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: “I’m The King Of The World!”—Well-Known Movie Lines That Were Ad-Libbed
Film actors and actresses—especially the most creative ones—will deviate from a script more often than you’d think. Some of the most iconic movie lines were improvised. Here are a few of them.
Really? CHILD’S PLAY Is NOT A Guilty Pleasure?!
The 1988 “supernatural slasher” film, CHILD’S PLAY, introduced the world to Chucky, the Good Guy doll possessed by the spirit of a deranged serial killer. I’ve watched it a number of times over the past 36 years and had always thought of it as one of my (many) guilty pleasures. But it’s not.
Throwback Thursday: What Are The Lincoln Canes?
Abe Lincoln, our 16th president, is remembered for a great many achievements. The commissioning of the Lincoln Canes is probably not one of them…but it should be.
Myths And Legends: The Screaming Tunnel
Dark, dank, creepy… Abandoned tunnels seem likely places for all manner of paranormal activity. And among the league leaders is a short but spooky one on the Ontario, Canada side of Niagara Falls. It is known as the Screaming Tunnel.
Throwback Thursday: Myths And Legends—The St. Augustine Lighthouse
The Florida city of St. Augustine, located on the Atlantic coast and founded in 1565 by explorers from Spain, is the oldest European-established and occupied settlement in the U.S. It is also home to one creepy old haunted lighthouse—if you can believe the legends.
Happy Labor Day!
I hope you’re having an enjoyable holiday weekend. I am gonna take a break from writing a new article this week. But I will share this one quick story.
Throwback Thursday: A Journey Across Time To Save An Empire
This time travel novel, THE SWORD OF TYRON, is one of my earliest efforts. I first presented this post in 2021.
Hanging With The Baseball Gods
“Hello, Jack,” a pair of voices called. And that’s when I DID flip upside-down as I spotted the welcoming guys as they emerged from the blackness: Tony Gwynn and Mickey Mantle! OH MYYY…
Throwback Thursday: Vampires In…New Mexico?
I could easily have presented the 1998 horror flick, VAMPIRES (aka JOHN CARPENTER’S VAMPIRES) as a Guilty Pleasure, since it met all of my parameters. (A D+ rating by audiences, no less!) But I gave it a pass because it was filmed in New Mexico, one of my favorite places, and the film’s scenery was totally cool. Apparently the bloodsuckers liked it too.
A Lot More TWISTERS…But One TWISTER Is Still The Best
Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the 2024 disaster movie, TWISTERS, with its numerous tornadoes dealing death and destruction all over Oklahoma. But its 1996 predecessor, TWISTER, holds a lofty place on my list of all-time favorite movies. Much of that has to do with its amazing cast…
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