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 GUILTY Pleasure? I Think Not…
By my own set parameters the 2004 film, THE ALAMO, should be a Guilty Pleasure of the highest order. Its reviews were negative, and it is considered one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time. But I have always felt it is an excellent film that offers a fair, informative account of what occurred at the famous battle in San Antonio, Texas over 180 years ago.
The Warrior Princess: A Middle-Aged Aussie Detective?
New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless is best known for her iconic, kick-butt role as “Xena: Warrior Princess,” in a syndicated television series that ran for 134 episodes from the late 1990s through 2001. She has hardly lacked for work since then, with numerous film and TV roles.
Conjuring Up A Scary Universe: Part Three
There is a legend, true or otherwise, of a woman who lived in seventeenth century Mexico with her husband and two children. When she caught hubby cheating on her, she went mad and drowned the kids. Ultimately, realizing what she had done, she killed herself.
My 2019 Halloween Playlist
I thought it would be fun to revisit my first Halloween playlist from a number of years past. And yes, I am going to watch these films once again. What’s not to like!
Conjuring Up A Scary Universe: Part Two
With the financial success of the first two films in the Conjuring Universe, sequels were inevitable. This time around the filmmakers doubled down on the links that they inserted in THE CONJURING 2, a clear indication that this franchise had a lot more to offer in the future.
Conjuring Up A Scary Universe: Part One
Having viewed over 17 million horror movies since the invention of celluloid, I’m pretty jaded when it comes to being scared by any of them. But I just about had to change my shorts after watching the 2013 thriller, THE CONJURING. If it isn’t the scariest movie I ever saw, then it’s at least in the top three or four.
Preventing A Touchdown—The Supernatural Way
By way of self-evaluation, THE MODOC WELL (originally published as THE WELL by Bantam Books) is the goriest of my four horror novels. This particular shocker of a scene will illustrate that.
“I Love My Rejection Slips…”—Writing Quotes From Writers
Thoughts about writing from successful writers can inspire—or perhaps deflate, depending how they are taken. Here are a few gems.
Curious Possessions
With seven-plus decades in the rearview mirror, I’ve had plenty of time to collect my share of “stuff.” I thought it might be fun to have a look at some of the more interesting things, so consider “Curious Possessions” the first of a new, occasional series for my blog.
Guilty Pleasures: 47 Ronin
By my own checklist the 2003 historical adventure-fantasy film, 47 RONIN, is the perfect Guilty Pleasure. It bombed at the box office: check. Critics hated it: check. Yours truly loved it: double check.
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