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.
The Word Of The Day Is…Godzilla!
So why is an old guy like me so excited about the upcoming Godzilla movie? (GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, release date May 31st. Next month!) Okay, I’m seventy-three (going on thirteen), and I’ve always loved monster movies, and I’ll still love ’em when I’m a hundred and three.
Throwback Thursday: Writing Tips—Writing Novels For Fun And…Fun?
Did you expect to see the word “profit” in that title? Not likely. Let me share some thoughts from what I’ve experienced over the past gazillion years and nearly thirty novels written.
Myths And Legends: The Flannan Isles Lighthouse
File this one under “unsolved mysteries,” an incident that has confounded researchers, as well as ordinary people, for over a century. How did three lighthouse keepers on Eilean Mòr, site of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse, vanish one day without a trace?
Throwback Thursday: 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.
“I Crap Bigger Than You”—Lines From A Comedy Classic
Billy Crystal is one of my favorite performers, and his 1991 film, CITY SLICKERS, is a gem, much loved by critics and moviegoers alike. As you would guess, he has many of the best lines in the film…but not all. There are plenty of contributors in this laugh-a-minute story.
Throwback Thursday: 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 in a post that first ran in 2015.
Films About Writers: Snake Island
Bestselling horror novelist Malcolm Page is on his way to Snake Island—which is also the title of this 2002 creature feature—to gather material for his next book.
Throwback Thursday: Blowing Shit Up—Dante’s Peak And Volcano
Being a guy, it’s in my DNA—like most guys everywhere—to love movies in which they’re blowing shit up. Lots of shit; the more the better.
The Mighty Casey Struck Out…Twice
One of my favorite episodes in Twilight Zone’s first season was titled, “The Mighty Casey.” I totally enjoyed seeing it again, but afterward, in researching its history—as I had done with all of the previous episodes—I discovered something about one of the actors that shocked me.
Throwback Thursday: Writing Tips—To Outline Your Story…Or Not?
To some writers, “outline” is a dirty word (much like “synopsis”). To others, it is an indispensable tool in helping to craft their stories. As for me—well, during my multiple writing careers I have traveled down both roads. Let me explain.
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