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.
Films About Books: The NeverEnding Story
If the 1979 novel, The Neverending Story, by German author Michael Ende, is a book about a book, then I suppose the 1984 film adaptation, The NeverEnding Story, can be referred to as a movie about a book about a book. But why make ourselves crazy thinking about that? The main thing is that this fairytale/fantasy, while well loved by children, has a most important message for adults.
A Post-Apocalyptic Train Ride
Did you ever have a nightmare where you’re on a train that just rolls on and on, and you can’t get off of it? That’s what passengers on a train called Snowpiercer must endure—the difference being that they would not want to get off if their lives depended on it—which, in fact, it does.
What’s Old Is New Again
In order to introduce my latest re-release, Warlord of Maldrinium (World After Death: Book One), I have to go way back in time. I’m talking 1978, just about when humankind discovered fire. At least movable type had been invented by then, because in that year I published the first couple of my two dozen-plus novels, The Prisoner of Reglathium and The Conquerors of Reglathium.
Films About Writers: Joan Wilder Rocks!
For many movie lovers—my bride included—Romancing the Stone (1984) and Jewel of the Nile (1985) are the perfect films. Action and adventure, outrageous comedy, romance, great cast—what more can you ask for from a fun flick? And even better, from my perspective: the main character is a bestselling romance writer!
Yo, Mama Is One Scary Movie
I, for one, am glad that in recent years, horror filmmakers have decided that scaring the crap out of people is more important than grossing them out by spilling buckets of blood. The 2013 gem titled Mama, starring Jessica Chastain—a talented actress—is a prime example of this.
Guilty Pleasures: Van Helsing
I guess the 2004 monster/horror film, Van Helsing, qualifies as a Guilty Pleasure because not a whole lot of folks liked it—especially the reviewers. (Fie on them!) It grossed over $300 million, so no problem there. This fun flick is an homage by director Stephen Sommers to the wonderful Universal horror movies of the 1930s and ’40s. It is easily one of the fifty (sixty?) movies in my personal Top Ten.
Zeus’s Butthole…More Unforgettable Movie Lines
My favorite movies—of which there are many—contain countless memorable lines that retain a permanent place in my brain and even haunt my sleeping hours. Here are some more of them.
“How in the name of Zeus’s butthole did you get out of your cell?”
Guest Post: Between Now And When
Dr. Richard House approached me via a referral a little over a year ago—just about the time I teetered on the cusp of full retirement. He had a non-fiction manuscript that needed a ton of work—his assessment—a true story that was kind of “out there,” he said.
Blowing Shit Up: Dante’s Peak And Volcano
Being a guy, it’s in my DNA—like all guys everywhere—to love movies in which they’re blowing shit up. Lots of shit; the more the better. In this new occasional series I’ll be exploring films that shake the theater—or your living room—and cause premature hearing loss.
Films About Books: The Ninth Gate
Thus begins a new series on my blog. Just to clarify, there are countless films “adapted from” or “based on” one book or another. That is not what I’m doing here. As the title says, these movies are “about” a book or books. For example, on my to-do list are The NeverEnding Story, The Book of Eli, The Princess Bride, and The Book Thief.
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