needs to be strengthened in order to have any real effect), pro-literacy and education (well, duh), a feminist, etc. etc. He is also a self-described agnostic atheist. . . meaning that personally, he is an atheist and has no belief in any divinity, but acknowledges that his belief or lack thereof has no bearing on the actual existence of any divinities and in no way means that the faith/belief of others is necessarily false.

Interests
Major general interests: shape-changers (professional metamorphologist), history (medieval European, classical Chinese, military), European martial arts (armed - sword-shield, staff, sword), Asian martial arts (aikido {5th kyu}, jodo).

Major reading interests: fantasy, sci-fi, young adult, Jungian archetype theory, J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Eoin Colfer, Jonathan Stroud, Karen Traviss, Neil Gaiman, Geoffrey Chaucer, Gawain-poet, Fritz Leiber, Michael Moorcock, Larry Niven, C.J. Cherryh, David Morrell, R.A. Heinlein, Naomi Novik, Steven Brust

Movies: Star Wars (all 6), The Matrix (1st), LotR, Harry Potter, Stardust, Crouching Tiger, anything Monty Python, The Blues Brothers, anything Mel Brooks, Princess Bride, The Big Hit, House of Flying Daggers, Hero, Forbidden Kingdom

Music: The Beatles, Metallica, Evanescence, Sarah McLachlan, Pearl Jam, Green Day, They Might Be Giants