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.
The Word Of The Day Is…Godzilla!
So why is an old guy like me so excited about the upcoming Godzilla movie? (GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, release date May 31st. Next month!) Okay, I’m seventy-three (going on thirteen), and I’ve always loved monster movies, and I’ll still love ’em when I’m a hundred and three.
Myths And Legends: The Flannan Isles Lighthouse
File this one under “unsolved mysteries,” an incident that has confounded researchers, as well as ordinary people, for over a century. How did three lighthouse keepers on Eilean Mòr, site of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse, vanish one day without a trace?
“I Crap Bigger Than You”—Lines From A Comedy Classic
Billy Crystal is one of my favorite performers, and his 1991 film, CITY SLICKERS, is a gem, much loved by critics and moviegoers alike. As you would guess, he has many of the best lines in the film…but not all. There are plenty of contributors in this laugh-a-minute story.
Films About Writers: Snake Island
Bestselling horror novelist Malcolm Page is on his way to Snake Island—which is also the title of this 2002 creature feature—to gather material for his next book.
The Mighty Casey Struck Out…Twice
One of my favorite episodes in Twilight Zone’s first season was titled, “The Mighty Casey.” I totally enjoyed seeing it again, but afterward, in researching its history—as I had done with all of the previous episodes—I discovered something about one of the actors that shocked me.
Jurassic Rankings: Part Two
I can’t even guess at how many times I’ve seen the three original Jurassic Park films. It will take a long time for me to catch up with the Jurassic World trilogy. Heck, the third one isn’t even due till 2021. Here are the “better” and “best” films—IMHO, of course.
Jurassic Rankings: Part One
Yes, I’m going to rate the five films in the Jurassic Park franchise (IMHO, of course), but it is not going to be in a worst-to-first way. I love dinosaur movies in general, and these were all entertaining, so I think good-to-better-to best would be more accurate.
Films About Books: The Bookshop
Book lovers are special people. (Yes, I’m biased, but what the heck.) The theme is especially prevalent in the 2017 drama, THE BOOKSHOP. The film, a period piece set in England, has an impressive cast that includes Emily Mortimer, Bill Nighy, and Patricia Clarkson.
Guilty Pleasures: Sea Beast
The 2008 monster flick, SEA BEAST, originally titled TROGLODYTE, is one of many films in the SyFy Channel’s “Maneater” series. With titles such as GRIZZLY RAGE, RISE OF THE GARGOYLES, SAND SERPENTS, ROADKILL, and BLOOD MONKEY, the series covers just about every myth, legend, no-legged to multi-legged creature, flying/swimming/crawling creature, and anything else determined to chow down on humankind.
Using Fiction To Introduce Fact
When writing historical novels based on true events, the challenge is to not make the scenes read like dry, academic research for a thesis. My award-winning historical novel, STONE WOMAN: WINEMA AND THE MODOCS, offers many examples of how (hopefully) not to bore readers. I will present some scenes to illustrate what I mean.
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