I don’t think I believe Evil exists. I believe selfishness does. - Steve Boyett

Tip: utopian and floral town names are inversely proportional to their hellholishness.

Language is a biggie, too. I utterly loathe fantasy novels in which characters stride thusly up yon hill. Walk up the damned thing, for the love of god. This Renaissance Faire lily-gilding has damaged the veracity of contemporary fantasy more than any single quality I can think of (though arguably the inability of many fantasy [and science fiction] writers to have the perspective to see how often they engage in what Freud called “projection” may be an equal culprit in the self-ghettoization of fantasy and science fiction as literary forms).

The National Hot Air Museum is just down the road a piece, he added. "Better known by its branch names: the Capitol and the White House.