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.
Harry Potter In The Bolivian Rainforest?
In 1981 a young Israeli man, Yossi Ghinsberg, went backpacking around the globe in search of adventure. During a trek through a minimally explored jungle in Bolivia, he found more adventure than he ever bargained for—and it nearly cost him his life.
Bone Tomahawk: Odd Title, Compelling Film
I checked out the 2015 western/horror flick, BONE TOMAHAWK, for two reasons. First, I like those genres, and second, the film stars Kurt Russell, one of my favorites. I had not even heard of it until recently, and it is not hard to understand why.
Films About Writers: Under The Tuscan Sun
In 1996 Frances Mayes, a writer, book reviewer, teacher, and foodie extraordinaire, published a memoir—replete with recipes—called UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN. The book spent over two years on the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller list, a remarkable achievement. A romantic comedy-drama “loosely based” on the book was inevitable…
Native American Film Gems: Dreamkeeper
The excellent, Emmy Award-winning 2003 film, DREAMKEEPER, began life as a two-part Hallmark mini-series, which accounts for its three-hour length. But the time flies as you watch this spellbinding tale about a Lakota storyteller and his quest to see the oral tradition of his people carried on.
Oy! Jack Miller Rides Again…Well, Soon
As one who loves to write, I enjoyed creating all my many published novels. But my comedy/sci-fi trilogy (BICYCLING THROUGH SPACE AND TIME, THE ULTIMATE BIKE PATH, and THE 22ND GEAR, all from Ace/Berkley) provided me with the most fun I ever had—and ultimately, sad to say, some heartache.
Mirror, Mirror…Who’s The Deadliest Of Them All?
Big things often begin as something much smaller. Case in point: the 2013 supernatural thriller, OCULUS, a critically acclaimed—and profitable—movie that started out as a short film (28 minutes) with the lengthy title of OCULUS: CHAPTER THREE–THE MAN WITH THE PLAN.
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?)
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