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.
The Wonderful Language Of Baseball
It’s not exactly a novel, but THE DICKSON BASEBALL DICTIONARY is one of the best reads that I know. The author, Paul Dickson, defines just about every word and phrase, common and obscure, related to the most excellent game in the world. If you’re a baseball fan, it should be on your bookshelf.
Guilty Pleasures: THE RUINS
The 2008 “survival/horror” film, THE RUINS, is based on the 2006 novel of the same name. Its author, Scott Smith, also wrote the screenplay, so he must’ve known what mattered in paring down the nearly 400-page tome into 90 minutes of screen time. Even so, the much-acclaimed book was a box office bomb, and its reviews were so-so.
Perils Of The Bike Path…Perils Of Life
My new Jack Miller opus, PERILS OF THE BIKE PATH, has just become available for public consumption as a Kindle eBook. The print version will be available shortly. The following post is also the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book.
“Bodies In My Backyard”—Quotes From A Creepy Movie
Last week I wrote about my favorite Donald Sutherland film, the 1978 remake of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. I thought it might be fun to highlight some quotes from this terrifying story.
My Favorite Donald Sutherland Film
There are lots to choose from, as this fine actor, who passed away last month at the age of 88, performed in over 140 films. But for me, the benchmark of Donald Sutherland’s screen roles was that of health inspector Matthew Bennell in the excellent 1978 remake of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS.
Guilty Pleasures: THE WARD
The 2010 “supernatural psychological horror” film, THE WARD, is significant for being John Carpenter’s directorial finale. Did his decision have anything to do with the film, or was he just burned out of directing?
Films About Writers: SINISTER
If I can use one word to describe the 2012 horror flick, SINISTER, it is this: disturbing. But it did receive some decent reviews (a few “jump scares” and horror tropes notwithstanding), and it made a ton of money over its production budget. And, most important for this series, its main character was a writer.
To Hell In A Handbasket
In advance of the release of PERILS OF THE BIKE PATH (the fifth opus in my comedy/sci-fi series), I’m presenting an occasional scene from one of the earlier books. This one comes from the third book, THE 22ND GEAR. My cosmic bike rider, Jack Miller, has bicycled into Hell, where he meets his tour guide…
Myths And Legends: The World War I Ghost Ship
The ZEBRINA was a schooner-rigged, three-masted sailing barge of 189 tons, built in 1873 in Whitstable, England. Four decades later, following an unremarkable career, the ZEBRINA joined a fraternity that no ship desired to be a part of: it became a GHOST SHIP.
Women’s Basketball In The…1970s?!
One of my favorite—yet little known—inspirational sports movies is the 2009 drama, THE MIGHTY MACS. This true story factors strongly into this post, though for the moment I’ll put it on the back burner.
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