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.
Revisited: The Future—Now Past
As the year 2017 comes to an end, I got to thinking: how in the name of Zeus’s butthole did it pass so quickly?! I guess when a year is 1/71st of your life, that’s what happens.
“Are There No Prisons? Are There No Workhouses?”
As a Jewish kid growing up in The Bronx—in a neighborhood of mostly other Jews—I had little exposure to Christmas, other than learning it wasn’t “our” holiday. Even so, I enjoyed many of the Christmas movies that played all through December on our 12-inch, black & white television. My two favorites were MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947) and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951). I thought it might be fun to list some quotes from these two gems.
Myths And Legends: A Gateway To Hell In Kansas
An unincorporated community called Stull, located a short distance from larger Kansas cities Topeka and Lawrence, has the dubious distinction of being the Devil’s playground. That is, of course, if you believe the urban legends about the Stull Cemetery.
Break Out Those Secret Decoder Rings!
The unique 2004 science fiction-adventure film, SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, has a definite 1930s-’40s feel about it. In a way it pays homage to old luminaries such as Flash Gordon and Captain Midnight. (Those of you in my, uh, approximate age bracket doubtless recall those secret decoder rings, yes?)
Films About Writers: The Dark Half
The 1993 horror film, THE DARK HALF, is an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1989 novel of the same name. His main character, Thad Beaumont, is a bestselling novelist—what else? Writers love to write about other writers, and King leads the league in that category.
Demons In…The Bronx?
The 2014 supernatural horror movie, DELIVER US FROM EVIL, is “inspired by” the actual experiences of a New York City cop named Ralph Sarchie. I like to think that “inspired by” gives the filmmakers even more creative license than “based on a true story,” and I’m sure that’s the case with this film. Still, true or not, DELIVER US FROM EVIL has more than its share of disturbing moments.
Homicidal Maniacs In…Iowa?
The Hawkeye state, birthplace of my bride, isn’t usually in the forefront when it comes to horror movies. But in THE CRAZIES (2010), a remake of George Romero’s 1973 film, Iowa is where we find ourselves, and yeah, the maniacs are all over the cornfields.
Mr. Mankind Still Creeps Me Out
Growing up in the 1950s I got to experience first-hand the new wave of science fiction movies that defined the era. One of my absolute favorites, Invaders from Mars (1953), had the distinction of being the first film to present aliens and their spacecraft in color (that’s SuperCinecolor, to be specific), beating out the classic War of the Worlds by a few months.
Please!—Write Well, Not Fast
It’s novel-writing month or some such thing again, so I’m going to post my annual rebuttal on the matter, as I will likely do for a long time to come.
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.
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