Swords, Specters, & Stuff
Welcome to My World
I started this blog in January 2012 for one simple reason: I love to write. I named it “Swords, Specters, & Stuff” because I especially love to write about writing, about books and movies in my favorite genres, about authors that mean a great deal to me. But there’s more to it than that, which is why I included “Stuff” in the title. It is “Stuff” that gives me carte blanche to write about anything, which is why you’ll see stories about special trips to Cooperstown, Sedona, and other places; about getting older; about baseball; about the otherworldly way in which I met my soul mate; about the loss of good friends, and so much more. Enjoy! And feel free to leave a comment.
High-Tech Gone Awry…In The 1950s?
As an impressionable kid growing up in the ’50s, I watched just about every horror and science fiction film they made—and they made a lot. The horror movies scared the crap out of me, and so did most of the sci/fi flicks, especially ones involving weird-looking invaders from space, or killer robots. Which brings me to GOG.
The A-Holes Are Everywhere
This is not my usual fare, but when a writer learns about something that pisses him/her off, the writer writes about it.
Have A Few Laughs On Me
The way things are going in this world, and in particular this country, we could all use a diversion. As it used to say in READER’S DIGEST, “Laughter is the Best Medicine.” So here is a short scene from BACK ON THE BIKE PATH (A Jack Miller Senior Moment: Book Four), which I wrote during the pandemic (see?).
Strange Brew: Art, Artifacts, Antiques…And Murder
I came across a great new crime show from Acorn TV with the mundane title, ART DETECTIVES. But there is nothing mundane about tackling crimes involving Vermeer paintings, 1000-year-old Viking gold, or artifacts brought up from the TITANIC.
Remembering The “Roller Skating Cook”
One of the primary reasons that the 1982 sci-fi/horror film, JOHN CARPENTER’S THE THING, is considered one of the best movies of its genre is its outstanding ensemble cast. A young actor named T. K. CARTER was part of that ensemble. Mr. Carter passed away last week.
“Lizzie Borden Took An Axe…”
That blasted fog bank in my latest opus, THE MAGIC OF THE BIKE PATH (A Jack Miller Senior Moment: Book Six), is the gift that keeps on giving. This particular life form that Jack encounters will make him a bit…er, uncomfortable.
Sometimes You Just Need Dinosaurs
All of us are familiar with comfort food, that special dish we turn to when the day—and life in general—is going poorly. For me, the chances are that I’ll turn to a comfort movie when life goes sideways, and that movie almost always involves dinosaurs.
“Dad Is Gonna Love This!”
My three daughters know this old guy pretty well. When it comes to choosing gifts, they’re always spot on. And the latest one was a doozy!
Jack Miller Meets Bigfoot
In my latest opus, THE MAGIC OF THE BIKE PATH (A Jack Miller Senior Moment: Book Six), cosmic bike rider Jack Miller finds himself in a never-ending fog bank, where he meets some, ah, “unique” life forms. This includes Bigfoot, who Jack encounters as he walks alongside his bike. Here is the scene.
“Death Is Only The Beginning”—Lines From THE MUMMY
With all the buzz about a new entry in THE MUMMY franchise on the horizon—the ones starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz—I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the memorable lines from the first two films. I’ll do THE MUMMY RETURNS next week.
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