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.
Throwback Thursday: Outrageous Film Teasers
I had forgotten about this post, which first ran in 2020. To reiterate my warning from back then, don’t be drinking anything when you read some of these crazy film teasers. 😊
The Saga Of Greasy Neale
Elly de la Cruz, the exciting rookie, had just stolen three bases in the same inning, a rare feat that had occurred only 47 times in the history of Major League Baseball. As for the Cincinnati Reds, the last player to accomplish it did so in 1919, over a century ago. That player’s name: GREASY NEALE.
Throwback Thursday: Blowing Shit Up: The Final (I Hope) Rambo Film
Well, I haven’t heard anything about a new RAMBO film, and that’s probably a good thing. This post first ran in 2020.
A Story’s “Setting” Can Also Be A “Character”
Indeed, I strongly believe that statement. Think about it: what would Tarzan’s life be like without the challenges of the beautiful but deadly jungle? Or the scientists and staff in John Carpenter’s THE THING without the starkness of Antarctica’s ice and snow? Or LAWRENCE OF ARABIA without the vastness of the blistering desert? Settings such as these play key roles in so many stories.
Throwback Thursday: “A Wizard Is Never Late”—Memorable Lines From THE LORD OF THE RINGS
I absolutely love THE LORD OF THE RINGS, both Tolkien’s classic novel and the sprawling epic film series of Peter Jackson. There are countless memorable lines from the latter, which makes the following, from a 2020 post, merely a small sample.
A Bold (Dumb?) Prediction
As I write this post, my beloved—but maddening—San Diego Padres have reached the halfway point of a 162-game season with a record of 37-44. I’ll say that again: 37-44! How in the name of Zeus’s butthole did that happen?
Using Fiction To Make A Statement
My four-book comedy/science fiction series, which began with BICYCLING THROUGH SPACE AND TIME, depicts the mostly outrageous adventures of mountain bike rider Jack Miller along the cosmic tunnel called the Ultimate Bike Path. But “outrageous” occasionally turns to “outrage…”
“My Planet Just Exploded…Let’s Get Married!”
Until recently there was something about FORBIDDEN PLANET that I did not know—probably for the better. It had to do with a scene that wound up on the cutting room floor, one that would’ve left a sour taste in the mouths of many who watched it. Here’s the deal.
Myths And Legends: The Point Lookout Lighthouse
It is curious that lighthouses seem the ideal places for hauntings. That is certainly true of the Point Lookout Lighthouse in Maryland, considered by some to be the most haunted lighthouse in America.
A Study In Black And White
The popular Canadian detective series, MURDOCH MYSTERIES, is now in its sixteenth season. By the time the final episode of this season airs later this summer, the count will have reached in excess of 260 episodes! (My bride and I love this show, and we’ve seen them all.) You would think it quite a challenge to keep each episode fresh. Which brings me to an episode titled, “Dead On Arrival.”
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