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: Bestselling Authors Make Great Film Directors—Not!
The bestselling author in question here is none other than Stephen King. His directorial effort, singular, is the 1986 “science fiction action horror comedy” film, MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE, based (loosely) on his short story, TRUCKS. The movie was a disaster both critically and at the box office…
One More Inspirational Baseball Movie That You Probably Missed
The 2019 drama, BOTTOM OF THE 9th, initially drew me in for two reasons. First, it’s a baseball movie, and if I haven’t seen every single one ever made, I’m pretty close. Second, much of it takes place in The Bronx, where I spent the first 21 years of my life. But ultimately, this powerful tale of redemption kept me engrossed from beginning to end.
Throwback Thursday: Films About Books—In The Mouth Of Madness
It is pretty well accepted that reading books can influence people in many ways, both positively and negatively. But can they drive readers to madness and murder?
Columbo Would Have Loved Vera
She’s old; she’s short; she’s disheveled; she’s irascible. She’s also brilliant. She’s Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, head of the Major Crimes unit of the (fictional) Northumberland & City Police.
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—Wild Wild West
I’ve watched this goofy film one more time since this post first ran in 2016, and I still think it’s a hoot—which puts me in a vast minority.
Report From The Quarantine Cave 2.0
It’s July already, and this freaking coronavirus shows no sign of letting up. Truth be told, it’s only getting worse, and with no vaccine in sight it appears that we’re in this for the long haul.
Throwback Thursday: The Body Snatchers—The Novel That Spawned Four Film Versions: Part Two
So how did the ending of Finney’s novel and those of the four films differ? Let’s explore that here.
Dual Guilty Pleasures Depict Nasty Alien Invaders
I don’t usually write about multiple Guilty Pleasures in one post. But the sci-fi/action films, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES (2011) and BATTLESHIP (2012) have much in common, so this seemed to make perfect sense.
Throwback Thursday: The Body Snatchers—The Novel That Spawned Four Film Versions: Part One
Who knew that the cautionary plot of this slim novel would endure for so many years? This post first ran in 2016.
Murder In Kiwi Land: The Brokenwood Mysteries
Spending most of our time indoors these days, my bride and I have discovered a number of great shows from around the globe on some of the streaming services. One of our absolute favorites (on Acorn) is the detective drama, THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES. The only negative I can say about it is that there are only twenty-four episodes, and we’ve seen them all. Waaaa!
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