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.
Is It Still The Victorian Era For Women?
My bride and I just finished viewing the three seasons (with a fourth on the way) of the PBS Masterpiece mystery series, MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE, which we enjoyed. The stories are set in 1882 London, not the era in which you’d expect to find a strong-willed, independent woman like its main character, Eliza Scarlet.
An Icelandic Christmas Tradition
My bride and I visited Iceland during the summer many years ago. At that time of year there are more than twenty hours of sunshine each day. In December, not so much. Hardly any, in fact. Still, they have a Christmas tradition that rocks!
Guilty Pleasures: THE BLOB (1988)
Whether you’re a casual or serious fan of horror/sci-fi films (I’m the latter), you probably associate THE BLOB with the classic B-movie from 1958. After all, it was Steve McQueen’s first starring role. In subsequent years it produced a few sequels, but the first remake came about in 1988.
Milestones
Two days ago (November 26th) marked the 32nd anniversary of the day Jacqueline and I met. Tomorrow (November 29th) marks our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. It has been an awesome ride…
Myths And Legends: Haunted Truck Roads
It surprised me to discover that this country harbored so many haunted roads, from East Coast to West Coast. I did write about one such road, which ran through a portion of Nebraska. But as many truckers can tell you, that is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Here’s the skinny on a couple of them.
Going To The Dogs
Erstwhile earthling Bernie Smith was zapped up from an Iowa cornfield to the deadly planet of Persus in my Sword & Planet spoof, THE WIZARD FROM HARRMEL. In book two, THE HORRORS OF HARRMEL, Bernie and his bride, Thanna Dora, set out on a dangerous quest after learning that her long-lost father, Skreen Dor, may still be alive.
Guilty Pleasures: CONGO
You’d think that any movie based on a popular Michael Crichton novel would be a major hit. But the 1995 action/adventure film, CONGO—while it did kind of okay at the box office—suffered the vitriol of critics, and its Razzie nominations were numerous. Even so, I love this film, “deadly laser guns” and “mutant killer apes” and “talking gorillas” and “marauding hippos” and all.
My 2022 Halloween Playlist
These days I spend Halloween enjoying a horror movie marathon…three or four shockers, at least. I may scare the crap out of myself well into the night, assuming I can stay awake. Here is the likely playlist.
“What Are You, Like, 80?” Lines From The Indiana Jones Films, Part Three
Actually, Harrison Ford will be 80+ when the fifth Indiana Jones film premieres next year. He was only in his mid-60s when he starred in INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, the fourth film in the series, which followed a nineteen-year hiatus. Naturally, some “age” jokes were inevitable.
“This Should Be In A Museum”—Lines From The Indiana Jones Films, Part Two
The third film in the Indiana Jones series introduced film icon Sean Connery as Indy’s father and involved a quest for a Holy Relic. It also brought the Nazis back into the series. Here are some of the fun and compelling lines from this film.
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