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.
My Oldest Book
This hardcover copy of the Jules Verne classic, TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, has been in my life for as long as I can remember. A “Rainbow Classic,” this edition was published in 1946, the year of this “young fart’s” birth.
I Won’t Tie One On
Being retired means never having to wear a tie. But I was a long way from retirement the last time I actually put on one of the damn things. How long? Let me share this story.
What The Hell Is In…THE WELL?
First of all, Happy New Year! For my first post of 2024, I hearken back to my first of four horror novels. Originally titled THE WELL and published by Bantam Books, the book is now called THE MODOC WELL and is part of my own imprint, Atoris Press. In addition to being a rip-roaring yarn (IMHO), it is a prime example of writing what you’re feeling. I shall explain.
Ball Of Confusion: Some Things Never Change
“Fear in the air, tension everywhere.” Does that sound like commentary on the current condition of the country, if not the world? The line comes from the hit single, “Ball of Confusion,” released in 1970 by the Motown super group, The Temptations—one of my all-time favorite groups. And it is hardly the only line in the song that it sadly relevant over five decades later.
A Beloved Film Series Has Ended
Although the final film in one of the most enduring and endearing movie franchises, INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, hit the silver screen this past summer, I did not watch it till earlier this month. Why not? Maybe I wanted to prolong the inevitable…
Former Favorite Film Franchise Flops Fatally
Wow, that’s a lot of “Fs,” just like there are lots of “Fs” (unnecessary F-bombs) in the fourth Expendables film (presented as Expend4bles). This one, sadly, should bury the once-popular franchise, which bombed big-time at the box office, got the lowest score of the series on Rotten Tomatoes, and the poorest grade from audiences.
How A Serious Sword & Planet Novel Turned Funny
Back in the day—the “day” being the 1970s and ’80s—I emulated my two muses, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard, with a spate of novels in genres such as Lost Worlds, Sword & Sorcery, and—of course—Sword & Planet. My five-book Reglathium series—which has long since evolved into my four-book Maldrinium series—was typical of the latter. But surprise, I wrote another Sword & Planet novel back then that went unpublished—at least, not in its original form.
Bob’s Your Uncle
Actually, Bob isn’t MY uncle. My three uncles’ names were Ben, Lou, and Hymie. But this isn’t about family. It is about a delightful, often-used expression across the pond in Great Britain.
My 2023 Halloween Playlist
It’s that time again. Living in a gated 55+ community, I no longer have to hand out Halloween candy at the front door, since no one does trick-or-treating. These days I spend the holiday enjoying a horror movie marathon…three or four shockers.
Horror Done Right: THE ORPHANAGE
Even though I had bought a Blu-Ray copy of the 2007 “gothic supernatural horror” film, THE ORPHANAGE, I almost didn’t watch it. A co-production between Spain and Mexico, EL ORFANATO is presented entirely in Spanish, with English sub-titles. Snob that I am, I’ve always found sub-titles distracting. Still, I gave it a chance, and five minutes in, I was hooked.
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