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.
Inconceivable: A Star Wars Film That Flopped?
I don’t get it; I just don’t. SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, the second spinoff after ROGUE ONE, has been around over a month—long enough for it to be considered a box office bomb. Jacqueline and I totally enjoyed the film, and from what I learned, so did critics and audiences alike.
Throwback Thursday: Guilty Pleasures—Conan The Destroyer
Last week I mentioned that a new Conan movie with the Governator was doubtless NOT going to happen. Such is life. Here is a 2014 post about the last time he appeared as the indomitable barbarian.
A Few Thoughts On A Dark And Stormy Night
Okay, first of all I’m writing this on a sunny Southern California afternoon, and the next storm is not expected here till at least November. But hey, I am a purveyor of fiction, and as my dear bride can confirm, I tend to exaggerate upon occasion. Just a little bit though. So here are some thoughts and updates about this and that.
Throwback Thursday: “Chilled Monkey Brains”
Memorable lines from our favorite movies are always a hoot. Here are a few more of mine, from a 2014 post.
Guilty Pleasures: Next
Through the years, it seems as if many of my Guilty Pleasures—films that bombed at the box office and/or with the reviewers—involve Nicolas Cage. The same is true of the 2007 sci-fi thriller, NEXT, based on a story by legendary author Philip K. Dick.
Throwback Thursday: Myths And Legends—Haunted Anza Borrego
It is no wonder that so many ghosts haunt the lonely trails, mountains, and landmarks of the forbidding desert. The desert can be so unforgiving and, at the same time, unbelievably generous. Many travelers, prospectors and adventures have gone into the desert, never to return or be seen again.
Where Was #MeToo Back In The Day?
Recently, I discovered something about myself that, quite honestly, I did not like. It has to do with a fictional character: Dirk Pitt, the ubiquitous creation of bestselling author Clive Cussler.
Throwback Thursday: Read & Critique—The Drama Queen
In facilitating read & critique workshops in my home for over a dozen years I’ve encountered more than my share of drama queens—and kings. The subject in this post is a compilation of them all.
Myths And Legends: The Ghosts Of Alcatraz
If you’ve been to San Francisco (who hasn’t), you probably rode the ferry across the bay to Alcatraz Island. You took the tour of the old federal prison, stood inside one of the 4’ x 8’ claustrophobic cells (I lasted ten seconds), gawked at the Who’s Who of former inmates. But in the daytime, with so many people around, you likely did not encounter one of the many spirits that inhabit its creepy corridors.
Throwback Thursday: Films About Writers—Finding Forrester
We writers don’t usually find cause to save the country, or the planet, or the galaxy (except in our own stories), so making us the heroes on the silver screen is not something that gets box office-driven Hollywood all atwitter. That said, there are more movies about writers and writing than one might think.
Latest Release
