Mike Sirota's Blog – 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 so much more than that, hence the all-inclusive “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.
Safe At Home
I’m writing this on what should have been Opening Day for Major League Baseball in general, and my San Diego Padres in particular. (Not to mention the start of the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA basketball tournament. Crap!)
Throwback Thursday: Writing Serves To Soothe The Savage Beast—Part One
My self-assessment is that I’m one of the most passive guys on the planet. That’s why, when I go back and read one of the (many) violent, bloody scenes that I’ve written in my novels over the decades, I wonder, “Where the hell did that come from?”
They Had To Start Somewhere
One of the things I love about THE TWILIGHT ZONE was watching actors and actresses that were either famous at the time or were little known but would achieve fame in the future. The list is amazing.
Throwback Thursday: Films About Writers—The Raven
Okay, I’ll stay on my Edgar Allan Poe kick for one more week. The 2012 film, THE RAVEN, is not about Poe’s classic poem, but about Poe himself—more specifically, about Poe’s last days of life in 1849 Baltimore.
Native American Film Gems: Thunderheart
The 1992 film, THUNDERHEART, has been described as a “contemporary western mystery,” but it is so much more than that. It is “loosely based” on what is known as the Wounded Knee incident, which occurred in 1973, and other instances of Native American resistance, such as the occupation of Alcatraz Island (1969-1971).
Throwback Thursday: “A Midnight Dreary” In The Raven Room
This was a memorable visit to Edgar Allan Poe’s old haunts, to be sure. The post first ran in 2016.
“Start Writing, No Matter What” – More Quotes From Successful Authors
Wisdom from well-known authors can be inspirational for wannabe writers. Or in some cases they can have the opposite effect. Here are some more gems to ponder.
Throwback Thursday: Films About Books—The Princess Bride
Okay, who hasn’t seen the 1987 fairytale gem, THE PRINCESS BRIDE? Not ever seeing it would be inconceivable! This film, an instant cult classic, is on countless Top Whatever lists in comedy and other genres.
Myths And Legends: The St. Louis Ghost Train
To be clear, we’re not talking about the city in Missouri, but rather a small town in Canada, located in the province of Saskatchewan. This rural burg put itself on the paranormal map a long time ago by virtue of an eerie phenomenon: the lights of a ghostly train that roll down invisible tracks nearly every night.
Throwback Thursday: A Jack Nicholson Snow Globe?
I have a snow globe containing a dead guy who had froze to death in the snow. What does that say about me? This post first ran in 2016.
Recent Releases
