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.
Santa Claus Versus The Mutant Ants
As a mere slip of a lad in the 1950s, I totally enjoyed (and had the crap scared out of me by) the numerous science fiction and horror movies spawned during that decade. Paranoia ruled in the ’50s, folks being worried about—in no particular order—the threat of communism; the fear of alien invasion (seriously); and the long-term effects of being thrust into the atomic age during the previous decade.
Winema And Frank: A Love Story
Once again my excellent friend, August McLaughlin, asked me to participate in her “Beauty of a Woman” Blogfest for 2015. This year I’ve chosen to write about a remarkable Native American woman named Winema, the “Modoc Woman of the Brave Heart.” She is the main “character” in my recently published historical novel, Stone Woman: Winema and the Modocs.
“Oh No, Not The Bees!”
In case you don’t know, that line comes from the 2006 horror/thriller flick, The Wicker Man, a remake of a 1973 British film of the same name. I could have just as easily gone with the title, “Oh no, not this movie!” and been spot-on. Both critically and at the box...
Films About Writers: Resurrecting The Champ
Not a whole lot of folks saw the sports drama, Resurrecting the Champ—“inspired by a true story”—during its short theatrical run in 2007.That’s too bad, because it is an excellent film, and Samuel L. Jackson’s brilliant performance as the titular character was Oscar-worthy, I kid you not.
A Study In…Unique Writing
Victorian-era writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created two of the most memorable characters in all of fiction: amateur sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his chronicler, Dr. John Watson. Their adventures spanned four novels and over fifty short stories. Obviously, there had to be a first story—which brings me to A Study in Scarlet, a most remarkable novel, and quite a way to launch a career.
California Dreaming
I live in Southern California. More important than that: I am a Southern Californian; have been for over two-thirds of my life. There is no other place where I can imagine myself to be. But wow, did I take a circuitous route to wind up here. Let me explain.
“It’s Alive!”
Some more fun with memorable movie lines. Enjoy!
“Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive… It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE!” A rather exuberant Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) upon seeing his patchwork Monster move in the original (1931) film version of Frankenstein.
A Neat Disappearing Act
Old joke: Igor says to Count Dracula, “Master, the Invisible Man is here!” and the Count replies, “Tell him I can’t see him.” (Like I said, old, and also bad.)
Of late I’ve had the great pleasure of revisiting classic books and movies in my favorite genres. In some cases I’ve enjoyed the same story in both formats. This is true of The Invisible Man, the famous novel by H.G. Wells. He published the book in 1897 and was still around to see its film release by Universal Pictures in 1933.
Writing A Novel Requires Commitment
Back in my salad days, when I took on just about any writer who had a pulse, I worked with a woman from the Midwest—let’s call her Helen—who had written, according to her, about three-quarters of a thriller. I first evaluated what she’d completed, and quite frankly, found it lacking in just about every area necessary to make for a readable, compelling novel. But hey, all writers have to start somewhere, and Helen seemed willing to take the input and run with it. And so we moved forward.
The Future: Now Past
As the year 2014 comes to an end this week, I got to thinking: how in the name of Zeus’s butthole did it pass so quickly?! I guess when a year is 1/68th of your life, that’s what happens. In any case, to slightly paraphrase a cherished line from the movie Frequency—one that my bride and I use quite often—“We’re still here, Chief.” And that’s the best part.
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