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.
WEST SIDE STORY: “el Remake de 2021 es Magnífico”
As an old(er) guy I’m kind of a curmudgeon when it comes to change. I like the old Broadway musicals just the way they are, not remade, reimagined, rebooted, or whatever. A few years back, when I first heard that Steven Spielberg planned on producing and directing a reboot of the fabulous 1961 film version of WEST SIDE STORY, I had a WTF moment, despite my admiration for him and his works. Why remake such a gem?
Throwback Thursday: The Worms Keep Turning…But For How Long?
Well, apparently quite long, as there has already been a seventh entry in the series, TREMORS: SHRIEKER ISLAND, to hit the small screen. This post first ran in 2018.
Bernie Smith Is Back!
Indeed he is, still the reluctant hero in my recently published novel, THE HORRORS OF HARRMEL. Bernie first appeared in my 2016 Sword & Planet spoof, THE WIZARD FROM HARRMEL, where he was zapped up from an Iowa cornfield and deposited on the deadly planet of Persus. There, amid numerous weird and wild adventures, he and the woman of his dreams, the beautiful and brilliant Thanna Dora, must face off against the nastiest of the nasty, the evil wizard from the dark land of Harrmel—the notorious Heevit Upp!
Throwback Thursday: Who Won The Bone Wars?
Also called the Great Dinosaur Rush, the Bone Wars comprises an interesting chapter in American history. The phrase refers to a period of fiercely competitive fossil hunting that took place during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Although many others got caught up in the obsessive hunt for dinosaur remains, its two primary antagonists were paleontologists Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope. And wow, did these guys hate each other’s guts!
A QUIET PLACE: Part II—Not As Quiet, But Still Awesome
The story contained within the remarkable 2018 horror film, A QUIET PLACE, began on “Day 89” and went forward from there. So when A QUIET PLACE: Part II (2020) opens on “Day 1” we are assured of finding out how it all started. But it is not entirely a prequel to the original film.
Throwback Thursday: Shh—Don’t Make A Sound…
Just how scary is the 2018 thriller, A QUIET PLACE? Okay, perhaps you’ve seen a Cox commercial where a woman is watching STRANGER THINGS and sitting on the edge of her couch looking seriously freaked out. That’s about what this jaded horror aficionado looked like all through this film.
“The Play’s The Thing”—SHAKESPEARE AND HATHAWAY
No, we’re not talking about William Shakespeare, or his wife, Anne Hathaway—not exactly, anyway. This is about Luella “Lu” Shakespeare (Jo Joyner) and Frank Hathaway (Mark Benton), stars of the delightful BBC British detective/comedy series, “Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators.”
Throwback Thursday: “They’re Coming To Get You, Barbara”—Horror Movie Quotes
Ah, scary flicks…no surprise that I love the genre. (What does that say about me?) Here are a few lines from some of my favorites.
Myths And Legends: The Ohio State Reformatory
If you saw the excellent film, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, or the political thriller, AIR FORCE ONE, then you’ve had a glimpse inside the Ohio State Reformatory, located in Mansfield, OH. But you likely didn’t know that this former prison is considered to be one of the most haunted places in America.
Throwback Thursday: Films About Writers—HUMOR ME
I can’t say that the 2018 comedy, HUMOR ME, did poorly at the box office. That’s because it did almost NO box office. It just sort of came and went, and we all missed it…and that’s a shame, as it definitely is funny, and at times even poignant.
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