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.
My 2017 Halloween Playlist
Last year I mentioned that as an old guy living in a gated 55+ community, I no longer have to hand out Halloween candy at the front door, since no one does trick-or-treating. In addition to eating the last two Reese’s peanut butter cups, I get all the ones that come before them! Pretty cool.
An Early Halloween Treat…Or Trick?
With Halloween nearly upon us, I’d like to share a creepy scene from THE BURNING GROUND, one of my four horror novels. This is the final scene in chapter one, which takes place in 1849. (The balance of the story is contemporary.)
“They’re Coming To Get You…”: Lines From Vintage Horror Movies
The dialogue in horror movies can range from outrageously humorous to super creepy. Here are just a few, all of the films prior to 1990.
Along The River Of Lost Souls
The Animas River, part of the Colorado River System, begins high in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and winds all the way down to its confluence with the San Juan River in New Mexico. On our recent trip to the Four Corners region, Jacqueline and I seldom lost sight of the oftentimes breathtaking tributary, once known by the lengthier name of Rio de las Animas Perdidas—the River of Lost Souls.
Short And Sweet III
I just got back from a cool trip to the Four Corners area, mostly in Colorado. I’ll have plenty to say about it in next week’s post. For now, I want to sadly acknowledge the passing of actor Harry Dean Stanton last week at the age of ninety-one.
Guilty Pleasures: The Relic
This 1997 horror film is based on the best-selling book, RELIC, by popular authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Fans of these two know that this novel marks the initial appearance of the enigmatic FBI Agent Pendergast, who is totally absent from the movie. A box office disappointment with mixed reviews (although Siskel & Ebert loved it), THE RELIC definitely qualifies as a Guilty Pleasure, one that I always enjoy watching.
I Walk The Line
Actually, I walk lots of lines: straight, crooked, whatever. It doesn’t matter, as long as I’m walking. As my Facebook friends know, The Walking Dude—that’s me—set a goal of 600 miles for 2017, and that goal was reached around the middle of last month. Not too shabby.
Films About Writers: The Last Word
It is always a pleasure to see eighty-something Shirley MacLaine on the silver screen. Sadly, not a whole lot of people saw her perform in the 2017 comedy-drama, THE LAST WORD.
Righting Old Wrongs: The Talisman Of Okorro
Over the past few years I’ve been busy rewriting and reissuing many of my novels, the ones that were published from the late 1970s through the ’90s. Some revisions proved relatively easy; others required a good deal of effort. But nothing, nothing came close to the amount of work required in making a silk purse (hopefully) out of what I consider my most notorious sow’s ear.
Guilty Pleasures: C.H.U.D.
When I wrote about the late John Heard last week I mentioned that one of his earliest screen roles was in the 1984 horror movie, C.H.U.D. I would’ve eventually written about this weird film, given that it is one of my Guilty Pleasures—so why not now?
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