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.
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 But surprise, I wrote another Sword & Planet novel back then that went unpublished—at least, not in its original form.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.
Come Visit The Garden Of A Thousand Bad Jokes
In my four-book (soon to be five!) comedy/sci-fi series, cosmic bicyclist Jack Miller visits some weird, wild—and dangerous—worlds through gates along the Ultimate Bike Path. Tempering the craziness in all of the books are occasional serious chapters, though I’ll always finish up with an outrageous one.
Spielberg Messed Up—An Opinion
Steven Spielberg’s 1977 science fiction classic, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, is definitely in my Top 5 favorite movies. It led me on a decades-long pilgrimage to the Devils Tower in Wyoming, which culminated with me reaching the magical place in 2017. It is an almost perfect movie, with only two things about it that bother me.
Myths And Legends: The Mystery Of Flight 19
If you’ve watched the 1977 Steven Spielberg classic, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, you might recall the opening sequence. Researchers are summoned to the Sonoran Desert in Mexico, where a group of old planes has suddenly appeared. They determine that the planes, in perfect condition, belong to Flight 19, a group of five planes that disappeared 32 years earlier, in 1945. Did I say disappeared? Has to be science fiction, right? Wrong. It really happened.
It’s A Mystery To Me
My bride and I love murder mysteries and detective dramas, cozy and otherwise. We’ve watched just about every series and movie from a number of different countries, especially the UK. I know why this particular genre appeals to me. To be blunt: I SUCK AT DEDUCTION.
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